By Tim Ferguson, 2 April 2009 12:14
NEWS
New ways in which people are accessing television content - such as the BBC iPlayer - could force a rethink in how the TV licence is paid according to the BBC's independent regulator, the BBC Trust.
In a report on the way the TV licence fee is collected the Beeb's independent regulator said issues created by recent advances in the way people access television content need to be taken into account.
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The report said: "Legislative change is likely to be required in order to reflect technology changes in the licence fee regulations."
People who only watch television via the BBC's online on-demand TV service iPlayer are not legally obliged to pay for a TV licence.
The BBC Trust added that it regularly reviews the impact of new technology on audience behaviour but has so far found that online on-demand viewing tends to supplement television rather than replace it.
But the Trust acknowledges the view from some quarters that online technology could undermine the licence fee as households elect to forgo live television entirely.
There is evidence that some groups are switching to internet streaming as the sole method of watching TV. For example BBC Executive research has found that 40 per cent of students in halls of residence use their laptop as the main way to watch TV.
BBC Trust research suggests there is general confusion around the need for a TV licence with one out of three people surveyed saying it is unclear when a licence is required - especially when using TV-receiving equipment on PCs and mobiles.
"Many were unaware of the different laws surrounding watching on-demand television, which does not need a licence and live streaming of material as it is broadcast, which does require a licence," the report said.
In addition, many did not know that live streaming of material as it's being broadcast does require a licence.
Comments
There are 10 comments. Join the discussion
1. david
restrict access to the iplayer solely for license payers, via mailed password, IP to house or other and we can be done with this attempt of placing a new tax on all pc users.
2. Anthony Hunt
With BBC television dropping to new all-time lows, why should we pay a tax on our TV sets, let alone as they are implying a tax on our PC's as well?
I watch BBC breakfast daily and Dr Who with the children for 13 weeks and for £142.50 a year that is VERY poor value for money for me.
What happened to public service broadcasting?
3. David Dewick
I think I must be one of the few people who think that compared to a cable TV subscription, the TV License fee represents good value for money. I particularly appreciate ad-free viewing, which I think is worth the license fee alone.
As regards receipt of real-time streaming of broadcast material, which it seems does need a license, then why not set up a subscription service, free to holders of a valid TV license?
4. Ian
Stop the BBC producing any content that can be commercially funded and scrap the license fee.
5. anonymous
Another disgusting attempt to add yet another tax to us all.
6. karen Challinor
personally I rarely watch live TV I record it all with my PVR and time shift it, but because I record it when it is broadcast I have to pay a license fee
if these programmes were available via the web in some standardised format regardless of channel rather than iPlayer here, 4Player there, ITV player somewhere else I could download them instead, not notice the difference and not need a license, which is probably why we have a separate player per channel instead of a single standard format
around a quarter of the programmes I watch are on BBC channels why should BBC get all the license fee why can't I give 75% go to the other channels and ask them to cut the advertisements for me ?
the license fee is an anachronism from the days when BBC was the only provider and was funded as a public service via what was effectively a television tax
we now live in an age where there are hundreds of channels available and more than a single method of delivery
the time of the TV license has passed
let the BBC compete in the real world with an advertising based revenue system like the rest of the channels have to
7. Richard
Yet more reason to scrap the unfair "Poll Tax" style TV licence and its ghastly collection mechanisms.
Almost everyone in the UK benefits from "public service broadcasting" so the BBC should be funded by - a much reduced - grant from general taxation.
But many people actually "consume" very little of the BBC's increasingly biassed and unreliable output; so can see no justification for being forced to give the BBC so much money.
Scrapping the TV licence would remove all of the nonsense about BBC TV licensing demanding extra payments when people view TV away from their properly licensed home.
It would also do away with the BBC's ghastly henchmen and their bullying "wheel-clamper" type behaviour.
8. Maryon Jeane
The BBC - or any broadcast 'service' - should definitely NOT be funded by contributions from taxpayers. Broadcasts are not a necessity; 'public service broadcasts' are a ridiculous idea (at best this is social engineering, at worst it is commercial manipulation), and every single society which has started to watch television is the worse for it. Those who want or need a drug should pay for it - the idea of people who don't use drugs paying for their general use is ridiculous, so don't make this particular drug an exception.
9. Scott
not everyone watches the Bbc in the freeview era, so the end of the license is getting closer. The Bbc is no longer the only tv channel! Hardcore beeb fans would rather pay if they offered a subscription based service to either its programs or its channels, and that goes for its internet iplayer based content as well. Problem solved! Bbc fatcat bosses perhaps wont be as happy with a potential drop in their pay packet as a result, but for the public thats not something for them to worry about, unless youre a student wanting free tv content ;)
10. hampshirehog
The BBC has self generated a huge expansion in it's remit of providing radio and TV services funded by a licence fee tax. While not denying that considerable technical advances have been accelerated by the BBC, I do not consider that the present expansions are a BBC responsibility.
It is time for the knife to be taken to many of the BBC facilities, starting with many of the radio stations that were a necessity before multi channel TV filled the gap.
A severe pruning of the management and executive structure must be carried out to eliminate many of the unecessary highly paid non jobs that exist.
The licence fee tax is now archaic and alternative methods of funding should be properly investigated and introduced. Possibly splitting the BBC into a much smaller taxpayer funded 2 or 3 TV channel and 3 national radio channel organisation and the remainder becoming BBC plc, a commercial organisation.