"Progressive TV Licence system" proposed by FG Senator

ThisRegard

So Catherine Noone has proposed the following system for replacing the current TV licence.

Her proposal is

A more progressive system could be achieved by charging every home a modest fee per medium it uses, perhaps €4 per month This would result in every household paying for what they get.
This system would mean a household receiving just broadband would pay €48 per year, while a home using a landline and broadband would pay a total of €96 per year and so on. In many cases this would significantly reduce the amount paid from the current flat rate of €160.

Outside of fibre and cable areas you'll need a phone line to get your broadband (although there are more and more offerings of broadband only), so right away you could be paying double than the neighbours in the estate across the road through no fault of your.

She does use the term "using a landline" so maybe she intends that if you need a landline to get broadband you don't pay, but once you start making calls pony up.

But what has having a landline got to do with the broadcasting fee anyway? It's simply a way to get more money irrelevant to the media you consume.

What's the so on? Do you get charged for 4G devices, mobile broadband, Sky and Virgin receivers, any device capable of streaming, as she expects the telecom companies to collect the fee.

http://catherinenoone.ie/2018/01/10/time-to-overhaul-the-tv-licence-system/

Ulysses Gaze

Why not just let RTE sing for it's supper like TV3?

Harry Palmr

Have you watched TV3? Anyway apples and oranges comparison, one is mandated to be a full scale general broadcaster in radio and television with orchestras, choirs, Irish language support, cultural odds and sods etc. TV3 is soaps and ITV imports.

Rumpy Pumpy

Giving out about RTÉ on the Internet comes as easily to some people as breathing. I’ve lived in countries with no state broadcaster. It’s crap. RTÉ aren’t perfect, but paying 180 a year for public service broadcasting isn’t bad value.

baylah17

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Why not just let RTE sing for it's supper like TV3?

Their two Orchestras that cost us over €15 million a year could accompany the singers!
RTE supporting the arts rich !

SterlingArcher

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Have you watched TV3? Anyway apples and oranges comparison, one is mandated to be a full scale general broadcaster in radio and television with orchestras, choirs, Irish language support, cultural odds and sods etc. TV3 is soaps and ITV imports.

Well it has been shown on many occasions to be the tool of personal interests at RTE rather than a state funded supposedly neutral broadcaster.

silverharp

Ill vote for the party that scraps the fee and sells off RTE, the only state run station should be TG4 which could carry some taxpayer funded programming.

Beta Ray Bill

The Moron's at RTE have finally realised something is happening/changing in the way people view Media.

IE people are beginning to stop watching Terrestrial/Satellite/Cable TV and instead are opting to binge watch TV via the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc.

I cannot remember the last time I even watched RTE player never mind watch something Live on RTE.
The only thing I'd watch on Terrestrial/Satellite/Cable TV or what ever you want to call it is Sport, and even then if it was a big event I'd probably go to the pub to watch it.

In fairness I'd listen to breakfast republic on 2FM if I was driving a car in the morning.

So now instead of the Government/RTE thinking: "Right, we need to up our RTE Player/RTE online game if we want to compete", what they're actually thinking is: "We're going have to Tax the Internet...."

It's a f**king p*sstake.

That being said, the new system mentioned above would work out cheaper for many...
However it only mentions Land Line and Interweb, nothing about existing TV Pipe into house. (It will undoubtedly end up as expensive or more expensive)

Also, the likes of Virgin/UPC/NTL or whatever they were called, spent MILLIONS upgrading the pipes around the country to support high speed Broadband.
If the government think they're just going to be able to Tax their massive investment they'll probably be facing legal Action.

Rumpy Pumpy

SterlingArcher wrote: »

Well it has been shown on many occasions to be the tool of personal interests at RTE rather than a state funded supposedly neutral broadcaster.

Has it? Any examples of where this has been shown?

ThisRegard

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Giving out about RTÉ on the Internet comes as easily to some people as breathing. I’ve lived in countries with no state broadcaster. It’s crap. RTÉ aren’t perfect, but paying 180 a year for public service broadcasting isn’t bad value.

It wasn't intended as an RTE bashing thread, although that does come as night follows day, but moreso a discussion on the proposal from a member of one of the government parties.

So we can assume all the "RTE are bad, I stream all my stuff, ok" posts have been done.

baylah17

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Have you watched TV3? Anyway apples and oranges comparison, one is mandated to be a full scale general broadcaster in radio and television with orchestras, choirs, Irish language support, cultural odds and sods etc. TV3 is soaps and ITV imports.

orchestras, choirs cultural odds and sods
Surely thats the Job of the Arts Council!!
WTF does the National Broadcaster need with Orchestras and Choirs in the 21st Century??

K.Flyer

This system would mean a household receiving just broadband would pay €48 per year, while a home using a landline and broadband would pay a total of €96 per year ...

What is the reason for wanting to charge penalise people an extra €48 for having a landline?
What difference does it make to them how you get your broadband.
How do they plan to implement it if those who refuse to pay still refuse to pay?

VinLieger

Calling it progressive is ridiculous, god knows how we will be consuming media in even 10 years and whether we will even have physical connections for internet services.

This is a band aid at best but still subscribes to the archaic idea that we all should pay for a luxury service that many do not use at all

SterlingArcher

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Has it? Any examples of where this has been shown?

Patrick Hickey. And all RTE coverage of that story. Not an anomaly.

Sin City

If it gets added on to ISPs bills the likes of EIR SKY VIRGIN are gonna get the bulk of the abuse

Rumpy Pumpy

VinLieger wrote: »

Calling it progressive is ridiculous, god knows how we will be consuming media in even 10 years and whether we will even have physical connections for internet services.

