US: Stop Congress from making iPod or VCRs illegal

[Mephisto]

Alneyan said:
We have one similar tax in France, but "public" channels still have to rely on ads to fund their programmes. Granted, the channels that do get the government funding may have slightly fewer ads than the others, but I would say the difference isn't too important.

In Germany the public stations which are funded are ad-free after 8 PM.

[dogscoff]

Dogscoff, do I read you right? Did you mean that the BBC is ad-free because of this tax? Or am I just daydreaming?

That is correct. That is how the BBC is funded. They aren't allowed to advertise, and BBC tv/ radio have to be very careful about accidental product placement.
It may seem draconian to have detector vans prowling around, but it enables an unbiased, apolitical news and entertainment medium, and it's been a highly successful one since it's foundation [BIG_NUMBER] years ago. Many ppl rate British (and particularly the BBC's) news & entertainmnet programs as the best in the world. Even if you don't, you certainly have to rank it as being up there with the big boys. Personally I wouldn't ever trade it for the infomercials of american TV or the propaganda of Italian TV. Of course we still get american infomercials, but that's because subscription and advertising-funded channels are broadcast alongside the BBC channels.

[Alneyan]

I recall that BBC Radio doesn't have any ads, but I hadn't expected to be the same for their tv channel. I am not too sure why we do not have a no-ads channel in France, or at least, a "ad haven" from a certain hour, as what Mephisto pointed out for Germany. Hmm.

I can concur with the ranking of the BBC; they have quite a reputation even abroad, and I would say it is probably not just a coincidence. The BBC can even afford to have a pretty impressive website (and more than just a display for their own programmes), which doesn't seem too common for media companies.

[Baron Munchausen]

And best of all, the rest of the world gets to watch/listen for free!

I listen to the BBC rebroadcast on my local NPR station quite frequently.

[Fyron]

bumpie