slycyclist342 said:Whether you actually browse the web or watch TV is irrelevant; the fee is triggered by ownership, not usage. So you might as well claim you're paying BNETU for your TV service too.
The issue: PBS issued me a notice of violation because I don't own a TV and haven't paid the media fee. They're claiming I owe it simply because I own a laptop.
The explanation: According to Section 34 of the PBS Act, anyone owning a radio, television, or any other device capable of receiving audiovisual programming is required to pay a monthly fee to PBS. They explain that "other devices" includes computers—both laptops and desktops—since PBS broadcasts its content online as well. However, owners of computers or smartphones are exempt if someone else in their household already pays the media fee. A single household fee covers all TVs, radios, or computers within that home.
Paying the media fee has nothing to do with whether you actually watch TV or listen to the radio. It’s an owner's fee for having a receiver, according to PBS.
There is your answer to the second question. 🙂
Don't beat a dead horse... I am merely stating that the law provides PBS with the legal coverage to collect this.
But that whole argument falls apart since PBS doesn't even broadcast anything online. 🙂
It happens to me all the time—someone drops a post right before I can hit send. Sometimes it’s one, sometimes it’s two or three at once! 🤷
Look, I get why this happens—I usually have a bunch of different threads open in various tabs, and it feels like everyone is posting like crazy all at once. That's exactly why I end up quoting the post I'm replying to. I’ve actually had people mistake my response for a reply to some random "ninja post" that wasn't even meant for me! Plus, honestly? It's just way easier to hit quote and address someone directly than to use the Quick post feature and then deal with the headache of editing my post later just to fix the citations and paste everything back in.
At the end of the day, it's much simpler to just skip over the quoted part while reading than it is to click, quote, and edit after the fact. And let's be real—nobody actually reads every single word anyway, right?
Now, I totally agree that quoting massive walls of text just to drop a smiley face or a quick "lol" is super counterproductive and makes the forum harder to read—that's a total mess. But I don't think quoting short little posts is really such a huge crime, is it?
Mark Booth7 said:So, this past Saturday, I handed my ID over to two guys—they scribbled down all my info, but I didn't sign a single thing and I certainly didn't hand over the $80 they were demanding. Now they’re claiming they’ll be back today to finish the job. What’s the move here? Is there any way I can just tell them to go screw themselves?
Benjamin Richardson9 said:I’m not saying you’re lying, I’m just saying your logic doesn't hold water. Maybe that worked for you in the past, but don't assume everyone else can pull it off the same way. Look, I’m no lawyer, but even to a layman like me, your approach seems completely nonsensical.
How much weight does a receipt from some local scrap metal collector actually carry? It’s irrelevant. Who’s to say you don't have three other TVs sitting in your living room right now? Besides, your cable bill isn't based on whether or not you own a television, for heaven's sake. By that same logic, you could hand over an old vacuum cleaner, send the receipt to NBC, and end up in the exact same spot—because that vacuum is just as insignificant as the TV you supposedly gave away.
What you actually need to do is sign and notarize that official declaration stating that you don't own a single receiver in your household. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this little workaround to anyone.
Pay attention to that "state-authorized agent" part—you know, like when you hand over your old TV or whatever and they give you this official receipt confirming exactly what was turned in and when? They slap their stamp right on it. Since the license fee is tied directly to owning a receiver, that little slip of paper is basically your golden ticket proving you aren't an owner anymore. Once you have that, there’s just no legal basis left for them to demand a single cent for the subscription, right?
I'm just here to share my thoughts—hope everyone's having a good one! Any big plans for the weekend? kaže: Who says you don't have three more just like it at home? Besides—good grief, they aren't charging you a TV subscription fee based on how many sets you own!
I’m telling you—and I've got the photocopy from the state-contracted e-waste recycler to prove it! I don't have a radio. And honestly, how is a fridge, a toaster, or a microwave supposed to pick up an RTV signal anyway?
Benjamin Richardson9 said:I’m not saying you’re lying, I’m just saying your logic doesn't hold water. Maybe that worked for you in the past, but don't assume everyone else can pull it off the same way. Look, I’m no lawyer, but even to a layman like me, your approach seems completely nonsensical.
