TV License
Who needs one?
I've got iPlayer, 4oD, and for everything else there's various websites. I can even rent the DVD boxed set of whatever show I want, watch it, and still be quids-up.
Down with TV Tax!
Noel Edmonds defies BBC's jackbooted enforcers
Embearded TV presenter Noel Edmonds last week made a heroic stand against the BBC's "threatening" manner towards those who refuse to stump for the privilege of gawking at the idiot's lantern by cancelling his TV licence, the BBC reports. Edmonds, 59, declared he was protesting against "an aggressive culture in the UK", and …
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Friday 19th September 2008 12:55 GMT Anonymous Coward
The TV licencing company...
... is the primary reason I never got around to getting a new television.
When confronted I ask them how to test whether I can receive a television signal without needing a licence. They offer me the chance to pay just a tiny bit of the licence to be allowed to test. I tell them to begone and trouble me no more. They trouble me more.
Really, I can't be bothered dealing with these jackasses just to see a handful of shows a few hours before they're free on iplayer.
As for Edmonds, presumably he was paying by DD and therefore paying six months in advance.
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Friday 19th September 2008 12:55 GMT Anonymous Coward
Glad to see someone has Finally noticed...
I lived for years without a TV and therefore without a license. I watched movies from my substantial DVD Collection on my PC.
But I got letters... oh how I got them..
I'd like to say that they start out friendly, but they don't.
The first letter, although stating facts, makes you feel so terrified of the TVLA that the only way to prevent Jackbooted Stormtroopers kicking in the door when they "Send the boys around" is to get a license anyway... even without a TV. Maybe that's what they want.
It's not what they say, it's what they imply that scares people.
I read the letters and they say... You are a criminal.. We are sending the buys around.. if they find anything, you're nicked sonny!
Just because they have a bit of power, and they are in charge of collecting the TV Tax, they treat everyone like guilty criminal scum.
Piracy - because, let's be honest... it is.
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Friday 19th September 2008 12:55 GMT Anonymous Coward
Smarmy beardy shortarse hypocrite
That new show of his on Sky is toe-curling.
The problem with trying to tap into the general mood of disaffection with the government (by setting yourself up as a latter-day Robin Hood figure), is that everyone remembers you live in an enormous fucking mansion in Devon, travel everywhere by helicopter and occasionally fuck up your career by dropping hapless members of the public 150ft from a crane onto concrete.
Hardly Che Fucking Guevara, are you Noel?
I'd happily pay double the TV licence, tomorrow, just to make sure there's a channel without that irritating diminutard on it.
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Friday 19th September 2008 12:55 GMT Skip
How's this for a comment then...?
There is no IT angle to this story but who cares. It doesn't matter what is it doing here. I am looking fondly at The Register in my bookmarks, glad to have bookmarked it many years hence. Please re-affirm my subscription (oh hang on, there is no subscription, all this news and amusement is provided free of charge, oh well...). I am also perfectly satisfied with today's weather. The Register has clearly made the weather the way I like it. Thank you.
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Friday 19th September 2008 12:56 GMT Colin Morris
Re: Note to commentards
<quote>Here you go, cut and paste this: "There is no IT angle to this story. What is it doing here? I am removing The Register from my bookmarks. Please cancel my subscription. I am also dissatisfied with today's weather. Please make the weather the way I like it. Goodbye."</quote>
Don't let the commentBastards get you down, Lester.
There's no IT angle, theres no hotel heiress angle... oh yeah, it's Friday.
... and besides... it's in the 'Entertainment' section of the website for fcuks sake!
<rantFlame>I can never understand the morons who complain about their being no IT angle. to a story! If anyone doesn't like it then don't read the bloody article!</rantFlame>
Hotel heiress because.. [see above]
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Friday 19th September 2008 12:57 GMT c price
Well someone's got to...
"There is no IT angle to this story. What is it doing here? I am removing The Register from my bookmarks. Please cancel my subscription. I am also dissatisfied with today's weather. Please make the weather the way I like it. Goodbye."
Seriously, can I be the first to welcome our bearded, jumper wearing overlords....
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Friday 19th September 2008 12:57 GMT Richard
I'l bet I know what's happened
The bearded eejit paid by Direct Debit, which is 6 months in advance and 6 in arrears. His licence is probably valid for the next 6 months... *sigh*
Of course he's got another option - not watch any sodding TV. I use the 2 weeks or so per year that I'm visting the folks to check whether I'm missing out on anything and all I tend to see is the likes of Edmonds spouting banalities and calling it entertainment. Can't wait to see reports of a Jeremy Kyle "I'm not paying for a licence just to watch people like me" special.
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Friday 19th September 2008 12:57 GMT Anonymous Coward
Commentard here, how do you read, over
As requested: "There is no IT angle to this story. What is it doing here? I am removing The Register from my bookmarks. Please cancel my subscription. I am also dissatisfied with today's weather. Please make the weather the way I like it. Goodbye."
PS: About the weather - warm and sunny, but not too hot, please.
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Friday 19th September 2008 13:00 GMT JakeyC
Data Protection and sex offenders
Firstly, since when was it acceptable to disclose details of whether an address is licensed or not? Surely a breah of DPA, no? Can I just phone up and ask whether my neighbour has a licence?
Secondly, I have to agree with the embearded one's principles here. Their entire approach appears to put the burden of proof on you to prove that you don't have a TV. The law, however puts it on them to prove that you DO.
Imagine if the DVLA sent out letters with bold red text stating that because you weren't on their list of licensed drivers, they suspect you of driving without a licence and you'll need to show them that you weren't out driving illegally.
Or how about "We can't find you on the register of Sex Offenders, therefore we believe you may be out molesting small children and need you to confirm that you weren't"...
My address has been "authorised for immediate investigation" and has been due for a "visit from one of our Enforcement Officers" for over five years now. I'm still waiting for the chap to pop round as promised.
Some VERY telling answers (and even more telling witheld ones) here :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/foi/docs/responses_tvlicence.shtml
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Friday 19th September 2008 13:00 GMT Name
So much for confidentiality
A TV Licensing spokeman said: "TV Licensing has checked its records and can confirm we have a valid current licence on record for his address."
That's none of our business, and the BBC's money-with-menaces department has no right to make this information public. Data protection, anybody?
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Friday 19th September 2008 13:00 GMT amanfromMars
Soft Pseudo Radicalism ..... for the ITLite Web Browser/MunchKin*
Don't tell me that Mr Edmonds has finally found some balls to play with? Although with two contradictory stories printed who's to say that both are not accomplished in lying .... the Great Political Disease.
* MunchKin .... One who is easily Gobbled up and Ignored.
This topic is closed for new posts.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
