US: Stop Congress from making iPod or VCRs illegal

[Raging Deadstar]

In the Uk we actually have "Television Liscenses" which is basically paying for even 'terestial' television. Then we pay extra for "satelite" television.

[dogscoff]

In the Uk we actually have "Television Liscenses" which is basically paying for even 'terestial' television. Then we pay extra for "satelite" television

I consider this a good thing. This means that the BBC is not influenced by advertisers or by governmental sponsors (in theory, anyway.) We get the best of both worlds- we get the bbc, which has a world-class reputation for producing some of the best tv in the world, and we also get channels funded by advertising, and then we can also opt-in to subscription channels if we wqant/ have the technology. With set-top digital boxes at fifty quid a go, there's not much excuse not to have the technology. And the license fee is ~10 pounds a month, (approx $15-$20US) which is a round of drinks.

[Alneyan]

Dogscoff, do I read you right? Did you mean that the BBC is ad-free because of this tax? Or am I just daydreaming?

We have one similar tax in France, but "public" channels still have to rely on ads to fund their programmes. Granted, the channels that do get the government funding may have slightly fewer ads than the others, but I would say the difference isn't too important.

[Randallw]

When I went to work in England a few years ago I bought a portable television. I thought the authorities would never find out but twice I received letters warning me about watching TV without a licence. As a paranoid, dictator I find it fascinating that a democratic country has vans driving the streets detecting illegal tv watching (and I still can't figure out how they can detect you "receiving" transmissions), similar to the Gestapo in Occupied Europe detecting resistance radio.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

The US congress wants to make Ipods and VCRs sick!

[Kamog]

They can detect you receiving TV transmissions because a TV receiver contains a local oscillator that is used to downconvert the television signal from high frequency to low frequency. You know, when they broadcast the signal, they use a carrier that is much higher frequency than the original video signal, and when you receive the signal, you have to convert the frequency down again to be able to watch it. The oscillator in the TV receiver leaks out a signal that can be picked up by antennas on those vans driving by.

[Mephisto]

Alneyan said:
We have one similar tax in France, but "public" channels still have to rely on ads to fund their programmes. Granted, the channels that do get the government funding may have slightly fewer ads than the others, but I would say the difference isn't too important.

In Germany the public stations which are funded are ad-free after 8 PM.

[dogscoff]

Dogscoff, do I read you right? Did you mean that the BBC is ad-free because of this tax? Or am I just daydreaming?

That is correct. That is how the BBC is funded. They aren't allowed to advertise, and BBC tv/ radio have to be very careful about accidental product placement.
It may seem draconian to have detector vans prowling around, but it enables an unbiased, apolitical news and entertainment medium, and it's been a highly successful one since it's foundation [BIG_NUMBER] years ago. Many ppl rate British (and particularly the BBC's) news & entertainmnet programs as the best in the world. Even if you don't, you certainly have to rank it as being up there with the big boys. Personally I wouldn't ever trade it for the infomercials of american TV or the propaganda of Italian TV. Of course we still get american infomercials, but that's because subscription and advertising-funded channels are broadcast alongside the BBC channels.

[Alneyan]

I recall that BBC Radio doesn't have any ads, but I hadn't expected to be the same for their tv channel. I am not too sure why we do not have a no-ads channel in France, or at least, a "ad haven" from a certain hour, as what Mephisto pointed out for Germany. Hmm.

I can concur with the ranking of the BBC; they have quite a reputation even abroad, and I would say it is probably not just a coincidence. The BBC can even afford to have a pretty impressive website (and more than just a display for their own programmes), which doesn't seem too common for media companies.

[Baron Munchausen]

And best of all, the rest of the world gets to watch/listen for free!

I listen to the BBC rebroadcast on my local NPR station quite frequently.