Would you pay a license fee for the Beeb?

peachy · #1 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 09:04

You live in Switzerland and probably, since you are English, watch the BBC and read the BBC website.

If the BBC were able to prevent you from accessing any of their content would you happily pay the license fee?

Personally I think 90% of the stuff worth watching is on the beeb, and BBC news is the only place I feel I can read unbiased reports. I would pay the £142.50 (about 250 a year) on top of the billag if I had to.

Cyrus · #2 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 09:11

I probably would too, though there should be a discount for expats.

Was wondering about this before, before Cablecom provided all the BBC channels. If they adopted this model and people could subscribe from anywhere, wouldn't the BBC change their programming to cater for their new customers?

BigD · #3 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 09:16

My TV viewing is about:

BBC HD 10%
BBC News 35%
Film4 10%
BBC1 to BBC4 20%
Zone Reality 5%
ITV (all channels) 10%
Other of the 5000 channels 10%

So....65% of my viewing is BBC, so yes I would buy a licence if essential.

BigD

peachy · #4 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 09:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrus

I probably would too, though there should be a discount for expats.

Was wondering about this before, before Cablecom provided all the BBC channels. If they adopted this model and people could subscribe from anywhere, wouldn't the BBC change their programming to cater for their new customers?

hmm, good point, under the current model they are obliged to cater for everybody that might pay license fee even if it's not financially viable, I guess if they were catering for expats they would have to provide some kind of regional news.

Thinking about it further I would pay an additional £10 a year if they removed "2 Pints of Lager" and replaced it with a blank screen.

swissflygirl · #5 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 09:26

If I were to start watching the BBC: yes I'd pay, an expat fee would be justified. However ever since BBC Prime was taken off regular Swiss TV I haven't had BBC on and I now find myself watching TV in German.... not relaxing but it is educational.

MarkJ · #6 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 13:07

I was under the impression that this stuff was covered by the payments to Billag. I've always just assumed that there's some sort of reciprocal agreement between the BBC and the various Swiss TV authorities.

BigD · #7 (**permalink**) 17-04-2009, 13:19

The distributor will pay BBC in some way. The Astra 2D satellite footprint on which BBC is transmitted free-to-air is not supposed to extend beyond UK borders, but does so to ensure quality nationwide.

BigD

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I was under the impression that this stuff was covered by the payments to Billag. I've always just assumed that there's some sort of reciprocal agreement between the BBC and the various Swiss TV authorities.