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I've brought this argument forward many times since I moved to the UK, and everyone I've talked to hates the idea of turning the fee into a general tax. It's a

I've brought this argument forward many times since I moved to the UK, and everyone I've talked to hates the idea of turning the fee into a general tax. It's a weird refusal that I genuinely can't understand as someone not born here. Everyone seems happy enough with the idea of paying tax for public libraries or parks or other social institutions they may never use because it benefits society, but bring up the tv license and it's like arguing with a brick wall.

Mauricebranagh 6y ago
They don't trust the government
CodeGlitch 6y ago
Have you seen how much BBC bosses and stars are paid? Far higher than other public servants, so yes I would be against making it compulsory https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/bbc_rich_list_2020_37_5m_bumper_bill_for_bbc_bosses https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/bbc_rich_list_2020_37_5m_b...
- xxpor 6y ago
  £148k? That really seems like not that much for any sort of executive.
  - Dma54rhs 6y ago
    That sounds something a super privileged Silicon Valley codebro would say. It's almost embarrassing.
- Mindwipe 6y ago
  > Have you seen how much BBC bosses and stars are paid? Far higher than other public servants, so yes I would be against making it compulsory It's not far higher than other public servants, and the Taxpayers Alliance are liars and fantasists. It's like how they continually misrepresent the Prime Minster's salary as being in the low £100ks. It isn't. The Prime Minster's complete remuneration package is worth well over a million pounds a year.
Chris2048 6y ago
possible reasons: 1) concern about the neutrality of the BBC, esp. if you don't think they are currently neutral. It also might change the incentives of the BBC if funding is either guaranteed, or controlled by government. 2) the principle of general tax without strong reason. The government isn't trustable, they already privatised much of the railways. consent to general taxation give more power to government. 3) I don't have a television, and more people are choosing not to have one. There are shifts happening both wrt to media is consumed, as well as how laws are changing to adapt (e.g. requiring any device with a screen requiring a licence). Would be better for the situation to stabilise before deciding if a general tax is a good idea. 4) The whole TV-Van issue sours the issue. Public Libraries (AFAIK) don't send people after you for paying fees. The issue of censorship and management of publicly available information are also hot topics in libraries, but there is (arguably) a greater degree of "self serve" in a library, as opposed to planned/programmed broadcast - libraries don't generally create the majority of their content.

Mauricebranagh 6y ago

They don't trust the government

CodeGlitch 6y ago

Have you seen how much BBC bosses and stars are paid? Far higher than other public servants, so yes I would be against making it compulsory https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/bbc_rich_list_2020_37_5m_bumper_bill_for_bbc_bosses https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/bbc_rich_list_2020_37_5m_b...

xxpor 6y ago
£148k? That really seems like not that much for any sort of executive.
- Dma54rhs 6y ago
  That sounds something a super privileged Silicon Valley codebro would say. It's almost embarrassing.
Mindwipe 6y ago
> Have you seen how much BBC bosses and stars are paid? Far higher than other public servants, so yes I would be against making it compulsory It's not far higher than other public servants, and the Taxpayers Alliance are liars and fantasists. It's like how they continually misrepresent the Prime Minster's salary as being in the low £100ks. It isn't. The Prime Minster's complete remuneration package is worth well over a million pounds a year.

Chris2048 6y ago

possible reasons: 1) concern about the neutrality of the BBC, esp. if you don't think they are currently neutral. It also might change the incentives of the BBC if funding is either guaranteed, or controlled by government. 2) the principle of general tax without strong reason. The government isn't trustable, they already privatised much of the railways. consent to general taxation give more power to government. 3) I don't have a television, and more people are choosing not to have one. There are shifts happening both wrt to media is consumed, as well as how laws are changing to adapt (e.g. requiring any device with a screen requiring a licence). Would be better for the situation to stabilise before deciding if a general tax is a good idea. 4) The whole TV-Van issue sours the issue. Public Libraries (AFAIK) don't send people after you for paying fees. The issue of censorship and management of publicly available information are also hot topics in libraries, but there is (arguably) a greater degree of "self serve" in a library, as opposed to planned/programmed broadcast - libraries don't generally create the majority of their content.