4 ms·

What's your point? Should the BBC which is an independent news organisation just not publish this article?

msla 9y ago
Independent as in funded by taxes the government collects. Independence from your source of income is truly impressive. I doubt any other news organ manages it.
- rwmj 9y ago
  The UK government doesn't collect the BBC license fee.
  - msla 9y ago
    Only because the BBC has a special place in the law: > In 1991, the BBC assumed the role of TV Licensing Authority with responsibility for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee.[5] The BBC is authorised by the Communications Act 2003 to collect and enforce the TV licence fee. Section 363 of the Act makes it against the law to install or use a television receiver to watch or record any television programmes as they’re being broadcast without a TV Licence. Section 365 of the same Act requires the payment of the TV Licence fee to the BBC. That hardly makes the case the BBC is Fully Independent from the British Government, which is what is being discussed here.
    - am1988 9y ago
      Their money source is as protected from the government as it reasonably can be. Really, the alternative is you have them beholden to billionaire owners and advertisers. This is why I like the idea of a (properly funded) public news source, just not as the only source of news.
      - msla 9y ago
        > Their money source is as protected from the government as it reasonably can be. Obviously false. > Really, the alternative is you have them beholden to billionaire owners and advertisers. Or have them run as a non-profit which doesn't accept advertising and instead takes donations from a huge variety of sources, including the people who watch it. Don't pretend there are no other funding models. Don't pretend the fact the government has a strong hand in their funding doesn't impact what they consider to be newsworthy.
        am1988 9y ago
        > Obviously false. Justify this. The funding is legislated into place in such a way that they are not subject to the whims of a new budget. Removing it would require actually changing the law, which ensures that a government trying to do so is subject to scrutiny. That seems about as good as you can reasonably expect. > Don't pretend there are no other funding models. I didn't. Don't put words in my mouth.
        msla 9y ago
        > That seems about as good as you can reasonably expect. ... assuming you want the news to be government-funded and, therefore, government-run. Some of us see a problem in that.
  - gozur88 9y ago
    Oh? What happens if you refuse to pay it?
    - rwmj 9y ago
      What happens if you hack your cable and get free service, then are found out?
      - gozur88 9y ago
        There's a difference between actively stealing service and owning a television. It's not like BBC is the only thing available in the UK.
        pertymcpert 9y ago
        You can own a TV and not pay a TV license, it's not a problem.
        gozur88 9y ago
        In theory that's true. In practice it really isn't.
        pertymcpert 9y ago
        Yes it is. I have a TV. I don't pay TV license. I don't know how I can prove to you though. I haven't had a TV license for a few years actually. Never been bothered beyond the occasional letter.

msla 9y ago

Independent as in funded by taxes the government collects. Independence from your source of income is truly impressive. I doubt any other news organ manages it.

rwmj 9y ago
The UK government doesn't collect the BBC license fee.
- msla 9y ago
  Only because the BBC has a special place in the law: > In 1991, the BBC assumed the role of TV Licensing Authority with responsibility for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee.[5] The BBC is authorised by the Communications Act 2003 to collect and enforce the TV licence fee. Section 363 of the Act makes it against the law to install or use a television receiver to watch or record any television programmes as they’re being broadcast without a TV Licence. Section 365 of the same Act requires the payment of the TV Licence fee to the BBC. That hardly makes the case the BBC is Fully Independent from the British Government, which is what is being discussed here.
  - am1988 9y ago
    Their money source is as protected from the government as it reasonably can be. Really, the alternative is you have them beholden to billionaire owners and advertisers. This is why I like the idea of a (properly funded) public news source, just not as the only source of news.
    - msla 9y ago
      > Their money source is as protected from the government as it reasonably can be. Obviously false. > Really, the alternative is you have them beholden to billionaire owners and advertisers. Or have them run as a non-profit which doesn't accept advertising and instead takes donations from a huge variety of sources, including the people who watch it. Don't pretend there are no other funding models. Don't pretend the fact the government has a strong hand in their funding doesn't impact what they consider to be newsworthy.
      - am1988 9y ago
        > Obviously false. Justify this. The funding is legislated into place in such a way that they are not subject to the whims of a new budget. Removing it would require actually changing the law, which ensures that a government trying to do so is subject to scrutiny. That seems about as good as you can reasonably expect. > Don't pretend there are no other funding models. I didn't. Don't put words in my mouth.
        msla 9y ago
        > That seems about as good as you can reasonably expect. ... assuming you want the news to be government-funded and, therefore, government-run. Some of us see a problem in that.
- gozur88 9y ago
  Oh? What happens if you refuse to pay it?
  - rwmj 9y ago
    What happens if you hack your cable and get free service, then are found out?
    - gozur88 9y ago
      There's a difference between actively stealing service and owning a television. It's not like BBC is the only thing available in the UK.
      - pertymcpert 9y ago
        You can own a TV and not pay a TV license, it's not a problem.
        gozur88 9y ago
        In theory that's true. In practice it really isn't.
        pertymcpert 9y ago
        Yes it is. I have a TV. I don't pay TV license. I don't know how I can prove to you though. I haven't had a TV license for a few years actually. Never been bothered beyond the occasional letter.