It's the BBC that is getting dumber, not you my friend. I check in with the headlines every now and then and every time it's either government propaganda or bullshit Love Island celebrity nonsense.
Whats the public benefit from that rubbish?
CBeebies, CBBC - cool. Public benefit makes sense.
BBC Science and Documentaries - Public benefit. Fully justifiable.
EastEnders - Pay money to make other people less intelligent or we’ll fine you.
In theory, it could be used as a method of creating awareness and discussion of important life topics in a real life like familiar setting. And you can sort of see how they try to do that... but the need to have some new dramatic event every six weeks overshadows it.
Give us money against your will to pay for things you don’t agree with or we’ll take away your access to live media from everyone else too.
Now whether or not they can carry out the threats they’re notorious for or not, I’m just saying if it walks like an extortionist and quacks like an extortionist..
They'll send you threatening letters every 2 years or so saying they're going to come round your house but you just have to go on the website again and tell them you still don't watch live TV.
Essentially you’re guilty until you declare yourself innocent, and you need to prove innocence if the Beeb’s minions turn up at your house? What if you didn’t realize you needed the license because the rules around live broadcasts and battery-powered devices are so absurd?
People get sent to jail over this ridiculous situation while the government cheers from the sidelines.
[1] : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_Un...
If you want to unlock it pay X$ per month. See how many viewers are willing to pay for it. That's what Disney and Marvel did, grossing billions of dollar in the process.