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This blog is to highlight the unjust persecution of legitimate non-TV users at the hands of TV Licensing. These people do not require a licence and are entitled to live without the unnecessary stress and inconvenience caused by TV Licensing's correspondence and employees.

If you use equipment to receive live broadcast TV programmes, or to watch or download BBC on-demand programmes via the iPlayer, then the law requires you to have a TV licence and we encourage you to buy one.

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Sunday 8 April 2012

TV Licensing and London 2012 Olympics




A few days ago the BBC revealed further details of how they plan to stream more than 2,500 hours of live sports coverage when the Olympics come to London this summer.

In eager anticipation of London 2012 TV Licensing's PR harlots, most notably Fishburn Hedges, are working around the clock to heighten awareness of TV licence rules and regulations, in particular those surrounding online and mobile viewing.

It is important to note that TV Licensing, the BBC's revenue generation arm, are in the business of selling licences by whatever means necessary. The more licences they sell the more money they make, which is very important at a time when the licence fee is frozen until 2016. 

If you have a TV licence for your home then you are automatically covered to watch elsewhere on equipment powered by its own internal battery. Even if you don't have a TV licence the chances of being caught are somewhere between negligible and nil, particularly if you remember that TV Licensing people have no legal authority whatsoever. They are entitled to the same contempt as anyone else peddling immoral wares.

On the off chance you want to view legally we thought we'd clarify some of the best ways to salve your TV licence conscience.

1. Watch it non-live on a catch up service: You do not need a licence to enjoy previously broadcast non-live coverage on the BBC's iPlayer for example.
2. Watch live at a friend's place: If they've got a TV licence you could go and watch their telly instead. If you didn't want to impose you could take your laptop around and stream live TV via their broadband connection.
3. Watch live at the pub/club: I'm reliably informed by student friends that you can nurture a soft drink for at least two hours if you sip it slowly. That's just enough time to see the marathon.
4. Watch live at your local electrical retailer: Electrical retailers do not need a TV licence for their display sets. If you're a bit of a cheapskate you could visit Dixons and watch the best events there.
5. Become a TV engineer: If you're a TV fixer upper then you do not need a TV licence to test equipment you're working on.
6. Visit the big screen: Big screens will be showing live Olympics coverage in cities across the UK. Wrap up warm, take a few tinnies and watch 'til your heart's content.

Happy viewing and we hope you enjoy watching the Olympics, whether you have a TV licence or not!

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