BS: Disgraceful BBC

Subject: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 08:22 AM

We shall refuse to pay for a BBC licence.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Raggytash
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 08:35 AM

Not very information Bonzo, is this because you perceive a political inbalance, is it because you have taken a dislike to a newsreader, or a particular programme, are you fed up of repeats. I suspect I know the reason for your post but as you don't actually state it we shall never know.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: DMcG
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 08:46 AM

I presume it is because the BBC will no longer give over 75's a free licence unless they get pension credit.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: DMcG
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 08:48 AM

Worth remembering, of course, there were no free licences for pensioners until Labour introduced them.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 08:57 AM

The govt withdrew its support and made the BBC carry the can. As a 75 year-old I haven't claimed the free licence and am happy to pay, better value than most things these days. Disgraceful that BBC has had to carry cost of World Service which is voice of UK that Govt wants world to hear and that it has to subsidize commercial rival Channel 4. Govt would like it to fail so commercial sector run by mediamogul taxdodger donors of tories can benefit. But that's just my prejudice!
RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 02:19 PM

Wanna know how much it costs for television here in the Land of the Free? Most people have cable and pay over a hundred bucks a month. I have an antenna and can usually pick up programs for free on what used to be the major networks, but I don't bother watching.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Allan Conn
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 02:53 PM

Joe but surely you have free channels in the US too just as we have? Or just as we would have if the BBC license was not there. Many people here also pay for Satellite TV which can mount up over the month depending on what you subscribe too. The difference is the BBC license is a tax which you have to pay - whether you use it or not. If you have a TV then you by law need to pay the license - even if you only watch the commercial channels. It is unpopular here in Scotland among a section of the population where public trust in the BBC is lower than throughout the UK as a whole. But if you have a TV then you are breaking the law if you don't pay the license. Though penalties in Scotland tend to be less harsh than in England for non payment.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 03:02 PM

Bonz - it's blatantly obvious which shit-rag paper you got your headline from...
.. and which arsehole said it...

That just about sums up the biased mentality behind Beeb bashing...

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 03:15 PM

We have one the worst levels of old age pensions in Europe. The free TV licence and free bus pass was a small compensation. The winter fuel allowance was to make up for the 5% VAT levied on fuel. The free licence for elderly people, brought in by Gordon Brown, was funded by the government until a few years ago when the Tories told the Beeb that they'd have to finance it themselves. The BBC can't provide a decent level of service if they do that as it would represent a cut of one-fifth of its budget. The Beeb's hand has been forced in a way that makes IT look like the culprit. Make no bones about it. Clear your head, Bonzo. This is a Tory cut and a cruel Tory blow to elderly people. If you have some kind of ideological beef with the BBC, well that a different matter which you should take outside.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 03:39 PM

Funny thing though, there’s more than just a hint in the air of tax-cuts for the well-off.

Wankers.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: robomatic
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 03:46 PM

How much are we talking about here? Is it a fixed fee per person? per household? indexed as to area?

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Stanron
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 03:55 PM

I pay a monthly direct debit for my TV license. This month's payment was £12.83.I don't know how much I would have to pay for Sky. I would resent having to pay in order to allow people to advertise at me.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 04:58 PM

The licence costs £154.50 per annum. That's about 42p per day. I'd call that bloody good value.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 05:06 PM

Old folks get free tv? I'm moving.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 05:41 PM

This may well turn out to be another cause of division within the Tory Govt...
Some pro BBC tories are openly critical of this cynical attempt to blame the BBC
for a problem contrived by anti BBC tories....

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 05:51 PM

Light begins to leak into the discussion. . .

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 07:01 PM

Nothing's for free, Mrrzy - we pay a lot more tax on stuff like petrol.
Our parents and grand parents, and those of us born in the 1940's paid directly between a third and a half of our incomes in tax to set up our welfare state.

I feel sad for some American mudcatters, who tell me that they have to decide which drugs their doctor has prescribed that they can afford.

Ideologically, its a great bome of contention as to which way is the best to preserve what the post war generation bequeathed us,

The old fashioned socialists like Corbyn believe we should be educating our own children to staff the National Health Service. However the Remainers in his party believe we should let search the byways of Europe and Asia for staff who would like to live in England, as even if we train our young people to be Doctors and Nurses - they will probably emigrate to countries that pay better wages for English speaking trained professionals.

