British TV licencesIn 1946, television licences were first issued in Britain costing £2 and included radio (radio-only licences then cost £1) and were sold at Post Offices. Television services had been suspended suspended during WW II. A Mickey Mouse cartoon was being shown when TV service was suddenly blacked out for defence reasons on 1 Sep 1939. That same cartoon was shown on 8 Jun 1946 when television re-opened to cover the Victory Parade. The first radio licence fee began in Nov 1922 and cost 10 shillings (50p). The BBC's domestic radio and TV services are financed by the television licence fee, which continues to the present time. The licence fees as of 1 Apr 2002 are £112.00 for colour and £37.50 for black and white. |
