I had thought that most people knew that British TV was prohibitively expensive. But apparently now, so here's a brief education, thanks to turnoffyourtv.com, a "progressive" anti-TV site.

"Using a television without an appropriate licence is a criminal offence. Every day we catch an average of 1,200 people using a TV without a licence. There is no valid excuse for using a television and not having a TV Licence, but some people still try - sometimes with the most ridiculous stories ever heard. Our detection equipment will track down your TV. The fact that our enquiry officers are now so well equipped with the latest technology means that there is virtually no way to avoid detection." -- from the official website of the British Television Licensing Authority, May 2003

A TV license costs about $200 per year. I know what you're thinking. How would they enforce such a ridiculous license? Well, they mandate tracking technology be installed in every TV set, another cost the consumer must bear.

They use the "TV Licensing database" with details of more than 26 million UK addresses -- and their television sets. Also, part of the work is done in special "detector vans." The TVLA website explains that "every TV contains a component called the 'local oscillator', which emits a signal when the television is switched on. It's this signal that the equipment on our vans picks up. But, what if you live in a block of flats or a house without road access? Well if this is the case our enquiry officer can simply use one of our hand-held scanners. Measuring both direction and strength of signal, they make it easy for us to locate television sets in hard to reach places."

Of course removing the oscillator doesn't work, because simply not having a TV license is enough to raise suspicion. In fact, getting rid of your TV seems to make things worse:

In an email, Bennett wrote that "living without a television in the UK is not as simple as getting rid of the TV set. In the UK the licensing authority operates under legal statute giving them wide powers. The licensing authority have no real concept of the non-viewer and class them as suspect licence-dodgers. Thus, we are subject threats and other manner of persecution. Considering we are only refusing an entertainment service it is a ridiculous situation." [...]

In one letter to Bennett, the TVLA stated that "there are a high number of people who advise us that they do not use TV equipment, but are subsequently found to be doing so." The letter goes on to say that if their inspectors find that no TV sets are present on the premises, then no further contact will be made -- until next year.

And don't forget that these ridiculous laws are enforced at the point of a gun. And with a disarmed populace it's all too easy.