This report of a poll on the BBC TV licence fee suggests that the BBC has lost a lot of traction with the public. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvan ... finds.html

Does this poll truly reflect the opinions of the TV watching masses?


I have become increasingly tired of the BBC bias over recent years, a bias that clearly governs its reporting of 'news'. The green credentials of the BBC, its constant referring to “Climate Change”, and its lack of honesty on this subject angers me in the extreme. In my opinion the quality of BBC TV entertainment programmes has largely degenerated to the level of the inane – certainly devoid of truth and meaningful substance. Political correctness infests everything the BBC presents. And the recent revelations concerning the enormous sums of money paid out to some members of staff are an insult to all BBC tax (licence) payers.

My wife and I have finally decided that enough is enough – we shan't be renewing our TV tax when it falls due in a few weeks time. To prepare ourselves for this decision we have tested ourselves over the last five months by not using our TV set to receive programmes from any broadcaster. It really is a lot easier to live without TV that we imagined it would be. In fact life is much better without it – we no longer find ourselves being abused by obnoxious scenes that severely jar our senses without warning. Hopefully we will strike a small blow for decency, honesty, and integrity by no longer funding what I consider to be a pit of corruption that goes under the name of the BBC – and we ourselves should be a lot healthier in mind amd spirit for it.

Horses for courses really I suppose. Good luck to you and Mrs Westonman with this change

I enjoy watching certain TV programmes and can find them entertaining + educational. I would miss the news & current affairs stuff the most

As far as the TV licence, I really think the fee is good VFM (compare with SKY & BT etc). I get annoyed when I hear of the waste of money at the Beeb (like the move to Salford and the huge payouts failing managers have been given), but overall I reckon the quality of programming is of a reasonable quality

I just wish they would cut the number of local radio stations. Scrap the world service & the minority stations, and thin out their website. Let the BBC be for those who pay for it, and not a whole host of hangers on across the world

I will probably continue to pay the TV tax as there are other issues in play in my house but...

Over the last few Months I have built a couple of media centres (smaller low cost PC boxes with a medium end video card with hdmi out) and installed XBMC (in a linux environment so the software is free) on them. Each cost <£140 with some clever purchasing taking advantage of offers ect.

So long as you can get an ethernet cable to the back of the pc (usually under the TV) (wireless doesn't cut the speed) then with this software you would never need a broadcast signal ever again.

With a couple of plugins to the main software all the UK main channels, most sky (including some premium) and a hell of a lot more become available from the click of a small wireless kb.
Xfinity and xbmchub is the way to go.

http://www.xbmchub.com/blog/category/video-addons/

Who remembers that series in the late 70's Danger UXB broadcast on Thames TV? Am currently ploughing through all those courtesy of this software. Pretty much every episode of every TV program ever made is out there on the internet somewhere, 75% of it on you tube, this software simply provides an easy interface to be able to play it.

If anyone fancies a low cost media server this is certainly the way to go, if there is interest I will write a step by step guide in the Tech bit of this forum. Not much pc experience needed but you must be able to install RAM and a video card onto a mobo.

My broadband is with sky but I will be looking to move that in the next few weeks, then once the cricket (ashes series down under) is over I will cancel the whole sky kaboodle. Can's see the point in giving them the best part of £50 per Month for content much of which is available free out on the net.....

As I indicated back in November 2013, I have not renewed my TV licence.

My TV Licence expired on the 31st December 2013. I accessed the BBC/TVL (Capita) website the first week of January to inform them that I shan't be renewing my TV Licence because I no longer watch or record live TV broadcasts. It is worth mentioning that on the BBC/TVL website there is a pull-down menu box where there are a number of selectable options as to why a TV Licence is not required, which I used to declare that I only use my TV set to watch DVDs . I later received an email from TVL thanking me for updating their records, and acknowledging that I don't need a TV licence.

However, it appears that the BBC/TVL is quite incapable of controlling itself. The true nature of the BBC beast has since revealed its coercive, extortionist, and threatening nature. About two weeks after my 'updating the BBC/TVL's records about my no longer requiring a TV Licence I received a red RENEWAL REMINDER from TVL to say that should renew my TV licence. There was no mention of my voluntary declaration, nor of the BBC/TVL's email acknowledgement of my declaration that I no longer require a TV licence.

Through last week I received three phone calls from BBC/TVL. Because I am aware of the BBC's coercive tactics towards non-customers; when answering the phone heard the caller explain who they were; I said nothing more to the caller, and put the phone down on them.

Today I received my second letter from the BBC/TVL, and probably the first of many more unpleasant threatening letters. The front of the envelope is headed in very large red letters with the following statement:

Today's letter from BBC/TVL informs me in bold black characters me that my property is “Under Investigation”; my “..Address has been passed to Bristol Enforcement Division”; “A visit may be the first step towards prosecution”; and “A guilty verdict can lead to serious penalties". Where “The maximum fine for watching TV illegally is £1000 plus legal costs." And that I can expect a visit from an enforcement officer.

At the bottom of the letter is a large box bordered with think black ink and headed with a large red band in which appears “Important Notice:”. Under the red band there is this message: “To stop this investigation and avoid the penalties of breaking the law, please renew your TV Licence immediately”. Notice how the BBC/TVL assume we are breaking the law if we choose not be a viewer of live TV broadcasts. This is similar to the EU legal system, where guilt is automatically assumed, and where the charged person has to prove their innocence - not the prosecution have to prove guilt.

What is wrong with all this? Well, I voluntarily contacted the BBC/TVL early in January 2014 to declare that I am no longer a customer of theirs,and therefore do not require a TV Licence. A declaration that is supported by an email from BBC/TVL (Capita). By contacting me with unnecessary phone calls, and now by sending me a very threatening letter, the BBC/TVL is basically rejecting my declaration that I no longer am a customer of theirs who does not need a TV Licence, and calling me a liar. The BBC/TVL is also failing to acknowledge its own email confirmation of my declaration on their website. In addition to effectively calling me a liar, the BBC/TVL has now engaged upon an action that can only be properly described as attempting to falsely extract money under menaces.

This afternoon I sent a letter to my MP advising him of the BBC/TVL's coercive and extortionist actions against me, and asking him to take whatever action is necessary to bring the BBC/TVL under proper control.

This will interest you:

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 5280,d.d2k