I’m from the states and just heard of the concept for the first time. Curious where this came from and how it’s enforced.
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I think u/D1789’s answer is pretty comprehensive but I would like to add a couple of bits –
It was originally a radio licence and cost about 10 shillings in 1923!
It became a TV licence after WW2 I think, and now I think about it, I don’t know if it still includes the radio. I assume not, as nobody has ever mentioned that in my lifetime.
These days whether or not you believe the licence should be paid tends to come down to your opinion on the BBC. Personally, I think the BBC is fucking brilliant, even if I don’t watch it a huge amount, and I am fine with paying for it, although I think calling it a licence is outdated. The good that the BBC does is immeasurable, and goes way beyond anything a commercial broadcaster brings to the table.
Also, before digital TV they used to drive around in vans with little radio things on top, figuring out if you were watching TV and checking to see if you had paid for it!
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