Broadcasting charge will be levied on every home in the country

seamus

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/rabbitte-broadcasting-charge-will-be-levied-on-every-home-in-the-country-586197.html

The Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has said everyone will have to pay a new broadcasting charge to replace the TV licence, regardless of whether or not they own a television.

I thought AH would love this. In principle, I don't really have any issue with this charge. Public broadcasts and public programming provide an essential civic and cultural function and need to be paid for.

A separate broadcasting charge seems ridiculous though. If everyone is to pay it, then why not just throw it onto the property tax? What is the public service obsession for duplication of effort and having hundreds of little charges instead of one or two big ones that cover everything?

They also need to restructure it massively. TG4 produce great programming on a fraction of RTE's budget. Instead, all broadcasters should be required to apply for access to public funding in return for devoting 30% of their time to home-produced content, another 30% to public service broadcasting, with a limit of 15 minutes of advertising in every hour.

And if RTE can't afford to pay Miriam, Joe, Kenny or Tubbs their ridiculous salaries, then let them feck off to the UK to find work and we'll have a good old laugh at them when they arrive back here with their tails between their legs, begging to be given €80k a year.
We have a massive pool of talented people here, we don't need to be paying some old hacks huge money for doing a mediocre job.

BUBBLE WRAP

But the sh1t the does be on RTE is unreal!

smash

seamus wrote: »

If everyone is to pay it, then why not just throw it onto the property tax?

Because then the property owner pays it, not the occupier. It wouldn't make sense to do it that way.

ejmaztec

Next, look out for property tax for the homeless. depending on the standard of the cardboard, or location of the park bench, or shop doorway.

seamus

smash wrote: »

Because then the property owner pays it, not the occupier. It wouldn't make sense to do it that way.

Why not? Easier to collect from the landlord than the renter. The landlord can just lob it onto the rent.

ScumLord

seamus wrote: »

I thought AH would love this. In principle, I don't really have any issue with this charge. Public broadcasts and public programming provide an essential civic and cultural function and need to be paid for.

Maybe when they were the only game in town they provided an essential service but the fact is they are just one type of service provider in a sea of service providers.

I've pretty much stopped using all RTE services, I don't watch any of their TV channels, I don't listen to any of their radio stations and don't read any literature they produce. It not due to any boycott either. I have to seek out information these days and RTE is not a source of information I'd have any interest in seeking out.

flanders1979

Hopefully its less than the current licence.
It should be considering the amount of people that get away without paying it as it stands

Dwork

I got a Tax bill today that would knock JP McManus for six, so they can politely ask my hole for their Montrose money. How exactly they seem to think I owe them 75% of my income is beyond me. Now they want the crappy amount I get left with to fund Gay Byrnes new cummerbund? Away and shyte, respectfully. Actually, not respectfully. Just away and shyte. Had my fill of this gangster ridden kip of a country, tbh. Top tip, work for the state, because otherwise you're just gonna get a shafting.

AnonoBoy

flanders1979 wrote: »

Hopefully its less than the current licence.

There's two chances of that I'd say.... slim and none.

SEPT 23 1989

And i bet they will put Revenue in charge of collecting it

smash

seamus wrote: »

Why not? Easier to collect from the landlord than the renter.

How so?

eviltwin

seamus wrote: »

Why not? Easier to collect from the landlord than the renter. The landlord can just lob it onto the rent.

Not everyone is eligible for property tax, this way they get everyone to pay. I'm hoping that means those of us who work aren't going to subsidise people on SW yet again.

DoesNotCompute

Household Charge 2.0

yop

"this will not apply to those who we all pay for already" so people on dole, single mothers will continue to be immune from every charge.

SEPT 23 1989

yop wrote: »

"this will not apply to those who we all pay for already" so people on dole, single mothers will continue to be immune from every charge.

As far as i know only OAPS get a hand out for the TV licence

seamus

smash wrote: »

How so?

Easier to identify the owner of a property than the occupier. Also means you have no partial-year problems where a tenant moves out halfway through the year. Just charge the owner for the full year, no refunds, problem sorted.

smash

The Minister told the Dáil that he is due to receive a value-for-money report on the best way of implementing the new broadcasting charge at the end of March.

So if I have a current TV license, do I have to pay this too?

dark crystal

yop wrote: »

"this will not apply to those who we all pay for already" so people on dole, single mothers will continue to be immune from every charge.

People on the dole and single mothers aren't exempt from paying the TV licence.

Why does this myth keep rearing it's ugly head time and time again?

yop

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

As far as i know only OAPS get a hand out for the TV licence

Not sure tbh, I know my parents who are on a "standard" pension have to fork out for the household charge, the water chargers, septic tank etc etc and had a big chunk of their line rental handout taken off them.

