Advertisement
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.
Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

What's the reason for the TV licence?

2»

Comments

  • #32
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,450 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    mathepac wrote: »
    As long as you don't have a TV that's cool; if you do have a TV then join the long line of spongers, freeloaders and gombeen (wo)men ruining the country.

    What's the weather like up there on your enormously high horse?


  • #33
    mathepac
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,990 ✭✭✭mathepac


    Dean09 wrote: »
    What's the weather like up there on your enormously high horse?
    I don't see how your infantile comment adds value to answering the question posed by OP, but I don't need a licence for a horse.


  • #34
    LighterGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,243 ✭✭✭LighterGuy


    Kimia wrote: »
    I realise this may be seen as a very stupid question but why exactly do we have to pay a TV licence fee? RTE get funding from advertising so why do they also charge an annual fee? BBC don't have any advertising..

    IMO, the government has to be getting a pretty decent sized cut out of the license before giving RTE its share. But even then RTE must have friends within the government over the decades. Sure recently its been brought to light more that RTE get the fee and also have adverts. Nothings going to be done about it.


    But this is interesting from wikipedia

    Seems the TV license was first introduced in 1962.
    But more interestingly there was a Radio license in effect from 1902?!?! :eek:


  • #35
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,450 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    mathepac wrote: »
    I don't see how your infantile comment adds value to answering the question posed by OP, but I don't need a licence for a horse.

    I was commenting on your outrageously over dramatic post inferring that people that don't pay their tv licence are ruining this country.
    I think ther's a lot more to it than that, and people not having a tv licence is the least of this countries worries.


  • #36
    MrJoeSoap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    Let me tell you how it will be
    There's one for you, nineteen for me
    'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

    Should five per cent appear too small
    Be thankful I don't take it all
    'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman

    If you drive a car, I'll tax the street,
    If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
    If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
    If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet.

    Don't ask me what I want it for
    If you don't want to pay some more
    'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

    Now my advice for those who die
    Declare the pennies on your eyes
    'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
    And you're working for no one but me.


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 31,828 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    MrJoeSoap wrote: »
    Let me tell you how it will be
    There's one for you, nineteen for me
    'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

    Should five per cent appear too small
    Be thankful I don't take it all
    'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman

    If you drive a car, I'll tax the street,
    If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
    If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
    If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet.

    Don't ask me what I want it for
    If you don't want to pay some more
    'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

    Now my advice for those who die
    Declare the pennies on your eyes
    'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
    And you're working for no one but me.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Maz9ddxEQnM


  • #38
    gurramok
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,992 ✭✭✭✭gurramok


    Dean09 wrote: »
    On the subject of tv licences I have a quick question. I paid it last year but didn't renew it this year. I've been broke lately and haven't had any spare cash and have bills with higher priority than the tv licence.
    I got a few notices off them and on thursday I got a legal notice off them.

    So what's the next step? Will I be called to court if I don't pay it this time?


    What did it say on the notices? If it was addressed to "the Occupant", that means they are fishing. Use those notices in your fire to keep you warm in the run up to Xmas :)


  • #39
    charlemont
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,725 ✭✭✭charlemont


    mathepac wrote: »
    As long as you don't have a TV that's cool; if you do have a TV then join the long line of spongers, freeloaders and gombeen (wo)men ruining the country.

    We learn from our politicians and their businessman friends...
    prettygurrly wrote: »
    i was the same until i moved house and sadly the previous occupiers had owned a tv licence so the inspector appeared at my door at 5.10 pm and i didn't realise who he was till the door was opened and i was served. oh well. i do watch a lot of rte...republic of telly, the news, reeling in the years etc etc. and i love my home and away every day.

    have to say, it gets tedious not being able to open the door without thinking so having it paid now is peace of mind.

    p.s. you dont have to buy a full year at a time. you can pay monthly nowadays, for those of you leaving the country and not wanting to pay for the full year understandably

    I'm lucky to be living in apartments but I can see the predicament of people living in houses as its easier for the TV license inspector to find out your details. I only use my Sky box as freeview and I installed it all myself so what the TV license inspector don't know wont hurt him.


  • #40
    Jesus Wept
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    mathepac wrote: »
    In reply to the question posed in the thread title, the reason for the TV licence is to allow you to legally own and operate a television receiver on your property.

    Before the TV licence there was the radio licence to allow you to legally own and operate a radio receiver on your property.

    Before we had a television station, we had television licences in Ireland as people on the East coast could receive BBC TV and the border areas had UTV.

    Just as you need a licence for a firearm, a licence for a dog, a licence to drive a car, you need a TV licence if you have a TV. It doesn't matter if the TV doesn't work, if you never watch RTE, etc, etc, you still are legally required to have a licence.
    mathepac wrote: »
    As long as you don't have a TV that's cool; if you do have a TV then join the long line of spongers, freeloaders and gombeen (wo)men ruining the country.

    lol, pull the other one.
    Encrypt it, have people pay for the service provided by RTE.

    Or at least have the decency to bring it into the general taxation system, if you are going to charge people to pump propaganda into their living room via their tv - at least don't highlight it via a separate charge.


