Did you know that residents of the UK need to license any television or device that can play or record television?
And it’s expensive, too. About $275 . . . each . . . a year.
We’re having a great time in London. We’ve seen a lot and been all over. I think this might be the best city in the world, although Vauxhall looked a bit dodgy from the train. Too bad we have to go home tomorrow.
Did we miss anything?
Can you imagine americans holding still for that?
You know that licence money funds the BBC? Ever watch any BBC programmes? Or look at their web site? Check out our pinko socialist utopia.
I did not know that your license(s) fund the BBC, but they seem like funds well spent. America’s Public Broadcasting Service is funded by taxes (via the quasi-public Corporation for Public Broadcasting) but mostly by annoying fundraisers. From what I’ve seen, our PBS is at least as pinko as the BBC.
The reason for the CPB is the same as why we will never have a licensing fee for TVs: it would be too easy to challenge direct funding of public broadcasting and information taxation as violating the freedom of the press. Yay first ammendment!