TV licence if only watching Netflix etc may be required

Olinda99

Only at discussion stage but actively being considered as a funding option going forward

oldernonethewiser

The licence model doesn't work anymore but don't think requiring people who use streaming services to fund the BBC will work.

Farway

oldernonethewiser said:

The licence model doesn't work anymore but don't think requiring people who use streaming services to fund the BBC will work.

It would probably come in under some sort of “Internet tax” that would be added to your ISP charges, similar to how Insurance Premium tax is slapped on all insurances these days

saajan_12

What is the TV licence actually spent on? If it really is the BBC then genuine question, what would be the issue in just sticking ads on there same as for any other channel? 

oldernonethewiser

One of the bonuses of the BBC that it does not have adverts (I'll exclude all of the trailers for its own output)

I don't have or need a licence but it is not expensive for what it provides.

FreeBear

Farway said:

oldernonethewiser said:

The licence model doesn't work anymore but don't think requiring people who use streaming services to fund the BBC will work.

It would probably come in under some sort of “Internet tax” that would be added to your ISP charges, similar to how Insurance Premium tax is slapped on all insurances these days

But not everyone that uses the internet will be streaming video. Slapping a tax on subscriptions and having the service providers collecting it makes more sense. But why should I be forced to fund the BBC when I don't watch live broadcasts ?

twopenny

The thought of an internet tax is something I can see coming.

We've been bulldozed into using the internet for everything and someone is rubbing their hands in glee knowing a fortune is coming.

Really a tax and adverts is pushing it too far imo. But with generations bought up with tv as a main source of relaxation in the evenings they will probably try to make it happen. They did once before.

Farway

twopenny said:

The thought of an internet tax is something I can see coming.

We've been bulldozed into using the internet for everything and someone is rubbing their hands in glee knowing a fortune is coming.

Really a tax and adverts is pushing it too far imo. But with generations bought up with tv as a main source of relaxation in the evenings they will probably try to make it happen. They did once before.

If it comes, it will be wrapped up in smoke & mirrors, needing to fund watchdogs, think of the kiddies, fake news fact checking, etc

oldernonethewiser

My mother is an avid TV watcher but has no internet.  Need to have a way to include folk like her.

Cornucopia

It's hard not to see this as something that hasn't really been thought through.

I can't see an internet tax working and this doesn't fit the narrative so far.

I think they are wondering about either a tax on paid streaming platforms subs (Netflix, Amazon, etc.), or simply extending the scope of the existing TV Licence to cover commercial streaming (which it doesn't at the moment).  

The first option I think would struggle to justify a tax of more than £2-3 per month.   Also if it were any more than that then some method for avoiding double paying (of the streaming tax + the TV Licence) would be needed.

With the second option, I don't think the Powers That Be understand how hard it is for TVL to visit someone's home and successfully "detect" use of streaming on a laptop (say).   That would be especially hard if those households were newly within the scope of the Licence.

Overall, I think there's some naivety there, but I'll be interested to see what the plans look like in detail.

35har1old

Cornucopia said:

It's hard not to see this as something that hasn't really been thought through.

I can't see an internet tax working and this doesn't fit the narrative so far.

I think they are wondering about either a tax on paid streaming platforms subs (Netflix, Amazon, etc.), or simply extending the scope of the existing TV Licence to cover commercial streaming (which it doesn't at the moment).  

The first option I think would struggle to justify a tax of more than £2-3 per month.   Also if it were any more than that then some method for avoiding double paying (of the streaming tax + the TV Licence) would be needed.

With the second option, I don't think the Powers That Be understand how hard it is for TVL to visit someone's home and successfully "detect" use of streaming on a laptop (say).   That would be especially hard if those households were newly within the scope of the Licence.

Overall, I think there's some naivety there, but I'll be interested to see what the plans look like in detail.

The possibility of terrestrial TV coming to end after 2034 making everybody having to stream to continue to view.
The Internet provider will become the tax collector and it will likely mean all customer will end up paying even if you don't watch