TV Licence article Discussion

pphillips

bigpappa said:

I am torn  - I don't like how the the BBC news has just become a Government mouthpiece - this current Government has forced them into submission - yet we need an independent broadcaster or we will end up like the US with Fox News pumping out lies and disuniting people. I don't want anymore partisanship.

The BBC does need to rethink some of its output but I would still have the BBC than Fox News and CNN.

Democracy requires an informed not inflamed public.

The BBC are certainly not political aligned with the Tories, if anything the BBC are the ones inflaming the public with their metropolitan liberal elitism. So, I take it that the phrase "Government mouthpiece" must be referring to the Scottish government. At the moment, the BBC and the Tories appear to be at war with each other.

I don't understand, what is wrong with diversity of thought? Maybe you don't like Fox news in the USA because they are the only ones whose message isn't "Trump is bad" but you can always change the channel and watch something more in line with your political beliefs.

Cornucopia

Mistados said:

Hi,

im moving into a new flat soon and all I’m going to use my TV for is playing my games consoles. I read on a website that you need a licence if any of your devices have the capability to stream BBC iPlayer or watch TV which my PS4 and iPad do, so do I need a licence because of that? 

No, your website was wrong.

The correct information (as mentioned by cw18 above) is here:-

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/tv-licence/

wymondham

Not sure if this site has been mentioned before but it contains lots of info for those still unsure if they can cancel:
http://www.tvlicencestop.co.uk/

wymondham

Cornucopia said:

Jvstoney said:

What exactly is live tv? I  only watch tv for half hour or so in the morning after a nightshift, do i need a licence if i only watch itv +1? To me this is not live, maybe im wrong. 

If it's from ITV+1's broadcast then it needs a Licence.   If you were to watch the same content as Catch Up then it wouldn't need a Licence.

I often say to people if its in a TV listings magazine, ie it has a scheduled broadcast time then its classed as 'live' TV. Seems the simplest way to explain.

dan958

Jvstoney said:

What exactly is live tv? I  only watch tv for half hour or so in the morning after a nightshift, do i need a licence if i only watch itv +1? To me this is not live, maybe im wrong. 

+1 is still a live broadcast that is being received

Cornucopia

dan958 said:

Jvstoney said:

What exactly is live tv? I  only watch tv for half hour or so in the morning after a nightshift, do i need a licence if i only watch itv +1? To me this is not live, maybe im wrong. 

+1 is still a live broadcast that is being received

I think that "live TV" is, overall, the most confusing element of the TV Licensing rules though there is plenty to choose from.   I seem to answer more queries about that than anything else.

The disappointing thing is that the BBC spent good Licence-payers' money on an opinion poll a few years ago to see whether the Public found the term confusing, and (spoiler alert) they did.   But TVL carried on using it.

Cripper

I am considering buying an Amazon Echo Spot.  It is described  as having BBC video briefing services built-in.  I am wondering if you need a tv license for this device?

Cornucopia

Cripper said:

I am considering buying an Amazon Echo Spot.  It is described  as having BBC video briefing services built-in.  I am wondering if you need a tv license for this device?

You never need a Licence just to own equipment.

You would need a Licence to use the device to view content from BBC iPlayer (and if the device is capable of it, viewing scheduled TV broadcasts).

pphillips

Cripper said:

I am considering buying an Amazon Echo Spot.  It is described  as having BBC video briefing services built-in.  I am wondering if you need a tv license for this device?

It is clearly a type of computer apparatus, so no licence is needed to install this device.

Nick_C

The fact its a type of computer apparatus is entirely irrelevant.  You don't need a TV licence to "install" a laptop. But you do need a licence if you watch live TV on a laptop. Or use iPlayer.

My guess is this device shows you short news clips from the BBC website such as the ones you find here. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines

This is not live TV and it is not iPlayer, so no licence required.