Yes, for real.
- Thread starter RBBailey
- Start date
Nope, won't happen. unless the RIAA/MPAA really push congress. The tax in england pays for commercial free BBC broadcasts. All but PBS is privately owned here (and 90% of PBS is run by colleges). It'll be really hard to push a tax to all TV owners without having a mutiny.
It won't happen here? GM?
Won't happen here? How about an American industry that is something like 16% of the entire GDP? The U.S. health care system? It is happening here.
By the time we get to 2012, maybe 2013, I bet someone high up in the government will start talking about how the Constitution is a historical document, a relic, a museum piece, nothing more. And I'll even go further: If Obama is voted out of office, I bet someone will start talking that way by 2014.
Won't happen here? How about an American industry that is something like 16% of the entire GDP? The U.S. health care system? It is happening here.
By the time we get to 2012, maybe 2013, I bet someone high up in the government will start talking about how the Constitution is a historical document, a relic, a museum piece, nothing more. And I'll even go further: If Obama is voted out of office, I bet someone will start talking that way by 2014.
Man hate to break it to yall, but that's been happening in the UK for years. At least it was there 10 years ago when I FIRST went to the UK.
When I lived in England in the early 80's there was only three channels, then sometime in '82 Channel 4 came on line. We had to pay TV tax then and the gov had a van that used to ride through villages with some sort of gun that could tell if you were receiving TV. If you weren't on the paid TV tax list they would send you a fine. Oh and by the way. Yes we had commercials on BBC1 BBC2 ITV and Channel 4. So the no commercial shit is just that BS.
ptschram
Well-known member
flyfisher11 said:
I remember when I first went to the UK in the late 70s, hotel room bills had a line item for individual TV tax. My dad went ballistic and it was explained why it was charged. As a little boy, I was shocked by this and then shortly thereafter, saw an article about the detector vans that drove around looking for TVs.
I don't think it will happen here, but, I didn't realize that having a TV was a right, why else would the gubmint have given all of us $70 for a digital converter?
What the hell do you think your cable bill is? Americans have been paying voluntarily for TV for several decades now.
I let my screens go dark when the digital switch occured. Best thing I have ever done. I threw out two TVs and kept one for DVDs.
I let my screens go dark when the digital switch occured. Best thing I have ever done. I threw out two TVs and kept one for DVDs.
landrovered said:
Ahhh but you said cable is voluntary. The socialist gov. isn't making me buy cable now are they?
Edit: and to add it looks like the UK still has cable that you buy on top of the tax http://www.cable.co.uk/compare/cable/
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The UK has had radio and TV licensing for years (1920?s?). It exists to pays for the BBC, which would be considered by most to be the epitome of free and fair electronic reporting in the world.
Why did Mr Bailey conjure this link out of thin air? Why did Mr Bailey determine something which has historical and political relevance to the UK and suddenly determine that this is going to happen in the USA?
This debate already exists in Australia
Until the 1960?s, Australia had radio and TV licence fees, and these money raised from were used to pay for the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation - equivalent to the BBC)
When licensing fees were abolished, the ABC?s funds came from the Government coffers. This creates tensions; the right consider the ABC to be at the mercy of the left wing journalists in its? employ, the left consider it to be an arm of the reactionary Government propaganda machine and both consider it to be wrong that taxpayer is paying for it.
Despite these tensions, most Australians consider that the ABC is the fairest and most accurate source of news in the electronic media (not necessarily reflected in ratings, but during and after the bushfires of early this year, ABC ratings were phenomenal)
Whilst these tensions continue, Australia is guaranteed cost free, honest and impartial reporting of news as guaranteed by the ABC?s mandate
A few weeks ago, Rupert Murdoch floated the proposal that on?line access to his company?s news papers would require payment.
In a speech a couple of days after this, the General Manager of the ABC, stated this would not occur with material posted on the ABC web-site. He also went on to say that media barons of the 20th century should develop business models that cater and embrace new technologies in the 21st century and unless they do so they run the risk of becoming moribund anachronisms.
The debate continues as to whether the ABC, as a Government funded player in the media, should go up against private enterprise model and the pay for view impartial journalism epitomised by News Limited products touted by Mr Murdoch
The ABC costs each Australian AUD$0.10 per day for TV (3 nation wide channels), radio (4 nationwide networks, including local and regional stations and an avant guarde youth network) and an online presence which includes print and links to TV and radio.
