Would you pay $280 per year in a 'television tax'? Why or why not?

[Deja Q]

:evilgrin:

[Chan790]

1. Depends...

if I say "yes" and don't own a TV, do I still have to pay it? Because as an anti-TV person I really like the idea of taxing people to watch the tube in the hopes they'll kill their TV.

[Kutjara]

5. If we're talking about the UK model, then no.

You only have to buy a TV License if you actually own a TV. Supposedly, the TV Licensing folks drive around in "Detector Vans" which contain equipment able to tell if a particular household is using a tv or not, levying fines on miscreants engaged in unlicensed viewage. Whether these vans actually work or are merely a scare tactic, you do have to provide your name and address to the retailer whenever you buy a TV (so I'm guessing that's how they catch 99% of the scofflaws).

Unfortunately, the license only funds the BBC, so if you stray from their handful of channels, you're right back in the land of commercial television. Considering Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB satellite has a virtual monopoly on "non-terrestrial" broadcasting, UK TV has quickly come to resemble its American cousin.

Sadly, the BBC, in order to attract viewers and justify its privileged position, has had to (at least partially) join the race to the bottom. You can see the results on BBC America. Where once was lavishly produced period drama, hard hitting documentary, and challenging reportage, now lives "Britain's Worst Teeth," "Celebrity Fat Club," and "My Boob Job Nightmare."

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Remember, it funds Doctor Who ...

Don't make me put that back in suspended animation - I know you wouldn't want that ... :evilgrin:

[Deja Q]

8. Hmmm...

http://beasthouse-lm2.blogspot.com/

Interesting blog on a fella who is less than keen on what WHO has become over the last 4 years...

(And the inspiration behind my OP... :o )

Last week I suggested that although I'm perfectly-tuned to television as a medium and an institution, I'm also thirty years out of synch with its content. I belong in the world of I, Claudius, Dennis Potter and "Genesis of the Daleks", yet I've somehow become trapped in the world of Rome, Ashley Pharaoh and "Journey's End". It's like Life on Mars, only backwards and even more predictable. However, the wider issue is that for those who couldn't care less about "slick", the BBC has failed in almost all its duties as a public service provider. True, BBC1, BBC2 and BBC4 are palpably ahead of the commercial channels, but this is saying nothing. It's still an insult to expect anyone to pay £139.50 for the privilege of Bonekickers. Although if we're talking about insults, then let's not forget: it's only been a week since the revelation that Jeremy Clarkson has an annual contract worth £2 million. The knowledge that this vicious, bigoted thug is receiving such obscene quantities of Licence-Fee money, as a reward for making programmes which go against every principle the BBC has ever stood for, almost makes Jonathan Ross seem like a good investment. He can't even keep his bloated face out of QI, supposedly the Corporation's last-ditch attempt at in-te-leck-chew-ul TV.

[YankeyMCC]

3. If it meant dramatically reduced commercials

I think I would.

I would also expect better choices and flexibility in those choices about what and when I watch.

[Initech]

4. And pay money to fund crappy reality TV? No.

[Writer]

6. Okay, let me rephrase your question this way...

Would you pay $280 dollars a year to have a mostly state-run network governed by a monarchy that provides fairly balanced journalism for the entire country?

Eh?

[Crazy Dave]

7. When I lived in Germany...

...if you had a window in your hotel room there was a tax for it

[CBGLuthier]

9. How about a thingie tax?

You know.... thingie.





This joke (in a much fuller form) was brought to you by british taxpayers. :-)

[KatyaR]

10. Well, it would make chartered acountancy more interesting.

(I've been on a bit of a MP tear lately . . . .)

[DarkTirade]

11. Since I don't own a TV... no.

:P

[pitohui]

12. obviously i wouldn't, i've never had cable

just as obviously most folks DO pay to watch teevee, but i'm a busy person, i got shit to do, and sitting down to catch a teevee program is just not going to happen more than once a month or so

[KitchenWitch]

13. Do we have a choice?

[leeroysphitz]

14. If it were a state tax and I could be confident that ALL the money collected would

be used to fund k-12 education and would be used efficiently (not just to be spent on some corrupt ass school board members new humvee) then I would happily pay such a tax.