BBC iplayer will need licence fee from September

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20163 posts

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#1603150 2-Aug-2016 18:49

NZ used to have this license fee, but abolished it due to it being expensive and difficult to collect. So now it just comes out of tax, which is far more fair. The UK is behind on things like this. I recall they used to have vans driving around with devices that could check if someone who hadn't paid their license fee , was 'stealing' TV content

Not sure if there is much on BBC iplayer that I would watch, that doesn't get broadcast on NZ TV eventually. Some are also on lightbox or TVNZ ondemand, and prime.Although the big benefit of BBC is very few ads apart from self promos. But a Tivo or a PVR solves that if you you recording TVNZ or Prime.

The problem is that if you start subscribing to all these different online ondemand services, you end up paying as much as you would for traditional pay TV, even though there may only be a few programs on each you would watch. It may only be $5 per week, but just add that to all the other subscriptions.

blakamin

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#1603205 2-Aug-2016 20:21

The thing that got me is they're not after the international people, they're after cord-cutters / younger generations, who don't watch normal TV, so don't pay a TV licence. A bit sh*t really.

If they didn't sack Jeremy Clarkson, they could've avoided the whole thing, and been rolling in cash!

Edit: My in-laws are going to be seriously unhappy. The only thing they miss about their homeland is the TV (can't blame them really... Aussie FTA tv is rubbish).

ockel

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#1603207 2-Aug-2016 20:28

blakamin:

The thing that got me is they're not after the international people, they're after cord-cutters / younger generations, who don't watch normal TV, so don't pay a TV licence. A bit sh*t really.

If they didn't sack Jeremy Clarkson, they could've avoided the whole thing, and been rolling in cash!

Why is it sh*te really? The licence fee is used to fund the BBC. Historically the easiest/fairest way to levy households that consumed the BBC content was on the basis of televisions. Now an unfair burden falls upon those households that have a television and consume the BBC content over those that dont have a television but consume the BBC content. Its moving to a "if you watch the BBC then you pay, regardless of how you watch". A much more equitable system by closing the loophole and leveling the playing field.

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

blakamin

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#1603209 2-Aug-2016 20:32

Was just thinking about their other cash-cow. I wouldn't be surprised if David Attenborough slowed down/retired. Then what do they have to sell OS?

Rikkitic

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#1603233 2-Aug-2016 21:29

ockel:

blakamin:

The thing that got me is they're not after the international people, they're after cord-cutters / younger generations, who don't watch normal TV, so don't pay a TV licence. A bit sh*t really.

If they didn't sack Jeremy Clarkson, they could've avoided the whole thing, and been rolling in cash!

Why is it sh*te really? The licence fee is used to fund the BBC. Historically the easiest/fairest way to levy households that consumed the BBC content was on the basis of televisions. Now an unfair burden falls upon those households that have a television and consume the BBC content over those that dont have a television but consume the BBC content. Its moving to a "if you watch the BBC then you pay, regardless of how you watch". A much more equitable system by closing the loophole and leveling the playing field.

We finally agree on something. The BBC is a magnificent institution and I will gladly pay the license fee to support if they will let me.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

blakamin

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#1603235 2-Aug-2016 21:34

Why don't they do it the way Oz pays for ABC and SBS? Tax!

What happens if you own a TV and don't watch BBC?

It would be a hell of a lot easier to get rid of all the licencing crap, and just charge everyone in the country 2 squid a week in tax. Think of the money they'd save on detector vans for a start!

blakamin

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#1603238 2-Aug-2016 21:43

Rikkitic:

The BBC is a magnificent institution and I will gladly pay the license fee to support if they will let me.

But they won't, because overseas rights.

My inlaws would too, and maybe me...I don't watch it that much as we have foxtel and BBC knowledge.

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Apsattv

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#1603277 3-Aug-2016 02:53

They still have their BBC branded channels.