How much weight does a receipt from some local scrap metal collector actually carry? It’s irrelevant. Who’s to say you don't have three other TVs sitting in your living room right now? Besides, your cable bill isn't based on whether or not you own a television, for heaven's sake. By that same logic, you could hand over an old vacuum cleaner, send the receipt to NBC, and end up in the exact same spot—because that vacuum is just as insignificant as the TV you supposedly gave away.
What you actually need to do is sign and notarize that official declaration stating that you don't own a single receiver in your household. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this little workaround to anyone.
You can drop off pretty much any electronic waste at an e-waste collector—it's all part of the deal. But honestly, handing over a receipt to PBS won't get you anywhere. You know why? Because those items aren't actually TV receivers! It’s only when you're talking about TVs or radios that it matters, since those are the ones that actually pick up a signal.
Benjamin Richardson9 said:I’m not saying you’re lying, I’m just saying your logic doesn't hold water. Maybe that worked for you in the past, but don't assume everyone else can pull it off the same way. Look, I’m no lawyer, but even to a layman like me, your approach seems completely nonsensical.
How much weight does a receipt from some local scrap metal collector actually carry? It’s irrelevant. Who’s to say you don't have three other TVs sitting in your living room right now? Besides, your cable bill isn't based on whether or not you own a television, for heaven's sake. By that same logic, you could hand over an old vacuum cleaner, send the receipt to NBC, and end up in the exact same spot—because that vacuum is just as insignificant as the TV you supposedly gave away.
What you actually need to do is sign and notarize that official declaration stating that you don't own a single receiver in your household. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this little workaround to anyone.
You've got it wrong. All I care about is not paying for something that isn't my responsibility—simple as that! That "official" notice from PBS? It’s basically just a useless scrap of paper—honestly, barely good enough to wipe a counter with—and really just a standard form for their own internal paperwork. Their internal procedures don't mean a thing to me, because the law is crystal clear: only people who actually own a TV have to pay the fee. Since I don't own a TV, there is zero legal basis for PBS to charge me anything, regardless of how much they want to follow their own little rules—right?
Who says I even own a radio or any kind of receiver? Why on earth would I need a radio? 😕
You can blame hundreds of pages filled with the exact same repetitive questions on people like you—the ones who just don't get it, no matter how many times it’s spelled out for them. It's like there's zero logic involved, for some reason. 🤷
Look, I am 100% certain about how I canceled my NBC subscription, and I'm 100% sure I have a copy of the letter, the equipment return receipt, and the delivery confirmation tucked away in my files. Plus, I'm 100% sure I haven't received a single bill since I sent that letter a few years back. And honestly? I'm 100% sure I never let those collectors inside—I just shut the door and told them, "I don't have a TV." I can't say if they showed up after that, though, since I usually don't even open the door if I'm not expecting anyone.
At the end of the day, I have absolutely no reason to lie to you, to myself, or to the rest of the group. So, take it or leave it.
Instead of actually calling out how this administration just makes stuff up—acting totally out of line with the rules and facts because they're basically just fueled by spite and being completely clueless—you two are over here obsessing about philosophical stances.
Raymond Ross33 said:If we already know all this, then claiming Wittman wasn't a Nazi just because his name isn't in some official registry or an NSDAP card hasn't surfaced 🤷 is honestly such a massive miss. 😕
It’s just so transparently bad-faith to throw out arguments like that if you actually want to have a constructive conversation—you know, like contributing something useful to the forum for once! It feels more like someone's just trying to show off their own "qualifications" for a moderator spot.
Please make sure it’s noted that I was being totally constructive in my first post—but after George’s first reply, honestly, wouldn't I just be an online punching bag for him? Not that I mind, really—I'm an altruist at heart—and it would be such a shame if he ended up smashing some innocent keyboards that haven't done anyone any harm. Not to mention, I’d happily volunteer to take a hit just to get her a red card for trolling, just so the moderator can actually learn how to do her job. My 35 points mean nothing compared to the chance of helping one mod become a better part of our little virtual forum family. Hugh.
analogwalker5 said:If it's obvious a foreigner wrote the post, will they actually fix the mistakes? Or does it really not matter if the author is an American or someone from abroad?
Honestly, I just care that it isn't written in some random language using a different alphabet. ☕