TV Licence

dlambirl

Hi all,

Dunno if this is in the right place or not so Mods move it to where you think it should be.

Its just a quick question about TV Licences...

When are TV licences valid from? Is it a year from when you pay for it or are they valid until a certain time/month of the year?

evogirl

it's valid for a year from the month you buy it afaik

jor el

12 months, including the month in which you pay for it. If you buy a licence today, it will expire in 11 months 10 days time, on May 31st, 2010. If buying a licence for the first time, wait until the start of a month to get the most out of it.

Wishbone Ash

If you are renewing it, you will be charged from the renewal due date, not necessarily the month you actually renewed it.

ciano6

i have a good trick which a think helps alot when it comes to renewing the tv license. Each time, I don't give my name, just my address. So each time I go,I don't renew as such, I just take out a new license. Thereby, starting a fresh 12 months, no matter what the date on which my last one expired.

dlambirl

ciano6 wrote: »

i have a good trick which a think helps alot when it comes to renewing the tv license. Each time, I don't give my name, just my address. So each time I go,I don't renew as such, I just take out a new license. Thereby, starting a fresh 12 months, no matter what the date on which my last one expired.

How do you get away with not giving your name??

ciano6

when it comes to the section where you put in your name i either put in "a tenant" or "the tenant".

koHd

I only watch tv channels that show advertisements. Do I need to pay my tv license?

I have a serious gripe about this.

Who introduced this? Why is it accepted? And who wants to get rid of it?

I think I'd like to see something done about this before we see a Letter Box License or Internet License introduced.

Seriously think about what you're paying for: A couple of crappy channels that don't play commercial advertisements.

You should at least have the choice not to pay it and then not receive the channels that are funded by it.

Can you imagine a Letter Box License...being forced to pay E160 a year so that the postman won't deliver any promotional fliers or letters with your post. It's ok as an option. But being enforced? Ridiculous.

I already paid a high price for my tv, and a high price for my subscription to the channels I want to watch.

I don't want to pay an extra high fee for channels I simply ain't bothered about at all.

My new mission in life is to abolish this madness.

Oryx

koHd wrote: »

I only watch tv channels that show advertisements. Do I need to pay my tv license?

I have a serious gripe about this.

Who introduced this? Why is it accepted? And who wants to get rid of it?

I think I'd like to see something done about this before we see a Letter Box License or Internet License introduced.

Seriously think about what you're paying for: A couple of crappy channels that don't play commercial advertisements.

You should at least have the choice not to pay it and then not receive the channels that are funded by it.

Can you imagine a Letter Box License...being forced to pay E160 a year so that the postman won't deliver any promotional fliers or letters with your post. It's ok as an option. But being enforced? Ridiculous.

I already paid a high price for my tv, and a high price for my subscription to the channels I want to watch.

I don't want to pay an extra high fee for channels I simply ain't bothered about at all.

My new mission in life is to abolish this madness.

I agree with the sentiment of not wanting to pay for something I dont use, but other than that, Im not getting you. You pay your licence for RTE. Who also run advertising as an income stream. If you were in the UK youd pay for BBC channels through your licence, they do not run advertising.

jor el

koHd wrote: »

Who introduced this? Why is it accepted? And who wants to get rid of it?

It was originally a radio licence, introduced by government, to pay for the broadcast. This extended to TVs when they became available.

koHd wrote: »

You should at least have the choice not to pay it and then not receive the channels that are funded by it.

If we had a choice, everyone would claim they don't watch Irish TV stations, and not pay. It would not be viable to inspect every household to see that they are not, or cannot, watching Irish stations.

koHd wrote: »

I already paid a high price for my tv, and a high price for my subscription to the channels I want to watch.

That's a different matter. The money paid for a TV doesn't do anything for broadcasters. The money paid to Sky (and maybe UPC) also goes nowhere near the broadcasters. Irish channels should be FTA on satellite, but they're not.

koHd wrote: »

My new mission in life is to abolish this madness.

Good luck with that. Seriously, you'll need it. If the licence is abolished, then RTE will get there money from other taxes, which will come from us anyway. I'd rather the cost were spread out among those who have a TV, rather than just those who currently work, and pay tax, which would end up as a lot more for these people.

