Cancelling TV licence in protest

kerryjack

Not paying it here and have paid it for last 20 odd years but no more. The Kerry v Tyrone game is not even on it the week end, I must have asked about 20 people in the last week are they going to renew there licence and most of the never got a licence in first place. Would love a pole on this see who is going to keep paying for these wasters.

AmpMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120786775#Comment_120786775

What's owning houses got to do with TV licenses ? 🤣

Just wanted to get some bragging done?

Iecrawfc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120786880#Comment_120786880

Even though your 160 Euro, in aggregate, is being used to pay people exorbidant salaries for very little work, send people to rugby/champions league finals, or enrich an agent doing little more than rent selling on others work, c'mere I've a bridge to sell you for 160 Euro!

paxreseuropa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120785703#Comment_120785703

I would assume that this would be the case due to the nature of the agreement. There is of course no substantial issues with the original contract apart from the underwriting of it by RTE at the behest of Dee Forbes.

If Renault wanted to enter into an agreement with Ryan Tubridy and RTE and it benefited all parties and was above board then there would be no issues. The issue arises from the fact that after Year 1 Renault pulled out of the contract which left RTE liable to pick up the tab for it.

Now it is arguable that the extra monies paid to Tubridy still came from advertising revenue through the Barter account and he was continued to be paid from said account. Where the issue lies is RTE underwrote the agreement and continued to pay Tubridy what was now essentially a top-up payment of almost €75,000 per annum which was never disclosed (as like the original agreement involving Renault wasn't either). In addition to this, due to the underwriting by RTE they also funded Renault Corporate Events which Tubridy as per the rules of the agreement was still obligated to attend these events for Renault, or risk breaching the contract resulting in non-payment of his fee.

And I understand some might be thinking 'Well where's the issue':

1. Dee Forbes and RTE have been crying poverty and lobbying successive governments to increase the TV Licence Fee and to also broaden its reach to include laptops, tablets and even smartphones, and possibly even to those who don't have any of these devices.
2. Neither RTE not Tubridy disclosed this information to the public or to Oireachtas Committees which they are obligated to do so due to the nature of the company and their funding mechanism. They repeatedly lied over the course of several years and understated Tubridy's salary by almost €350,000 during the period.
3. They lied again when they announced that Tubridy took a pay cut when in fact we now know while he did, it was not necessarily true due to the agreement.
4. While they were giving Tubridy is Golden Package they were cutting the pay of general staff and laying others off.

I could go on and on and on, and the situation is only going to get worse.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120787006#Comment_120787006

No, just indicative of house moves. I owned 2 houses at the same time would be bragging!

Ginger83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120785497#Comment_120785497

Political suicide

ZookeeperDub

A poll was ran in my area. The numbers went up and down and some items added but it ended up with

58% saying they will not pay

9% never paid it before anyway

23% said they would continue to pay

Then random stuff afterwards

That is a huge loss to RTE if in fact 58% who have paid previously will stop. I am undecided at the moment, my feeling is nothing will happen and this will blow over. RTE will continue as is and then it will be left to refuse to pay it.

ZookeeperDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120786880#Comment_120786880

160 euro is not big money no matter what people will say. Most would blow that alone on one night out.

I don't mind paying the 160 and I have always said we need a national broadcaster but to be honest at this stage if I refuse to pay it, it won't be becauase I want to save 160. It will be because it will seem the only way to get change in RTE.

jackofalltrades

I could see people stopping paying their TV licence, in protest at what's going on, causing real problems for RTE in the short term.

Even if people held off until they got threating legal letters it'll still cause an interruption in revenue.

An Post's collection costs will go up, leading to less revenue for RTE.

There's only so many people you can take to court before the system gets overwhelmed.

The current collection system is largely based on people obediently paying up.

It won't last long once people realise that they can avoid it by simply closing the door on the licence inspector and not giving their name.

I can't see a new broadcasting charge getting off the ground either.

A new tax, to pay a deeply unpopular organisation with an election on the horizon, can't see many politicians wanting to defend that while out canvasing.

Revenue have already said they don't want any part in it and their database wouldn't cover all houses.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120787120#Comment_120787120

Nope, vast majority will just suck it up the way they do with USC

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120787109#Comment_120787109

Plus you might bring a tribunal down on your head...

corner of hells

I’ve a confession to make , I’m related to a prominent RTE presenter I wish I was related to Joe Stalin or Adolf Eichmann.

Dont hate me.

Scipri0

None of them can seem to give a straight answer either when questioned and i've noticed most of the time we see organistions being questioned like this and it's all the same. "Not off the top of my head" "I can't recall" "I'll have to get them for you" etc. It's happening not just with RTÉ but others as well. People have stopped paying the licence fee and still will do more damage, so i wonder will they be still switching to the "Media Broadband Fee"? Health reasons my arse, You were healthy just a week ago! Parasites.

paxreseuropa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120787148#Comment_120787148

Its not the figure of €160 that's the issue it is the principal of it. Besides, almost 20% of the population are living in poverty with a further 41% at risk of poverty. The applications for Social Welfare assistance are through the roof and there's a backlog of months for people, Rent Supplement and HAP tenancies have also increased; people are having to choose between bills, rent/mortgage, and grocery shopping; they have next to or even zero quality of life.

So yeah in today's economy €160 is actually quite a lot for a lot of people. Better in their pocket than bumping Tubridy's salary by a further €75,000 a year or paying for Renault Corporate Events or on coaches for the board to travel to Croke Park from a restaurant that was within walking distance of the establishment, all paid for with the People's Money.

ZookeeperDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120788344#Comment_120788344

Im not getting into a discussion about the wealth of the Irish population

As I pointed out the question is if people should pay when potentially the money is wasted, on the items you mentioned.