Yet those on the dole are immune from all chargers.....

humanji

smash wrote: »

So if I have a current TV license, do I have to pay this too?

No, but you have to pay a €200 administration fee in order for them not to charge you again.

DoesNotCompute

smash wrote: »

So if I have a current TV license, do I have to pay this too?

Not sure, it looks like Pet Rabbit has yet to sign off on this, so he might just be kite flying.

Time will tell.

Tazz T

He has signed off on it. Mind you, he says it isn't a tax despite the fact it's a 'compulsory charge imposed by the government'. So I'd say unless he wants to look foolish, he won't get the revenue to collect this one.

Mint Sauce

Heard this being bounced around a few years ago as a replacement to the TV Licence, for those who pay their licence already, cant see it as two much of a complaint.

AnonoBoy wrote: »

There's two chances of that I'd say.... slim and none.

You would imagine it would be, considered this targets every household, rather than just them with a TV. Although considering our goverment, I'd say your right.

smash

DoesNotCompute wrote: »

Not sure, it looks like Pet Rabbit has yet to sign off on this, so he might just be kite flying.

Time will tell.

He's mentioned this broadcasting charge a good few times now and said that it will be imposed as soon as it's implemented. There better be TV license refunds!

AnonoBoy

smash wrote: »

So if I have a current TV license, do I have to pay this too?

I took it to mean that at the end of March he's getting the report on how to implement it rather than he's getting a report on how to implement it at the end of March.

Chucken

I bought my tv licence January 2nd, will that payment be transferred to the new charge??

smash

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I took it to mean that at the end of March he's getting the report on how to implement it rather than he's getting a report on how to implement it at the end of March.

Yea, but I'm assuming that when he gets the report, he'll implement it asap.

krudler

Wait, you have to pay a broadcasting charge even if you don't own a tv? what kind of sense does that make? "people watch tv on their tablets and phones" and? Using something like sky go you're already paying sky for it. This country will just try fcuk you as much as possible, even if you dont use the service you're being charged for.

AnonoBoy

smash wrote: »

Yea, but I'm assuming that when he gets the report, he'll implement it asap.

Yeah but ASAP with these lads could be ages away!

You've more faith in gobberment efficiency than I do!

MidlandsM

Well, I'm not one bit concerned.......

I have not paid my house hold charge ..

I have not paid my septic tank charge...

and I'm still alive and well, no one has come and burned my house down yet!

....so, I'll not be paying this new charge either.......

Victor

So, if it is for everyone, can all types of media benefit from it? Including boards.ie?

yop wrote: »

Yet those on the dole are immune from all chargers.....

???

https://www.google.ie/search?q=charger&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=reEsUYSdOou5hAf-r4DABQ&biw=1025&bih=437&sei=seEsUbKnMIKIhQeIpoGoBA#um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&tbm=isch&q=phone+charger&revid=1658363703&sa=X&ei=suEsUaLpBYu5hAf-r4DABQ&ved=0CHIQgxY&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.42965579,d.ZG4&fp=e8f61c375310cf69&biw=1025&bih=437

KyussBishop

They are justifying this based on availability of media over the Internet; this is basically an Internet Tax, and thus if they are going to tax the internet, some of the funds should be used to improve national broadband, particularly in rural areas.

Fúck RTE; shut down the TV studios, all they produce is garbage anyway; give everyone guaranteed broadband instead, paid entirely through these taxes alone.

SEPT 23 1989

Pat has a very fat chin for a socialist

MitchKoobski

Love to see how they would implement this.

"But I'm broke. I don't have a TV, laptop or a smartphone."
"We're pretty sure you might have a smartphone."
"But I don't!"
"We'll see. Empty your pockets and bend over." *snaps gloves*

They have a licence fee over the river to BBC and in return BBC has no adverts. Why do we still have adverts on RTÉ? TV3 seem to be doing fine without a fee.

VinLieger

Public funding yet they still charge for advertising? theres a disconnect somewhere maybe someone else can spot it?

Dynamo Roller1

The only people to benefit from this will the inbred clique in RTE and the likes of Twink.

MitchKoobski

You don't pay Road Tax unless you own a car.

This is like them turning around tomorrow and saying "Everyone will now have to pay Road Tax, even if you don't own a car. You could just easily be cycling or walking on the road."

AnonoBoy

Dynamo Roller1 wrote: »

The only people to benefit from this will the inbred clique in RTE.

The Montrose Hillbillies?

Y'all come back now y'hear?

Chucken

MitchKoobski wrote: »

This is like them turning around tomorrow and saying "Everyone will now have to pay Road Tax, even if you don't own a car.

