Do I need TV Licence if no Aerial? New flat? Is itvX free?

KxMx

joe565 said:

So looks like it will just be Netflix and YouTube if I don't want to pay a licence 

You can also use My5, ITVX etc but only the On Demand content. 

joe565

KxMx said:

joe565 said:

So looks like it will just be Netflix and YouTube if I don't want to pay a licence 

You can also use My5, ITVX etc but only the On Demand content. 

I haven't went into any of them since as wasn't sure how I'd know where the 'On Demand' content was??

Desmond_Hume

joe565 said:

KxMx said:

joe565 said:

So looks like it will just be Netflix and YouTube if I don't want to pay a licence 

You can also use My5, ITVX etc but only the On Demand content. 

I haven't went into any of them since as wasn't sure how I'd know where the 'On Demand' content was??

Anywhere that isn’t under “Live TV”. There is no smoke and mirrors, it’s all clearly categorised. 

wild666

If you don't watch live as shown content or use iPlayer then no licence is required. There is a concern that TVL are saying that the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight requires a TV Licence to view the fight but as Netflix don't have a broadcast licence and the content is EXCLUSIVE to Netflix then no licence is required. I would also go as far as saying any other sports exclusive to streaming services do not require a TV licence to watch the content be it on Amazon, Netflix or any other streaming service that has that as exclusive content. Football matches are  sometimes available in the UK and on other non UK platforms but people in the UK cannot access them as they are Geo locked. I would argue that because the content, Premier League, as well as other sports, are Geo locked to a specific country then a licence isn't required to watch the content if the person somehow finds a way to stream the geo locked content. 

Alpha_5

wild666 said:

If you don't watch live as shown content or use iPlayer then no licence is required. There is a concern that TVL are saying that the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight requires a TV Licence to view the fight but as Netflix don't have a broadcast licence and the content is EXCLUSIVE to Netflix then no licence is required. I would also go as far as saying any other sports exclusive to streaming services do not require a TV licence to watch the content be it on Amazon, Netflix or any other streaming service that has that as exclusive content. Football matches are  sometimes available in the UK and on other non UK platforms but people in the UK cannot access them as they are Geo locked. I would argue that because the content, Premier League, as well as other sports, are Geo locked to a specific country then a licence isn't required to watch the content if the person somehow finds a way to stream the geo locked content. 

I'm not sure I agree with your interpretation re: Netflix live sport. Where does TVL or the Communications Act state that a TV Licence is only applicable for Ofcom-licenced channels?

The TVL website, which I acknowledge is vague at best, states (my emphases in bold) 

Live TV means any programme you watch or record as it’s being shown on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service.

This section about YouTube likely equally applies to Netflix:

But it isn’t just live news or sport which needs a licence – it’s any programme which is part of a TV channel, broadcast or transmitted for everyone to watch at the same time.

I think it's reasonable to class Netflix live sport as a programme on a streaming service that is being transmitted for everyone to watch at the same time - therefore a TV Licence would be required to watch.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-does-your-tv-licence-cover

Cornucopia

Netflix isn't a TV channel (in legal terms, a television programme service).  That would seem to me to be pretty clear.   If the government want to change the law to make Netflix et al into TV channels they could do that, but until and unless they do...

I have to say that I am getting a bit tired of TV Licence rules being communicated by FUD.   The BBC/TV Licensing need to be clear about what the rules are, and the rules need to be obviously linked to their supporting legislation.   It's not hard, and there are only a finite number of variations such that they could define specifically whether each one requires a Licence or not.    

Enforcement becomes more and more a waste of everyone's time as it becomes less and less clear what the rules are pertaining to types of content people are actually watching.

km1500

the key is it needs to be 'broadcast' to require a licence (bbc iplayer excepted) ie sent over the airwaves using em radiation - which Netflix isn't.

I can't receive netflix via my tv aerial / satellite dish

400ixl

km1500 said:

the key is it needs to be 'broadcast' to require a licence (bbc iplayer excepted) ie sent over the airwaves using em radiation - which Netflix isn't.

I can't receive netflix via my tv aerial / satellite dish

That doesn't fit for iPlayer, Sky Go or Sky Stream which are also be delivered by non airwave forms and are most definitely covered by the regulations. 

Agree with Cornucopia that it is becoming less clear as to what is and isn't allowed as technology and providers of content change. The likes of Netflix and Amazon didn't do live broadcasts until recently, but the guidance hasn't changed to clarify.

Cornucopia

iPlayer is specifically covered separately by the legislation, and there is no dispute over the TVL explanation - you need a Licence to watch or download BBC TV from iPlayer.

Everything else depends on what is broadcast by traditional means.   Reception of that content (for viewing or recording) requires a Licence AND you also need a Licence to view that same content when it is concurrently streamed (by whatever platform).

Therefore Sky News and GB News require a Licence to view live-streamed on Youtube.   Anything else (from the UK), not so much.

The other thing is that we need to careful where special terms are used that happen to be based on plain English words.   Their meaning will always be the special meaning.  That covers things like "TV", "TV receiver", "live TV", "TV channels", and "TV broadcasts".   It could be that this is all set up to be deliberately confusing, in which case we should be especially careful.

Alpha_5

At its simplest, it works:
Are you watching what could reasonably be considered a TV programme (Regardless of how you receive it)?
Are you watching it as it is being broadcast/shown live to a wide audience (regardless of platform)?

If the answer to both is yes, then you need a TV licence. 

The difficulty is that people interpret that in different ways. Would a judge make a ruling based on any different considerations?