BAI 5yr Review Review of Funding of Public Service Broadcasting, TV Licence fee

The Cush

The BAI last week published a tender seeking "a review of the adequacy or otherwise of public funding to enable the public service broadcasters, RTÉ and TG4, to meet their public service objects".

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/taxpayers-to-fund-150k-review-of-tv-licence-fee-for-rte-and-tg4-35237958.html

Short description

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) wishes to award a contract for a review of the adequacy or otherwise, of public funding to enable the public service broadcasters, RTÉ and TG4, to meet their public service objects. This requirement is governed by section 124(8) of the Broadcasting Act; further information on the specification of requirements is contained in Appendix 1.

The envisaged duration of this project is for a duration of nine to twelve months, starting in quarter 2 of 2017 with deliverables submitted by 31st March 2018.

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders/ViewNotice/186734

The 5 year review is required by section 124(8) of the Broadcasting Act, the first review was published in 2013
http://www.dccae.gov.ie/communications/en-ie/Pages/Publication/Five-Year-Review-of-Funding-of-Public-Service-Broadcasting.aspx
http://www.bai.ie/blog/2013/07/18/bai-publishes-recommendations-on-future-funding-for-public-service-broadcasting/
http://www.bai.ie/en/broadcasting/regulation/psbs/#al-block-4.

The review is expected to be published in mid 2018. Budget for the review is €150,000.

Elmo

The Cush wrote: »

The BAI last week published a tender seeking "a review of the adequacy or otherwise of public funding to enable the public service broadcasters, RTÉ and TG4, to meet their public service objects".

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/taxpayers-to-fund-150k-review-of-tv-licence-fee-for-rte-and-tg4-35237958.html




The 5 year review is required by section 124(8) of the Broadcasting Act, the first review was published in 2013
http://www.dccae.gov.ie/communications/en-ie/Pages/Publication/Five-Year-Review-of-Funding-of-Public-Service-Broadcasting.aspx
http://www.bai.ie/blog/2013/07/18/bai-publishes-recommendations-on-future-funding-for-public-service-broadcasting/
http://www.bai.ie/en/broadcasting/regulation/psbs/#al-block-4.

The review is expected to be published in mid 2018. Budget for the review is €150,000.

I don't understand why the BAI must go external for this review. The BAI is independent from both RTE and TG4. And at this stage should have their own experts. I will agree this issue requires external input but since so many other review are generally handed off to London based consultants whom seem to consistently and erroneously compare Ireland to Britain.

e.g. their last SAI review from the Communications Chamber.

icdg

On this issue, Irish Times interview with DCCAE Minister Denis Naughton today suggests that the Government may bring in legislation to require a TV licence to watch programmes on the RTE Player, mirroring UK move with BBC iPlayer. As I say I'm not a fan of linking the licence fee directly to RTE, because down that way lies a subscription charge, but there you go.

Elmo

icdg wrote: »

On this issue, Irish Times interview with DCCAE Minister Denis Naughton today suggests that the Government may bring in legislation to require a TV licence to watch programmes on the RTE Player, mirroring UK move with BBC iPlayer. As I say I'm not a fan of linking the licence fee directly to RTE, because down that way lies a subscription charge, but there you go.

It is daft easy thing to do is to replace the licence fee with a tax on telecommunications usage.

political analyst

icdg wrote: »

On this issue, Irish Times interview with DCCAE Minister Denis Naughton today suggests that the Government may bring in legislation to require a TV licence to watch programmes on the RTE Player, mirroring UK move with BBC iPlayer. As I say I'm not a fan of linking the licence fee directly to RTE, because down that way lies a subscription charge, but there you go.

If that happens then there couldn't be a situation in which people outside the Republic have access to news bulletins and Prime Time free-of-charge while domestic users of the RTÉ website have to have a licence fee to have access.

Elmo

political analyst wrote: »

If that happens then there couldn't be a situation in which people outside the Republic have access to news bulletins and Prime Time free-of-charge while domestic users of the RTÉ website have to have a licence fee to have access.

But sure removing the so called loop hole literally means that you are introducing the broadcasting charge just not calling it the broadcasting charge. It is just stupid.

political analyst

Elmo wrote: »

But sure removing the so called loop hole literally means that you are introducing the broadcasting charge just not calling it the broadcasting charge. It is just stupid.

Surely, it'd be the case that you'd simply have to type in your TV licence serial number to access the RTÉ Player. Presumably, 3player and All4 would not be affected.

icdg

political analyst wrote: »

If that happens then there couldn't be a situation in which people outside the Republic have access to news bulletins and Prime Time free-of-charge while domestic users of the RTÉ website have to have a licence fee to have access.