DownByTheGarden

Havent paid it in about 5 years.

Dont know if the inspector has ever called. If someone is at the door and I dont recognize them or they havent called me earlier to say they would be calling up then they are standing at the door as long as they like without the door being answered. Good luck to them.

whisky_galore

Never paid it. The inspector called during working hours when I wasn't there. Never encountered him or her.

Got the odd mildly threatening 'occupier' letter. Fück off for yourselves.

The OP is a hard man

Well, I'm paying I love RTE Radio 1.

paxreseuropa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120788481#Comment_120788481

The wealth of the Irish population? I could be taking you up wrong here so I'll back but are you saying the Irish population are wealthy?

No, they absolutely should not pay for the TV Licence. They should never have paid for it; its an outrageous tax and it should be unconstitutional!!

ZookeeperDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120789263#Comment_120789263

"should be unconstitutional" sorry but what sort of rubbish is that? do you understand what the Irish Constitution is and how important it is?

Ireland and the people of Ireland need a national broadcaster. That is not up for debate. The best method to pay for that is via a TV license. You want a tv then buy a license. Simple

The issue here is the wastage of that money by RTE. If people cancel or refuse to pay their license that should be to demand changes to RTE that will mean money is not wasted anymore. That RTE deliver a product which all the people of Ireland require.

paxreseuropa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120789339#Comment_120789339

Yes it should be! There is no difference between forcing the Irish public to pay the RTE Annual Conscription Charge or a subscription for Netflix. Yes, any half-wit would understand what a constitution is; I don't see why you are so perplexed at the idea of the TV Licence Fee being unconstitutional.

I'm not refuting that we don't need a national broadcaster but out of interest why do you think we need one? I disagree, the best method is not by forcing every household to subscribe to a service that they may or may not use, its outrageous. I should not have to pay an annual charge to watch a television that I purchased; simple!! Besides, they want to include laptops, tablets, and even smartphones; I suppose you're in favour of that too are you?

The issue is there's too many issues with RTE to justify the continuation of the TV Licence Fee or the company itself.

ZookeeperDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120789372#Comment_120789372

"Any half wit" yet you talk about using the constitution for a TV license. I will let you join the dots yourself.

Nobody is forced, you don't have to buy a TV.

If you think a TV licenses is "outrageous" then honestly I think we should leave it at that. Im sick of the over the top reactions to every single requirement in life. Don't buy a TV, don't pay a license. "Simples" as you say!!

Potential-Monke

Problem with that argument is that I have a pretty decent tv specifically for gaming/streaming (an equivlant spec monitor is nearly twice the price, the "budget" option for the same screen size is the same price, but alot less spec). An RTE program hasn't even graced the screen. But I still have to pay for it just because I have a tv. It's a stupid law. Well, I don't have to pay because I'm a failed-mortgage/life 40 year old living with his mammy, and I had to pay it while I was a Garda before that, but if I had to pay now, I wouldn't.

It should be a subscription service, or at the very least directly government funded for a one of each tv channel/radio station/website/publication. It shouldn't have private advertising if the latter is the case. But no, they're still gonna try and go ahead with the broadcasting charge so that everyone has to pay. Totally fair.

Mo Ghile Mear

If you never watch RTE then I can see the point of not wanting to support it. But a lot of people do watch it and depend on it for current affairs coverage and Gaelic sport etc. If we lose the public broadcasting service side of it I dread to think what would replace it, going by the tripe you see on commercial stations. Ad break after ad break and endless filler and US rubbish. I don’t mind paying for it, I’d be lost without it, and RTE radio.

Mo Ghile Mear

It seems to me that there is a whole new generation who get their news and base their opinions on Facebook and Twitter etc, they don’t hear the debate around social issues that public broadcasting provides. And it’s beginning to tell on the reasoning behind a lot of the social unrest that we see recently.

Purple Mountain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784368#Comment_120784368

If the inspector does come to the door, tell him/her that you give them full permission for your licence to be paid from the undeclared bonuses that you know Mr Tubridy is going to return to the coffers.

wush06

I’ll probably feel a bit sorry for any inspector knocking on people’s doors now I’ll say they will get a bit of abuse more then the normal now.

mockler007

Cancelling? Hahahaha.

20 years and counting.

3 grand saved to date.

And If I do get caught, which I won't, I will just buy a license on the way over to court.

Here you go judge.

I do however, support Irish movies etc by going to see the film or buying the merch.

Other than that, fcuk rte

Potential-Monke

I'd say there's no inspectors being sent out these days, not for a while at least I'd imagine. As one, I'd probably be refusing on health and safety grounds until this is all resolved.

Also, no issue if everyone had to pay a small bit to get the minimum required for state broadcasting. I don't however want to pay overinflated egos overinflated wages. Kielty is coming in, he will get 3/4's of a million over 3 years, for 2-3 hours week 30 weeks each year. He would have got €50k travel to ensure he could come all the way from London in time, and back again. But no, the good lad waived that (after the current scandal broke). I don't want to fund the bones of 3 million on 10 presenters. I don't want to fund an organisation who won't tell us actual overall facts and figures (that's just the top 10, how much in general is gone on wages?). I don't want to fund a "barter" account which sends unidentified clients to sporting events around the world.

The TV license should be nowhere near €160 per household. It should be as little as possible to get the basics out. Anything after that, create a new channel and rely on advertising, not the people, to pay these people far, far more than they should ever have received. Who thinks Kielty is worth 3/4's of a million? Where did that figure come from? Why can't they get someone for €50k for what is essentially 60-90 hours work A YEAR! These top earners need to be told they're now getting 10% or off you can fuk. No doubt they have very lucrative buyouts in the contracts.

So no, I'm not against a tv licence. I'm against a funding diks life fund.