Broadcasting charge will be levied on every home in the country

KyussBishop · 26-02-2013 05:27PM

They are justifying this based on availability of media over the Internet; this is basically an Internet Tax, and thus if they are going to tax the internet, some of the funds should be used to improve national broadband, particularly in rural areas.

Fúck RTE; shut down the TV studios, all they produce is garbage anyway; give everyone guaranteed broadband instead, paid entirely through these taxes alone.

SEPT 23 1989 · 26-02-2013 05:28PM

Pat has a very fat chin for a socialist

MitchKoobski · 26-02-2013 05:28PM

Love to see how they would implement this.

"But I'm broke. I don't have a TV, laptop or a smartphone."
"We're pretty sure you might have a smartphone."
"But I don't!"
"We'll see. Empty your pockets and bend over." *snaps gloves*

They have a licence fee over the river to BBC and in return BBC has no adverts. Why do we still have adverts on RTÉ? TV3 seem to be doing fine without a fee.

VinLieger · 26-02-2013 05:32PM

Public funding yet they still charge for advertising? theres a disconnect somewhere maybe someone else can spot it?

Dynamo Roller1 · 26-02-2013 05:33PM

The only people to benefit from this will the inbred clique in RTE and the likes of Twink.

MitchKoobski · 26-02-2013 05:36PM

You don't pay Road Tax unless you own a car.

This is like them turning around tomorrow and saying "Everyone will now have to pay Road Tax, even if you don't own a car. You could just easily be cycling or walking on the road."

AnonoBoy · 26-02-2013 05:38PM

Dynamo Roller1 wrote: »

The only people to benefit from this will the inbred clique in RTE.

The Montrose Hillbillies?

Y'all come back now y'hear?

Chucken · 26-02-2013 05:40PM

MitchKoobski wrote: »

This is like them turning around tomorrow and saying "Everyone will now have to pay Road Tax, even if you don't own a car.

Give 'em time...:(

latenia · 26-02-2013 05:42PM

I'm actually in favour of something like this as a long-term solution to internet copyright issues but what they're suggesting here is impractical unjust nonsense. I'd happily pay €200 a year broadband tax if it meant I could download and watch or listen to whatever I want without restriction. The various copyright holders could then divvy up the money proportionately according to what I've actually consumed.

ScumLord · 26-02-2013 05:42PM

MitchKoobski wrote: »

You don't pay Road Tax unless you own a car.

This is like them turning around tomorrow and saying "Everyone will now have to pay Road Tax, even if you don't own a car. You could just easily be cycling or walking on the road."

It's worse than that even. No one can avoid using the roads even if they don't have a car, we need to to get stuff around so you could somewhat justify that kind of charge. This is taxing for a service they may not even use and in some cases a service people don't like or want.

If the money went into upgrading the broadband infrastructure I'd think it was of some merit but I think it'll just be used to prop up a bumbling broadcaster so it doesn't need to adapt to the times.

Ash.J.Williams · 26-02-2013 05:42PM

BUBBLE WRAP wrote: »

But the sh1t the does be on RTE is unreal!

i don't besides tubridy i'd say we rate very high against other countries...The bbc would be an exception due to the huge license base they have

smash · 26-02-2013 05:43PM

MitchKoobski wrote: »

You don't pay Road Tax unless you own a car.

You don't pay Road Tax, full stop. Those of us with cars have to pay Motor tax though.

ixoy · 26-02-2013 05:43PM

Any option for me not to pay and, in return, I'll happily have RTE blocked from my house? I can't therefore avail of their services so I won't need to pay for them.

OneArt · 26-02-2013 05:44PM

krudler wrote: »

Wait, you have to pay a broadcasting charge even if you don't own a tv? what kind of sense does that make? "people watch tv on their tablets and phones" and? Using something like sky go you're already paying sky for it. This country will just try fcuk you as much as possible, even if you dont use the service you're being charged for.

The German TV license-type company GEZ do this as well. They've become proper sneaky in the last while. You have to pay them if you have a radio, TV or access to the Internet. This includes mobile phones. (I will in my f*ck pay them though, I don't own a TV over here and I've only got Internet. Their charge for the Internet is 17 quid a month. That's MORE than my fecking Internet bill. If they want people to pay to watch national produced content online, then they should make it a subscription service... Rant over).

As you can see I'm with you in that it doesn't make any sense. I agree with the TV license, but when I moved out of home and lived in Dublin I didn't own a TV so it wasn't an issue. I just don't see the sense in paying for a service that you don't use.