  • #41
    mikom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    mathepac wrote: »
    As long as you don't have a TV that's cool; if you do have a TV then join the long line of spongers, freeloaders and gombeen (wo)men

    Long line of spongers, freeloaders and gombeen (wo)men indeed.
    Base camp......... Montrose.


  • Advertisement
  • #42
    kjl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,127 ✭✭✭kjl


    to make sure that only qualified people can watch TV.


  • #43
    psychward
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,187 ✭✭✭psychward


    Dotrel wrote: »

    As to the reason why we finance RTE? I guess theoretically it's about maintaining our culture.

    Eastenders and similar imports isnt' our culture. Neither do the vastly overpaid egotists on screen in RTE have anything in common with the viewers or represent proper role models for our children and citizens to identify with. Our culture survived for thousands of years without the leeches in Montrose and for hundreds of years under very harsh dangerous hostile conditions. RTE never has and does not equal the Irish nation or Irish culture. To believe so is to swallow the worst of RTE propaganda.


  • #44
    missvirgo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭missvirgo


    Same as having a Gun Licence...

    If you decide to take it apart & rewire it into some explosive device to cause serious injury or harm, they can trace it back to you...


  • #45
    eth0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭eth0


    missvirgo wrote: »
    Same as having a Gun Licence...

    If you decide to take it apart & rewire it into some explosive device to cause serious injury or harm, they can trace it back to you...

    lol


  • #46
    Osgoodisgood
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 870 ✭✭✭Osgoodisgood


    mathepac wrote: »
    Just as you need a licence for a firearm, a licence for a dog, a licence to drive a car, you need a TV licence if you have a TV.

    But why a TV? Why not a licence for a toaster? Maybe because the state doesn't own Johnston Mooney & O'Brien?

    Most people that have a problem with this levy are annoyed because they don't think enjoying TV is the same thing as watching Ryan Tubridy make goo goo eyes with some D list celeb with a book or CD to sell. I don't know many who really want RTE to be closed down, I know plenty of people who don't watch it who don't feel like having to fund it for another minute. Why is this so hard? Those that want it can pay for it.


  • #47
    Wetai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 773 ✭✭✭Wetai


    It should be an RTE license. Oh wait, then they couldn't apply it to people that don't watch it, or fish to try and apply it to people that have computers (without TV tuners) in the future, but don't want TV.
    It's ridiculous that you're automatically bundled and expected to pay no matter what; if you watch RTE or not.
    That'd be like Sky automatically forcing you to pay for packages you didn't sign up for.


  • #48
    Scruffles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 955 ✭✭✭Scruffles


    best thing anyone who is fed up with the associated costs of tv is to give the damn thing up-once are used to it will never miss it.

    apparently the tv licence pays for the BBCs website and radio stations to,plus have heard they split some of the money to different stations who already get in money through advertising,the BBC thinks thats value for money,well have not had a tv in years and its so much better value and freedom-if wanted to watch turd in a box woud go stare at the cats litter tray,at least that doesnt cost anything and its three dimensional with smellovision -beat that BBC. :cool:


  • #49
    dodgydes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭dodgydes


    Untitled.jpg

    Look at the sports bird on rte news, worth every penny of licence fee!!


  • #50
    Wetai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 773 ✭✭✭Wetai


    Scruffles wrote: »
    best thing anyone who is fed up with the associated costs of tv is to give the damn thing up-once are used to it will never miss it.

    apparently the tv licence pays for the BBCs website and radio stations to,plus have heard they split some of the money to different stations who already get in money through advertising,the BBC thinks thats value for money,well have not had a tv in years and its so much better value and freedom-if wanted to watch turd in a box woud go stare at the cats litter tray,at least that doesnt cost anything and its three dimensional with smellovision -beat that BBC. :cool:
    In a world where the only use for a TV would be getting TV channels, that'd work. However, this doesn't work for people that use their TVs for their games consoles/DVD players/HTPCs (downloaded content), etc. They shouldn't have to pay for RTE when they don't use RTE or other "direct broadcasts (non-downloaded/ripped stuff)" - especially RTE. What if, somehow, they decide to extend it to cover Computers (With the logic that people can download/stream everything). What's the solution then; get rid of TV, computer, almost every form of home entertainment?


  • #51
    Daniel S
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,533 ✭✭✭Daniel S


    senorwipesalot wrote: »
    To keep Pat Kenny in 7 series BMWs.
    FYP


  • Advertisement
  • #52
    missvirgo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭missvirgo


    maybe it's just another bull**** excuse to take money off people


  • #53
    eth0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭eth0


    mathepac wrote: »
    As long as you don't have a TV that's cool; if you do have a TV then join the long line of spongers, freeloaders and gombeen (wo)men ruining the country.

    I feel half tempted to go out and buy one just so I can join them.

    Actually I found one on the street last week, not too far from my house. Picked it up and carried it for a bit and then thought "ah feck this there is only ould shoite on and RTE readying us up for paying property tax" and left it there. The thing probably worked or easy enough to fix, but I just couldn't be arsed with it


Advertisement
Advertisement