Mr Murdoch?s newspapers cost at least AUD$1.10 per day
Do the sums
Mr Bailey: What website or email generated the idea of you posting this link?
Why did Mr Bailey conjure this link out of thin air? Why did Mr Bailey determine something which has historical and political relevance to the UK and suddenly determine that this is going to happen in the USA?
This debate already exists in Australia
Until the 1960?s, Australia had radio and TV licence fees, and these money raised from were used to pay for the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation - equivalent to the BBC)
When licensing fees were abolished, the ABC?s funds came from the Government coffers. This creates tensions; the right consider the ABC to be at the mercy of the left wing journalists in its? employ, the left consider it to be an arm of the reactionary Government propaganda machine and both consider it to be wrong that taxpayer is paying for it.
Despite these tensions, most Australians consider that the ABC is the fairest and most accurate source of news in the electronic media (not necessarily reflected in ratings, but during and after the bushfires of early this year, ABC ratings were phenomenal)
Whilst these tensions continue, Australia is guaranteed cost free, honest and impartial reporting of news as guaranteed by the ABC?s mandate
A few weeks ago, Rupert Murdoch floated the proposal that on?line access to his company?s news papers would require payment.
In a speech a couple of days after this, the General Manager of the ABC, stated this would not occur with material posted on the ABC web-site. He also went on to say that media barons of the 20th century should develop business models that cater and embrace new technologies in the 21st century and unless they do so they run the risk of becoming moribund anachronisms.
The debate continues as to whether the ABC, as a Government funded player in the media, should go up against private enterprise model and the pay for view impartial journalism epitomised by News Limited products touted by Mr Murdoch
The ABC costs each Australian AUD$0.10 per day for TV (3 nation wide channels), radio (4 nationwide networks, including local and regional stations and an avant guarde youth network) and an online presence which includes print and links to TV and radio.
Mr Murdoch?s newspapers cost at least AUD$1.10 per day
Do the sums
Mr Bailey: What website or email generated the idea of you posting this link?
Nargun said:
Good perspective. Have you ever heard of PBS/NPR? Very left leaning and paid for by taxpayers and private donations.
I have a bit of an understanding of PBS?
Australia has 2 Government owned TV/radio networks. As well as the ABC, it also has SBS, which is the network that reflects our ?multicultural? nature. SBS daily shows PBS news and current affairs programmes (as it does news from about another 20 countries, all in their native language, everything from Chinese to Italian, Russian to Chilean, Japanese to French). SBS does allow advertising. SBS is also know as Sex Before Soccer, as it shows subtitled (unedited) foreign language films and British, European and South American Soccer
All for getting the full gamut of news, from ultra left wing to ultra right wing. (Don?t watch Fox news as it is only on pay TV in Australia)
At least by being exposed to the spectrum of sources, I can make up my own mind rather than being force fed only one viewpoint.
My kids also watched Sesame Street and I spent hours teaching them X,Y,Zed, rather than X, Y, Zee
Australia has 2 Government owned TV/radio networks. As well as the ABC, it also has SBS, which is the network that reflects our ?multicultural? nature. SBS daily shows PBS news and current affairs programmes (as it does news from about another 20 countries, all in their native language, everything from Chinese to Italian, Russian to Chilean, Japanese to French). SBS does allow advertising. SBS is also know as Sex Before Soccer, as it shows subtitled (unedited) foreign language films and British, European and South American Soccer
All for getting the full gamut of news, from ultra left wing to ultra right wing. (Don?t watch Fox news as it is only on pay TV in Australia)
At least by being exposed to the spectrum of sources, I can make up my own mind rather than being force fed only one viewpoint.
My kids also watched Sesame Street and I spent hours teaching them X,Y,Zed, rather than X, Y, Zee
landrovered said:I find PBS/NPR to be fair and balanced!
I'll call BS on that. I use to think that way until I heard a report that stated Obama's option as fact. I wanted to rip the radio out of the dash. Haven't listened or supported them since.
ptschram
Well-known member
landrovered said:I find PBS/NPR to be fair and balanced!
LOL, I attribute my listening to NPR and the Grateful Dead for why so many folks apologize to me for voting republican.
The look on their eyes when they find out how radically conservative I am is priceless (as I turn Rush Limbaugh's station on!).
NPR is a nice foil to listening to Glenn Back and Rush Limbaugh during the day. Daytime NPR makes me want to punch kittens.