I'm considering getting a TV licence for next year, and I wondered whether I could get a bit of help deciding.
I haven't had one this year, and I'm going into my third year next year and I'm genuinely split on whether to get one or not. I've worked out a number of pros and cons to doing it
Why I should get a TV licence - The Pros:
1. The BBC costs 40p a day - this is miniscule when you consider buying a copy of the Daily Mail everyday for a year would cost double, when regardless of how you view the quality of the content, the Beeb offers far more channels and radio.
2. If my broadband ever goes down, which could happen from time to time, TV and radio offers my only source of access to the real world.
3. The TV licencing men will come round and check the property, and the thought of housemates watching live TV online will worry me.
4. There's something nice about having a TV in the living room - it's part of the home, and it allows me to watch big events such as the World Cup and Wimbledon without spending money down the pub!
Why I shouldn't get a TV licence - The Cons:
1. What's the point when radio, website and iPlayer are all free to use? I'll potentially save £145.50 and watch all of my favourite programmes on demand.
2. I'm going to be the only student in my house willing to pay the fee. This'll create an awkward situation in a communal space when I'm watching TV and I might (although probably won't) get a bit ratty if somebody watched TV with me despite not paying what I think is a small fee.
3. If I opt out of the TV licence, I might be adding my voice to many more that are beginning to abandon the TV licence which might persuade the government to decriminialise not paying the licence fee.
4. I'm maybe overrating the BBC's output out of sheer familiarity and there's probably other ways of finding as good if not better content online on other websites such as The Guardian.
What do you think I should do? What's a better use of £150? Do you have a TV licence? What have you done and how do your student friends feel?