More listening going on. Again, how much hearing or changing I wonder?

A blog has alerted me to this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/ co...tv_licence.html
Tell the BBC what you think of the licence fee here. They are 'consulting' us again, using our money of course.

I fear I could not resist.

It's an amazing 'poll', not least because much of it is not box ticking but qualitative, which means a drone needs to read it.

Took me about 15 minutes, mainly because they did ask:

Question 1. Do you feel it is clear when a TV licence is needed? Is there anything more which could be done to help people understand?

No. Yes.

Question 2. Did you know about the different ways of paying for your TV licence?

Yes.

Question 3. Is this range of payment methods suitable for you? If not, how would you like to pay?

Yes. However, given the choice I would prefer the option of not having this at all as I don't 'like' paying for the current level of service.

Question 4. Has the direct communication you've received about your TV licence met the aims outlined in the paragraph above? If not, please explain.

Yes, the desire for the BBC to get its 'fee' by any means is made perfectly clear. Though, unlike other service company payment requests (usually not backed by legal threat and compulsion whether you wish to engage or not) perhaps not in a way designed to make one feel minded to comply.

Question 5. Do you think the tone of the marketing and advertising about the TV licence is appropriate?

No.

Question 6. Do you think that the methods of enforcement, including letters, visits and detection, are reasonable and appropriate?

No.

Question 7. Do you think that the process for those who do not need a licence is appropriate? Please explain.

No. It is designed to make life easy for the BBC in collection of its revenue by essentially throwing the onus of the householder to prove they don't need to be fined. I know of no other service provider, certainly in the field of 'entertainment', that operates such a system.

Question 8. Based on your experiences of other collection agencies, such as local councils, utility companies and the DVLA, do you have any suggestions on alternative ways of collection?

No. These provide licence-requiring of fee-demanding services that I either can opt not to use or are essential. I also have various means, via complaints systems and/or my vote, to affect how these systems operate if they fall below a standard I expect. There is hence no equivalence.

Question 9. Overall, do you think the right balance has been struck between encouraging payment and deterring evasion? Please explain

No. But again, this is a unique situation. You are encouraging payment for something the user has no option but to pay for no matter how they feel about the quality of the product.

So far in this 'survey', no pertinent questions have been asked that address this rather key aspect. Nor, I suspect, will it. Another self-serving, money-consuming, box-ticking, jobsworth-employing, agenda-filling waste of time?

As with many BBC-related polls/surveys, the questions seem designed more to derive a desired answer and, one suspects, if/when they do not will be 'adjusted'/moderated/lost/declared secret if they do not serve the agenda.

Question 10. Do you have any other comments about how the TV licence fee is collected?

From reading on the topic, it would appear that it is conducted by third parties who can claim to be working in the name of the law yet often do not obey it. The credibility of the BBC and the government who allows it to operate in this manner is hence rendered zero.

Now being aware of my limited, if eroding rights, I will therefore do all in my power to make things as difficult as possible to effect collection whilst fulfilling my legal obligations under current UK law.

Future aspiring legislators/governing aspirants please take note.

If you selected "other" for any of the categories above, please specify

None of your PC business, I am British

______

I know it matters not a jot as it will get filed and forgot if not 'on message', but it made me feel better. Worth a purge this sunny Thursday

I might just send it to my Prospective Parliamentary Candidates.

Telegraph - BBC licence fee review is missing the big picture