It isn't a huge amount of money, by anyone's standards. If RTE and TV3 were FTA, then it would be worth what we pay. The current system of making some people who want to watch RTE, pay both a licence and Sky/UPC, is wrong.

koHd

The fact is TV licensing is out dated. Fair enough back in the early tv days, it was needed. All we had was RTE. It needed funding. If you had a tv, lets be honest, you were watching RTE.

But in this day and age it's amazing they still get away with it.

Nobody needs RTE. Alot of people seem to be brainwashed at this point into acceptance of funding RTE.

I can understand bin taxes etc. But TV license is robbery.

I wonder how much Pat Kenny is getting paid. And this money is being paid by us. Without choice.

I'd be quite happy if they got rid of RTE. The only thing it is any use for is Irish news. Which is now spread all over the internet and in cheap newspapers.

Why can't they make them premium channels you pay for via NTL, such as Setanta? Simply have it blocked unless you subscribe. That's the problem solved.

The reason they won't do that, is because they know we don't really need or want RTE. So they're delighted we've been brainwashed into subscribing to their channel by law.

Elmo

koHd wrote: »

Nobody needs RTE. Alot of people seem to be brainwashed at this point into acceptance of funding RTE.

I can understand bin taxes etc. But TV license is robbery.

I wonder how much Pat Kenny is getting paid. And this money is being paid by us. Without choice.

I'd be quite happy if they got rid of RTE. The only thing it is any use for is Irish news. Which is now spread all over the internet and in cheap newspapers.

Why can't they make them premium channels you pay for via NTL, such as Setanta? Simply have it blocked unless you subscribe. That's the problem solved.

The reason they won't do that, is because they know we don't really need or want RTE. So they're delighted we've been brainwashed into subscribing to their channel by law.

How are you brainwashed into paying for a licence because it is the law. Most people aren't brainwashed into paying taxes but it is the law.

The TV licence pays for the News provided by RTÉ and other programming that isn't provided by any other TV channel. It also pays for RTÉ Radio and the NSO.

RTÉ and public service broadcasting is required. Some television must be FTA i.e. everyone should be entitle to view it without the need for subscription. You don't pay a subscription you pay a licence.

Most of the Television that the PBS provide would never be produced by commercial services just look at TV3 nothing on it, plenty of money but nothing on the TV.

You are right the stars of RTÉ should not be paid as much as they are but that is only one issue.

To be honest with you I can't understand bin charges when we pay taxes for such things. Funding for RTÉ has to be kept out of the hands of the government to prevent government interference.

Licence Fee = 43c per day 7c cheaper then the cheapest bought newspaper.

koHd

Elmo wrote: »

How are you brainwashed into paying for a licence because it is the law. Most people aren't brainwashed into paying taxes but it is the law.

I say people are brainwashed by this, because of the blind acceptance by most. If it were introduced today having not been around for so long, there would be uproar. But people are just so used to it and accept it. That to me, is being brainwashed.

Elmo wrote: »

The TV licence pays for the News provided by RTÉ and other programming that isn't provided by any other TV channel. It also pays for RTÉ Radio and the NSO.

The news is the only leg they have to stand on. But there is now plenty of news sources for free for the public. Also, yesterday I flicked by RTE news and saw an advertisement for Avanmore right before the weather. I know how much revenue advertising generates. They have plenty of cash. They're not a charity.

Elmo wrote: »

RTÉ and public service broadcasting is required. Some television must be FTA i.e. everyone should be entitle to view it without the need for subscription. You don't pay a subscription you pay a licence.

It is a subscription. They've just called it a license and made it a law to brainwash people.

If they want it as a public service broadcasting and a "necessity". Then stop having expensive shows and highly paid producers/presenters/actors.

Simply have the channel there for low cost public service announcements and stop charging us so they can be well paid and make rubbish television shows.

Elmo

RTE have to have a certain amount of Entertainment programming. According to the BBC the public service remit is to

Inform
Educate
Entertain

If it were introduced today having not been around for so long, there would be uproar

The so called uproar for bin taxes (which used to be part of the taxation system) was minimal. RTÉ had the lowest license fee in Europe for near 10 years which effected the greatly (also the fact that they had a cap on the advertising revenue), this control was not good for public service broadcasting. No uproar when in 1993 it nearly doubled. (It is about average now).

