TV Licensing + iPlayer

tomac

It's been in the press that the "iPlayer loophole" is closing - i.e. a TV Licence will soon be required to legally watch iPlayer catchup content online.

The TV Licensing website says "From 1 September 2016 you'll need a TV Licence to watch or download BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer."

However, I cannot find any other sources online that say this date. Some say January 2017, some just a vague intention. Does anyone know if the is actually true and has been made law? I don't entirely trust TV Licensing to be complete straight with this sort of thing...

Many thanks for your help.

JJ_Egan

Thats the official source and the date is correct .Its true but i really don't know if a law has been passed or if a law needs to be passed .

unforeseen

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/704/pdfs/uksi_20160704_en.pdf

They pushed it through as secondary legislation rather than dealing with it as part of the new Royal Charter which will come into force in 2017

tomac

Many thanks both.

Tom

Heinz

Interesting explanatory note:

Regulation 9 of the 2004 Regulations is amended to include in the definition of a television receiver any apparatus used or installed to receive an on-demand programme service which is provided by the BBC e.g. iPlayer. On-demand program me services are defined in Part 4A of the Act.

First, the phrase 'used or installed' still does not cover mere possession - actual use to receive would need to be proved.

Second, I read that as referring only to BBC on-demand programming (i.e. the ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 versions are not covered).

VisionMan

Heinz wrote: »

I read that as referring only to BBC on-demand programming (i.e. the ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 versions are not covered).

Yes, thats right. This only refers to the BBC iPlayer. They were asked if they wanted to be included but said no. Why I don't know, as only 5% of the population dont have a TV Licence. So at a guess they still wanted that 5% to have access. Either that, or the costs involved in changing them.

Bigphil1474

I expect the commercial channels aren't that bothered about who watches their catch up service as their services have advertising - surely it will link back to some statistical evidence to entice advertisers to choose their channel?