Dumbing Down

[thunderfly]

I stopped watching TV about a year ago and saved the £147 license fee to spend on DVDs of my favourite films. TV has become insufferable in my opinion. Politically correct, dumbed down mindless garbage and when they do show a decent film it is interrupted every fifteen minutes or so by a commercial break that lasts for six. We once had three or four channels of quality, entertaining TV. Now we have dozens of channels that are 95% rubbish.
This, of course, is just my opinion. Your opinion could well differ.

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by mizlaplan

I was sad to hear that the BBC is discussing the future of one of my favourite programmes, The Sky at Night.
It was presented for over 50 years by Sir Patrick Moore ( one of my heroes )

Two things here one on thread and the other on Sir Patrick Moore, my mother at that time in her sixties and a devotee of The Sky at Night, wrote a brief note to Sir Patrick asking some question about something that had come up in the programme, she naturally expected a terse typed reply, explaining in simple terms her query, she was delighted to receive a hand written multi page explanation, both technical and comprehensible from Sir Patrick in person, a letter which she treasured. Can not see that from todays presenters.

I feel that dumbing down has now reached the extremes, with plethora of mediocre television on Saturday night, so called talent contest, in which is it is obvious almost from the start who will win, and then immediately disappear from view again.

There remain a few gems, Coast, although I am not so fond of the current presenter, and channel five produce, to the surprise of many, superb documentaries from time to time.

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by thunderfly

I stopped watching TV about a year ago and saved the £147 license fee to spend on DVDs of my favourite films.

Be careful, because you have a set in the house, you are still legally required to pay a TV Lenience fee. There have been a few Court Cases over the years, where the defendant has stated his TV is only for watching DVD or Video, and has subsequently been convicted.

[winebeavis]

Originally Posted by rupertramjet

Be careful, because you have a set in the house, you are still legally required to pay a TV Lenience fee. There have been a few Court Cases over the years, where the defendant has stated his TV is only for watching DVD or Video, and has subsequently been convicted.

What?!?!

Not disputing you at all. Nothing surprises me anymore. But what is this TV lenience fee and how does this work.

Really curious about this.

[Staffsyeoman]

I am just heartbroken that less than a year after his passing Patrick Moore's legacy is being rubbed out. His home - and the adjoining land - had apparently been bought on the quiet by (Dr of Astrophysics) Brian May to protect it whilst Patrick was still alive, and to be used - as he had wished - to set up an astronomy centre after he'd gone. Now, that's not going to happen. (Perhaps he needs the money to stop people gassing badgers...)

Now the Beeb, who foist tripe like 'I Love My Country', keep dead and dying game shows going and still make too many property programmes, want to junk something genuinely enlightening. Surely, it must cost peanuts to make.

[Staffsyeoman]

Originally Posted by winebeavis

What?!?!

Not disputing you at all. Nothing surprises me anymore. But what is this TV lenience fee and how does this work.

Really curious about this.

He's right. If the apparatus is capable of receiving a signal, you need a licence. Also, the money grubbers... when I went to uni, you could have a set on your home address licence. Now, you need your own. If you're in the forces in barracks and have a TV, you need an individual licence.

[Greenman]

There are too many fans of the Sky At Night, and it is too rooted in traditional BBC programming to be axed so easily. I can see a huge outcry on Twitter, Facebook and all manner of social media if it does happen. It won't go without a fight that's for sure. I will be VERY surprised if it does go. It is far too popular - I also like the yearly Stargazing Live with Prof. Brian Cox/Dara O'Briain - astronomy needs to be popular and they make it so - (no Star Trek: The Next Generation pun intended).

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by Staffsyeoman

If you're in the forces in barracks and have a TV, you need an individual licence.

No member of the British Armed Forces living on, has their own TV this is a falsehood and a treasonable comment, and anyway, how are you going to get the detector vans past the armed guards?

Seriously o great WB, In Britain you need a licence to receive the Television signal, even if you have cable or satellite only tv, the argument is that all TVs are capable of receiving a signal, therefore, etc, this covers PC and laptop too, which many people do not realise.

BBC programmes are not split up with commercials, which pay for TV, in other countries and the ITV and other independent networks here, the BBC is paid for by the licence fee, currently £147 per household, the records of every home, (Appartment, House, bedsit and mobile home) is kept on a data base, and should you not hold a licence, there is a good possibility that the enforcement department will arrive. What shocks many, is that unlike a Police Officer, they do not need a search warrant and are leghally able to search your home for any receiver at all.

But what is really getting to the people in this country, is the ridiculous amounts of money the BBC managers pay themselves and some not very remarkable 'stars'. Plus of course if you get sacked (fired) by the BBC you can expect a very large pay off, a guy recently got fired and got £800,000+, he had only been there two years, several of their managers, on over 400k have enough time to run lucrative personal businesses, including a restaurant chain and a successful on line retail outlet! Yet the BBC claimn they are so over worked they deserve these huge salaries.

[NIN]

Originally Posted by rupertramjet

...and should you not hold a licence, there is a good possibility that the enforcement department will arrive. What shocks many, is that unlike a Police Officer, they do not need a search warrant and are leghally able to search your home for any receiver at all.

Nope, sorry rrj,
due to the way Laws are used against the vulnerable in the UK at this time, this is not broadly known well enough.
They aren't allowed access into your home, they also state in their menacing letters that they will take a statement from you
- you are not legally obliged to give them a statement

What they do is trick the gullible into believing they have these powers & can be granted a warrant, few courts would grant them this power, they would also have to arrive with a member of the Police to enforce such a warrant & do you think they have the time & resources to do that?

Do Not allow them to even see inside your premises, if they catch sight of a TV, that's all the evidence they will need to pursue an investigation.

- However if you do give a statement or once you have allowed them across the threshold they do have the ability to serve a fine or use what has been said to incriminate you - so say nothing if unfortunate to be confronted by such persons.

They usually pick on the vulnerable, single parent families, those who are newly moved in to premises & the naive who are stupid enough to give a real address when purchasing a TV, Recorder or Computer.

Here's something that may be an eye-opener to VEF members not in the UK and a prime example of Big Brother in action

In Britain, Shop assistants selling you "any item capable of receiving or recording broadcasts" (including computers, phones, even Games machines!)
are legally obliged to ask for our home address & Postcode (zip), which is then passed on to the licencing authorities , who will then, in turn, pay a visit approximately 2-3 weeks later if the property is not covered by a current licence - penalty fine = up to £1,000
..so, pay £147 per year or take your chances for 8 years and be better off

* The best solution is to always pay cash & research a valid name & address for their database

[Aitken Bonar]

I simply cannot wait for the new season of Strictly Antiques UK Police Vet Hospital Chef Idol.