The tory Leavers don't believe in the government spending that a better education/training policy would involve. So if Boris gets elected next week - he will probably be off for a week in Thailand nightclubs, signing trade deals to bring a troupe of ladyboy exotic dancers as
medical assistants.

So until then, we nitpick at the problem Both parties making sly budgetary cuts when they feel no ones looking. The tories being by far the worst naturally.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 11:42 PM

TV licences for over 75s          ~£500m
Raising 40% tax threshold ~£10,000m

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 08:38 AM

Amazon Prime, Netflix and Now TV are all £7.99 a month. If you only ever stream rather than watch live TV they are less than the license fee and apart from trailers at the beginning of a show they have no adverts. They are all producing very good new shows at the moment. I would be very tempted to ditch live TV in future but the Mrs still likes it.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:09 AM

I'm in favor of high taxes and apparently free things.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:26 AM

If I could get ad-free TV as good as the Beeb in Canada, I would happily pay a licence fee. With the CBC, we get the worst of both the British and American funding models: a tax-supported broadcaster constantly threatened by funding cuts, and its programming constantly interrupted by remorseless advertising.

We stepped away from broadcast television nearly 20 years ago and never regretted the decision. Now we have Netflix and YouTube, and satellite radio so we can listen to the CBC in the car when travelling in the States. The radio service is still blessedly free of advertising.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Rain Dog
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:37 AM

Nothing new under the sun

Not The 9 O'clock News - Licence Fee

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 04:50 PM

"Amazon Prime, Netflix and Now TV are all £7.99 a month."

And that's just shy of £300 per annum, which is just shy of twice the licence fee.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Stanron
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:04 PM

I guess you are adding all three up together to get the £300 figure. Am I right in assuming that you need internet access to get Amazon Prime, Netflix and Now TV? Internet access costs what? £30 a month on top of the other costs. I buy internet access on pay as you go and currently I pay around £10 per month. If I downloaded my TV I would be bankrupt. Again.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 12:24 AM

Whichever way you cost it, the BBC is bloody good value for money..
TV, radio, internet downloads, and all the additional cultural and community services the Beeb provides..

Fight back against the hostile anti-beebers who are desperate to profit from the BBC's demise...
Argue back against their brainwashed minions who repeately chant
"the BBC is a communist feminist satanist paedo plot"...

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 03:18 AM

DtG - you need a TV licence if you have a TV - or as the law puts it "broadcast receiving apparatus" which includes a PVR. And any TV programme watched on the internet.

Asking the BBC to collect the licence is a cynical move to get the public to blame the BBC for the fee. It is a law still and the law has been framed by the current government. We can frane the current government, but the less well informed of the public won't.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 03:47 AM

And that's just shy of £300 per annum, which is just shy of twice the licence fee.

Only if you use all 3 of them, Steve. By a (maybe mis) interpretation of the rules three family members or friends can pay for one each and share :-) I only pay for Amazon Prime and paid for NowTV while Game of Thrones was running (6 weeks)

Mr Red

DtG - you need a TV licence if you have a TV - or as the law puts it "broadcast receiving apparatus"

Not so. It states quite clearly that -

You must have a TV Licence if you:

    watch or record programmes on a TV, computer or other device as they’re broadcast
    download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand


So you only need a TV license if you watch TV being broadcast or streamed BBC programmes. Any other streaming is license exempt.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Iains
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 04:48 AM

Condoning the behaviour of sick "comedians" wins the BBC few friends.
The article below highlights behaviour similar to that of Kathy Griffin


https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1139855/Jo-brand-bbc-radio-4-brexit-news-milkshake-battery-acid-Nigel-Farage

Such behaviour should be dealt with severely, not given the oxygen of publicity.


https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4016850/acid-attacks-uk-london-statistics-westbourne-grove/

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 05:03 AM

Iains - yeah.. strategically ignoring that UKIP comedians/candidates complained
how snowflake lefties can't take a joke about being raped...???

Farage should have grown a pair by now...

You are siding with effin' crybaby hypocrites..

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Iains
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 05:28 AM

You are siding with effin' crybaby hypocrites.
.
Have you ever contemplated making a post without insults, or would that be stretching the bounds of credulity?

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 05:47 AM

Jo Brand built a career on making jokes about domestic abuse of men.

If Jim Davidson or Bernard Manning had made a similar comment (I won't dignify it with the term ,joke) about abuse of women, the middle class whingeing would have been deafening.

