Why do we put up with paying 160 euro's for a TV license.

uncle_sam_ie · 21-09-2009 04:34PM #1

Why do we put up with paying 160 euro's for a TV license( Tax). I'm originally from the US and have lived in Ireland for 12 years now. When it was first brought to my attention that I needed to get a TV license, I honestly thought the guy was having me on. The concept of a TV license was completely alien to me. Now, I understand why it was introduced back in the 70s or 60's but, that was before we had satellite, cable TV and the internet. We don't need to be forced into paying for RTE in 2009. I would have no problem paying 50 euro's a year to keep TG4. I accept TG4, although i don't watch it, is culturally important with its Irish speaking content. RTE on the other hand is not a priority. Why as tax payers are we paying the mega huge wages to the likes of Gerry Ryan or Pat Kenny. If they're that great let them go off to Hollywood to make their fortune. I really feel RTE should be sold off and made to compete with out the tax payer. There are millions of Irish all over the world that would pay to see RTE, so I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem surviving on their own. I'd rather see my 160 euro's go to help get someone off a hospital trolly then toward Gerry Ryan's beach lounger on Miami beach.

Why do we as Irish tax payers put up with this?

lucylu · 21-09-2009 04:37PM

Its the Law

Winters · 21-09-2009 04:42PM

Gerry needs his white powder. No star should be cought wearing shirts with whites that are not whiter than white if the Das doorstep challenge people come a knocking.

Generally the reason for it is that its a national service which provides infromation to the coutnry without bias. The upkeep and development of an expensive broadcasting network for radio and television across the coutnry is not cheap.

I do understand the annoyance at paying for it when you have people getting paid outrageous amounts for poor productions/shows and the slow time its taking for theanalogue switchover. Maybe if RTE were forced to be more on the cutting edge with HD/Digital and had a stearner body to talk to (a-la BBC Trust in the UK) it could work to the public favour.

ScumLord · 21-09-2009 04:50PM

I don't put up with it, the tv's gone out the door a good while now.

Biggins · 21-09-2009 05:03PM

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Why do we put up with paying 160 euro's for a TV license( Tax). I'm originally from the US and have lived in Ireland for 12 years now. When it was first brought to my attention that I needed to get a TV license, I honestly thought the guy was having me on. The concept of a TV license was completely alien to me. Now, I understand why it was introduced back in the 70s or 60's but, that was before we had satellite, cable TV and the internet. We don't need to be forced into paying for RTE in 2009. I would have no problem paying 50 euro's a year to keep TG4. I accept TG4, although i don't watch it, is culturally important with its Irish speaking content. RTE on the other hand is not a priority. Why as tax payers are we paying the mega huge wages to the likes of Gerry Ryan or Pat Kenny. If they're that great let them go off to Hollywood to make their fortune. I really feel RTE should be sold off and made to compete with out the tax payer. There are millions of Irish all over the world that would pay to see RTE, so I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem surviving on their own. I'd rather see my 160 euro's go to help get someone off a hospital trolly then toward Gerry Ryan's beach lounger on Miami beach.

Why do we as Irish tax payers put up with this?

...because we are too complacent sheep.
End of thread!

m83 · 21-09-2009 05:04PM

I've never paid it, never will either.. and I've a 42" HDTV.. yum yum

Kalashnikov_Kid · 21-09-2009 05:04PM

Because too many idiots still watch TV

Vain · 21-09-2009 05:05PM

Because people like the government raping us.

/thread

greendom · 21-09-2009 05:06PM

So we don't get our programmes broken up with advertising, no wait that's not right, so why indeed?

Ruu_Old · 21-09-2009 05:07PM

Moved to TV licence forum.

humanji · 21-09-2009 05:08PM

Well Cafe En Seine charged too much for drinks and they're going bust. So here's hoping..

Jesus Wept · 21-09-2009 05:34PM

The shame.

af_thefragile · 21-09-2009 05:37PM

Ireland is the first country I have herd of where one needs to get a license to own a TV.
Next you'll have to get a license to use a lawnmower
Soon you'll have to get one for your toaster too...

21-09-2009 05:44PM

yea it's quite the joke alright.. never watch tele but have to pay my share in the house i live in. bs.

Capt'n Midnight · 21-09-2009 05:49PM

af_thefragile wrote: »

Ireland is the first country I have herd of where one needs to get a license to own a TV

:rolleyes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence
two-thirds of the countries in Europe and half of the countries in Asia and Africa use television licences to fund public television.

this has been done to death before
- you need a license if you have a TV tuner card in a pc or a video recorder
- US public service TV is dire
- the UK charge more than we do for a license

Mimikyu · 21-09-2009 05:52PM

This post has been deleted.

tman · 21-09-2009 05:53PM

af_thefragile wrote: »

Ireland is the first country I have herd of where one needs to get a license to own a TV.
Next you'll have to get a license to use a lawnmower
Soon you'll have to get one for your toaster too...

You mean you don't already have your toaster permit???
The fecking cheek of you, coming over here and enjoying free toast like you're some kind of king!

