Cancelling my TV licence

[MarkB]

This is something I'd never have considered in any previous year, but it's occurred to me that my viewing habits have now shifted so far towards online streaming services such as Netflix, and to content on Youtube and Twitch, that I now have very little use for a TV licence.

Last October I cancelled my Sky TV subscription, and over the last few months I've come to realise that I'm now paying my TV licence almost exclusively for Doctor Who and a few David Attenborough wildlife documentaries. Which are very worthwhile programmes, but they can't really justify £150 a year on their own. Especially since the New Year's Day special is probably the only Doctor Who we'll see next year.

It's a rather precarious feeling, contemplating not having a TV licence for the first time in my adult life, but after the New Year's Day Doctor Who episode I'll be cancelling my licence.

 

[Morrus]

I pay it because I value all the stuff the BBC does, from entertainment to news to education, and especially niche broadcasting that commercial outfits can’t do, including TV, radio, podcasts, all sorts of stuff. Even if I don’t watch it all, I want them to keep making it because I like living in a society where it’s there. But that’s just my own reasons for doing so. I guess everybody has to make that value judgement for themselves.

 

[DQDesign]

in Italy the tax is on the device which is able to show the TV contents, not on the service, so you have to pay if you have also a smartphone and you can't cancel subscription XD

 

[cbwjm]

NZ hasn't has a broadcasting fee for a few years. I think it was quite hard to enforce.

 

[trappedslider]

We don't have a licence or a fee other than the satellite subscription, but that is included in my rent. I only have Netflix and Prime, but I am considering DC.

 

[Morrus]

Just thinking what I pay for.

TV license
SkyQ subscription (with movies package)
Netflix
Amazon Prime (for the shipping; the access to the media is bonus)

I think that’s everything. I feel like I’m forgetting something, but I can’t think what it is.

 

[MarkB]

I pay it because I value all the stuff the BBC does, from entertainment to news to education, and especially niche broadcasting that commercial outfits can’t do, including TV, radio, podcasts, all sorts of stuff. Even if I don’t watch it all, I want them to keep making it because I like living in a society where it’s there. But that’s just my own reasons for doing so. I guess everybody has to make that value judgement for themselves.

That's one of the reasons I haven't done it before now, and I do consider it valuable to have a national broadcaster that isn't motivated purely by profit in deciding what programmes to produce. But, as much as I appreciate what they do, if I'm at the stage where that content is no longer relevant to me, it's time for me to stop sponsoring it.

 

[Zardnaar]

NZ hasn't has a broadcasting fee for a few years. I think it was quite hard to enforce.

We live in a dip and need a dish. It got knocked about 7 or 8 years ago so no TV reception. Free lightbox and Netflix plus one other subscription service.

We had been using the net since 2003 to watch stuff. Sky TV is overpriced junk. The few things we want to watch are generally streamable from TVNZ or 3 anyway.

 

[cbwjm]

We live in a dip and need a dish. It got knocked about 7 or 8 years ago so no TV reception. Free lightbox and Netflix plus one other subscription service.

We had been using the net since 2003 to watch stuff. Sky TV is overpriced junk. The few things we want to watch are generally streamable from TVNZ or 3 anyway.

Sky is rubbish, they seriously need to rethink their subscription model if they want to keep making money. They may have started an on demand service, I'm not sure but when it comes to channels you have to buy the base package which is generally trash then add the channels you do want for extra. I think that their inflexible subscription and streaming media sites like Netflix are what's going to kill them.

 

[Morrus]

Sky is rubbish, they seriously need to rethink their subscription model if they want to keep making money. They may have started an on demand service, I'm not sure but when it comes to channels you have to buy the base package which is generally trash then add the channels you do want for extra. I think that their inflexible subscription and streaming media sites like Netflix are what's going to kill them.

SkyQ includes Netflix these days.