So Josh in comments mentioned that the UK’s TV license covers everything that can receive over the air broadcasting.
British TV license could be replaced with PC tax:
Prompted by concerns that TV ownership will drop as PC owners begin tuning in on their computers, the UK is considering an annual tax on PCs similar to the country’s TV licenses. Currently, residents of the UK pay £116.00 a year for a color TV license and £38.50 for a black-and-white TV. The money raised through the licensing program is used to fund the operations of the government-owned BBC (and keep the two BBC networks commercial-free).
It looks like it’s still in the planning stages. Interesting how if this was a business, they would likely be praised for being alert to new opportunities but since it’s the tax man, it’s bloody-minded intrusion.
And what to make of this argument?
BBC TV License – Why the British Should Kill Their Televisions:
In the United Kingdom, citizens must pay a licence if they own a television set. That’s right, a TV tax. For Americans, the whole idea of an annual tax to own a television borders on the absurd. However, in the UK, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a government agency that has the power to tax and enforce laws. In order to obtain funding, the BBC requires that anyone using its services must pay for them. So, if you own a TV set and live in the UK, you could conceivably turn on the BBC broadcasts, so therefore you better pay.
He goes from “kill your television” to “stick it to the [taxpayer-funded] man.” The article makes clear that with a few exceptions — an uninhabited-since-the-12th-century castle is a waste of effort — but it’s by no means a blanket tax: TV owners and users are the target. And the point of the license is to ensure that TV programming is commercial-free, ie developed without regard for advertising sales. That seems hard to argue with: it’s the endless marketing of crap that I object to.
We all like to complain about taxes, it’s true. But should we balk at paying for services we know we use, just because they’re provided by a public entity?