[OT] Worldcup 2006 ?

[Tony Alfrey]

dallam wrote:
> On Sat, Jun 10, 2006 at 04:14:25PM -0700, Tony Alfrey wrote:
>> So let me get this straight.  I can put up a satellite dish in the US
>> (or Iraq, for that matter) and get the BBC this way, but you can't do
>> the same in the UK?
> 
> Yes, you can get the BBC via satellite, cable and normal tv. Getting their
> station(s) isn't the problem :)
> 
> The issue is, one is required by law to pay a tv licensing fee that
> funds the BBC regardless if one chooses to watch the BBC or not. The BBC
> does not sell advertising spots as do all the rest of the stations to fund
> their programming thereby making themselves reliant on this tax. The public
> ins't presented with any options, such as making the BBC part of a package
> that you can purchase is you wish to view their programming. So if you have
> a tv, and whether you watch the BBC or not, you are forced to pay a licensing
> tax to support them.

So rather than spreading the tax for public broadcasting around to 
everyone, they only tax those who *might* use it by buying a receiver. 
Not an unprecedented form of taxation;  one gets taxed for having an 
automobile regardless of how far one drives it (not including the tax on 
fuel).  But it certainly can't make the BBC very popular.
Public broadcasting in the US is now largely free of government support 
but I'm not sure that this has been a positive change.



-- 
Tony Alfrey
tonyalfrey at earthlink.net
"I'd Rather Be Sailing"