Seth, I just read on another forum that in England you have to pay upwards of 120 pounds a year, just to own a TV.

Is this true?

Yes, its what is known as, "A television Licence"

It is how we are able to have the BBC, since this is where the money goes to.

Which means on the BBC television channels, (of which there are about 4-6), we have no adverts at all whatsoever.

The money the BBC gets also goes to the BBC's radio stations, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

With the same result.

We do have other channels, like channel five, four, ITV, etc...which are 'independent; and therefore we do not pay anything for them, they instead use advertising.

I actually prefer the BBC system.

I can't stand commercials, plus it means they have a hefty sized budget with which to produce some top programmes.


but, yes, it can be expensive, it is roughly about 100.00 pounds to own a licence, (for a year).

So, do you have to pay this licence, even if you don't watch TV? Say, if you just need the TV for your xbox or playstation.

Over here you have to pay extra to subscribe to commercial free channels via Cable or Satellite, so I understand that. But, if you don't want to pay monthly, you can just watch the three/four major free channels, which are funded with advertisements.

Or you can watch snow all day, for free.

Snow is fun to watch.

heh, nice try , but no.

you don't need a licence to own a 'monitor', but if you own a TV, then you have to pay.

You get a hefty fine and perhaps even a Jail sentence if you don't (they've been cracking down upon it lately).

pre-pay channels such as cable or Sky ,are exactly the same system-wise as the States, but it does mean you have to pay their subscription charges on top of the licence fee.

What is defined as a 'monitor'? A TV set without an antenna, or does it have to be a commercially sold thing with no tuning ability (projector, computer monitor, etc)

er...I dunno... you know, Computer Monitor...

(even though if you have a TV tuner you can watch TV on it)...

...this will tell you everything you need to know:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Licence fee information is at the very bottom.

How to pay and other information
The colour TV licence costs just over £10 per month - about 33p per day for each household. It is free if you are over 75, half-price if you are registered blind.

The annual cost (set by the Government) is £121. A black and white TV licence is £40-50. There is no radio licence. Other regulations govern second homes, residential homes, hotels, students or special situations.

Haha. "If you're blind, it only costs half!" Though, I do have a good friend who is legally blind, but can see enough to do mechanic work.

Besides having such a broad-reaching tax, they should encrypt their transmissions, and everyone who wants to receive the BBC gets a little box that decrypts the transmission.

Of course, they would see a tremendous drop in revenue, but that's what happens when people have a choice...

heh...most people don't really think about it, you have a choice, you don't have to watch the BBC of course, but if you own a TV then you have to pay a licence.

As many of those who are against the licence fee, there are an equal amount for it.

Every year the Government has to decide whether to continue the 'contract' that the BBC has, (ie: the current licence system).

Who knows maybe one day it'll change.

...but I wouldn't count on it.

Hmm. This is from tvlicensing.co.uk

If you use or install television receiving equipment to receive or record television programme services you are required by law to have a valid TV Licence.