BBC Licence Fee soon coming for streaming/youtube?

[p1stonhead]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bbc...

The Whitehall source explained that the move was “because people are able to use them to avoid paying currently”. They added: “It’s not fair that people are essentially able to watch television content but avoid the licence fee.”

How about ps off. We pay for those services already and they are nothing to do with the Government or BBC. Robbing bds.

Notwithstanding it’s probably completely unenforceable, it could apply to every building or person in the UK seeing as anyone can use those services.

[JoshSm]

Parasites piggybacking on others, by expanding into areas not even vaguely linked to 'television'.

I hope they realise how they're destroying any credibility they might have previously had.

PS.are they going to stick a matching tax on cinemas and DVDs or do only certain methods of consumption count? It seems the 'live' aspect isn't part of their argument so surely they now mean all media?

[GMT13]

'It is understood any new cash raised under the plan will need to be spent on reviving local journalism and tackling misinformation, which has fuelled the rise of parties such as Reform UK.'

Without the 'misinformation', only the approved party(s) would receive votes.

[Funk]

Plans for further ensttification continue:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bbc...

It's not even clear what they seem to be proposing; is it a tax on even just using YouTube? Will it only be to watch 'BBC content' on other streaming servces? How would that even be enforceable?

I don't watch live TV or use iPlayer - why the fk should I have to fund the BBC in order to watch Harry's Garage on YouTube or Slow Horses on Prime?

Edited by Funk on Friday 16th October 00:55

[Terminator X]

How on earth can they extend it to "streaming services", it's supposed to be to pay for watching the BBC not other stuff.

TX.

[3din]

Meh. They keep making new laws, but they don't seem to understand that their inability to enforce them is why this country's broken.

[JagLover]

Independent said:

Currently, anyone who uses a television to watch content must pay the licence fee even if they do not watch the BBC. They also pay for live television on any platform but not playback or delayed television except on BBC iPlayer.

This is wrong, which doesn't give much hope for the rest of the article.

The key criteria is whether you watch or record live broadcasts and/or use the Iplayer. If you do not do any of these things with your TV you still do not need a licence.

As for the main claim fairly unsurprising. As the BBC slides into irrelevance the establishment will try desperately to preserve their mouthpiece.

[aterribleusername]

The rules changed a few years ago when YouTube started doing Premiers, they're classed as live streamed TV so does now come under the scope of the license fee. It also changed to having the ability to watch BBC content hence why they started showing live streams of stuff on YouTube, anyone who uses it has the ability to watch BBC content live so is in scope. All this legislation does is pull it all together.

The rules are slowly catching up with the Internet age as the current ones were written back when you could only receive televised stuff via an aerial.

[Funk]

The law currently as it stands is that if you watch or record live TV (any platform) or want to use iPlayer then you need a TV licence.

Where it's daft is that if I want to watch Sky News' live feed on their YT channel - licence required. Watch Sky News' YT channel that was broadcast 3 hours ago- no licence required as it's not live.

I have no objection to paying for things I use (or even that I might use or benefit from). But I don't see any reason to pay for things I don't use or want. I don't have to pay VED if I don't own a car. I don't buy a rod licence as I don't fish. Why should I have to buy a TV licence when I don't watch live TV or use iPlayer?

Edited by Funk on Friday 16th October 15:15

[p1stonhead]

I currently treat the licence fee as any other streaming subscription. If something is coming up (traitors for example for the family) then we get a licence for a few months then turn it off again.

Same as we do for Netflix etc. it’s no different to us and should never be.

[Crafty_]

GMT13 said:

'It is understood any new cash raised under the plan will need to be spent on reviving local journalism and tackling misinformation, which has fuelled the rise of parties such as Reform UK.'

Without the 'misinformation', only the approved party(s) would receive votes.

Which is quite hilarious, given they are the ones that got caught manipulating footage to suit their narrative.

I agree with the above, they're becoming a parasitic leech.

[Virtual PAH]

They've put the BBC News on YouTube so you now have to pay the licence fee to watch YouTube. Next they'll push for the licence fee to be funded by a levy on the ISPs as the only way to enforce who is liable to pay it due to watching relevant live online content.

Of course then the licence is no longer optional and the lack of that makes the BBC a defacto state broadcast media so they can drop any pretence of impartiality.

[p1stonhead]

They can’t prove what anyone is watching through their devices so I’m not remotely worried. They may try to strong arm ISP’s to tell them but they can’t prove you were watching a specific YouTube channel I’m sure.

Just wkers overall if they’re even considering it though.

[_Rodders_]

It'll be so unpopular that I'm fairly certain it won't happen.

It could well be rolled into general taxation though. Imagine how loud all those middle class people would squeal if they all lost their overpaid media jobs.

[Jinba Ittai]

The BBC is hopelessly antiquated and the business model would just be laughed at were it being formed under the same conditions today. Although there are still pockets of excellence remaining the vast majority of their output is sub contracted drivel. Just commercialise it FFS. It won't be any less st than it is now.

Edited by Jinba Ittai on Friday 16th October 15:32

[Downward]

As Uni has just started back, Are anyone’s kids in residence and had the old TV licence drop thorough the letterbox ?

I don’t think my daughters ever watched live tv.

[Felicity28]

I support the licence fee and pay it (obvs)... but it pee's me off that they're now targeting streaming and other online services.

As an example, I pay £20 for YouTube premium, plus also subscriptions for a few other things like Netflix, Spotify, Prime. It feels like further taxation and just unethical to now hit people with something like this.

[Jamescrs]

I suspect if they actually try to bring it into force the legal teams at Netflix, Amazon, Youtube etc are going to start getting involved.

[Pebbles167]

This will never get off the ground.

Even if they try it, they have a hard enough time nabbing the current licence dodgers. What hope will they have with the online bunch?

[hondajack85]

Pebbles167 said:

This will never get off the ground.

Even if they try it, they have a hard enough time nabbing the current licence dodgers. What hope will they have with the online bunch?

Probably easier.