TV licence may be extended to cover BBC iPlayer and other catch-up TV services

[Clare Newsome]

Following on from recent heated discussions on these Forums re the licence fee, get a load of this news story....

 

[eggontoast]

I don't think anyone really wants to pay the license fee but IMO you should pay no matter when or where you watch the content. When the criteria for the license fee was drawn up these technologies were not available so it is only right to amend it accordingly.

You watch you pay simple.

 

[Anonymous]

Seems fair enough, but it will make zero difference. I'd like to see them try and catch people who have no TV and don't pay the fee. Are they going to demand to see the browsing history??

 

[Clare Newsome]

There have been related rumblings about a charging model for the BBC iPlayer (which is already in place outside the UK).

So - just for example - you could have to register to use BBC iPlayer. You could get it for free if you input your TV licence details; otherwise you have to pay.

 

[hammill]

There have been related rumblings about a charging model for the BBC iPlayer (which is already in place outside the UK).

So - just for example - you could have to register to use BBC iPlayer. You could get it for free if you input your TV licence details; otherwise you have to pay.

Good idea in principle, but surely valid licence details could easily be distributed and used by the dishonest.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Yes, i'm sure there'd have to be other securtiy checks - eg links to the address; email validation etc etc etc.

 

[chebby]

Good idea in principle, but surely valid licence details could easily be distributed and used by the dishonest.

How many people would you give your details to - free of charge - so they they can use something you have paid for? Outside of people's immediate family (children at university for instance) I can't see it being a big problem.

It's not as if the BBC want this anyway. If you read Clare's linked news item you'll see that the BBC insist's that such a scheme is not necessary in their view.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Indeed- though that does contradict other statements regarding BBC iPlayer. But hey, one step at a time

 

[hammill]

Good idea in principle, but surely valid licence details could easily be distributed and used by the dishonest.

How many people would you give your details to - free of charge - so they they can use something you have paid for? Outside of people's immediate family (children at university for instance) I can't see it being a big problem.

It's not as if the BBC want this anyway. If you read Clare's linked news item you'll see that the BBC insist's that such a scheme is not necessary in their view.

None. But you only need one person (children at university for instance) to put it on their facebook page and the whole world would know in a matter of hours. If super injunctions don't work then this scheme (without the modifications suggested by Clare) stands no chance.

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

That should be interesting.I-player and other catch up services- which ones? If the licence normally includes all live TV,it should also embrace all catch up- otherwise it is inequitable. In addition, ITV have said they will charge for ITV player in the New Year,so that would be (in Conservative terms) a double whammy.Hmmn.

 

[MajorFubar]

I know I made my thoughts about the Telly Tax very clear in the other thread lol.

But...so long as there was no related price-hike, I have no issues regarding having to prove I'm legit before getting iPlayer for free. I recall there were one or two people on here who hinted that they already exploit the loophole in order to avoid the fee (or maybe I misread their posts, but that's how I interpreted them).