Where the foxes caper unmolested, the government packs your school lunch, and the “BBC was responsible for more than one in ten criminal prosecutions last year“;
More than 180,000 people – almost 3,500 a week – appeared before the Magistrates Courts, accused of watching television without a valid £145.50 licence.
The figure has been steadily rising as TV Licensing, which is responsible for catching and prosecuting non payers, improves its ability to identify those responsible and becomes more determined in its approach.
But with Magistrates handling a total of 1.48 million cases last year, it means that around 12 per cent of their workload is now being made up of TV licensing offences.
(h/t EBD)
Let me get this right; in the UK you have to buy a licence to watch TV?
What the hell?
When I was in Scotland in the 80’s they had a van driving around scanning houses that hadn’t paid for their licenses. They could tell if the tv was on or not. It if was on they barged into your house to charge you. The did this to my uncle who pointed out to them that he was watching a video.
I was at another friends house about the same time and he had been raided by the police in full riot gear for bootleg videos. I thought maybe he had a couple hundred videos that he was selling but no. He had 3 videos that someone had given him. Apparently his ex had told the police about the 3 videos so they crashed in his door and charged him.
At the time this town (Kilmarnock) had the highest violent crime rate in Britain and this is what the police were spending their time on.
There was a time in Canada you used to require a license to operate a radio receiver.
Americans can no longer legitimately mock Brit authoritarianism – particularly when they live in a nation where in the 1970s, there were about 300 SWAT raids per year. now there 100 to
150 per day. We are no better – they call out the SWAT goons to serve warrants here – I see in Alberta yesterday another senior was dragged off to the gulag for defending himself with a .22 rifle against a burglar 40 years his junior – Things are becoming an authoritarian police state dystopia all over the former free nations and there has to be a common cause.
Yes, you need a license that has to be renewed yearly just like your cars tax disc. Here is a website
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16/
Actually you still need a radio operator’s certificate in Canada to operate an aviation or maritime radio. It used to be that you had to re-register every aircraft comm radio yearly but Industry Canada simplified things a few years ago so now a lifetime license is granted when an aircraft is registered in Canada.
I’m sorry, it just boggles my mind that they do that over there.
So success will be declared when all Brits refuse to pay the license fee, or when all TV owners are officially criminals?
Sure makes streaming movies on computer an attractive technology.
Is there no way to cloak your TV? No theoretical technology? Can they see if your computer monitor is on?
The householder needs a TV licence, which is free when you are over 75, but you still are supposed to have one.
I don’t understand. The money is for, and goes to, the BBC…. or does it?. But there are other channels (broadcasters) on Television in addition to the BBC. They get nothing from the licensing? Why does the BBC not do like satellite radio. You rent the receiver which allows you to see the scrambled BBC broadcast. If you don’t want to pay the license fee ……. oh, wait. I get it. People wouldn’t watch the BBC under that scenario would they. This is really just a government tax isn’t it with a built in propaganda outlet.
No. That’s too complicated. I guess I still don’t get it. A better question is why the people of Great Britain don’t revolt.
I heard that, too, and I couldn’t believe it.
Damn government…
Sorry Al, but you do not need a license to receive marine or aviation radio transmissions, just need a license to transmit. Same with Amateur Radio (HAM) operators.
BTW, don’t let the CBC or CRTC know about this license to watch thing. They might get ideas.
Give it time. It will Start in Provinces like BC or Manitoba for revenue.
Indians of course exempt.
The down side is people have stopped watching TV as much. Even more do it online.
Free Tv is already dead. Only the Marxists now have “air” time.
When I lived in Japan, the NHK collectors would bang on my door and demand I pay up for the public broadcaster (they stick a label on your front door frame to indicate whether you paid). I told them I had no antenna and didn’t speak Japanese anyway, and they eventually left.
Unfortunately, the local snitches (who earn a bounty) informed them of the mostly hidden sat dish on the back of my house and we had to pay up.
needing a licence to watch tv would be just one more reason not to watch.