It's also interesting to note that Germany is a pretty law-abiding country, but a surprising number of people here avoid paying the fee. For Ireland, forcing people to pay for something like this is plain unfair.

KyussBishop · 26-02-2013 05:49PM

latenia wrote: »

I'm actually in favour of something like this as a long-term solution to internet copyright issues but what they're suggesting here is impractical unjust nonsense. I'd happily pay €200 a year broadband tax if it meant I could download and watch or listen to whatever I want without restriction. The various copyright holders could then divvy up the money proportionately according to what I've actually consumed.

That would be a massive government subsidy to an outdated broadcaster copyright holders, and would be treating every Internet user as a subscriber criminal, making them pay whether or not they watched pirated anything.

Wicklowandy · 26-02-2013 05:51PM

yop wrote: »

Not sure tbh, I know my parents who are on a "standard" pension have to fork out for the household charge, the water chargers, septic tank etc etc and had a big chunk of their line rental handout taken off them.

Yet those on the dole are immune from all chargers.....

I wouldn't expect the misinformation of this and your previous post from a moderator.

As pensioners your parents are entitled to the household benefits package (some free electric, free telephone line rental and free tv licence) which single mothers, the unemployed / other riff raff are not.

People who are unfortunately reliant on social welfare currently are not exempt from the household charge, septic tank etc. Deferred arrangements are made with them if unable to pay.

I do not know your circumstances. If you are fortunate enough to have retained your job in these times, and have no experience of the temporary nature of employment opportunities, and the lower pay than what people would reasonably expect, please in future inform yourself before putting your notions out there as fact.

kuro2k · 26-02-2013 05:54PM

So are businsses going to pay the broadcasting licence for all company issued devices (phones/tablets/laptops)?

RTE should just shut down RTE iplayer and internet based radio services and get lost!

Lelantos · 26-02-2013 05:55PM

MitchKoobski wrote: »

You don't pay Road Tax unless you own a car.

This is like them turning around tomorrow and saying "Everyone will now have to pay Road Tax, even if you don't own a car. You could just easily be cycling or walking on the road."

Stop giving them ideas for feck sake!

Ash.J.Williams · 26-02-2013 05:57PM

kuro2k wrote: »

So are businsses going to pay the broadcasting licence for all company issued devices (phones/tablets/laptops)?

RTE should just shut down RTE iplayer and internet based radio services and get lost!

they are very popular

JP Liz V1 · 26-02-2013 05:57PM

I guess the cost of making Love/Hate has increased

gobnaitolunacy · 26-02-2013 06:08PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

As far as i know only OAPS get a hand out for the TV licence

I think that will come to an end, if according to the Rabbitte EVERY household will have to stump up. I presume the ever-loyal attack dogs aka The Revenue Commissioners will be released to collect the dues.

seamus · 26-02-2013 06:15PM

VinLieger wrote: »

Public funding yet they still charge for advertising? theres a disconnect somewhere maybe someone else can spot it?

In RTE's defence, BBC's budget is 15 times larger than RTEs but they don't have to produce 15 times the amount of programming. So there is a disconnect there. It's unfair to expect RTE to produce ad-free programming at the same level of quality as the BBC unless our TV licence was more like €2500 per year.

But I don't think it's unreasonable to expect them to produce quality programming with advertising if the rest of their business is taxpayer funded. I also don't understand why they pay to bring in US programmes. Most people have non-terrestrial channels. Let those channels carry the US programming, RTE should pump that money into Irish programmes, supporting Irish jobs and Irish talent.

carpejugulum · 26-02-2013 06:20PM

"Everybody benefits from the availability of these services, regardless of how content is accessed or relayed to the public, and therefore it is my view that the cost should be borne by society as a whole."

If they truly believe this, then it should be paid directly from the gvt budget. That would also save money spent on licence collection and enforcement, including sending people to jail and spending millions on incarceration.
TV license has always been one of the most unfair taxes, but it could be at least avoided by not having a TV.

How do they want to justify these ridiculous salaries?

The highest earner that year was Pat Kenny, who earned €729,604, which was paid to Pat Kenny Media Services Ltd.

Behind him was Balcom Management Ltd, representing the late Gerry Ryan, which was paid €585,944.

Third-highest earner was Ryan Tubridy – €519,667 was paid to his Tuttle Productions Ltd.

Marian Finucane was next, with Montrose Services Ltd paid €513,270

Joe Duffy’s Claddaghgreen Ltd was paid €389,314.

