Slashdot Mirror
UK ISPs Could Face Government Broadband TV Tax
An anonymous reader writes "Industry regulator Ofcom, which yesterday launched the first phase of its review into public service broadcasting, is threatening to impose a tax on UK broadband ISPs to help resolve funding problems. The review covers all public service broadcasters, both publicly owned and commercial. Ofcom Chief Executive Ed Richards said: 'Public service broadcasting is at a crossroads. Viewers still want a mix of high quality UK-made content, but the traditional television model is not enough to meet all their needs. Today's proposals outline options for a securely-funded PSB future. Now is the time for a wide-ranging debate looking carefully and dispassionately at all the options.'"
No, Anonymous shiteater Coward, the difference between "tax per TV" and "tax per premises" is insignificant. The country in which simple logic is applied makes even less than no difference. They really should start teaching logic to you barbarians in Elbonia. Or at least that you should shut your mouth when you're outgunned both literally and intellectually.
--
make install -not war
That's rubbish. The BBC is full of useless biased crap if the programme is in any way political or scientific (see the whole climate change propaganda article fiasco for example). If it's a comedy then the funniest line that any person says is "F***" and that is where everyone is supposed to laugh.
A large number of people in the UK have access to satellite and cable TV now and the most popular programmes on any TV channel are invariably American imports - Lost, 24, Prison Break, Heroes, The Simpsons etc. etc. In fact it was the BBC that showed 24 first and then sky took it to get more subscribers because it was that popular. Lost was first on Channel 4, now its on Sky too. Prison Break was on Channel 5 first, then sky took that too. The Simpsons were a staple of BBC 2 (after first being shown on Sky) for 10 years before it was taken by Channel 4 simply because it was that popular. Heroes is one of the most popular shows in the country - and what channel broadcasts it? Yup, BBC2. Smallville? Yeah - Channel 4. Dawson's Creek - Channel 4 again.
The only worthwile British content is the nature programmes by David Attenborough.
The TV tax we pay serves only two purposes - to create the biased news productions and to fill the pockets of the corrupt BBC executives and presenters. Jeremy Paxman at £500,000 a year? Nice one you loud-mouthed idiot. And what about all the newsreaders on minimum salaries of £400,000/yr and the bigshot newsreaders on millions? I take it you think it is worthwhile that our hard earned, heavily taxed savings are forcefully taken from us and used to pay them to sit on their asses all day and read a monitor? Please!
I don't know what cable package you have taken but if you are truly missing UK TV there is definitely something wrong with you. Seriously, what do you miss? Most indigenous productions in the UK are reality shows where cheap idiots run around swearing at each other and doing demeaning tasks that apparently entertains the public. Eating parts of strange animals is not entertainment, whether you like it or not. Since I pay as well, I demand some programming of higher quality than the gutter level material that we see every day. You must be insane if you miss that.
Yes, America also has loads of reality shows, but the point is that they are funded by advertisement and if you don't want to watch it you don't have to still pay for it. And to anyone who's lucky enough NOT to suffer the disgusting and unjust British TV funding system, the current TV "License" (as they call the tax) must be paid for the simple crime of OWNING a TV, even if you are going to use it to watch DVDs. What a joke. It's because of deluded fools like DigitalAI that the rest of us have to suffer this extortion. The BBC should not only be forced to be advertising funded, it should be dismantled and sold off piece by piece. It and its employees deserve nothing less.