State TV without character, without refinement (11)

'without refinement' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.

'state tv without character' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
an anagram of 'state' is 'taste' which is present in the answer.
'without' could be 'less' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'less' is located in the answer.
'character' could be 'y' and 'y' is found in the answer.
A single letter 'l' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?