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Child Item

TV licence

Tea_Bag

not really sure what forum to post this on, but ill try here...

Got a letter in the post this morning informing me that my house hasnt got a TV license on record and that an inspector will be in the area in the near future. it also goes on to say that its €160 or something for the license.

Now, i'm a pretty broke student, but some of my housemates are even more broke than me, so getting 40 euro from each of them isnt gonna be easy. i can barely get bills paid because they take soo long to come up with the cash.

My question is, should i get a license, or is the letter just some bluff and no inspector is really coming.

i wouldnt mind paying if it wasnt so expensive, and if i ever watched rte, but the channel is crap whenever i turn it on and it just seems a little rich to be paying for something i dont use..

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L1011

mikom wrote: »

What's a public service broadcaster then?

A broadcaster which performs a public service. Something of no relevance to a TV being a luxury.

PaulByrne'sBald

Heard they can be sneaky enough about catching you out, the brothers girlfriend said she got a letter saying a package arrived for her and that she was to come down to the post office to pick it up...

Sure enough she skipped on down the road in blissful anticipation of this surprise package only to be greeted upon her arrival with an invoice for a tv licence...

Tea_Bag

quick question MYOB, or anyone actually, if one could remove the "tuner" from the TV, rendering it essentially a monitor, how would one approach the licence inspector who came around about it? not trying to be coy or anything, just wondering if i should just do it myself and avoid this bull****.

actually, if you had a monitor, not a tv, but had sky plugged into it, cause i believe skyHD outputs to HDMI, so one could plug it into a monitor, would that still count as being a tv/reciever, therefore inducting a licence fee?

L1011

Tea_Bag wrote: »

quick question MYOB, or anyone actually, if one could remove the "tuner" from the TV, rendering it essentially a monitor, how would one approach the licence inspector who came around about it? not trying to be coy or anything, just wondering if i should just do it myself and avoid this bull****.

Tell them you don't have any TV reception equipment. They don't have any right to enter your house without a warrant, and if they got one they'd find a monitor that couldn't get TV. Only problem is that a lot of standard TVs lose the SCART socket if you rip out the tuner, meaning its no use for anything...

Tea_Bag wrote: »

actually, if you had a monitor, not a tv, but had sky plugged into it, cause i believe skyHD outputs to HDMI, so one could plug it into a monitor, would that still count as being a tv/reciever, therefore inducting a licence fee?

The Sky HD box is a tuner (two, actually).

AnonoBoy

Tea_Bag wrote: »

actually, if you had a monitor, not a tv, but had sky plugged into it, cause i believe skyHD outputs to HDMI, so one could plug it into a monitor, would that still count as being a tv/reciever, therefore inducting a licence fee?

It would because you're still picking up TV on it.

Tea_Bag

ah well, worth a try anyway..

EDIT, thanks for the quick replies!

Cosine

MYOB wrote: »

Its called a monitor. Recent PC monitors often accept HDMI, recent DVD players and consoles can output HDMI. No tuner required.

True, but the vast majority of people wouldn't realise that a monitor can be used with more than just a PC which is why I said 'glorified monitor'.

I take it, from you not tearing apart the rest of my post, that you either agree or do not disagree with my sentiments?

mikom

mikom wrote: »

What's a public service broadcaster then?

MYOB wrote: »

A broadcaster which performs a public service. Something of no relevance to a TV being a luxury.

How do I receive this public service without the luxury?

L1011

mikom wrote: »

How do I receive this public service without the luxury?

The two do not equate. TV is a luxury whether or not there are public service broadcasters.

Cosine wrote: »

I take it, from you not tearing apart the rest of my post, that you either agree or do not disagree with my sentiments?

I didn't consider the rest of the post worth my time. Your car analogy fails though - the equivalent is owning a car, paying motor tax on it and then using it as, say, a chicken coop; not paying motor tax for no car.

mikom

MYOB wrote: »

The two do not equate. TV is a luxury whether or not there are public service broadcasters.

This public service is actually doing me a disservice as it will not allow me to access any other form of TV station without a licence.

Do you wish to have a look in the LIDL shop?
Yes.
Ok, but first you must pay the TESCO licence which allows you to look in TESCO and all other shops including LIDL.
If you look in LIDL without paying TESCO, then you will go to jail.

L1011

mikom wrote: »

This public service is actually doing me a disservice as it will not allow me to access any other form of TV station without a licence.

Do you wish to have a look in the LIDL shop?
Yes.
Ok, but first you must pay the TESCO licence which allows you to look in TESCO and all other shops including LIDL.
If you look in LIDL without paying TESCO, then you will go to jail.

We had a radio licence before we had a public service radio station. Ditto the UK - when the UK licence came in, the BBC existed but was commercial. We had nothing, at all, when it was brought in here except BBC overspill.

The licence and the existance of RTE are unconnected. And once again, your analogy isn't actually analogous to the situation, at all.

mikom

MYOB wrote: »

We had a radio licence before we had a public service radio station.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

MYOB wrote: »

The licence and the existance of RTE are unconnected.

Tell that to a dead ass and he'd kick ya.

