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How would you reform the tv licence collection ?

2»

Comments

  • #52
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,864 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »
    Not in the slightest.They provide a great service to the public unlike our national broadcaster which is only another gravy train.
    It's full of talentless hacks and bloated up with people on the gravy train like all the other quangos in this country.

    The same applies to nearly all state funded operations. You could include parts of the civil service, the legal profession, the universities, the HSE, and many more.

    RTE is at least independent of the Government.


  • #53
    Elmo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »
    Not in the slightest.They provide a great service to the public unlike our national broadcaster which is only another gravy train.
    It's full of talentless hacks and bloated up with people on the gravy train like all the other quangos in this country.

    Never set foot in either time for them to go IMO


  • #54
    FRIENDO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,393 ✭✭✭FRIENDO


    Cliff Walker wrote:
    I would look at adding 18 euro monthly to the electricity bill or else to the property tax and council rents.


    What's with the price increase?

    At the moment I pay €13.33 per month.

    But yes something should be done to include more people paying a TV licence, possibly an extra separate payment added to the property tax, it could actually see the tv licence fee reduced with more people paying.


  • #55
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 22,407 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    FRIENDO wrote: »
    it could actually see the tv licence fee reduced with more people paying.

    Do you honestly believe that?


  • #56
    FRIENDO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,393 ✭✭✭FRIENDO


    Pawwed Rig wrote:
    Do you honestly believe that?

    A price reduction
    Initially yes, it could be used as a selling point in getting the public on-board with a new system.
    With more people paying it would most definitely raise more revenue.

    It's also important that the tv licence fee is kept separate from general taxisation so the monies collected is not spent on something else.


  • #57
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 22,407 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    FRIENDO wrote: »
    It's also important that the tv licence fee is kept separate from general taxisation so the monies collected is not spent on something else.

    Why?


  • #58
    Elmo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Pawwed Rig wrote: »
    Why?

    More so that the government cannot influence the national broadcaster.


  • #59
    FRIENDO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,393 ✭✭✭FRIENDO


    Pawwed Rig wrote:
    Why?

    It's not my intention to get political, however to answer your question.

    If the collection of TV licence was done in tandem with the property tax, it would be important the figure raised stayed separate from the property tax raised.

    Like with the property tax it's was supposed to fund local authorities libraries, Fire Service etc.
    However the funding of our local services has been disputed.
    That possibly the money collected for LPT was spent else where with nothing to do with local services.

    By keeping the collection of TV licence separate we could account for how that money and exact figure is being clearly invested/funding on our behalf.

    Again sorry if I'm going off topic, just answering the question.


  • #60
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,864 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    FRIENDO wrote: »
    It's not my intention to get political, however to answer your question.

    If the collection of TV licence was done in tandem with the property tax, it would be important the figure raised stayed separate from the property tax raised.

    Like with the property tax it's was supposed to fund local authorities libraries, Fire Service etc.
    However the funding of our local services has been disputed.
    That possibly the money collected for LPT was spent else where with nothing to do with local services.

    By keeping the collection of TV licence separate we could account for how that money and exact figure is being clearly invested/funding on our behalf.

    Again sorry if I'm going off topic, just answering the question.

    The money required to fund broadcasting should be kept out of politics because it affects politics. How many times has the then government tried to muzzle RTE or reduce its influence. How many times has the Catholic Church (through from Archbishop John Charles Maquade (who wanted to oversee all sermons broadcast by RTE) to Ray Burke (the less said about him the better).

    LPT was diverted to pay for Irish Water - but not only that, it is not even a local tax as it is redistributed around the councils so Dublin does not get all its LPT.

    This is what happens to funds that can be raided by governments. They divert money from one fund to another without any oversight or comeback.

    A simple tax (say €10 or €12 per month) that cannot be avoided that produces the current yield is what is needed. Putting a charge on electricity cannot be avoided and is free to collect (more or less). Putting the charge onto LPT would work but it is not a consumption base so would not sit well - do landlords pay for tenants?

    At the end of the day, it is a political decision and in the current atmosphere, it is time to kick the can.


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  • #61
    FRIENDO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,393 ✭✭✭FRIENDO


    Sam Russell wrote:
    Putting a charge on electricity cannot be avoided and is free to collect (more or less).

    I don't like the idea of putting the charge on the electricity bill.
    Some private companies are involved in the collection and administration of electricity bills.
    They won't do it for free, nor do I like the idea of private operators handling our money.
    The current system has to change, and the present Govt will possibly do nothing and just kick the can down the road.


  • #62
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,864 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    FRIENDO wrote: »
    I don't like the idea of putting the charge on the electricity bill.
    Some private companies are involved in the collection and administration of electricity bills.
    They won't do it for free, nor do I like the idea of private operators handling our money.
    The current system has to change, and the present Govt will possibly do nothing and just kick the can down the road.

    ESB Networks is the central provider of electricity billing. They add it to their charges. Simples.


  • #63
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 22,407 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    Could the people that want RTE not pay for it and leave the rest of us out of it?


