TV Licence article Discussion

Cornucopia

mrkds said:

cw18 said:

But I've just been digging round the licence site, and it still says

The law says you need to be covered by a TV Licence to:

• watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel
• watch or stream programmes live on an online TV service (such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go, etc.)
• download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer.

So surely this falls under the second point, which implies I would need a licence

Hi. I'm new here. I just started reading this as I am renewing my "I dont need a TV lisence" declaration. This second point i had not seen before and worried me.  I never considered YouTube to be an "online TV service" but is seems TV Lisencing does. So this means that now watching ANY live stream on YouTube requires a TV licence? Does this extend to watching live Facebook broadcasts and other streaming platforms? I have done some googling but have not been able to find any straight answers. 

We were discussing whether this was the case, but it isn't.

The only situations where you need a TV Licence to watch Youtube/Facebook/etc. content are:-

(a) where it is a live stream of a UK broadcast channel (e.g. Sky News)

(b) TV Licensing say also where it is a live stream of a non-UK broadcast channel (e.g. NBC News), but there appears to be no support in the legislation for this, so I tend to regard it as a grey area.

pphillips

mrkds said:

cw18 said:

But I've just been digging round the licence site, and it still says

The law says you need to be covered by a TV Licence to:

• watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel
• watch or stream programmes live on an online TV service (such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go, etc.)
• download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer.

So surely this falls under the second point, which implies I would need a licence

Hi. I'm new here. I just started reading this as I am renewing my "I dont need a TV lisence" declaration. This second point i had not seen before and worried me.  I never considered YouTube to be an "online TV service" but is seems TV Lisencing does. So this means that now watching ANY live stream on YouTube requires a TV licence? Does this extend to watching live Facebook broadcasts and other streaming platforms? I have done some googling but have not been able to find any straight answers. 

I sometimes watch live radio shows or live church services on YouTube and there is no legal requirement for me to have a TV licence to do so. You don't need a TV licence to watch live content that is not being broadcast on a TV channel. I think the guidance provided by TV Licensing is misleading in this regard.

Watchkeeper

pphillips said:
... the guidance provided by TV Licensing is misleading in this regard.

I wonder why. There again, "never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence".

Cornucopia

I think you do them too much of a service, Watchkeeper.   

If one of the World's wealthiest communications organisations cannot communicate effectively with its public, what hope is there anywhere else?

It's really not that hard, and MSE's own guidance strikes a much better balance IMHO.

mrkds

Thanks for the clarification. I thought this was the case, but I was thrown off by the specific mention of YouTube in the list of online TV service. 
Thanks again! 

AKELLY87

I have a query relating to having a TV Licence for an office premises that is not being used due to Covid-19 and current restrictions.

We have received a second letter about our renewal as it passed last month and we did not renew it as we are not in the office, therefore not using a TV or BBC's service. The second letter states that "if you delay renewing, you are not saving money as, legally, your property still needs to be licensed from the date your last TV Licence expired" it also states that "if you do not renew, you will still put yourself at risk of investigation, prosecution and a fine for committing a criminal offence".

We are still not working in our office premises and won't for months to come. Please can you tell you tell me where we stand with this?

FreeBear

AKELLY87 said:  "if you delay renewing, you are not saving money as, legally, your property still needs to be licensed from the date your last TV Licence expired"

Only if you are watching live broadcast TV do you need a licence. Something the TVL omits from their missives,

 So if no one is in the office to watch the TV and it has been turned off (at the wall), no need to renew in my opinion. However, if/when you do, they will probably backdate the licence to when the old one expired. A very nice little wheeze for the money grabbing little <redacted>.

Cornucopia

It would probably be worth going through the "No Licence Needed" process on the TVL website for a situation like this.  

timK

This is great info.

If I cancel:

• I have a TV, but I only use it for netflix. Will the TV in the living room be an issue?
• I live in flats and we have a communal ariel - will that be an issue?
  
• Do I have to let TV licensing in if they want to come to check?

-taff

No, no and no.

 If you are not watching live TV, you don't need a licence, the communal ariel is there if you want it and doesn't mean you are using it, and TV licencing can't enter your property without a warrant, you are not obliged to let them in without one. In fact, you don't have to speak to them or write to them. I just open the letters they send , laugh, and bin them.