This is a band aid at best but still subscribes to the archaic idea that we all should pay for a luxury service that many do not use at all

I don’t use the social welfare system. I’d rather not pay towards it. Actually, I like this idea. Scrap the broadcasting charge!

VinLieger

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

I don’t use the social welfare system. I’d rather not pay towards it. Actually, I like this idea. Scrap the broadcasting charge!

False equivalence, RTE is a luxury service, also social welfare is not funded through its own separate charge.

donegaLroad

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Have you watched TV3? Anyway apples and oranges comparison, one is mandated to be a full scale general broadcaster in radio and television with orchestras, choirs, Irish language support, cultural odds and sods etc. TV3 is soaps and ITV imports.

I listen to RTE radio quite a bit, their documentaries are very interesting and very well put together. I also like Drama on One, and also some of the music programs.

But RTE television? Lets just take a quick look at what is on today on RTE1

7am Teleshopping
8:25 Today with Maura and Daithi (I have never seen this so cant comment)
10:25 Dr. Phil
11:20 Shortland Street
11:50 Leaders Questions
12:45 Telly Bingo
13:00 News
13:30 Home and Away
14:00 Neighbours
14:30 Kevin Dundon's Modern Irish Food (this is probably good)
15:00 Fair City
15:30 Today with Maura and Daithi
17:40 Nuacht
18:00 News
19:00 Getaways (travel program)
19:30 Eastenders
20:00 Fair City

There is a current affairs program and a couple of dramas on after this, followed by a film, and of course more news.

Some of the Irish made programs are good, but they are far and few between. Everything else is repeats and fillers.

ThisRegard

K.Flyer wrote: »

What is the reason for wanting to charge penalise people an extra €48 for having a landline?
...
How do they plan to implement it if those who refuse to pay still refuse to pay?

That's the thing, I've no idea as to the relevance of a broadcasting charge with having a landline. You can have a landline and no TV or broadband and have to pay.

If you have broadband as well as a landline, what's the relevance of being charged double the price?

And if you refuse to pay, it's the service provider that deals with it, so she expects Eir, Vodafone, Sky etc to chase the customer up, I'm assuming she thinks that the thread of disconnection from the service will soften the cough of those who refuse to pay.

Rumpy Pumpy

VinLieger wrote: »

False equivalence, RTE is a luxury service, also social welfare is not funded through its own separate charge.

Having a state funded broadcaster is a luxury service? Better tell that to all the old dears around the country who listen to the radio, and might stick on Maura and Daithi this afternoon on the telly.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

Ulysses Gaze

VinLieger wrote: »

False equivalence, RTE is a luxury service, also social welfare is not funded through its own separate charge.

The only "Luxury" thing about RTE is the lap of luxury that the likes of Tubridy, Duffy, O'Callaghan et al live in thanks to the charity payments made by the Irish taxpayer.

BillyBobBS

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Giving out about RTÉ on the Internet comes as easily to some people as breathing. I’ve lived in countries with no state broadcaster. It’s crap. RTÉ aren’t perfect, but paying 180 a year for public service broadcasting isn’t bad value.

It's rubbish value. There isn't a single thing i'd watch on RTE or listen to on the RTE radio for entertainment purposes, not one. I pay for broadband and netflix and it works out at about 45 a month over the course of the year. People have moved on and RTE is no longer relevant in the modern age. It's time for them to stand on their own two feet.

Titzon Toast

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Giving out about RTÉ on the Internet comes as easily to some people as breathing. I’ve lived in countries with no state broadcaster. It’s crap. RTÉ aren’t perfect, but paying 180 a year for public service broadcasting isn’t bad value.

Hi Ryan.

VinLieger

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Having a state funded broadcaster is a luxury service? Better tell that to all the old dears around the country who listen to the radio, and might stick on Maura and Daithi this afternoon on the telly.

Doesnt make it any less of a luxury

BillyBobBS

And another thing what's the story with Montrose? RTE are millions in a hole and they are sitting on some of the most if not the most valued land in the country. Get the fcuk. Move to a green field site outside of Dublin and get with the times.

Rumpy Pumpy

BillyBobBS wrote: »

It's rubbish value. There isn't a single thing i'd watch on RTE or listen to on the RTE radio for entertainment purposes, not one. I pay for broadband and netflix and it works out at about 45 a month over the course of the year. People have moved on and RTE is no longer relevant in the modern age. It's time for them to stand on their own two feet.

You don’t watch it. That’s fine. I’m not sure you understand the idea of a state broadcaster though. It’s for society in general. So by everyone paying that means auld lads can watch GAA instead of having to pay SKY. Or those who don’t have broadband can still access news and current affairs. If we all just choose to pay for what we wanted then things would be pretty ropey pretty quickly.

Rumpy Pumpy

Titzon Toast wrote: »

Hi Ryan.

Yawn.

Your Face

Are the pubs closed today or something?

baylah17

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Having a state funded broadcaster is a luxury service? Better tell that to all the old dears around the country who listen to the radio, and might stick on Maura and Daithi this afternoon on the telly.

€15.6 on two orchastrestas is a luxury as is the whole RTE supporting the HIGH arts !!
The national broadcaster could provide an impartial news, current affairs and light entertainment schedule for fraction of what RTE costs , mainly due to huge amounts of money its pays to the likes of Joe Duffy, Marian Finnucan et al.

jmcc

Fascinating how there used to be an argument by RTE supporters that the reason that people like Tubridy et al were paid so much was because other broadcasters wanted them. BBC didn't seem to want Tubridy back since his little Alan Partridge effort as a replacement DJ.

Regards...jmcc