Dee Posted December 5, 2002 Share Posted December 5, 2002 Is it true that you have to register your tv's with the police station and can only own a couple of tv's. Also do you have to pay tax to the Government just to watch the BBC? ------------------ Quote Link to comment
Deblyn Posted December 5, 2002 Share Posted December 5, 2002 Oh Reci, what HAVE you been reading about the UK?!!!! No we don't have to register TV with the police station, and you can own as many sets a s you like. Many families let each child have a TV and video in their bedrooms from an early age, but not in this house. We have one TV and it is for use by the whole family and is in the sitting room. We have to pay a TV licence annually to legally receive TV programmes. This money is paid not to the Government, but direct to the BBC. The bbc is a non-commercial station, and the licence fees we pay are used to provide the BBC television services. There are also two (terrestrial)commercial channels but they are funded by advertising. The annual licence is about £104, which is a lot to pay, but the quality of most programmes is very good, although it is ofcourse interspersedwith some real rubbish. I am a fan of the BBC as they produce some very good stuff. If you are blind or over 75 you do not have to pay a licnece fee. Many years ago you had to pay for a radio licence as well, but not any more. If you evade the TV licence, fines can be upward of £1000. There are Detector vans who drive around the streets where people are suspected of not re-newing their licence, and they can pick up whether a TV signal is being picked up in a particular house, then charge them for not paying. The system seems to work well, and not too many poeple object to the licence fee. If we paya licence fee to the BBC, then we hold more sway over the programmes and standards of programmes they make and broadcast, as it is our money they are using, unlike the commercial channels. There are only 4 channels (terrestrial) in the UK, which is what we get. Sky, etc are all available, and cable if you live in a town. ------------------ Quote Link to comment
mrszouave Posted December 5, 2002 Share Posted December 5, 2002 "If you are blind or over 75 you do not have to pay a licnece fee. " [color:purple] Lowie Daaaaaaaaaaaaling......what's a blind person doin watching TV?? ------------------ Quote Link to comment
Dee Posted December 6, 2002 Author Share Posted December 6, 2002 Wow detector vans... EEK! Does the BBC show American made programs? Do you have a vcr? If you would like me to copy programs or movies for you we can send a tape back and forth. I have friends who live in Ireland and we have been sending the same 6 hour tape back and forth across the ocean for about 10 years. After she and her family are done watching the tape She sends it back and I have the next tape with next episodes out in the mail to her. Let me know. ------------------ Quote Link to comment
Deblyn Posted December 6, 2002 Share Posted December 6, 2002 Thanks for the offer, Reci, but our video tapes are a different format, or they were. When hubby went to the US on several occasions he bought some "must have" (hmmm) tapes of drag racing, intending to get them transferred to our format when he came back. They still aren't done as it's so expensive to do. Maybe he'll get it done one day! The offer is still appreciated. We get a few US programmes over here - Friends, Frasier, lots of teen-type thins, Buffy, Simpsons, Futurama. The children watch the Simpsons and Futurama and Bethany loves Buffy. We get some good films too. Deb - I suppose a blind person would just listen to the TV; I don't know the reasoning behind this one at all - typical British! ------------------ Quote Link to comment
Goose Liver Posted December 6, 2002 Share Posted December 6, 2002 you crack me up bleb..... ------------------ Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.