Dumbing Down

[NIN]

Originally Posted by thunderfly

My old 1990s analogue type TV can't pick up TV signals anyway. It would need a digital/Freeview box to do so which I haven't got. Even so, the TV license website states that you need to purchase a TV license to watch or record live TV and doesn't say anything about just owning the equipment to do so. Perhaps I should add that I signed an online declaration stating that I don't watch or record live TV which is probably why I don't get the warning letters. I think these are reserved for the addresses that don't have a TV license but haven't contacted the licensing company to say why.

Ok, lets go through this, the licencing authority do make this clear in all of their correspondence.
If you posses any equipment capable of receiving or viewing television - You are required to have a licence.
They do not care if you are watching your own VHS tapes or DVDs on an old set which is unable to tune in to the digital signals now broadcast - you are watching television & breaking the law
The leaflet that came with the most recent threatening letter goes on to further explain your options...

If you get in touch with them to remove yourself from their list, they still may choose to not to believe you & continue to threaten a visit (just to verify )
I'm sorry, but nobody has the right to cross my threshold other than the Police, Fire Service, a Bailiff in possession of a warrant or HM customs (again with a warrant) - not even my landlord can enter the premises unless he has the need to avoid an emergency (water or gas pipe damaged).
These jumped-up shits in TV licencing, bluff people into thinking they have more powers than they actually possess , trick the naive into making statements or allowing them into their property

Further to the above, paragraph 2 goes on to kindly explain your payment options
"You can pay for your TV licence in weekly instalments
of as little as £5:60 with a payment card...


£5:60 X 52 = £291:20 !

what sort of a deal is that to offer the lowest paid & worst off people?

I only example TV Licencing, but many parts of British life mean that the least well off have to pay more..
If I buy Road Tax for my car, it is £225 for 12 months,
If i can only afford to purchase 6 months at a time it costs £123.75

Purchasing items from the supermarket will favour bulk buys a lot of the time, the people who can only afford a smaller jar or tin pay an excessive amount for less.
Please, don't fall into the clutches of the dumbed down way they would wish to treat the poorest in British society We are getting ripped off & people need to get annoyed about it instead of being naive or saying it won't affect them.

Originally Posted by howerd

Yes we do have to pay a liscence fee but there are advantages:

1. Because the BBC is paid for by the public, big business (otherwise known as 'advertisers') don't get to have any influence over the news reports or editorial aspects of current affairs so their is less political influence over what Joe Public is fed as 'The Truth'.

2. We don't have to sit through baked bean advertisements every fifteen minutes into a classic movie or drama serial.

Sure it saves you a fair bit of money if a channel is funded by 'The Man' but considering the knock on effect of the political influence on the country and drama continuity I would never want to see the BBC turn to commercial funding. You don't know what ouve got 'til it's gone & once it's gone you'll never get it back. It's because the BBC is influence free that you don't get bombarded by properganda on the BBC.

I've already typed how I feel the BBC is simply a mouthpiece for the government, that seems to bear out in News (government bias, D notices etc), Soaps (storylines & "If you identify or have been affected by some of the issues raised, there is a helpline.." tailenders to shows).
The way a news story will pre-empt & publicise another show.. "and you can see the full story on tonights 'Panorama' at 9 O'clock.. " endless self promotion & trailers between programmes often up to 3 or 4 minutes between shows.
I'd rather take a surreptitious bit of product placement over advertising - and there's another point I've just stumbled across.. The National Lottery advertising A-Frame that usually features strongly outside the shop in Eastenders
Honestly, I could go on for days just about Television, but if i am to make any salient points, I must broaden out to general dumbing down & rip-offs that people just simply shrug & put-up with - that annoys me more than any of the deviousness of these organisations or Tax acquisition.

Comedy i think is the best way to end this post & I've already posted 2 youtube clips in another thread, as you have gathered, it Is a personal bug-bear of mine, but we should broaden the discussion .
Comedy also has the ability to inform educate & entertain (remember that) & if you'd take the time to view these short films, you might take something on-board you can pass on to others

Originally Posted by NIN

Harry Hill being interviewed about TV Burp on BBC5live radio,
& when he gets on to the subject of BBC scedules & BBCThree , it all goes serious

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bg-0JTaE04

This next clip is not so serious, more of a piss take and I do believe Channel Four news is one of the better & informative programmes, but it is worth parodying to shake-up the complacency ..

Originally Posted by NIN

Channel 4 News in 2mins 39seconds

There used to be a good short program on in the early evenings in which legal issues & customer rights were discussed - "This Is your Right" - I wish that would return

[thunderfly]

Back in October of last year, I decided I'd had enough of watching television because, in my opinion, 95% of it was garbage and I was fed up with having endless commercials shoved down my throat. I was not happy at having to pay £147 a year for something I wasn't interested in and didn't enjoy. Sure, there was a very small percentage of programmes I did watch (the quiz show Pointless, Family Guy, The Tudors) but I knew I would have to sacrifice them. My TV license expired and I was sent a renewal reminder. I logged on to the TV licensing website and filled out an online declaration to say I was no longer watching or recording live television (which I wasn't, and am still not). I was emailed to say this was all fine and acceptable and that they might check up on me periodically. I have heard nothing from them since. Never, at any time, have I been told that I am not allowed to own the equipment to watch or receive live TV. Indeed, and as you must know, a PC can be used to both watch and record live TV. Does one need a TV license to own a PC. I don't think so (not yet anyway).
I think they are more worried about license dodgers and, in their suspicious way, any address that doesn't have a TV license and hasn't informed them to say why must be a license dodger and will, therefore, start receiving visits from their goons and sinister worded letters.
I agree with you that we are all being ripped off left right and centre with TV licenses, road tax and every other rotten thing they can squeeze out of us.

[Maglover]

Sadly, over the years since this was originally posted, we have continued to Dumb Down ever more.

How many of us find ourselves ridiculing contestants on ever more inane Quiz Shows as they struggle to answer the simplest of questions?

How do we justify showing endless cookery programmes on one channel, while another runs endless repeats of the important part that Foodbanks now play in our supposedly impoverished society?

[shmoopiebear]

Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Pure and utter shite.

[countjimmoriarty]

Originally Posted by thunderfly

I agree with you that we are all being ripped off left right and centre with TV licenses, road tax and every other rotten thing they can squeeze out of us.

Road Tax was abolished in 1937. You pay Vehicle Excise Duty, amount based on the level of emissions from your vehicle.