Everything is disconnected and stored away, in such a way that it is not easy to be tempted to cheat. I've taken fuses out and disconnected the aerial in the loft. It'll take me a while to get it operational again. I can't just switch-on for a sneaky peek at the weather forecast or the football results. My TV equipment is disconnected and de-installed and will stay that way.
I'm fed up with paying £145.50 every year. A better system of funding the BBC is needed. It was a sensible solution 60 years ago when the BBC was the only broadcaster, but things have moved on and the TV licensing system has had its day
I have filled out the "No licence needed" declaration on the TV licensing website, the TV licensing people have written to me acknowledging that declaration and have said that they might send somebody round to check. Their argument for doing this is that in one in five cases they find that a TV licence is needed. They seem to have lost sight of the fact that in four out of five cases, the householder is honest...!
But I haven't seen anybody yet, unless they've called when I've been out.
As I suspected I haven't really missed the TV. The main thing I've missed is the weather forecast, but I've discovered that I can legitimately watch that on iplayer if I want to.
The TV licensing website explains that;
The law states that you need to be covered for a TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes, on any device, as they're being shown on TV. This includes TV's, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, digital boxes and Blu-ray/DVD/VHS recorders.
You don't need a licence if you don't use any of these devices to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV - for example, if you use your TV only to watch DVDs or play video games, or you only watch 'catch-up' services like BBC iPlayer or 4OD.So that's pretty clear then.
It seems we can use any of the following catch-up services to watch programmes that have already been broadcast and stay within the law, even if we don't have a TV licence. The only thing to be careful of, is that we shouldn't watch any programme that is being live-streamed, i.e. shown on iPlayer at the same time as it is being broadcast via a TV signal. Not too difficult if we are disciplined in the way that we use iPlayer...
BBC iPlayer
ITV player
4OD
Demand 5
It also seems that we can still have a TV connected to a DVD player and remain legal, provided the TV (or DVD player) isn't connected to an aerial or any other means of receiving TV broadcasts...
Finally, just in case anybody doubts me, here's a photo of where the TV used to be. I've found that it is an ideal spot to place the de-humidifer.
Watching the water drip down into the bucket is actually a lot more interesting than watching Eastenders...
4 COMMENTS:
Welcome to the world of legitimate TV freedom. Let's hope TV Licensing leave you in peace.
In our experience they tend to continue harassing those who have declared no-TV, so it's really not worth the effort. Furthermore, TV-free people are under no legal obligation to communicate with TV Licensing whatsoever.
Speaking to TV Licensing is like trying to plait fog - absolutely pointless.
Thanks for your comment. I'm fully expecting to be hassled. Capita's Enquiry Officer's won't find anything out of order here, but I know what they are like.
Your blog is very helpful. I'll add a link to it presently.
Well Done. TV is absolute drivel..but what about radio? Licence fee supports stuff like radio $ ...is there a commercial station that can do what it does or Radio Solent?
Skyline is nowhere near it.
Isn't Public Service broadcasting worthy of public support?
I haven't listened to a great deal of radio at home either, but I do switch Skyline on occasionally.
During the day, whilst driving the van, I tend to dip in and out of Radio 4, particularly for the news and current affairs programmes.
Radio 4's "Peoples Post" series was also compulsive listening just before Xmas. Try as I might though, I can't get interested in Womans Hour or the Archers...
Public Service Broadcasting is certainly worthy of support Stephen, but not at any price. Therein lies the problem. The licence fee has tended to go up and up and up over the years, as have the star performers and the Directors salaries...
So I think it is time to scrap the TV licence and the infrastructure that is needed to collect it. Such a change is long overdue.,
I'm not entirely sure what the best way of funding the BBC is, but times have changed since the licence fee was introduced and there's got to be a better alternative...
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