I have just got my renewed tv licence through the post, why do i HAVE to pay, shouldn't it be my choice?

We know we have to pay taxes, we understand that we support our country through them, but something as basic as tv, an entertainment and we have no choice as to whether we should or should not participate. The debate has gone on for a long time, if i build a website that is very useful, lets say it contains entertainment, news and thoughtful debates and i call it ccd, can i force everyone who lives in this country to give me an annual payment so that i can get rich and provide my service. NO OF COURSE I CAN'T. Grrrrrr.
Whats your take on this very sore subject?

You can chose not to pay it, but then you would have to stop watching TV. Even if you have a TV set and DVD player and only want to use the TV to watch your DVDs - you STILL have to pay the bloody thing! Its really not fair at all. I wouldn't mind, but the BBC is rubbish! I can't stand BBC dramas!

agreed.. the BBC are far to big for their boots. i am not happy paying a licence fee when all they play is re runs of last of the summer wine and open all hours.

I think my 拢130 giving me BBC TV, BBC Radio and the BBC website is pretty good value - better than the 拢480 I spend on Sky...

You do have the option not to pay, just don't watch TV.

I totally agree - I only wish you could opt NOT to have BBC I personally never watch it and as you say its full of re-runs

yes of course you can opt out... get a satellite dish... or watch TV thru your internet, and use svideo to display it on your telly...

and im sorry to be the one to point this out, but TV is a luxury, not a nessecity... and with regard your site, and charging, of course you can do this... but where will you generate the ORIGINAL content as everything else is copyrighted...

the BBC are the most highly regarded media /news organisation in the world and i do appreciate what they do but i agree i hate paying the bloody thing and to be honest if the only other way they can get funding is through advertising then so be it there are adverts on every other channel and were used to them so it wont really matter

If you buy a car you need a driving licence to be able to drive it.If you own a telly you need a licence too.Entertainment can be doing the crosswords on the paper too,or listening to music for which I dont think you need a licence.Yeah ok I know they may not be the best options when you looking to entertain yourself,but there you have it.Hope this answers your question.P.

Unfortunately under the law as it stands you have to have a licence in order to own anything that is able to tune into a TV signal - whether it is used on BBC or other stations. No one has tried to test the law in the case when you have a satellite receiver only (say SKY box) or PC feeding a plain monitor and no TV set. OK, you still can get BBC on SKY or online, but you pay 拢480 already for SKY so that should cover the BBC. Maybe you could try and see what happens.

The License has been blown out of proportion, but the original concept was for the equipment not what you watched. Like a car or a transmitter radio you need a license to use a television. The license fee was originally given to the BBC who provided the first t.v programs and for a long time was the only channel.
I believe it is time for a change of system because you do not need a license to install and use a satelite dish (you need the license for the television set that displays it). But this would be the death of the BBC, although that may not be long in coming anyway.

It`s another government tax.
But I agree, it is outdated and should be scrapped. The number of repeats is scandlous.
Just supposing I never watch BBC - I still can`t watch ITV, C4, C5 etc..... without purchasing a TV Licence for the BBC. Which means that I`m paying the 拢130 to watch the other channels.
Even on freeview, you HAVE to have a TV Licence.
This is the only country in the world, where to own a TV you must have a TV Licence or face a heavy fine/imprisonment.
The rest of the world must be pi$$ing themselves laughing at the UK.

we all have to pay for one so you will just have to wait till you are 70years old when its free