Fundamentally flawed

This whole business of needing a a licence (by definition "official permission") from the State to watch live television is fundamentally flawed and unworkable.

Consider what's going on here. The State has made the watching of live television, or the installing of a TV set for that purpose, a criminal offence without the State's permission ("licence"). The State has also charged the BBC with the task of collecting the revenue from the sale of licences and conferred upon it the title of "TV Licensing Authority". The BBC, then, needs to know who is watching live television, or has a TV set installed for that purpose. But there's a snag - this activity (watching live television, or installing a TV set with that intent - from now on called "the activity") takes place behind closed doors in the privacy of people's homes. Can you see the problem? Because the activity, unless licensed, is a criminal offence the perpetrator must be hauled before the court. The court, quite rightly, demands evidence of guilt. That evidence, as already stated, can only be obtained from behind closed doors to which the BBC has no right of access. If everyone kept their closed doors closed, then the licensing system becomes totally unworkable.

So how does the BBC solve this problem? With bluster, intimidation and misinformation, as I've often stated on these pages. First, the BBC registers the trademark "TV Licensing" then pretends that TV Licensing™ really exists. Next, it employs PR firms, whose names have been mentioned elsewhere on this log, to carry out public relations exercises in the media extolling the powers of TV Licensing™ - "It's all in the database"; "We'll send round The Boyz". The BBC also insists that Fishburn Hedges, Smarts et al don't use their real names but pretend they are TV Licensing™. Then, it sanctions the use of doorstep salesmen whom it calls "Visiting Officers" or "Enforcement Officers", again from the fictional TV Licensing™. But what of the "1,000 evaders caught every day"? Simple. The "Officer" comes to the door, the occupant confesses, the confession is written down and subsequently produced in court. That's it. The occupant incriminates himself. And that's the way the BBC gets behind closed doors.

Let's take a concrete example. Watchkeeper, your humble scribe, does not have a TV licence and he's not saying why. He might not have a TV. He might have a TV used only for DVDs, video games and other species of harmless entertainment. Or he might be watching live TV clandestinely. He's just not saying. Why isn't he saying? He won't even tell you that! So the BBC now has the task of finding out what's going on behind Watchkeeper's closed doors. First come the letters, which do not tempt Watchkeeper into spilling the beans. Next will come the visits, and Watchkeeper will say nothing ("You have the right to remain silent ...") and will keep the doors firmly closed. The only thing the BBC can do next is to apply for a search warrant. Will it do that? Only time will tell. It may do so for Watchkeeper and risk getting egg on its face, but it couldn't do so for everybody if everybody kept their doors firmly closed. Please understand - Watchkeeper is not advocating law-breaking. If you watch live TV you need to be covered by a licence. The above scenario is purely hypothetical, showing that the TV licensing system is, at the fundamental level, unworkable. It only works because people allow it to work. They are being scammed, and there's no other word for it.