These days you have to have the right predjudices.

Perhaps twas ever thus. Anyway I wish you joy of a world where people laugh at the idea of throwing acid at everyone corbyn disapproves of, and cutting off male genitalia.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 05:50 AM

Iains - have you ever considerd dealing with objective reality,
and not viewing everything through your overly biased ideological filter..

btw.. check the ratio of insults in my posts..
you may find you are prone to exageration...???

But that's what your lot do,
make outrageous accusations with utter conviction that they are the truth...

You can fool most of the people most of the time.. eh...???

So who you backing, Boris or Nigel for PM...???

At least it won't be Tommy or Carl...

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 06:04 AM

Al - as far as I'm concerned a funny joke is a funny joke.
Don't matter if the comedian is a loony lefty or a neo n@zi...

My position is that transgressive non PC dark humour is an essential release valve
for coping with life...

As uncomfortable as that may be for censorious prigs on any side of the political spectrum...

WE are allowing ourselves to be dictated to by control freak zealots...

I'd actually accuse the BBC of increasing cowardice in the face of criticism
from too many self serving minority groups
who consider themselves deserving of special privileged protective treatment...

See Iains, some of us lefties are just as fed up with certain aspects of modern culture
as most of you 'conservatives'...

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: JHW
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 06:07 AM

'some kind of ideological beef with the BBC'
Sure, all my life they've pestered me with mailings because I don't have a TV (or any inclination to watch little screens other ways) One day I guess I may be sent down for not having one. I'll tell the judge I don't have a smartphone either nor the thing you stick in your ears to run round the park.
The light at the end of the tunnel was that at 75 I could apply for a free licence I don't need and relax.
Now they will hound me to the other box.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 08:55 AM

I'm not sure if you theoretically need a TV licence if you capture a BBC live stream using command line software and watch it or listen to it later - I may be right I may be wrong, I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone..........now the Rock Island Line...........!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 09:09 AM

You're not the first person I've heard that from, JHW. That pestering behaviour by the BBC is unconscionable. Apart from that, like pfr I'm a massive fan and I think the Beeb gives amazing value for 42p a day.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 09:35 AM

I thought this thread was about the withdrawal of free licences to 75-year-olds unless they receive pensions credit?

I don’t think anyone with half an ounce of common sense would deny that the licence fee gives good value for money.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 09:39 AM

In case you got the wrong end of the stick, Steve, I agree that it is good value and I happily pay it every month. What I was trying to point out though was that at £12.80-odd a month it is a lot more expensive than Amazon, Netflix and NowTV streaming services. Individually of course, not altogether! I think that many people are looking at an alternative to standard broadcast TV and things are only going to get worse for the BBC. Now, I am sure it was not as cynical as this, but just which age group is likely to stick with the beeb and which is likely to move onto pure streaming?

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 10:04 AM

We have Sky, Amazon Prime, and Netflix,
and haven't watched terrestrial TV since the last digital channel reshuffle
rendered our rooftop arial useless.
It's a just about justifiable combined all-in home entertainment expense,
as we no longer go out drinking at getting on for a fiver a pint...
and have given up the costly gym membership

So it's a simple matter of personal priorities..
Same as those few cranky folks boasting how clever they are to never watch telly ever..
Whatever floats yer boat...

We still watch new BBC content, but now find it far more convenient to download on catch up from the Sky box.
Long gone are the days fretting about setting the video timer...

My mum is 87, stubbornly lives on her own, and keeps the TV on any random channel for company.

Now wew've got to weigh up the pros and cons of applying for pension credit.
Which we are suspicious of...???
The tories don't usually hand out benefits without sneakily grabbing it back again from other welfare entitlements...

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Iains
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 12:29 PM

There is a discussion required for the future of BBC funding. The government is not blameless. Putting the onus of the cost of the free TV for over 75s on to the BBC is a sneaky trick to say the least.

https://www.ft.com/content/922ac97a-23ea-11e5-bd83-71cb60e8f08c
Another argument is accusations of bias and can a publicly funded service be allowed to exhibit this. Also who can police it
Typically accusations are exemplified by below,

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fe75d364094af1a5ec28c9e56f9e5d349ffcb566e5406a72d7ce48d3620202b9.jpg
Whether the accusation stands or falls is immaterial, a publicly funded service needs to be pure as driven snow in this regard.
A further problem is the huge salaries commanded by certain persons and their publicly stated political leanings. Paying salaries publicly funded equalling in size their egos, while being subjected to their on-air political witterings is not something I an happy with.

