Germany has a similar system. Sven
Zitat von Chris Stoddart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > > On Tue, 20 Jan 2004, Keith Whaley wrote: > > > Which brings up a question. Is it only BBC programming one pays for, or > > do you have to add a bit for ITV? > > I can't imagine ITV is free! > > Keith, > > In the UK everyone with a televison set pays a licence fee (about �10/$15 > a month). The money raised pays for the BBC (2 tv channels + about 8 radio > channels). In return you are supposed to get: > > Public service broadcasting with a mission to 'inform, educate and > entertain' > No adverts (apart from ads for the BBC itself between programmes) > Complete autonomy from commercial pressure keeping standards high (which > commercial broadcasters have to compete with). > > This works with varying degrees of success. Without arguing who's > television programmes are actually better, I would say that British > tv is more watchable than say American or Canadian tv because of the > lack of adverts (even commercial stations can't put too many in or people > will turn over to the BBC!). > > Apart from the BBC there are three other commercial channels; ITV, Channel > 4 and Channel 5. All of them carry advertising to pay for their > programmes and do not require subscription. So yes, ITV is actually > 'free'! > > The situation has gotten more complicated in the last decade with the > arrival of satellite, cable and more recently digital TV. The former two > are available via subscription and the latter is free, with the BBC also > running several digital channels + a few more free commercial channels in > there too. > > So come to the UK, the only country where you need a licence to own a TV > set :-) > > Chris > > > >
