It's basically a whole parallel tax collection system, which is truly nuts. Like the administrative overhead alone surely outweighs any abstract concerns about independence from government, which doesn't really exist in the UK anyway.
> A Licensing officer may call at your property not to collect the letters but to check that you are not watching a TV.
and
>...Cas Scott has said that the letters are not sought by TVL/BBC agents who make street visits.
Like, they show up at your home and ask to physically view your TV to make sure you aren't watching TV! It's so incredibly bonkers to me, I'm laughing out loud at work at the mental image!
Never change, UK, never change.
In my seven years of living in the UK, I’ve paid the TV licence for two years, and had one visit (who I shut the door on).
As of 2024 you pay even if you have no tv, which means the overhead is probably near zero, as you already have lists of where people live.
Not that much of none state media is really that much better to be honest.