In it's infancy the BBC was a unique electronic voice and public funding created a model emulated much later by the private sector.
The world has moved on and so should the BBC.
I would like the entire service privatised and the "luvvies" thrown to the wolves to sink or swim in the privatised waters. Make it reliant on subscription and/or advertising and make it compete. It is relying on past glories and cannot see how motheaten and dilapidated the entire edifice has become.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 12:44 PM

Iains - there is an argument that the BBC would be more effective ran as a 'mixed economy'.
Which to significant extent, it already is.
There are problematic areas which definitely need attention and reform.
But it still deserves, and should continue to have respect, for being a world leading public service broadcaster,
much envied all around the world...
Educative and Entertaining...

But considering the tories are so keen to sell off the NHS,
The BBC don't stand a chance of long term survival...

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 01:16 PM

I think the BBC are probably the best of a bad bunch.

They've always been horribly class. Just been reading George Formby's biography. The same arseholes who used to ban George's songs are still in charge.

They hate northerners. They despise the working class. Its there in all their news reporting from the miners strike to Brexit.

But they will always have my support because they are marginally (well actually quite a large margin} preferable to prize bingo capitalists.

I will continue to pay my licence fee.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Iains
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 02:37 PM

PFR there is a core area where the BBC has a well recognised expertise, particularly Natural World Documentaries. I would be happy to see this continue with government funding. The rest should be made competitive and self funding.
The total number of UK subscribers to the three most popular online streaming services in the UK – Netflix, Prime Video and Sky's Now TV – hit 15.4 million at the end of the first quarter this year
In 2017/18, there were around 26.2 million of TV licences in force.

Those figures can support a number of arguments pro and con a TV license versus subscription.

An obvious argument is that 15.4 million have to pay an annual tax for a TV provider they may not even watch. i.e. ˜60%

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 02:41 PM

It's being forced on the BBC by this appaling government.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Jos
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 03:11 PM

Regarding being pestered by television licence enforcers, some years ago I had a licence to watch black and white television - it was much cheaper and the quality of the programmes in colour was not very good so I only used a small portable black and white set for the few programmes I watched.

I had a telephone call from a woman who asked why I didn't have a colour television licence. I explained to her that I only had a black and white television set.

She was obviously having trouble comprehending such a strange idea, and asked tentatively,

"So ... you just have a black and white colour-television?"

I replied, "No, I have a black and white black-and-white television."

This was clearly beyond her, and she gave up.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 03:55 PM

"a TV provider"

Sure. And a radio provider with both national and regional stations (40 of the latter at last count). Both TV and radio are heavily involved in education, and BBC children's TV is second to none. The BBC funds several national and regional symphony orchestras and a number of choirs and smaller groups. If you like religion and royalty, well the Beeb is your port of call every time. The BBC runs the biggest classical music festival in the world, the Proms. The BBC is, among broadcast service providers, by far the most trusted source of national and world news and runs a 24-hour news channel, as well as the World Service. The BBC is at the centre of culture in this country. No-one likes everything nor can catch anything like everything, but you have a huge choice and you get all that for 42p a day. Commercial channels are not free either, are they? Everything you see advertised costs more because it's advertised. And you can't not pay just because you go for a wee or put the kettle on during the ads. You'd have to work quite hard to pay less than 42p a day in an effort to avoid paying for all those ads when you buy those goods. You could try, but I've yet to meet anyone with enough energy to put in the effort. Only anti-Beeb ideologues whinge about the licence fee. And we've got the Archers for chrissake.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 04:16 PM

If you don't like religion, royalty, symphony orchestras and choirs can you reduce what you pay though? :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 05:21 PM

Well yeah if you'll let me pay less council tax because no copper has been within half a mile of my house for 30 years and I have to tote my rubbish three-quarters of a mile up the lane if I want it collected... And if you'll let me pay less income tax because I don't have kids in schools, or, worse, because I send them to a private school...

I don't watch royalty or religion either but I'm happy to accept that coverage of such things is part of the national fabric whether I like it or not. And PM me and I'll get you started on classical music appreciation... ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 11:20 PM

There is a potential nasty little surprise for the government in this. There are millions of people entitled to receive pension credit who have never applied for it. In fact it's been estimated that there is a saving to the government from this of £5.5 billion pounds.

