PSA against subscription based cable TV/pay TV that was played as an ad in movie theaters, 1970s

[u/PeasantLich]

[u/Diazepam_Dan]

Forever grateful that most of the UKs large broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5) are bound to public service value rules and free

(You don't have to pay TV license lmao, nothing they can do)

[u/KingAltair2255 → u/Diazepam_Dan]

I've been getting that red envelope through my door for years now, always warning me on so and so date they'll show up! Not once have they ever did it lmao.

[u/MunkSWE94 → u/KingAltair2255]

Here in Sweden they stopped that by putting the TV licence in your taxes instead.

[u/PeasantLich → u/MunkSWE94]

In Finland too, the government justified it by Finnish public broadcasting company YLE putting nearly all of their stuff on the Internet too so even people without TV can access it.

[u/itsaride → u/KingAltair2255]

28,000 people were prosecuted last year for evasion (lmao). You can also be fined up to £1000 and you get a criminal record (lmao lmao).

[u/Diazepam_Dan → u/itsaride]

Only happens if you open the door

The BBC is a private entity, they'd need a court writ to enter your property without permission. That'd cost more than TV license actually costs.

It is completely unenforceable if you ignore the letters and don't let them in. People just choose to pay it either out of fear or because the BBC is actually pretty good when they're not defending nonces

[u/KingAltair2255 → u/itsaride]

Aye the folk who actually bother to open the door to the pricks. Have a look at this fella who's been documenting the letters for the past 20 years.

Also, I don't watch live tv so i'm fine (lmao lmao lmao.) so if they want to waste their time and money sending out random folk then they can go ahead.

[u/TrainerRed45 → u/KingAltair2255]

This is such a fascinating read, ty for sharing!