Ban the licence tomorrow and RTE 1 would cease to exist within 6 months.
It's RTE's Life support.

L1011

mikom wrote: »

Two wrongs don't make a right.

And you don't make any sense...

mikom wrote: »

Ban the licence tomorrow and RTE 1 would cease to exist within 6 months.
It's RTE's Life support.

No, their orchestras, Irish language content, digital radio, Lyric FM, documentaries and expensive dramas would cease to exist.

RTE 1 and 2 would continue, with low grade imports, Fair City, etc. They'd probably also pull off relay transmitters and small cable companies due to the cost to audience ratio.

The licence fee is less than half of their income. Its essential to ensure they provide proper signal coverage, and a range of content to suit most people. Without the licence fee, you get TV3.

TheBlock

mikom wrote: »

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Tell that to a dead ass and he'd kick ya.

Ban the licence tomorrow and RTE 1 would cease to exist within 6 months.
It's RTE's Life support.

Thats not actually correct and can be verified by looking at RTE's annual report. RTE make quite a few quid from other commercial activities the main one being advertising. The License Fee comes with quite a few obligations regarding output. The 40,000,000 statutorily spent in the independent tv production sector being the main one along with the running of a couple of orchestras and a few radio stations.

We are not the only country in the world with a license fee and the level of fee is comparable to other countries when population is taken into account.

I'm with you guys though I think the license fee should be scrapped and RTE if the state want to keep it as a public sector broadcaster should be funded centrally. That way everyone pays and there are no messy collection systems which are really counter productive.

Cosine

MYOB wrote: »

I didn't consider the rest of the post worth my time. Your car analogy fails though - the equivalent is owning a car, paying motor tax on it and then using it as, say, a chicken coop; not paying motor tax for no car.

No need to be snippy I'm not picking a fight

The meaning behind my analogy clearly came through anyway, otherwise you wouldn't have come up with a more accurate analogy.

gaeilgegrinds

We had them call here, and to the brothers house which is full of students. They must be short of cash cos have called to most people I know in Galway city this year. Know a house of students who got rid of the tv for this very reason, sounds daft but they were broke!

North_West_Art

we havent had a television in 7 years, yet we still get these letters now and again to say that we are on record as not having a license. I throw them in the fire, and no one ever checks up.... mind you, I live in a rural area.

And we have been looking forward to the tv license guy to call so we can show him around the house, but no sign of them. We are at our present address this last 3 years.

I heard through the grapevine that the video library/dvd hire place sometimes sell on their members lists to the tv license dept. Certain shops will do the same (I have heard, but I dont know, nor care if its true)

Mike 1972

North_West_Art wrote: »

I heard through the grapevine that the video library/dvd hire place sometimes sell on their members lists to the tv license dept. Certain shops will do the same (I have heard, but I dont know, nor care if its true)

Would probably be a breach of the Data protection act especially since one doesnt need a TV to watch DVD's

PaulByrne'sBald wrote: »

the brothers girlfriend said she got a letter saying a package arrived for her and that she was to come down to the post office to pick it up...

Sure enough she skipped on down the road in blissful anticipation of this surprise package only to be greeted upon her arrival with an invoice for a tv licence...

Assuming this actually happened unless they have evidence of possesion of recieving equipment issuing such an "invoice" would be tantamount to attempted fraud.

If you can't see the irony in arguing against a licence fee you're not liable for and the hypocrisy in arguing against one when you pay another, thas your problem.

Payment (willingly or otherwise) of a tax in one country precludes one from having an opinion regarding a (roughly) equivalent tax in another does it ?????

L1011

North_West_Art wrote: »

I heard through the grapevine that the video library/dvd hire place sometimes sell on their members lists to the tv license dept. Certain shops will do the same (I have heard, but I dont know, nor care if its true)

Wouldn't be legal for them to do it without making it VERY clear in your signup documents. Retailers are allowed collect your name/address when selling you a device with a tuner, but as far as I know, An Post no longer bother even asking for this data off them. Irish branches of UK ones have a habit of doing it sometimes 'cause they have to in the UK anyway.

They have a DB of believed heads of households going off post they deliver, and as they sell the TV licences, have the DB of who has them. remove the second list from the first; then send letters to everyone left is their method for sending the demand notices - nothing more advanced.

I'm unsure as to whether cable firms and Sky give subscribers details to An Post, its rumoured but I've never seen proof either way.

mikom

MYOB wrote: »

Without the licence fee , you get TV3 (provided you only have a standard terrestrial aerial)

FYP

For about the price of one years licence you could set yourself up to with basic free-to-air satellite.

So TV3 would not be your only option.

You would have the following channels......

CH4,
E4,
More 4,
BBC 1,
BBC 2,
BBC3,
BBC4,
ITV 1,
ITV 2
ITV 3,
ITV4
S4C
Film Four
BBC News ,
Euronews,
Aljazeera,
CNN
CBS Reality,
CBS Action ,
CBS Drama,

L1011

mikom wrote: »

FYP

For about the price of one years licence you could set yourself up to with basic free-to-air satellite.

So TV3 would not be your only option.

You would have the following channels......