Joey the lips · 21-09-2009 05:54PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

:rolleyes:

this has been done to death before
-

agreed capt it has been done to death but no harm in doing it again. I see a thread every 2 days on cannibas and why not the TV licence

He is right let RTE go its own way.

I am all for TV3.

PCPhoto · 21-09-2009 05:58PM

surprised there isnt some smart ar$e in the government that had tried to bring in a pen1s or b00bs tax.....or maybe that was a text I got

spoofilyj · 21-09-2009 06:09PM

Cant believ this is back again so soon after the last one... Ever couple of weeks theres a new thread on TV licences or how to avoid it...

Havent got one, dont have a tv...

Joey the lips · 21-09-2009 06:13PM

spoofilyj wrote: »

Cant believ this is back again so soon after the last one... Ever couple of weeks theres a new thread on TV licences or how to avoid it...

Havent got one, dont have a tv...

Yes after corks loss yesterday I would have trown out my TV as well

Overheal · 21-09-2009 06:30PM

Biggins wrote: »

...because we are too complacent sheep.
End of thread!

Beat me to it :rolleyes:

Capt'n Midnight · 21-09-2009 06:30PM

Joey the lips wrote: »

agreed capt it has been done to death but no harm in doing it again. I see a thread every 2 days on cannibas and why not the TV licence

He is right let RTE go its own way.

I am all for TV3.

TV3

Oh you mean UTV-South

uncle_sam_ie · 21-09-2009 06:40PM

spoofilyj wrote: »

Cant believ this is back again so soon after the last one... Ever couple of weeks theres a new thread on TV licences or how to avoid it...

Havent got one, dont have a tv...

I,m not asking how to avoid it. I just don't get why people in Ireland have resigned to paying it. Stupid laws can be changed. There are more important things to fund in this country like schools and healthcare then funding an a totally unnecessary entertainment network. Providing a national information service without bias could easily be done on TG4 at a much cheaper yearly fee.

greendom · 21-09-2009 06:45PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

:rolleyes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence
two-thirds of the countries in Europe and half of the countries in Asia and Africa use television licences to fund public television.

this has been done to death before
- you need a license if you have a TV tuner card in a pc or a video recorder
- US public service TV is dire
- the UK charge more than we do for a license

Yes thank God for the UK and its higher than our tv licence. At least there's some decent stuff to watch on tv.

biko · 21-09-2009 06:47PM

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Why do we put up with paying 160 euro's for a TV license( Tax). I'm originally from the US and have lived in Ireland for 12 years now.

Hey Des, you can probably make a show about it?

meathstevie · 21-09-2009 07:04PM

greendom wrote: »

Yes thank God for the UK and its higher than our tv licence. At least there's some decent stuff to watch on tv.

You'll see the cost isn't that different. Even when taking the economies of scale into account RTE hardly invests any money in program development. Instead they just have the same roundrobin of third rate parish celebreties interviewing eachother and calling it a talkshow. To top it all off the drivel is interrupted with massive amounts of advertising.

mikemac · 21-09-2009 07:21PM

Don't know was it mentioned but it pays for RTE Symphony Orchestra.
They run a lot of free concerts

And it funds the RTE Concert Orchestra.
I know these are two seperate groups but I've no idea what the difference is.

Two orchestras for 160 euro, sure what more do you want?

Wompa1 · 21-09-2009 07:37PM

Winters wrote: »

Generally the reason for it is that its a national service which provides infromation to the coutnry without bias. The upkeep and development of an expensive broadcasting network for radio and television across the coutnry is not cheap..

In fairness theres plenty of bias but maybe its not so clear since its bias that backs up what we've been fed all our lives here. Thankfully the internet has gotten popular and theres other sources.

Ed_ · 21-09-2009 07:47PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

:rolleyes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence
two-thirds of the countries in Europe and half of the countries in Asia and Africa use television licences to fund public television.

this has been done to death before
- you need a license if you have a TV tuner card in a pc or a video recorder
- US public service TV is dire
- the UK charge more than we do for a license

Let's not allow sensible thinking get in the way of misinformed debate.

uncle_sam_ie · 21-09-2009 08:17PM

mikemac wrote: »

Don't know was it mentioned but it pays for RTE Symphony Orchestra.
They run a lot of free concerts

And it funds the RTE Concert Orchestra.
I know these are two seperate groups but I've no idea what the difference is.

Two orchestras for 160 euro, sure what more do you want?

I have no interest in going to an Orchestra, but I know music and the arts are important for Ireland so, I'd have no problem paying taxes for that. But, paying taxes so we can see imported shows from the US and Briton is a total waste of our money. They serve absolutely no cultural value. There are a lot of families out there, mine included, that are finding it hard to make ends meet in this recession only to be forced into paying for an intertainment network. I've canceled Sky to make ends meet. I can't cancel RTE. And, doesn't anyone find it unbelievable that tax payers are giving Gerry Ryan €600k a year? It's just wrong.

Why do we put up with paying 160 euro's for a TV license.

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