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

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 22-09-2009 12:35PM

positron wrote: »

Can I avoid this stupid pre wordwar tax by disabling the tuner component of my telly?

No, I read somewhere that you even need a license for a broken television.
Anything that's capable of being repaired to receive a signal.

Ed_ wrote: »

If you do not pay for the television licence then what right have you to criticise RTÉ?

Possibly the fact that they're subject to large fines or jail time.
And since when you do you need the right to criticise something?

Ed_ · 22-09-2009 12:51PM

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote: »

Possibly the fact that they're subject to large fines or jail time.
And since when you do you need the right to criticise something?

Only if they break the law. If they do not wish to pay the Irish television licence then get rid of their television.

ScumLord · 22-09-2009 01:02PM

layke wrote: »

It works well, and proves in my mind without a shadow of a doubt that TV licenses are in fact a load of big hairy b*****x.

That's not true, just look at the BBC, it's an excellent service and produces some of the best television in the world.

bakedbean wrote: »

What confuses me is how RTE gets money from ads, sponsorship AND TV licences and still manages to produce such BS. If the licence fee was used to directly support independent Irish production companies, not through the RTE filter, we would have much more varied and higher quality programmes.

The other thing it does is put RTE in the back pockets of their advertisers. But that's the public sector for you, they'd sell their arses to the highest bidder.

artvandulet · 22-09-2009 01:02PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

:rolleyes:

- the UK charge more than we do for a license

For a much more high quality service and more importantly - BBC HAVE NO ADS!!

RTE have their cake and eat it with TV Licence revenue and advertising.

krudler · 22-09-2009 01:03PM

Never paid it, I simply refuse to, its an antiquated tax to keep overpaid gobshytes like Tubridy and Ryan in donuts and coffee, RTE already make money from revenue from ads, they show either homemade rubbish like Maeve Higgins and Jason Byrnes new shows or recycle 13 year old episodes of Father Ted and imported American shows, its not worth paying and Irish people need to cop on and simply refuse to pay it. I pay for Sky, thats enough, not enough people question RTE morals behind it "well you just have to, sit down and shut up about it" seems to be the standard RTE response

ScumLord · 22-09-2009 01:13PM

krudler wrote: »

I pay for Sky, thats enough, not enough people question RTE morals behind it "well you just have to, sit down and shut up about it" seems to be the standard RTE response

I think Sky is even worse than RTE, you barely get any more choice as once you take out all the repeated junk there's little left to watch that's worth watching. The advertising is crazy too, there's just to much of it.

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 22-09-2009 01:31PM

Ed_ wrote: »

Only if they break the law. If they do not wish to pay the Irish television licence then get rid of their television.

Well, whether you're paying the licence, risking fines, or going without a TV for the sake of RTÉ, everyone has a stake in it somehow.

uncle_sam_ie · 22-09-2009 02:08PM

Ed_ wrote: »

Only if they break the law. If they do not wish to pay the Irish television licence then get rid of their television.

It's not that easy. You can use a TV for other things besides receiving RTE. Like watching DVD's or playing the xbox. I use it as a computer monitor for my work. Why should I throw out a perfectly good television so as not to pay the RTE tax. If you want RTE and have no problems paying Gerry's huge wage ,then fine you pay for it. But, leave me out. I shouldn't have to pay tax so you can watch Tubridy. Taxes should be spent on things that are more important like schools or roads, not on an unnecessary entertainment network.

bakedbean · 22-09-2009 02:40PM

Ed_ wrote: »

You can honestly say that you watch nothing transmitted by RTÉ. I bet you do. And what you watch I can guarantee others think it is bull****.

i) Nope, I don't. In fairness I TRY to watch RTE occasionally but then think 'what a pile of smellies' and switch over/off.

ii) I'm sure plenty of people think what I watch is bull****. Having different interests/ hobbies/ political leanings/ religions etc (and watching programmes about them) makes life interesting. My point is that much of RTE programming involves regurgitating old ideas or copying directly from other TV channels.

Have a look at http://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/ and recommend something outstanding to me then:p

ScumLord · 22-09-2009 03:06PM

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

It's not that easy. You can use a TV for other things besides receiving RTE. Like watching DVD's or playing the xbox. I use it as a computer monitor for my work. Why should I throw out a perfectly good television so as not to pay the RTE tax. If you want RTE and have no problems paying Gerry's huge wage ,then fine you pay for it. But, leave me out. I shouldn't have to pay tax so you can watch Tubridy. Taxes should be spent on things that are more important like schools or roads, not on an unnecessary entertainment network.

Sell the TV and just get a very large monitor to replace it. Most monitors of that size come with a range of inputs Mine had a DVI, HDMI and SVGA. If your using the PC for just about everything all you'll need is a HDMI for the XBox. I know it's a tad more complicated but it's worth it for the smug satisfaction you'll feel knowing your free of the tv inspector.

Biggins · 22-09-2009 03:10PM

artvandulet wrote: »

For a much more high quality service and more importantly - BBC HAVE NO ADS!!

RTE have their cake and eat it with TV Licence revenue and advertising.

RTE - pure rubbish.
BBC - no ads - classic TV many times.

Here by the way is the next turn of events for tv.
Look like it's going downhill even more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8252901.stm

Just wait till RTE catch on and do same. You thought it couldn't get any worse?
Wait a while!

Ed_ · 22-09-2009 04:01PM

To all those who say "look at the BBC, better programmes and no ads", do you really think you would be saying the same if the BBC had a population of this size to get licence fee money from? Like hell you would.

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

It's not that easy. You can use a TV for other things besides receiving RTE. Like watching DVD's or playing the xbox. I use it as a computer monitor for my work. Why should I throw out a perfectly good television so as not to pay the RTE tax. If you want RTE and have no problems paying Gerry's huge wage ,then fine you pay for it. But, leave me out. I shouldn't have to pay tax so you can watch Tubridy. Taxes should be spent on things that are more important like schools or roads, not on an unnecessary entertainment network.

