The government needs it more than us. It's just another way to spread lies and tax. Watch Russia Today for a better source of information. 6 Music is ok for tunes at certain times, but the propaganda broadcasts make me feel sick.

It's not a legal requisite to have TV licence it is a scam, for only if you watch 'live' broadcasts but then nothing to say you gotta open your door or post is there? So what about Repeat programmes. think about it.

We the people should stop this Corporate rip off,in fact everyone should stop paying their licence in light of current and past bad behaviour but people are too spineless to do anything about it.

Let them go to the dogs or advertise like other channels and leave our poor pockets alone.

Search the internet asking if it is a legal requirement or even lawful.

@M. Grayling

The BBC pro-royalty, pro-British military and pro-western... anyone would think it was British or something and was merely representing the views of most the people it serves...

Well I never....

So some people are pro BBC and some are not,but what about the royalties they make around the world i helped pay for it wheres my cut?

@Nathan - your post is all over the place. 'BBC is guaranteed to be impartial'?! You wrote that without a hint of irony!!! Try watching the way they report on Royalty, try watching the way they report on British Military action overseas - almost everything is based on it being seen through the eyes of a viewer who is pro-British, pro-monarchy, middle class, has 'family values'and is pro-western. It probably seems impartial because I suspect it has been a part of your daily 'TV diet' since you can remember, and therefore seems completely normal to you.

You compare it to Sky but fail to point out that we are LEGALLY obliged to pay for our BBC contract, with Sky we at least have the choice.

@Derek - Sky can do what they like with their profits, but the point is that at least you are not forced to pay for a Sky contract if you want to have a TV.

Sky is almost entirely awful, the BBC is largely awful - but at least with Sky you have a choice

By the time of the BBC's Centenary in 2022, we will be seeing adverts (between shows, not during) and sponsorship of certain programmes, like in Germany with ARD and RTE in Ireland.

We NEED a fair even handed BBC, the country needs it. Sadly however over the past 15-20 years it has been commandered by a load of limp wristed left wing luvies intent on promoting their own agendas.
Every international report is biased against the government of the country involved, unless the government is left wing that is. People all over the World used to tune in to the BBC in order to "hear the truth"; sadly it is no-longer the case.
I don't want it to be biased either to the left or the right, I want it to be fair and balanced; which today it most certainly is not.

As is often quipped by some Radio 1 DJs - " . . . due to the unique way the BBC is funded . . . " (LoL) Which allows them to do outside broadcasts from Ibiza nightclubs and covers all the associated costs for the djs travel, accommodation, food, etc.

Anyway, back to my main point which is: Yes, the licence fee pays for some pretty good programmes to be made. These can be sold onto other broadcasting corporations eg some SKY channels, and the payments received are put back into the coffers - reinvested I think it's termed.

Oh, and of course, the Licence Fee is also used to pay some pretty hefty salaries to the likes of Wogan, Moyles, Savile, Forsyth et al.

Where do you think your monthly payment to SKY goes? Well I can guess that probably 80-90% of it goes to the Football Association. Personally I'd rather support the BBC. Thank you.

This whole thing is yet another storm in a teacup, blown out of proportion by the media. There's nothing wrong with the BBC as a whole, just ONE of its programmes (Newsnight). Personally, I'd be happy to pay the licence fee just to receive Radio 3 and 6 Music.

The BBC is a relic, it is time it was scrapped it is a hot bed of left wing group think. Like a broadcast arm of the Guardian. That paper will be gone soon, what does that say about the BBC?

Sky leans right, BBC leans left, the truth is usually in the middle, rely on only one and you soon end up in a spiral of confirmation bias and only know there take on the situation. I have always preferred to look at both and make up my own mind.