You have to pay for using a TV in UK?

[Vashner]

WTF is that bull ??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4469422.stm

Lol they have people drive around with coil's looking for EM fields (from CRT's) hahahahah. Wow I never knew that.. what a bunch of crap. Well let's see them use those to detect flat panel TV's.

About Us

As a result of The Broadcast Act 1990, the BBC were made responsible for licence administration. TV Licensing is a trading name used by en ies contracted by the Licensing Authority (the BBC) to administer the collection of television licence fees and enforcement of the television licensing system. The majority of the administration of TV Licensing is contracted to Capita Business Services Ltd, with the administration of cash easy payment schemes contracted to Revenue Management Services Ltd, and marketing and public relations activities contracted to the AMV Consortium.

Over 1200 staff are employed at TV Licensing's main Contact Centres based in Bristol and Darwen in Lancashire.

TV Licensing's role is to collect the licence fee and to educate people, through advertising, community relations and direct communications, about the need to buy a TV Licence. We use various methods in which to achieve this which include sending reminders, processing queries, applications and payments, and maintaining an accurate licence database. We also use technology to identify and visit people who we believe are using a TV without a valid licence.

[boutons]

Most European countries have annual license fees for all TV owners.
The license fee pays for govt channels. BBC is a govt organization.

This is no different from monthy subscription fees for cable and satellite in order to obtain premium programming ad-free.

In the USA, the TV viewer is the product, and the advertizers are the buyer, the content is secondary.

[Vashner]

I think it's different because they go around looking for TV's that are just powered up and give tickets. For radio wave reception.. not from space or a private wire.

Normally satellite only bills for encrypted transmissions. I still have a 10 foot dish that can pick up a few free channels. (used to be 100's free).