Forum Topic

Happiness is watching TV.

This morning, an official envelope came through the letterbox. It looked like a bill of some kind. I opened it and to my delight read it was from TV Licensing, saying that as I'm over 75 years old, they enclose a free TV licence , valid for three years until July 2017. That's future TV viewing happiness. Life holds some compensations.

Gerry Tan ● 4274d16 Comments

That was my reasoning behind getting rid of my tv's and the licensing fee, anything I do want to see (doesn't happen often) I can either pop to a friend or one of the kids or just wait for it on catch up

Tracey Mehdizadeh ● 4263d

Tracey that’s because there’s nothing to miss on tv. And if per chance you did miss something it would probably be repeated within the next couple of days.

Tony Maxey ● 4266d

I have had neither a license nor a TV for roughly 5 years now, and don't miss it at all, if there is something I really want to see then I use catch up services on the computer, if any of the family come to stay they don't miss it either

Tracey Mehdizadeh ● 4268d

Watching live on iPlayer requires a licence.Bizarrely, watching timeshifted does not.

Tony Colliver ● 4270d

Regarding costs to the BBC - the Corporation could save even more money by reducing the number of weather forecasting bulletins is seems to broadcast on its various regional outlets - there are far too many imo.

Gerry Tan ● 4271d

Agree Tony, BBC radio is great - somehow the scenery can be so much better than TV - strange that!

Gerry Tan ● 4271d

Yes I like Radio 4 and 4 Extra,you can learn things that you didn't know you wanted to.This site goes a little way to explaining the actual costs of  BBC and commercial TV.http://www.transdiffusion.org/2004/01/01/cost

Tony Wood ● 4271d

I generally find that I am happiest when not watching TV, especially news programmes.

Tom Carroll ● 4272d

It is certainly cheap compared with Sky.

Graham Weeks ● 4273d

I think the licence fee is excellent value for money. I would pay it to get Radio Four alone.

Susan Kelly ● 4273d

It may be the best could could do better if the left of centre, secularist bias was remedied.  Of course I am viewing it from a right of centre stance.

Graham Weeks ● 4273d

I think the BBC is the best TV broadcaster and Public Information provider in the world. Not that I've seen every English speaking TV outlets - but I do believe the BBC is well regarded worldwide.

Gerry Tan ● 4273d

If you are blind it will only cost you 50% of the license fee. I think the BBC is a greedy bunch taking millions of pounds and broadcasting repeat after repeat. This year I am buying myself a 42 inch monitor and hooking my laptop up to it but no doubt the BBC will find a way of making me pay

Tony Maxey ● 4273d

Is A A Gill even on telly? I avoid all food programmes but love Escape to the Country. Also enjoying the new series of Utopia. Otherwise, wall-to-wall sport so getting through plenty of books!

Susan Kelly ● 4273d

Yes Susan, being 82 I've been receiving the free TV license for some years now, but I'd forgotten about it, hence the pleasant surprise.Been watching lots of sport lately. Don't watch An Honourable Woman - tend to like food programmes with Rick Stein, Mary Berry and Hugh Fearnley-WhittingThingy and Gareth Malone's choir programmes.  I never, but never watch Jeremy Clarkson, A A Gill or Noel Edmonds. Admire and watch David Attenborough and Kate Humble and love Antiques Roadshow. Longing for Strictly Come Prancing to start - watch the news programmes often.And what do you watch?

Gerry Tan ● 4274d

Have you not had a free licence for some time, Gerry?What are you enjoying at the moment? I like An Honourable Woman.

Susan Kelly ● 4274d