TV Licensing's latest media campaign is all about the different ways that communities across the UK pay for their TV licence.
Surely no-one, apart from TV Licensing PR harlots and BBC leg-humpers, is really interested in the number of Doncastrians still paying for their TV licence by cheque? Given these TV Licensing press releases are churned out by the thousand, it could equally be the residents of Land's End or John o'Groats at the butt of TV Licensing jokes about their choice of payment method.
The latest campaign is another glaring example of TV Licensing generating "news", albeit of a very dubious and uncorroborable quality, in a desperate attempt to secure newspaper column inches.
TV Licensing relies very heavily on the public perception that it operates in all places at all times. Planting newspaper articles is a major effort towards achieving that goal. It does exactly the same every new year when it churns out, ad nauseum, fantastical bullshit about the number of people still paying for a black and white TV licence.
Remember that a TV licence is only needed for those properties where equipment is used to receive TV programme services. Anyone who doesn't need a TV licence can safely ignore the imaginary stories TV Licensing spoon-feed to the local press and media.
We actively encourage anyone paying their TV licence to do so by cheque, as it costs TV Licensing additional time and inconvenience to process the payment.
We actively encourage anyone paying their TV licence to do so by cheque, as it costs TV Licensing additional time and inconvenience to process the payment.
Treat TV Licensing with the contempt they deserve. There has never been a better time to cancel your TV licence.
Hi TV Licensing Blog.
ReplyDeleteIn relation to paying for the TV License by cheque, I recently, for the second time, cancelled my direct debit payment for my TV 'license'. TV licensing emailed me shortly afterwards complaining about this, which of course I have ignored!
They can do nothing of course because paying by DD you are in fact paying for your license 6 months in advance.
This gave me an idea for a protest against the BBC.
I think people paying for their TV license by DD should be encouraged to cancel it.
If enough people did this it would surely make a big dent in the BBC's income, maybe only short-term but it would perhaps send a message?
The BBC can do nothing because your license does not expire for 6 months.
Just why the BBC should expect people to pay 6 months in advance demonstrates the greed of the smug, patronising twerps! (I would like to use a much stronger insult here!!!)
Only downside, if it is one, if you then decide to renew your license by DD when it expires you'll be paying for the whole years license over 6 months, as before and then your DD will revert to the normal £145.50/12.
Would be great if there could be a protest like this arranged where people sign up and cancel their DD on a specific protest date but I don't know how to get the ball rolling.
Maybe I could start a FB campaign?
Best Regards,
Jason F
jasonhatesthebeeb@3ja.org.uk
Be careful Jason. My sister cancelled her TVL DD and received the 6 months back as a credit. The license was cancelled immediately. So the 6 months advance payment appears to be an interest-free loan to Capita Business Services for nothing at all in return, with which they can generate revenue. Cheeky bastards.
ReplyDeleteThe point being if you get your 6 months back then your license is cancelled and does not run for another 6 months. Don't give them any opportunity to look deeper at yours. My advice is simply now stop watching or recording live TV and watch catchup and on-demand services when it suits you.
Didn't realise they would go to the trouble of doing that Chris. They haven't on the two occasions I've done it. I've not seen any money appear beck in my account.
ReplyDeleteLast time around they sent me a reminder that my license was due to expire about a week before.
Unless I get communication from them informing me that the license has been cancelled or a refund appears in my account my license is still valid as far as I'm concerned.
Thanks for the heads up though.
I still think this form of protest has got great potential if people support it.
I am still considering going without live TV to become license free when it expires but from the stories I've read about TVL and their lying, bullyboy tactics I'm wondering if it's worth it?
I'm seriously hoping that evading TV license will be decrimiised soon, it's a truly ridiculous way for a company to be financed, quite frankly it's extortion.
Direct debit is pushed by TVL because it is convenient for them.
ReplyDeleteIt's very likely that TV Licence evasion will be decriminalised during the next Parliament. It's notable that the Magistrates Association have been against it for years. In Scotland, there were only 10 prosecutions in the last financial year - virtually everyone else found evading the fee was asked to pay a 'fiscal fine' of £75 thus avoiding court and prosecution altogether.
In North Wales, the magistrates seem to be handing out the bare minimum fine - in a recent TVL briefing, average fines and costs in North Wales were stated to be £108.90. Court costs are probably around £90 in these cases.