Hundreds without a television licence
ALMOST 800 people in North Devon and Torridge have been formally interviewed for not having a television licence in the past five years, figures reveal.
According to information supplied to the
-
TV Licensing
Journal
in response to a freedom of information request, TV Licensing took action against 790 people between 2004 and 2008.
It was not known how many of these people were then taken to court and convicted, but there is a regular flow of TV licence cases at Barnstaple Magistrates Court.
TV Licensing is a trading name used by companies contracted by the BBC to administer the collection of television licence fees and enforcement of the television licensing system; the firm Capita Business Services does most of the work.
The
Journal
asked TV Licensing how many people it had taken action against and it replied by giving the number of people from whom prosecution statements have been taken.
A TV licence costs £142.50 if you have a colour set and £48 if you have a black and white set. If found watching TV without a licence you could face a £1,000 fine, plus legal costs.
6 Comments
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by R. Spencer, Ilfracombe
Monday, July 06 2009, 10:52PM
“The majority now resent paying this stealth tax to a now corrupt self serving broadcaster who's programming is supposed to be impartial but is infested with bias and reality rubbish you can find on the commercial stations. We keep being told that it's great value but if this is so why are we being threatened with prosecution if we just want to watch anything other than the BBC and don't want to keep the likes of Jonathan Ross on £6 million a year.
Stop paying this nasty greedy tax and let them find a fair way to fund themselves.
Check out www.tpuc.org/stoppayingtvlicencefees and www.tvlicensing.biz/”
by Elizabeth, Bideford
Monday, July 06 2009, 11:46AM
“I have said all along everyone who wants a t/v should subscribe as you have to with Sky if you dont pay they switch you off, but thats to simple for the beeb.”
by KEJ WEBSTER, Devon
Saturday, July 04 2009, 6:50PM
“And what if I pay for sky, but don't want to watch BBC1?”
by Ellis, shebbear
Saturday, July 04 2009, 10:44AM
“Don't watch TV then you won't need one! I haven't had a TV license for 10 years. I have a TV but only for watching DVD's which means I do not need a license as I do not receive a signal.
I have been inspected 3 times by TV licensing and have had no problems.
Don't want to pay for TV? Then don't watch it!”
by THe Boss, Devon
Saturday, July 04 2009, 10:18AM
“Why should we pay tv license anyway, it is just a stealth TAX on top of other TAX we already pay, Why should we have to pay for being able to receive sky which we already pay for anyway, why isn't there any options to opt out of it and just receive foreign tv? BECAUSE ITS A TAX THEY ARE RIPPING US OFF AND WE ALL ACCEPT IT LIKE A BUNCH OF IDIOTS.”