Going by this thinking I would like all of that tax money that's taken from me to pay for social welfare, childrens allowance and so on to be put back in my wages. I mean I don't use it so why pay for it. That wont ever happen though and why should it. Some people use it

krudler · 22-09-2009 04:07PM

Ed_ wrote: »

To all those who say "look at the BBC, better programmes and no ads", do you really think you would be saying the same if the BBC had a population of this size to get licence fee money from? Like hell you would.

Going by this thinking I would like all of that tax money that's taken from me to pay for social welfare, childrens allowance and so on to be put back in my wages. I mean I don't use it so why pay for it. That wont ever happen though and why should it. Some people use it

But you can claim back tax every year for loads of different things, RTE dont refund you for stuff you dont watch

Ed_ · 22-09-2009 04:11PM

I claim all taxes back? That's news to me. I best call the tax office only to be told to **** off.

uncle_sam_ie · 22-09-2009 04:45PM

Ed_ wrote: »

Going by this thinking I would like all of that tax money that's taken from me to pay for social welfare, childrens allowance and so on to be put back in my wages. I mean I don't use it so why pay for it. That wont ever happen though and why should it. Some people use it

There is a huge difference. Educating our children, providing healthcare, repairing our roads all benefit the future growth of Ireland. RTE does not. It's a complete unnecessary waste of the tax payers money. How can €600K a year to Gerry help us prosper as a nation?

Biggins · 22-09-2009 04:47PM

Now this is what I want to see on a TV -
For this I'd pay a license!

krudler · 22-09-2009 04:50PM

Ed_ wrote: »

I claim all taxes back? That's news to me. I best call the tax office only to be told to **** off.

No but rent, doctors bills etc you can, its all here:

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/credits/index.html

Richie..Galway · 23-09-2009 01:15AM

Ed_ wrote: »

If you do not pay for the television licence then what right have you to criticise RTÉ?

I have every right, I'm irish i pay my taxes and want to watch our national champions compete in the WORLD championships if i have to watch BBC to see them then why pay the poxy licence,I would rather pay the British licence in this case. I can also watch a full F1 race without an advert with BBC , RTE had F1 for a few seasons and there were add breaks every 10 mins, thats not value for money so screw them. If they did show these world events without advertising then i would pay the licence.

Richie..Galway · 23-09-2009 01:36AM

Ed_ wrote: »

Going by this thinking I would like all of that tax money that's taken from me to pay for social welfare, childrens allowance and so on to be put back in my wages. I mean I don't use it so why pay for it. That wont ever happen though and why should it. Some people use it

i don't think you are grasping our point, i pay 1500 a year in road tax thats fine with me i use my car, i took home over 70,000 last year and paid well over 20,000 in tax, i have no problem with that either as it is supposedly being put to good use by the government which it isn't but thats another argument. my point is why pay TV licence if i'm not using the product.
also just in case you use the argument that the revenue is used for other things outside TV well it is..radio 1, lyric Fm etc

Bandit12 · 23-09-2009 07:58AM

TV licence man knocks at door. Do you have a TV licence? "No i have'nt got a TV". End of story. Don't give some ****ty excuse just say no and close the door.

sbsquarepants · 23-09-2009 10:34AM

A simple measure of the percieved value to the irish people of RTE is this, if RTE was made a subscription channel rather than free to air and offered to the public for the princely sum of 3 quid a week, what percentage of households would deem it worthy of that vast expense? my guess is maybe 10%. I occasionally watch RTE, i can't honestly ever remember seeing something that i thought was fantastic, not once ever in the past 35 years!! If i had a choice i would not recieve RTE and would certainly not miss it, about the only decent show they have is no frontiers and as far as i know they don't even make that! I also don't pay the licence fee cos i choose not to, mainly on principle, partly out of wanting to keep the money. If RTEs "talent" are so talented why do none of them ever get poached, as far as i can tell hardly anyone ever starts on RTE and moves to bigger and better things, so why does RTE reckon they're worth these vast salaries? cut their pay in quarters, eights in some cases and they'll still stay with you cos no one else would f#cking take them at any price!! Another squanderous waste of your, not mine cos i don't pay it, money. Disgracefull. end of!!!

Cian92 · 23-09-2009 09:06PM

Im quite happy to pay the fee, because RTE has less advertising, it still has too much but.. In America there TV is an absolute a load of crap, if you think RTE is bad for the ads, American TV is disgraceful for it. I pay it for the less advertising and the RTE orchestra. Also to support TG4.

Johnnnybravo · 23-09-2009 09:13PM

Because of the fine if you dont pay.

JohnSmith101 · 24-09-2009 01:55AM

In my house we all stopped watching TV about 16 months back and just stated we did not use any receiving equipment in the property.

They hassled us for a while more until we took down the antenna.

Don't miss anything and can catch most stuff worth catching online at my convenience.

Capt'n Midnight · 24-09-2009 10:27AM

Cian92 wrote: »

Im quite happy to pay the fee, because RTE has less advertising, it still has too much but.. In America there TV is an absolute a load of crap, if you think RTE is bad for the ads, American TV is disgraceful for it. I pay it for the less advertising and the RTE orchestra. Also to support TG4.

In Italy they have 3-10 second ads when the ball goes out of play during socer matches, like throw ins

caseyann · 24-09-2009 12:01PM

So does this mean if i get all cable related to tv channels removed from my house,and watch only dvds.I dont have to pay 160 anymore?:D

It used to be only 5 pounds.It took colossal hike in how much it cost.For what RTE is just a crap as it used to be.

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

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