If an effect of this TV license change is to get these people to find out about pension credit and to apply for it, the cost to the government will be vastly higher than the saving they made by offloading the cost of free licences onto the BBC to collect (and, quite predictably, to cut). And on top of that, getting pension credit automatically means being eligible for lots of other benefits, making it even more costly to the government when more people apply.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Jun 19 - 04:45 AM

Yebbut is it classical music as defined by the 1654 definition or is it the rubbish modern post-baroque stuff? :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 14 Jun 19 - 08:22 AM

Having reviewed the tv licence rules, it seems that it will account for part of my wife's Disability Living Allowance increase!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 Jun 19 - 06:34 PM

AgeUK have a petition calling for the government to pay for the over-75 licences. I urge you to sign it. As I write, almost half a million people have already signed it.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Jun 19 - 06:58 PM

Here is a link to the petition

And here is the accompanying note:

”The BBC has announced they will means test free TV licences from the over-75s. Means-testing may sound fair but in reality it means at least 650,000 of our poorest pensioners facing a big new annual bill they simply can’t afford. But this is really the Government’s doing: they pushed the scheme onto the BBC without asking any of us what we think or providing the funding to sustain it.

Together, we must demand the Government takes back responsibility for funding free TV licences for everyone over 75.”

I'm glad it avoids the trap of calling for the BBC to reverse its decision, but throws the issue back to the Government, where it belongs. They promised to preserve the free licence in their manifesto, and they should be held to that promise.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Jun 19 - 01:01 PM

There's a different petition, on the government petitions website, not so well-worded but still worth your moniker.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Iains
Date: 16 Jun 19 - 05:36 PM

They promised to preserve the free licence in their manifesto, and they should be held to that promise.

Both Labour and the Tories promised to take us out of Europe as part of their election manifestos.

Funny that those that advocate holding the government to their promise on preserving the Free license for over 75's are also the most vocal in trying to overturn the Brexit promises by both major parties.
Can the lack of consistency be blamed on the phases of the moon or state
of the tides, or are they being led astray by treacherous MP's, who think they can ignore their electorate.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 16 Jun 19 - 05:58 PM

Depriving pensioners of a vital service many have come to depend on,
is more related to reality
than arcane ideologial theorising and hysteria about sovereignty...

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: David Carter (UK)
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 02:33 AM

The comment was not made about Farage because he is a man. It was made because of his repulsive political stance. There is a big difference.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 03:20 AM

I do not have TELEVISION, but i think people over 75 should be allowed to have it for free.
in ireland we have free train and bus travel for over 65s, free tv licence for over 70s.
and they call it great britain, shower of penny pinching bastards who do nbot seem to understand w the consumer society and capialism works people have to have money to buy good that are produced otherwise the ecomnomy stagnates

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Iains
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 04:50 AM

Television may well be a service but is hardly vital. I have not had one for years.

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 07:16 AM

Iains - You probably don't have dementia and live lonely at home most of the time yet...???

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Acorn4
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 07:35 AM

BBC News:-an oxymoron?

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Jun 19 - 07:54 AM

BBC News has become weak, sanitised, and cowardly...
Neither extreme left or right are fond of it...

I'm moderate centerist left, and get fed up with the anti labour bias
of BBC news...

However the brainwashed right wing numpties on the internet
who are demonising the BBC,
are for the most part real morons..
A bunch of easily lead conformist useful idiots...

Subject: RE: BS: Disgraceful BBC
From: Howard Jones
Date: 18 Jun 19 - 05:05 AM

I see it as thee start of a political battle between the BBC and the government. The BBC had their arm twisted during the last funding negotiations and agreed to take on responsibility for the licence fee rebate. That was probably a mistake in retrospect, but was perhaps necessary at the time in order to get the settlement they wanted.

There is a strong argument that the licence fee should go to funding BBC programmes, not providing social security benefits which is the government's function. By withdrawing the benefit from so many people the BBC has highlighted this. It has not gone unnoticed that the government is trying to escape the blame for this, and I don't think many people are fooled. I won't be surprised if the government has to step in at some point to at least partially fund a rebate for pensioners.

Whether the licence fee itself is the most appropriate way to fund the BBC in the modern world is a different question, as is the issue of whether pensioners should automatically be excused. Many pensioners can easily afford it, while many others cannot. If the licence fee is to remain, perhaps any rebates should be means-tested.