Isn't the British TV Licence against the basic Freedom of Information right?

The television licence is just another way of paying a tax. The situation in the UK is that we have to pay a lot of taxes to pay for the royal family, people on benefits, asylum seekers, high salaries for the 'fat cats', politicians, and greedy corporations who are not satisfied with a decent profit but who want b/millions in profits. The pensions we have paid into for years has been used for other things and some people will have none even though they have paid hugh ammounts into the pension funds. I could go on all day but wont bore you. Honestly, the situation for the ordinary person in the UK is like living in fuedal times. Slaves when born. Slaves on death.

You are wrong in several senses.

The law (Communications Act 2003) requires that a licence is obtained for any device that is "installed or used" for "receiving or recording a television programme at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is received by members of the public".

A TV licence is NOT needed merely to own a TV, PC, iPad, mobile phone, radio, hairdryer or whatever. It is the act of watching/recording *live TV programme services* that is licensable. A licence is not needed if a TV is used solely to watch DVDs, watch CCTV footage, play video games or watch non-live streamed content from the internet (like non-live programmes on the BBC's iPlayer).

I agree that the TV licence is wrong. The law has failed to evolve with the technology. The TV licence originated at a time when the BBC was the only broadcaster and TV was a novel luxury of the wealthy few.

However, much as I disagree with the law it is still the law: anyone watching/recording live broadcast TV programme services should be correctly licensed.

Please see our blog for further info: http://tv-licensing.blogspot.com/

In the UK you also get free access to the radio and to public libraries which covers the requierments for basic access to information. Libraries also have free interent access. The TV programmes are designed for entertainment and as such do not cover human rights for access to information. Consider the news here - if it was all about information, there would be 2 news readers, just reading a script - no outside broadcasts, no video and so on - just the information.

Second thought is that because you have to buy the TV set in the first place it is no longer free access to info, you have bought access to it buy buying the TV. Analogue radios are different because you can make one easily from spare parts so access can be considered to be free

You only need a BBC TV Licence if you watch "live" feeds. You are correct though in the 21st century we should be able to watch genuine FTA TV without being forced to fund Champagne Socialists

I believe those who want the BBC should fund it but you'll find they don't want to unless everyone is forced to contribute to it, parasites.

It is possible to access information without a television. For thousands of years, that's how all information was accessed, and there are people today who access information without a television.

when you are watching a movie or television set it is very easy to get distracted and multi task, where reading a written book, it has your full attention usually!

Reading a good e book provides a richer experience and can leave you with stories that will last years

You do not need a license just to own a TV. You need a license to watch it, but not to own it. You do not need a license to own a computer (although you do if you're going to use iPlayer, etc)

And frankly, given it's only £150 or whatever, who cares? You get the best quality public TV in the world (try going to Australia and seeing what their channels are like).

So basically, you ARE mistaken. And talking about "the basic right of all humans to access information" is pathetic. Go live in Syria. Or, you know, just read a f*cking newspaper. Or read the BBC news website (free, paid for by people with TV licenses).

Personally I believe £3 a week for all the television and radio stations the BBC provide to me, without advertising, is the best bargain to be had in the UK, less than the cost of 10 cigarettes or three decent newspapers.

The BBC website is an added bonus, which is available to the whole world and is one of the best in that world. Then of course the BBC, that's us, with the World Service bring reliable news to everyone in the world, many in countries where information is censured, something as a Brit I am very proud of.

So many people today know the cost of everything and the value of nothing,

Two thigns, the FOI act has nothign to do with access to information ! You seem a little confused.

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/

It's so you can ask how many people working in the MOD arepaid over£100,000 a year, it's that sort of government information.

You can use any public library to find information.

The TV licence can be paid weekly, or monthly, so it's £12.13p pe rmonth, not bad considering the quality of the TV you can get.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licen...

EDIT

6 IDIOTS do not know what the Freedom of Information Act2001 is about.