I signed up for the BBC2 iPlayer because I wanted to watch their specials.

@Musicvid - So far, so good!

A very legal looking notice popped up saying I owed them money because I am not 75.

@Musicvid - Correct. UK residents under 75 have had to pay £150.00 each year, and now even wrinkles will have to pay it too. But this is for ALL BBC output not just the iPlayer. Good eh!

That's over 200 US smackers! Per year? Say this is a joke, @Grazie.

@Musicvid - Joke, no. Bottom line? Yes.

That's godawful. The educational programming on BBC should be available to the underserved first, not never.

I thought it was not even possible for overseas non-licence payers to use the iPlayer. Are you sure that request was from a genuine BBC site?

I never understood why they didn't organize themselves years ago with a proper subscription service and/or pay-per-view service for overseas viewers. Until a year or 2 ago, my credit card was ready. I know plenty of people who pay monthly to access this stuff via specialist VPNs.

The BBC has fallen a long way. They still make good documentaries, but in terms of its news and current affairs output (and even some of its comedy) it has really become a propaganda vehicle for the government, funded by the propagandees. As Grazie says, they've now even withdrawn the TV licence for over-75s. The Tories don't mind if the BBC becomes unpopular, because it will make it easier for them to sell it off to Murdoch etc..