The New York Times > International > Europe > Milton Journal: No Telly in the House? Expect an Official Warning

The New York Times > International > Europe > Milton Journal: No Telly in the House? Expect an Official Warning

In the United Kingdom anyone with a coloured television has to pay a license worth GBP 129 or roughly PHP 12,900. The fee is used to fund the British Broadcasting Company (BBC). I believe this fee is in exchange for commercial free and "quality" BBC television. Caught without a television license will lead to a fine of GBP 1,000 or a jail term.

I think the fee is absurd. I've heard of pay-per-view or pay-tv but this is extreme. Why must a population be forced to pay a fee to fund a service that is not utilised or enjoyed every single day or every time? Since the end of the BBC's monopoly in UK television similar programming are now availbale through "free-to-air" private commerical tv stations and paid services like satellite television.

If someone does not want to watch the news from BBC One he or she can watch it on any ITV channel or Sky News. If you are more of a Coronation Street (ITV) fan than an East Enders (BBC) viewer you are just paying something that you do not enjoy.

According to the hyperlinked article above the BBC will have a charter review by 2006. By then we will know the future of TV licensing in the UK.

I could not imagine a similar system to be used in the Philippines (Thank God!)