Baby Blue Productions was paid €290,625 for the services of Miriam O’Callaghan.

Derek Mooney, an RTE employee, earned €268,985 in 2009.

Mac Consultants Ltd were paid €225,485 for the services of Eamon Dunphy.

The second staff member on the list, Sean O’Rourke, was paid €214,084.

The tenth highest paid earner at RTÉ was Colm Hayes Media Services, for the services of Colm Caffrey, which was paid €213,954.

VinLieger · 26-02-2013 06:21PM

seamus wrote: »

In RTE's defence, BBC's budget is 15 times larger than RTEs but they don't have to produce 15 times the amount of programming. So there is a disconnect there. It's unfair to expect RTE to produce ad-free programming at the same level of quality as the BBC unless our TV licence was more like €2500 per year.

But I don't think it's unreasonable to expect them to produce quality programming with advertising if the rest of their business is taxpayer funded. I also don't understand why they pay to bring in US programmes. Most people have non-terrestrial channels. Let those channels carry the US programming, RTE should pump that money into Irish programmes, supporting Irish jobs and Irish talent.

I wasnt comparing them to the BBC at all, in fact exactly the opposite. Of course theres no way they could fund themselves off the broadcasting tax alone but considering how many other stations out there manage to fund themselves on advertising alone i find it ridiculous they cant change their business model to be more efficient and in line with the rest of their industry

david75 · 26-02-2013 06:23PM

MitchKoobski wrote: »

Why do we still have adverts on RTÉ? TV3 seem to be doing fine without a fee.

Have you ever watched TV3? That's about as cheap and bad as tv gets, piss poor imitations of cheap bad English tv shows and films that are best left in the dumpster of the forgotten.

Awful station. Wish it would go off air.

handbagmad · 26-02-2013 06:27PM

I think i can categorricaly speak for 99% of the population of this f**king country when I say **** you Pat Rabbit and your party,goverment and co.
You seriously would wonder why we bother?
160 euro a year we pay already.. for ****e? People who have broadband aleady pay vat on their bills so you already get revenue for that.
People are already under too much pressure.

seamus · 26-02-2013 06:29PM

VinLieger wrote: »

I wasnt comparing them to the BBC at all, in fact exactly the opposite. Of course theres no way they could fund themselves off the broadcasting tax alone but considering how many other stations out there manage to fund themselves on advertising alone i find it ridiculous they cant change their business model to be more efficient and in line with the rest of their industry

david75 wrote: »

Have you ever watched TV3? That's about as cheap and bad as tv gets, piss poor imitations of cheap bad English tv shows and films that are best left in the dumpster of the forgotten.

Awful station. Wish it would go off air.

I'm halfway between tbh. TV3 aren't that bad, but they do seem to revel in bargain basement programming - reality TV tabloid "documentaries" which basically cost nothing to produce. The disaster that was "Deception" shows what happens when you try to produce a serious drama on a small budget.

But they seem to do pretty well with their current affairs programming without having to pay stupid salaries like RTE do.

There's no reason why the two stations can't fight it out for public funding and meet somewhere in the middle in terms of quality and costs.

Anyone · 26-02-2013 06:32PM

handbagmad wrote: »

I think i can categorricaly speak for 99% of the population of this f**king country when I say **** you Pat Rabbit and your party,goverment and co.
You seriously would wonder why we bother?
160 euro a year we pay already.. for ****e? People who have broadband aleady pay vat on their bills so you already get revenue for that.
People are already under too much pressure.

Trust me, you dont speak for 99% of the population. The majority of people pay the current licence, so for them its only a change in name.

MadsL · 26-02-2013 06:38PM

Is it April 1st already?

Wow, just wow. Would love to see how they propose to collect this.

Victor · 26-02-2013 06:43PM

MitchKoobski wrote: »

They have a licence fee over the river to BBC and in return BBC has no adverts. Why do we still have adverts on RTÉ? TV3 seem to be doing fine without a fee.

I'm genuinely annoyed as the less than thought-out comments like this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom

Total levies from the licence fee were £3.681 billion in 2011–12

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0802/breaking24.html

Revenue from the TV licence also declined, falling to €183.6 million for the year

TV3 provide one station, with little original content. RTÉ provide RTÉ1 & 2 and RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ lyric fm, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ Digital Radio (RTÉ Choice, RTÉ Gold, RTÉ Chill, RTÉ 2XM, RTÉ Pulse & RTÉjr). Not quite comparable.

Broadcasting charge will be levied on every home in the country

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