Simply have the channel there for low cost public service announcements and stop charging us so they can be well paid and make rubbish television shows.

No one would watch, it is important to mix their formats it can't just be about Oirectas Report, European Parliament Report, HSE Report or whatever you are having. All of which would become mouth pieces for the respective organizations with no real investigation.

I believe RTÉ don't always make rubbish TV shows in the same way as I don't believe the BBC always get it right.

calex71

TV License might be a bit cheaper if they weren't running so many of those really annoying ad's for the license at the moment:mad:

newbie2

koHd wrote: »

... premium channels ..., such as Setanta?

lol

koHd

Elmo wrote: »

RTE have to have a certain amount of Entertainment programming. According to the BBC the public service remit is to

Inform
Educate
Entertain

Why do they HAVE to? It really is not a necessity for a person to have television entertainment.

Elmo wrote: »

No one would watch, it is important to mix their formats it can't just be about Oirectas Report, European Parliament Report, HSE Report or whatever you are having. All of which would become mouth pieces for the respective organizations with no real investigation.

I believe RTÉ don't always make rubbish TV shows in the same way as I don't believe the BBC always get it right.

My whole point is that we should have a choice. RTE can continue to do what it does and have a proper subscription service. Some people do like RTE.

But, it's all about choice. If I don't want their news and tv shows I shouldn't have to pay.

We're in the age of the internet. And non-biased news sources are easier to find. And these ones would perhaps be less influenced by political and commercial entities than RTE.

Elmo

Information on it own is often bland (look at Euronews), Education is often bland (look at any programme just teach someone a new lanuage) and Entertainment can be brain dead (look at Sky One).

While on their own they are perfectly exceptable but even fewer people are interested in braindead entertainment, bland news and education.

To provide some discussion and entertainment binds each of the 3 princples together making for a wider audience rather than niche audiences. Which is important when you have a TV licence or any public funding going to a broadcaster.

Commerical services also have to look towards PBS programming to become populist.

My whole point is that we should have a choice. RTE can continue to do what it does and have a proper subscription service. Some people do like RTE.

There are many people in Ireland that don't pay the Licence, e.g. OAPs they are entitle to that service just as much as I am and you are. RTÉ couldn't possibly provide the same service because the would possible see their revenue in terms of both advertising and subscriptions fall.

We're in the age of the internet. And non-biased news sources are easier to find. And these ones would perhaps be less influenced by political and commercial entities than RTE.

RTÉ are fairly unbais in their news reporting. If you beleive that they are bais you may complain to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission. Any Irish Radio or Television Service should be unbias when reporting the news and should also provide equal time for both arguements. This is generally the case. TV3 are just as bias then as they have a commerical remit, I do not beleive this to be the case.

But then you can always get the news from unbias www.skynews.com or www.foxnews.com.

Nody

Personally what annoys me is that I don't want, nor care, to watch any direct sent TV period! All I'm interested in watching is what I buy (DVD/Blueray) or download (Anime released in Japan etc.) yet I have to pay .

I wish there was a way to plug the antenna with a lock or something to avoid paying the tax by showing it is still there and hence not receiving any TV (moot point now with RTE online I know but still).

Elmo

Nody wrote: »

Personally what annoys me is that I don't want, nor care, to watch any direct sent TV period! All I'm interested in watching is what I buy (DVD/Blueray) or download (Anime released in Japan etc.) yet I have to pay .

I wish there was a way to plug the antenna with a lock or something to avoid paying the tax by showing it is still there and hence not receiving any TV (moot point now with RTE online I know but still).

You do not have to pay a TV license if you only have a monitor. And if you view RTÉ.ie/player you do not require a license.

But only as long as you don't have equipment to receive TV. So if you have Sky Digital or UPC Digital then you point is still moot.

jor el

Nody wrote: »

I wish there was a way to plug the antenna with a lock or something to avoid paying the tax by showing it is still there and hence not receiving any TV (moot point now with RTE online I know but still).

Swap the TV for a monitor, get rid of any VCR or DVDR that have tuners, get rid of any Sky boxes, satellite dish or aerial on the roof. Then you don't need a licence. If you don't watch any broadcast television, then you can get away without a licence, you just have to get rid of the equipment.