Give 'em time...:(

latenia

I'm actually in favour of something like this as a long-term solution to internet copyright issues but what they're suggesting here is impractical unjust nonsense. I'd happily pay €200 a year broadband tax if it meant I could download and watch or listen to whatever I want without restriction. The various copyright holders could then divvy up the money proportionately according to what I've actually consumed.

ScumLord

MitchKoobski wrote: »

You don't pay Road Tax unless you own a car.

This is like them turning around tomorrow and saying "Everyone will now have to pay Road Tax, even if you don't own a car. You could just easily be cycling or walking on the road."

It's worse than that even. No one can avoid using the roads even if they don't have a car, we need to to get stuff around so you could somewhat justify that kind of charge. This is taxing for a service they may not even use and in some cases a service people don't like or want.


If the money went into upgrading the broadband infrastructure I'd think it was of some merit but I think it'll just be used to prop up a bumbling broadcaster so it doesn't need to adapt to the times.

Ash.J.Williams

BUBBLE WRAP wrote: »

But the sh1t the does be on RTE is unreal!

i don't besides tubridy i'd say we rate very high against other countries...The bbc would be an exception due to the huge license base they have

smash

MitchKoobski wrote: »

You don't pay Road Tax unless you own a car.

You don't pay Road Tax, full stop. Those of us with cars have to pay Motor tax though.

ixoy

Any option for me not to pay and, in return, I'll happily have RTE blocked from my house? I can't therefore avail of their services so I won't need to pay for them.

OneArt

krudler wrote: »

Wait, you have to pay a broadcasting charge even if you don't own a tv? what kind of sense does that make? "people watch tv on their tablets and phones" and? Using something like sky go you're already paying sky for it. This country will just try fcuk you as much as possible, even if you dont use the service you're being charged for.

The German TV license-type company GEZ do this as well. They've become proper sneaky in the last while. You have to pay them if you have a radio, TV or access to the Internet. This includes mobile phones. (I will in my f*ck pay them though, I don't own a TV over here and I've only got Internet. Their charge for the Internet is 17 quid a month. That's MORE than my fecking Internet bill. If they want people to pay to watch national produced content online, then they should make it a subscription service... Rant over).

As you can see I'm with you in that it doesn't make any sense. I agree with the TV license, but when I moved out of home and lived in Dublin I didn't own a TV so it wasn't an issue. I just don't see the sense in paying for a service that you don't use.

It's also interesting to note that Germany is a pretty law-abiding country, but a surprising number of people here avoid paying the fee. For Ireland, forcing people to pay for something like this is plain unfair.

KyussBishop

latenia wrote: »

I'm actually in favour of something like this as a long-term solution to internet copyright issues but what they're suggesting here is impractical unjust nonsense. I'd happily pay €200 a year broadband tax if it meant I could download and watch or listen to whatever I want without restriction. The various copyright holders could then divvy up the money proportionately according to what I've actually consumed.

That would be a massive government subsidy to an outdated broadcaster copyright holders, and would be treating every Internet user as a subscriber criminal, making them pay whether or not they watched pirated anything.

Wicklowandy

yop wrote: »

Not sure tbh, I know my parents who are on a "standard" pension have to fork out for the household charge, the water chargers, septic tank etc etc and had a big chunk of their line rental handout taken off them.

Yet those on the dole are immune from all chargers.....

I wouldn't expect the misinformation of this and your previous post from a moderator.

As pensioners your parents are entitled to the household benefits package (some free electric, free telephone line rental and free tv licence) which single mothers, the unemployed / other riff raff are not.

People who are unfortunately reliant on social welfare currently are not exempt from the household charge, septic tank etc. Deferred arrangements are made with them if unable to pay.

I do not know your circumstances. If you are fortunate enough to have retained your job in these times, and have no experience of the temporary nature of employment opportunities, and the lower pay than what people would reasonably expect, please in future inform yourself before putting your notions out there as fact.

kuro2k

So are businsses going to pay the broadcasting licence for all company issued devices (phones/tablets/laptops)?

RTE should just shut down RTE iplayer and internet based radio services and get lost!

Lelantos

MitchKoobski wrote: »

You don't pay Road Tax unless you own a car.

This is like them turning around tomorrow and saying "Everyone will now have to pay Road Tax, even if you don't own a car. You could just easily be cycling or walking on the road."

Stop giving them ideas for feck sake!

Ash.J.Williams

kuro2k wrote: »

So are businsses going to pay the broadcasting licence for all company issued devices (phones/tablets/laptops)?

RTE should just shut down RTE iplayer and internet based radio services and get lost!

they are very popular

JP Liz V1

I guess the cost of making Love/Hate has increased