Quote:
|
Originally Posted by FireBob
One of my favourate bonuses of the TV license is that all of the non-BBC channels in the UK still have to compete with the BBC. This means that none of them can bombard you with ads every 5 minutes, and you can get through most shows with only one ad break. Broadcasters who try to show more ads risk losing viewers to the BBC.
|
I was going to make this point. However, the organisation which licenses the broadcasters imposes a limit on the proportion of time given up to adverts. Channel 4 was recently told to cut the number of ads during 'Lost'. Still, the fact that we have a broadcaster that can produce quality output without having to appeal to the lowest common denominator means the other broadcasters have to up their standards as well.
To clear up a misunderstanding that some have made, the license is not for owning a TV tuner, it's for receiving TV signals. You can have a TV for your games console without needing a license.
To those who resent HAVING to pay for TV: what is the markup on a can of Coke over a can of generic cola? And where do you think some of that goes? So when you go to a shop that doesn't have a generic version, or if you live in one of a growing number of towns that consist almost entirely of nationally advertised chain stores then you're paying for TV that you might have no intention of watching.