CH4,
E4,
More 4,
BBC 1,
BBC 2,
BBC3,
BBC4,
ITV 1,
ITV 2
ITV 3,
ITV4
S4C
Film Four
BBC News ,
Euronews,
Aljazeera,
CNN
CBS Reality,
CBS Action ,
CBS Drama,

Firstly, I wasn't referring to number of channels, I was referring to quality of channels. Quality of content, quality of service provided (e.g. coverage), and so on.

Not one of those channels you've listed is Irish. Many of them are funded by foreign licence fees or direct government grants. The ones that aren't are almost identical in quality to TV3 (ITV, CBS, etc).

Without the licence fee in the Irish market you get channels of such wonderful quality as TV3 - RTE running entirely on commercial income would be identically as ****e.

mikom

MYOB wrote: »

Firstly, I wasn't referring to number of channels, I was referring to quality of channels.

I think you will find many to disagree with you on this.
Case in point .......... the common "oh the late late is shite, let's see who's on Johnathan Ross.

Now you can say " oh but the BBc is a massive organisation with this funding and that funding", but I don't care, I can watch it, and that's all that matters to me.

MYOB wrote: »

Not one of those channels you've listed is Irish.

And this hurts me how?
As long as I pursue My interest in Irish culture through other forms, then I think I can survive without RTE.

MYOB wrote: »

Many of them are funded by foreign licence fees or direct government grants.

And this hurts me and my pocket how?

MYOB wrote: »

Without the licence fee in the Irish market you get channels of such wonderful quality as TV3 - RTE running entirely on commercial income would be identically as ****e.

So again I ask, why should I be forced to prop it up, if all I want to watch is FTA satellite?

Why should I have to pay a toll to Snow white, if all I want to see is the seven dwarfs?

L1011

You still fail, woefully, to get my points; to the level that you're not actually worthy of my time at this stage.

One final point - no non-Irish TV stations provide coverage of Irish news, culture, politics or sport except in tiny amounts they cherry pick. TV3 cover only what they're beaten in to covering. No licence fee (or direct government grants equal to it) and all you'll get, from anyone, is TV3 grade coverage.

And allowing Irish ad revenue to go to foreign commercial/PSB-with-ads stations (ITV/Channel 4, which people forget is UK Govt. owned) hurts your pocket very directly and obviously - by money leaving the country. Although I doubt you care about that, with your overall me fein attitude.

And if the people making your arguments in the UK got any foothold, you could say bye bye to the BBC and bye bye to Channel 4. Although you appear to be willing to watch the tabloid dross that ITV and CBS put out, so you'd probably be OK.

ColmDawson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P53dtvs3_A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P53dtvs3_A

mikom

MYOB wrote: »

You still fail, woefully, to get my points; to the level that you're not actually worthy of my time at this stage.

Although you appear to be willing to watch the tabloid dross that ITV and CBS put out, so you'd probably be OK.

First off, I'd just like to say that you come across as a nice individual.

"You're not actually worthy of my time at this stage" is a phrase that echoes around the corridors of RTE a fair bit I'd say.

MYOB wrote: »

And allowing Irish ad revenue to go to foreign commercial/PSB-with-ads stations (ITV/Channel 4, which people forget is UK Govt. owned) hurts your pocket very directly and obviously - by money leaving the country. Although I doubt you care about that, with your overall me fein attitude.

Licence money badly spent is our money badly spent, and no amount of dippin' your mickey in green paint will excuse that.
My patriotism goes right out the window when I know I'm gettin' rode.

Irish news, culture, politics or sport never existed or were never documented before RTE I guess.

L1011

mikom wrote: »

Irish news, culture, politics or sport never existed or were never documented before RTE I guess.

They were never documented in anything other than a diddle-eye, toura-loura-lie format by foreign broadcasters and film-makers, yes. Go dig up any videographic representation of Ireland from the 1950s or before. Comely maidens dancing at the crossroads....

mikom

mikom wrote: »

Irish news, culture, politics or sport never existed or were never documented before RTE I guess.

MYOB wrote: »

They were never documented in anything other than a diddle-eye, toura-loura-lie format by foreign broadcasters and film-makers, yes. Go dig up any videographic representation of Ireland from the 1950s or before. Comely maidens dancing at the crossroads....

Peig Sayers was a looker alright................ documented a fair bit as well.

Man of Aran by foreign film-maker R.J Flaherty is something you should watch over the holidays if you are into your videographic representation.
Not many Comely maidens in it for you though.................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0RAdfrQwvo

A few crossroads for you here if you're into that sort of thing..........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ks9e7GaORA

To be fair I didn't have to dig deep.
And not an RTE outside broadcast truck to be seen.

L1011

You didn't have to dig deep to find *precisely* the kind of stuff I said was the entire depth and breadth of what was done. Congratulations...

mikom

MYOB wrote: »

They were never documented in anything other than a diddle-eye, toura-loura-lie format by foreign broadcasters and film-makers, yes.

Yes?

L1011

mikom wrote: »

Yes?

What you've provided falls under exactly what I said it would. Patronising, diddle-eye guff.