[adrianhoward]

This license fee is paid to the BBC and used to support their programming regardless of whether or not you consume their content

And "programming" means more than just TV. It covers the radio, web stuff, etc. etc.

(there used to be a radio licence in the UK too in years gone past - abolished in 1971).

As ever wikipedia has the gory details http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_Uni...