In fact there was satellite distribution deal announced today for a new distribution of BBC Earth HD, BBC Lifestyle HD, CBeebies HD and BBC Entertainment for Asia.

shk292

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#1605440 6-Aug-2016 14:16

This article is quite encouraging: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/05/bbc-to-deploy-detection-vans-to-snoop-on-internet-users/

It seems that the Beeb plans to detect unlicensed users by looking at residential WiFi, rather than requiring licence number to log in. Could be a combination, I suppose

Rikkitic

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#1605483 6-Aug-2016 14:53

This would work in favour of non-residents using geo-unblocking but I find it hard to take the article seriously. I'm not sure how the Internet is distributed in Britain, but surely all you would have to do is turn off the wi-fi and run a LAN cable to your chosen device? It sounds like propaganda to scare the technologically unsophisticated to me. There must be so many ways to work around this and who would think of using detector vans anyway in this day and age? I have major doubts about this story.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

robjg63

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#1605541 6-Aug-2016 16:54

shk292:
This article is quite encouraging: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/05/bbc-to-deploy-detection-vans-to-snoop-on-internet-users/

It seems that the Beeb plans to detect unlicensed users by looking at residential WiFi, rather than requiring licence number to log in. Could be a combination, I suppose

That all sounds like a joke!
Just don't use wifi and you would be alright (in the UK).
And really? They will have a pile of little detectors roaming the countryside?
I am sure there will be some sort of user code tied to a currently valid licence - surely?
Just have to wait for more details.
My guess is an access code tied to a currently valid licence.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

jmh

458 posts

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#1605554 6-Aug-2016 17:18

robjg63:
shk292:

This article is quite encouraging: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/05/bbc-to-deploy-detection-vans-to-snoop-on-internet-users/

It seems that the Beeb plans to detect unlicensed users by looking at residential WiFi, rather than requiring licence number to log in. Could be a combination, I suppose

That all sounds like a joke!
Just don't use wifi and you would be alright (in the UK).
And really? They will have a pile of little detectors roaming the countryside?
I am sure there will be some sort of user code tied to a currently valid licence - surely?
Just have to wait for more details.
My guess is an access code tied to a currently valid licence.

That was my first reaction, but thinking about it, most households have a licence so it wouldn't take much effort to check on those that don't. I would have thought putting in a licence number would be easier though.

mattwnz

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#1605560 6-Aug-2016 17:30

robjg63:
shk292:

This article is quite encouraging: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/05/bbc-to-deploy-detection-vans-to-snoop-on-internet-users/

It seems that the Beeb plans to detect unlicensed users by looking at residential WiFi, rather than requiring licence number to log in. Could be a combination, I suppose

That all sounds like a joke!
Just don't use wifi and you would be alright (in the UK).
And really? They will have a pile of little detectors roaming the countryside?
I am sure there will be some sort of user code tied to a currently valid licence - surely?
Just have to wait for more details.
My guess is an access code tied to a currently valid licence.

Don't they already have van detecting useage for normal TV? So it will just be an extension of that. But it is somewhat creepy that there could be a guy outside your house in a van monitoring you like that. Not sure if it would breach privacy laws in NZ

shk292

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#1605635 6-Aug-2016 19:45

I think some of you are overestimating the intelligence of the average consumer, who thinks WiFi=Internet!

The traditional TV detector vans detected the IF of TV sets, although there were very few of them. In later years, infringement notices were simply sent to any address without a licence, in the assumption that everyone watches TV. Obviously that assumption gets less valid if a licence is not required for streaming.

It'll be interesting to see what happens. Personally I'm not averse to using a UK card and UK address to get a licence but I probably won't do that if it's unnecessary

allan

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#1605726 7-Aug-2016 07:26

shk292:
I think some of you are overestimating the intelligence of the average consumer, who thinks WiFi=Internet!

The traditional TV detector vans detected the IF of TV sets, although there were very few of them. In later years, infringement notices were simply sent to any address without a licence, in the assumption that everyone watches TV. Obviously that assumption gets less valid if a licence is not required for streaming.

It'll be interesting to see what happens. Personally I'm not averse to using a UK card and UK address to get a licence but I probably won't do that if it's unnecessary

Interesting article on TV Detector Vans
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2445153/Are-TV-detector-vans-just-cunning-trick-For-decades-claimed-trap-licence-cheats-In-fact-theyve-led-single-prosecution.html

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