Tv Licencing Court Charge

onomatopoeia99

Cornucopia wrote: »

Come on - do you really think that Magistrates would concern themselves over whether one had a Youview box, a Laptop or a Now TV box - or that they would even know the difference?

Why wouldn't they know the difference? Magistrates are ordinary people that sit in court a limited number of days a year, they don't live in a vacuum.

There may even be some on MSE.

Cornucopia

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

Why wouldn't they know the difference? Magistrates are ordinary people that sit in court a limited number of days a year, they don't live in a vacuum.

There may even be some on MSE.

Is that true though? Aren't they most likely to be white, middle-aged, and middle- or upper-middle classed? (All the ones I have seen were).

In short, exactly the sort of people who couldn't tell a Now TV box with side-loaded Plex from a sonic screwdriver.

Guest101

Cornucopia wrote: »

Is that true though? Aren't they most likely to be white, middle-aged, and middle- or upper-middle classed? (All the ones I have seen were).

In short, exactly the sort of people who couldn't tell a Now TV box with side-loaded Plex from a sonic screwdriver.

Anyone can be a magistrate, you just need to apply.

Cornucopia

Guest101 wrote: »

Anyone can be a magistrate, you just need to apply.

That isn't the question.

VisionMan

And nor is this the thread for it (sorry). As its not a 'court' change, it is a change in the law.

VisionMan

Cornucopia wrote: »

Come on - do you really think that Magistrates would concern themselves over whether one had a Youview box, a Laptop or a Now TV box - or that they would even know the difference?

This is part of the problem, in fact, that there is generally no physical evidence of evasion being captured by TVL, and none required by the Courts.

This change in the law is a recognition that British television has moved into the 21st century digital age.

Just 10 short years ago, only 5% of people accessed on demand or catch up TV. 5 years ago 20% and 2 years ago that moved up to 37%. Both the BBC and the Govt recognised this shift not away from, but with, live linear TV and this was a change that was badly needed. Today, 54% of live linear TV viewers also consume internet TV content. And the BBC iPlayer now offers live linear TV coverage and in HD to boot, line speed permitting (8000Kbps).

Technology can be a wonderful thing, and so is the BBC iPlayer. And being on a TalkTalk YouView box, I believe you'll be getting an upgrade shortly.

Cornucopia

And yet the BBC was saying for a long while that there were very few people (2% IIRC) who were consuming solely catch-up in order to avoid paying the Licence Fee.

Personally, I don't have a problem with the changes, from a purely practical point of view. I like the idea of guilt-trip free viewing.

The wider issue of whether it is necessary for the State to regulate TV viewing at all remains a problem. This is slightly compounded by this change leading the Government and the BBC down the rather dark path of concerning themselves with people's PCs and Phones where they were largely ignoring them previously.

The whole thing as I am sure you are aware is a huge mess already, and it is disappointing that the Government and the BBC have simply bolted on more complexity without addressing the wider issues.

VisionMan

Cornucopia wrote: »

And yet the BBC was saying for a long while that there were very few people (2% IIRC) who were consuming solely catch-up in order to avoid paying the Licence Fee.

Yes, and I'm sure you know this - only 5% of the population doesn't pay the licence fee.

Cornucopia wrote: »

Personally, I don't have a problem with the changes, from a purely practical point of view. I like the idea of guilt-trip free viewing.

The wider issue of whether it is necessary for the State to regulate TV viewing at all remains a problem. This is slightly compounded by this change leading the Government and the BBC down the rather dark path of concerning themselves with people's PCs and Phones where they were largely ignoring them previously.

Not really.

Cornucopia wrote: »

The whole thing as I am sure you are aware is a huge mess already, and it is disappointing that the Government and the BBC have simply bolted on more complexity without addressing the wider issues.

Thats speculation at best.

Cornucopia

VisionMan wrote: »

Yes, and I'm sure you know this - only 5% of the population doesn't pay the licence fee.

So they say.

Not really.

Not really dark, or they won't be concerning themselves with whether people are watching iPlayer on PCs & Phones (but only on TVs and STBs)?

Thats speculation at best.

In what sense? It's my considered opinion as someone with a high degree of understanding of TVL and the Law that it is a mess. I refer you to my signature.

VisionMan

Lol...

Its not dark in the sense and reality that the BBC won't have access to ones personal internet activities, they'll just have the IP address. Its ones own ISP which has that data.

Capita are a mess (and a bunch of snakes), but will be less of a mess going forward.