TV License

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Jack Roberts Posted: Sat, May 7 2011 4:32 AM

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Do you have TV license in your country that funds a state media? I know that the USA does not have a TV license.

I have just received another letter from the TV license people in the UK. Saying that due to me not responding to their previous letters, i should know what to expect from court, then they explain the court process in point form. Telling me that I can appoint a lawyer or represent myself etc. I am not concerned because I do not own a TV or watch television signal. But i refuse to communicate with something that i do not agree with. They require me to join their database and have my house searched for television receivers. I will not give them my name for security reasons and i will not allow them to search my home because that would be totalitarian.  Do you think I am being paranoid or silly, should I just comply?

The tv license in the uk funds the BBC a pro government and state propaganda based media. They misappropriate around £3.4 billion from the population at a rate of £130 from each house. The BBC completely disrupts the television, radio and media industries in the UK. Completely distorting the market. Those industries are also heavily regulated. Other companies will find it difficult to compete with a company that forces everyone to pay. When people are already paying £130 a year they might not want to pay additional money for another service. Even if you don't watch BBC you still have to pay the license. 

They send a big guy around to your house in a suit, apart of the "division of enforcement" or enforcement division. He comes around with a court stamped page authorizing the search of my house for television receivers. If you are found guily of watching TV without a license you can be fined up to £1000 and legal costs.

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Caley McKibbin replied on Sat, May 7 2011 5:54 AM

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Hiring a lawyer is like hiring a robber to protect your house.

What did the letters day?

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Caley McKibbin replied on Sat, May 7 2011 5:56 AM

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Do you think I am being paranoid or silly, should I just comply?

You should never just comply unless you just like complying.

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Hard Rain replied on Sat, May 7 2011 6:49 AM

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There's a "TV License" here in South Africa as well. I don't pay it, I'm not interested in sponsoring political media for the ruling ANC party and it's also pretty much unenforceable for now.

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Andris Birkmanis replied on Sat, May 7 2011 8:39 AM

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence

About compliance - hard to advise, it really depends on the climate of enforcement and your determination. I ignored this law in a couple of countries, despite owning some TV-capable devices (but I never used them as TV receivers). If some guy came with a warrant for search I would probably comply, as the next step might be a SWAT team blowing your doors (again this depends on a climate, in some countries authorities may barrage you with letters for years without ever doing anything).