first, i can't believe what i am hearing. tv licenses? pay to own a TV or radio? where the hell do you live, communist north korea? that is an outrage! this is the first time in my life i am glad to be an american over an englishman. how do you people put up with that?
we have public TV in the US, PBS. it is funded by telethon drives and some government money. but to FORCE people to pay for TV?! we would revolt here.
maybe that's one of the major differences between the US and the UK, we have a more ornery nature and are more liable to go into the streets and riot. and steal TVs. and not buy licenses.
btw, funny you don't like american tv, because i get BBC here, and many of your shows, and several channels carry BBC news. so, we get almost everything you do there.
eastenders, black adder, are you being served, allo allo, the kumars, benny hill, monty python, coupling, father ted, yes PM, i get them all.
so, our TV encompasses the best of your TV.
also, we have a 24 hour science channel, and many other channels not filled with crappy dramas like 'west wing' or 'desperate housewives' and such. we have a techie channel, G4, we have a documentary channel, independent film channel, many others.
perhaps being from the UK you didn't realize that we have more than four or five channels. i, in fact, get over two hundred. counting PPV, On Demand, and music, i get over 500.
my sister moved to england 3 years ago. an avid TV watcher in the US, she hates TV in the UK. too boring and dry, she says. personally, i love the british comedies, but your dramas are so boring. it makes it seem like you brits are as boring as hard-tack.
no offense, my brit friends. i admire you for many things, and you do many things better than us. but media entertainment is not one of them.
