BBC iPlayer To Need Licence to View

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ockel

2031 posts

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#1552661 14-May-2016 16:24

ScuL:

I would certainly hope they would offer a pay version. I lived in the UK for more than 6 years and have always paid my TV license, happy to continue paying it if I can retain access to iPlayer

From the report (emphasis added)

"In order to improve enforcement and allow BBC content to be ‘portable’ for UK licence fee payers (so they could gain access while on holiday in Europe, something which is currently not offered) the government thinks there is a case for iPlayer to require verification – i.e. access should be conditional upon verification of licence fee payment – so that individuals in other countries, and those in the UK not paying the fee, cannot access licence fee funded content for free. The government will discuss verification and other options with the BBC and look at the best way of implementing this, including through regulations if needed. It will be up to the BBC to determine whether this is an appropriate means of charging international viewers."

It will interesting to see if the Beeb looks to licence the iPlayer (as they have in Singapore) or to allow direct subscriptions from overseas persons.

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tdgeek

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#1552672 14-May-2016 16:31

Interesting, so they may allow international access for non UK residents ?

ockel

2031 posts

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#1552673 14-May-2016 16:36

The Department has deemed that how the BBC chooses to manage its international revenues is up to the BBC and will be fully supported by the Government.

Sixth Labour Government - "Vision without Execution is just Hallucination"

Benoire

2798 posts

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#1552674 14-May-2016 16:37

But I guess that would be only for content that they can agree with the rights holder, or their own? Allowing access to content overseas cannot be in breach of other territorial contracts... Similar to how iPlayer doesn't have ALL the content you would expect as some stuff, especially older stuff was only for live tv not for recording or repeating at other times.

Linuxluver

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#1561680 29-May-2016 14:42

ockel:

tdgeek:

Dont really follow this. There is a TV Fee for TV's, now they want to extend that fee to non TV viewing in iPlayer? If they use a TV fee for funding, I can't see the issue. Assuming if you pay a TV fee for a real TV now, you won't have to pay if you watch iPlayer on a laptop as well?

I think the idea is to catch non-TV households that access BBC content without contributing to funding the BBC. So your latter statement I beleive to be correct - if you already pay a licence, you wont have to pay another one to watch on a laptop as well. At present you only pay the TV licence by household, not by device.

The idea is to stop people globally getting access to BBC content so they'll be happier to pay for it locally (from SKY or whoever).

Twelve (14?) years ago the BBC was going to open up its back catalog to the entire planet for free. Then Rupert Murdoch, Conrad Black and other (then) media moguls twisted (then) PM Tony B-Liar's arm to not let the BBC do it. They can't compete with the BBC as their private-media content model delivers inferior results and people won't watch it if they can see the good stuff.

This was when iPlayer came in and was geo-blocked to the UK.

Roll forward and the UK now has a Conservative government and such governments can be relied upon to destroy any quality public good....as they are doing to the NHS and to the BBC...and here, to us. Like forcing the Auckland City Council to open up PUBLIC land for more houses.....but leaving their land-banking private cronies untouched. "Steal from the public" is the National Party motto (in effect).

Don't vote conservative anywhere. They wreck the good stuff and then try to make us pay for the rubbish their cronies peddle....and make by-passing that scam illegal.

I can see a company based in British Virgin Islands acting as a front to VPN customers who want BBC license numbers. Or maybe a foreign trust in NZ could front it globally. John Key can be relied upon to keep their secrets, right?

I'd happily pay for the UK license if they'll sell me one. Perhaps they will. Why not? Perhaps this isn't really about the license. Perhaps it's about protecting private media cartels and their reality TV shows from an excellent public broadcaster. Conservatives again....

Tor and BT (perhaps over Tor) will see a renaissance otherwise.

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I've been on Geekzone over 16 years..... Time flies....

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