tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post2521173925751729084..comments2023-11-05T10:53:07.638+00:00Comments on Patently Rubbish: BBC Harrassmentpatentlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-52879609178822493112011-03-09T08:00:54.746+00:002011-03-09T08:00:54.746+00:00BQ - Oh dear...
BE - That's actually a good i...BQ - Oh dear...<br /><br />BE - That's actually a good idea. "Doing things sensibly" would (admittedly) be a novel approach to government, but one I think we should try. I dread to imagine the squeals from the vested interests, though. <br /><br />EP - a cunning idea! (although I don't actually want my staff watching TV when they're meant to be working...)patentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-79859814405016491142011-03-07T17:07:01.020+00:002011-03-07T17:07:01.020+00:00What about employing a pensioner aged over 75, for...What about employing a pensioner aged over 75, for say an hour a week? They get a free TV licence and at the same time you could demonstrate that you are not infringing the age discrimination laws. If the pensioner was disabled, belonged to an ethnic minority and female, think of all the other PC requirements you could meet in one person.English Pensionerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15271488641341955140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-397860436171338902011-03-07T13:27:42.795+00:002011-03-07T13:27:42.795+00:00What needs to happen is this: HMG states that as ...What needs to happen is this: HMG states that as a matter of policy the licence fee will be replaced by general taxation. Once this has been done, HMG announces a 95% cut in the direct funding of the BBC, in conjunction with an instruction that the tax-funded budget will be handed out to pay for specific programmes or schemes and that any broadcaster will be free to apply for the funds.<br /><br />If we are to have state-funded TV it may as well be done sensibly.Old BEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06974090439936326476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-76781781540800789552011-03-07T13:21:58.134+00:002011-03-07T13:21:58.134+00:00Also had one for a premises that we lease to Royal...Also had one for a premises that we lease to Royal Mail.<br />It was addresses to Royal mail but instructed the landlord to pay for TV.<br /><br />There are no TVs or PC's there. Its a storage unit.<br />And Royal Mail pay for a blanket licence that allows them to have TV's radio in any of their properties anyway.<br /><br />These agencies don't do much research.Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-12423499140642185042011-03-05T18:41:46.308+00:002011-03-05T18:41:46.308+00:00Poor timing.
They really should have despatched ...Poor timing. <br /><br />They really should have despatched those letters on April 22nd.measuredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11281134269555074558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-54063056896628530142011-03-05T18:03:12.812+00:002011-03-05T18:03:12.812+00:00Forgot to add - a reasonable letter from a decent ...Forgot to add - a reasonable letter from a decent organisation would have pointed that out, politely. It would not have required me to spend half an hour googling the maze that is UK law in order to check their claims.patentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-21820307680412496362011-03-05T17:56:54.133+00:002011-03-05T17:56:54.133+00:00I looked into the law. The Communications Act 200...I looked into the law. The <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/21/section/368" rel="nofollow">Communications Act 2003, section 368</a> allows the Secretary of State to define what is meant by a "television receiver", and he has done so in the form of the <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/692/regulation/9/made" rel="nofollow">The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004</a>, which sets out the definition that a <em>“television receiver” means any apparatus installed or used for the purpose of receiving (whether by means of wireless telegraphy or otherwise) any television programme service, whether or not it is installed or used for any other purpose.</em><br /><br />The "or otherwise" after "by means of wireless telegraphy" means that non-rf receivers such as an Internet terminal count as a TV receiver if they are in fact being used for that purpose. The "whether or not it is installed or used for any other purpose" means that I can't claim that I installed the desktop PC for them to do their work on it; if they use it as a TV receiver then I needed to have bought a licence.<br /><br />It is, as you might expect, all sewn up. (Apart from the lack of any evidence that we use the PCs as TV receivers, the main reason for which is, of course, that we don't...). They have the right to demand you get a licence for watching TV on a PC. They can't detect it, but they can't detect normal TV sets either. <br /><br />Julia - don't give them ideas. You know who'll have to pay for the licences... and once they have the licence all productive work will sto... oh, wait...patentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-69186002047213321782011-03-05T17:36:29.341+00:002011-03-05T17:36:29.341+00:00SadButMadLad: "I cant remember where (or when...SadButMadLad: <i>"I cant remember where (or when)..."</i><br /><br />I can:<br /><br />http://thylacosmilus.blogspot.com/2011/02/time-to-junk-tv-licence-fee.html<br /><br />:)JuliaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07844126589712842477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-35830532634228912502011-03-05T17:33:27.973+00:002011-03-05T17:33:27.973+00:00I wonder if they are sending this out to all local...I wonder if they are sending this out to all local and central government offices? And if not, why not? They have computers, after all...JuliaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07844126589712842477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-35351439978669635832011-03-05T17:19:57.690+00:002011-03-05T17:19:57.690+00:00I can't remember where (or when) but the TV li...I can't remember where (or when) but the TV licensing quango did admit that they couldn't enforce the rule that people watching live TV via the iPlayer should have a license. Something to do with the law saying having receiving equipment but viewing via the internet is not a receiving radio frequency TV signals.<br /><br />Whatever the case, they can't enter your premises without a court order no matter how much they argue otherwise. <br /><br />They also do the FUD thing with the TV detector vans. Yes there are vans. But no they don't detect TVs. They just drive them around various areas to make it look like they're doing something.SadButMadLadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17836368722377421009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-45138411637995250742011-03-05T15:37:11.890+00:002011-03-05T15:37:11.890+00:00in the absence of proof I will of course be starti...<i>in the absence of proof I will of course be starting an investigation...</i><br /><br />Well, you have at least got evidence that they are harassing you - they haven't got evidence you are watching TV, so your case should win before their's does.Alberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12407051721186824991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-41275185966491600162011-03-05T15:15:51.760+00:002011-03-05T15:15:51.760+00:00I hardly dare ask what the C stands for...
Brian ...I hardly dare ask what the C stands for...<br /><br />Brian - Clipboard Man will get exactly the same response from me. <br /><br />Bill - yes, the tone is unnecessary and insulting. If I get the "we're watching" letter, I may reply saying that I'm watching them, too, and require proof from them that they are not harassing me... in the absence of proof I will of course be starting an investigation...patentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00602962323262055007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-42346226388889532542011-03-05T14:46:45.230+00:002011-03-05T14:46:45.230+00:00I get snotograms from these people every three mon...I get snotograms from these people every three months or so. Fortunately, my house is furnished with a suitable receptacle. When one of their officials appeared, I told him he wasn't coming in without a warrant. Heard nothing since.Brian, follower of Deornothhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11941277617617928470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-2288372713361648402011-03-05T14:43:42.280+00:002011-03-05T14:43:42.280+00:00we're watching you!
How sinister. So the &qu...<i>we're watching you!</i><br /><br />How sinister. So the "BB" in "BBC" standards for "Big Brother" rather than...Alberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12407051721186824991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083855923964640893.post-32294092960122987262011-03-05T14:08:16.184+00:002011-03-05T14:08:16.184+00:00We had much the same. its the tone of the thing th...We had much the same. its the tone of the thing that is so offensive.<br />Told them we didn't watch tv here.<br /><br />They wrote back basically saying fine. But we're watching you!<br /><br />Haven't had another letter since.Bill Quango MPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861116614665461655noreply@blogger.com