  • #64
    alan partridge aha
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,257 ✭✭✭alan partridge aha


    Get rid of Darcy and Tubs off the airwaves and I'd say people would be queuing up to pay the licence.:D


  • #65
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,854 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    Private companies are everyday involved in the administration of income tax, PRSI, USC, VAT, and other taxes besides so I'm not sure why there can be any objection to them being invovled in the administration of the licence fee on that basis - it's a horse that well and truly bolted many decades ago.

    However, I am now personally of the belief that there is no will to reform the system any more and that the present system will be here for at least the lifetime of the present Government and probably the one after that.


  • #66
    FRIENDO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,393 ✭✭✭FRIENDO


    I do hope that the collection of licence fee is reformed someway.
    The evasion figure at the moment is somewhere between 13% - 14%,
    The present collection system is outdated and expensive also I would imagine.


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  • #67
    zg3409
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,875 ✭✭✭zg3409


    First I think it is unrealistic to close RTE. Possibly reform, but closing is unrealistic. I think there is a need for some sort of subsidy to RTE/whoever is producing content that is deemed nonviable but needed.

    There is also the costs of broadcasting Saorview which need to be paid (now called 2rn). It is impossible to make RTE TV a paid service as paid for Saorview would never work. Closing down Saorview will never happen due to a need to have TV broadcasts not based outside Ireland.

    RTE has problems, but to be fair much of the content they make in house, is good quality, when you compare it to state broadcasters of similar size in other countries. If you look at the few actual programmes they do produce you can see why there is a need to fill the schedule with cheap imported content. This non Irish content help subsidise the rest, and prevent non stop repeats of home grown content. We are very lucky in Ireland not to have to pay the BBC licence, yet have access to most UK channels for free. Most people in the UK cannot access Irish channels.

    The OP asked the question of how to collect the money, I agree an ESB or property type tax is fairest. I would also probably save money wasted on current collection, and put RTE in a more stable position. The issue at the moment is the politicians are afraid of a "new tax" and the unstable government. I think the can will continue to be pushed down the road as it is an unpopular decision to be made.


  • #68
    FRIENDO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,393 ✭✭✭FRIENDO


    zg3409 wrote:
    We are very lucky in Ireland not to have to pay the BBC licence, yet have access to most UK channels for free. Most people in the UK cannot access Irish channels.

    Yes we are lucky, but this may not last for long, possibly another 20 years.
    Adventually terrestrial and satellite could have its day, we could be looking at Internet streaming being the alternative. If this happens overspill will no longer be a luxury as viewing of stations will possibly be through an ip address.


  • #69
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,854 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    Internet streaming won't replace broadcast TV for as long as it can't cope with live events. One of my pet peeves with both RTE Player and 3Player is that, not only do neither have the infrastructure to cope with live events, but they'll make you sit through three minutes worth of adverts before you see anything - even if the event is in progress. Furthermore if the stream drops (as it is wont to do) you've to sit through the three minutes of adverts again. During the Euros I attempted to watch a match on the 3player on a bus and after my third time being forced to watch the same adverts I gave up.


  • #70
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,864 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    icdg wrote: »
    Internet streaming won't replace broadcast TV for as long as it can't cope with live events. One of my pet peeves with both RTE Player and 3Player is that, not only do neither have the infrastructure to cope with live events, but they'll make you sit through three minutes worth of adverts before you see anything - even if the event is in progress. Furthermore if the stream drops (as it is wont to do) you've to sit through the three minutes of adverts again. During the Euros I attempted to watch a match on the 3player on a bus and after my third time being forced to watch the same adverts I gave up.

    Exactly. The greed of both RTE and TV3 comes to the fore. They should have built the demand before demanding we watch irrelevant, bad adverts before we see anything. It is particularly bad because the technology does not work reliably.


  • #71
    Elmo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    Exactly. The greed of both RTE and TV3 comes to the fore. They should have built the demand before demanding we watch irrelevant, bad adverts before we see anything. It is particularly bad because the technology does not work reliably.

    I didn't think RTE did it as much at the beginning of the programme. TV3 even for a 5minute programme has 10 minutes of ads.

    2rn should really start providing large scale servers that can cope with Internet Streaming.


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  • #72
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,864 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    Elmo wrote: »
    I didn't think RTE did it as much at the beginning of the programme. TV3 even for a 5minute programme has 10 minutes of ads.

    2rn should really start providing large scale servers that can cope with Internet Streaming.

    I do not know about TV3 as I never tried to watch it but I have had to give up on the RTE Player as it is so bad. I would have thought that they should build the audience before imposing adverts - at least not before the programme starts.


  • #73
    Elmo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    I do not know about TV3 as I never tried to watch it but I have had to give up on the RTE Player as it is so bad. I would have thought that they should build the audience before imposing adverts - at least not before the programme starts.

    unless the show is sponsored I don't think any programme should start with ads, happy to sit through me at breaks. Though last time I watch 4all it was the same 4 ads constantly :(


  • #74
    Phat Dick
    Closed Accounts Posts: 82 ✭✭Phat Dick


    Nonsense is back in the news today about a household levy and local newspapers getting a slice


  • #75
    mikeecho
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭mikeecho


    The only people I know that have a tv licence are oap' s

    And they don't pay for it either.

    ... oh no.. I've said too much


  • #76
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,854 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    Doesnt matter what you said, we don’t drag up old threads....


This discussion has been closed.
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