That was the kind of argument I was hearing very often 5-10 years ago elsewhere to suggest that Irish people shouldn't have access to the BBC, full stop, because we didn't pay the UK licence fee (on top of our own).I didn't agree with it then and thankfully it is one that seems to have died off. However, the minute you change the nature of the licence fee from a charge one pays in order to legally possess a television set, to a subscription fee specifically to recieve RTE, then the argument becomes viable again.

political analyst

icdg wrote: »

That was the kind of argument I was hearing very often 5-10 years ago elsewhere to suggest that Irish people shouldn't have access to the BBC, full stop, because we didn't pay the UK licence fee (on top of our own).I didn't agree with it then and thankfully it is one that seems to have died off. However, the minute you change the nature of the licence fee from a charge one pays in order to legally possess a television set, to a subscription fee specifically to recieve RTE, then the argument becomes viable again.

There was never an issue with people on the Border and the East Coast getting terrestrial overspill. Reception of BBC, ITV etc via Freesat in the Republic is the satellite equivalent of terrestrial overspill because the island of Ireland is in the Freesat "footprint" (I believe that's the correct word for an area covered by a satellite). Furthermore, there is still a huge number of households in the Republic that use pay-TV providers. Therefore, BBC Worldwide still does well from the Republic market. All in all, there's no unfairness to UK licence-fee payers.

Elmo

political analyst wrote: »

Surely, it'd be the case that you'd simply have to type in your TV licence serial number to access the RTÉ Player. Presumably, 3player and All4 would not be affected.

Nope I don't think that is the case in Britain you have to have a licence regardless of the technology used to view, one per household just like the licence fee.

political analyst

Elmo wrote: »

Nope I don't think that is the case in Britain you have to have a licence regardless of the technology used to view, one per household just like the licence fee.

Viewers in the UK have needed a TV licence to access the iPlayer (except for radio and S4C programmes) since 1 September this year.

icdg

The odd thing about that one of course is that the particular SI is worded to specifically refer to viewing programmes provided by the BBC only. It is the first time in its history that the television licence has been directly linked with watching the BBC and only the BBC and sets a bad precedent.

political analyst

icdg wrote: »

The odd thing about that one of course is that the particular SI is worded to specifically refer to viewing programmes provided by the BBC only. It is the first time in its history that the television licence has been directly linked with watching the BBC and only the BBC and sets a bad precedent.

How?

icdg

Because before, the line was that you needed a TV licence to watch TV. It was required if you owned TV reception equipment, even if you claimed you only ever watched ITV or Channel 4.

However with this move it links liability for the licence directly with watching the BBC. Just the BBC. Even the iPlayer is okay if you only watch S4C programmes.

Once that link becomes established people will start to ask that if it's the case that liability for the licence fee only applies to watching the BBC online, surely that should be the case when watching normal TV too? Then the licence fee ceases to a licence fee at all, and becomes a subscription charge for the BBC. Then the BBC ceases to be a public service broadcaster, and becomes a pay-TV broadcaster whose future will depend on programming the type of programming that will encourage subscribers to sign up.

political analyst

icdg wrote: »

Because before, the line was that you needed a TV licence to watch TV. It was required if you owned TV reception equipment, even if you claimed you only ever watched ITV or Channel 4.

However with this move it links liability for the licence directly with watching the BBC. Just the BBC. Even the iPlayer is okay if you only watch S4C programmes.

Once that link becomes established people will start to ask that if it's the case that liability for the licence fee only applies to watching the BBC online, surely that should be the case when watching normal TV too? Then the licence fee ceases to a licence fee at all, and becomes a subscription charge for the BBC. Then the BBC ceases to be a public service broadcaster, and becomes a pay-TV broadcaster whose future will depend on programming the type of programming that will encourage subscribers to sign up.

But most viewers still watch conventional TV - many of them also use online catch-up services.

icdg

Absolutely, at this point in time, and this won't affect this Charter Renewal. However the precedent has now been set, and once it becomes established it is sure to play a part in the debate surrounding the next Charter Renewal, by which point the numbers watching via online catch up may have increased exponentially.

political analyst

icdg wrote: »

Absolutely, at this point in time, and this won't affect this Charter Renewal. However the precedent has now been set, and once it becomes established it is sure to play a part in the debate surrounding the next Charter Renewal, by which point the numbers watching via online catch up may have increased exponentially.

In connection with the link between the licence fee and the use of a TV set:

Back in the 1980s, Thatcher considered introducing TV sets on which only ITV and Channel 4 were available.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/margaret-thatcher/11313380/Margaret-Thatcher-conducted-covert-war-against-BBC.html