TV license fee

[ffutures]

Prompted by this post by gonzo21, and unfortunately by me having missed the news about the latest TV license nonsense for one reason and another, I've just sent this to the Evening Standard, who I suspect will ignore it.

I notice that there is talk of funding the over 75 TV service by charging for access to BBC iPlayer. This leads to some obvious questions - how will the money be collected, and how will those who already pay the license fee be affected? Will it be necessary to enter your license number and a password - which isn't possible with the iPlayers built into most smart TVs?

If not, who will fund a system to track down every person who looks at the iPlayer site and make sure that they have paid their fee? This is especially likely to apply in the case of mobile users, since they will probably be accessing via a service provider that isn't linked to their TV license.

The current system monitors if you have accessed iPlayer from inside the UK, which seems fair enough. Tracking it down to an individual address / person would be a nightmare; expensive, prone to error, probably easily hacked, and possibly illegal under the Data Protection Act.

This needs to be ruled out before serious money is wasted on trying to make it work.

And yes, I do pay the license fee.

Anyone started up any petitions about this yet?

Comments

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

I would assume they'll have to change it so that you have to create an account to log in to the iplayer?

And people when they get their licence fee will get a code they can use to register for a years useage of the iplayer.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

And of course nobody will ever lose / forget their code or publish it on line...

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

One imagines their only option will be to switch to an ad-supported system.

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

Well you can revoke published codes, which would mean you might have to buy another Tv License. But there would be a cost to support such a system for when valid code don't appear to work.

And does a 75 yro Grandmother who wants to watch iplayer need a code.

Finally do those using get_iplayer get to complain if they cant watch iPlayer having paid for it - the big issue with that is that at the moment BBC aren't giving the team API access codes , to download the catalogue.

[eledonecirrhosa.livejournal.com]

Um... BBC Store is coming (its in beta, will be launched to the public in September if all goes according to plan). That will sit in parallel with iPlayer, but will be a 'pay money to download to own' service. Like iTunes for BBC telly progs - basically a replacement for buying it on DVD/Bluray.

When we got told about it in staff meetings, it was touted as stuff being on iPlayer for free for 30 days, then for money on BBC Store forevermore (or for 10 years if they can't clear all the rights forevermore).

Meanwhile, there is the plan to split the BBC into 2 companies - BBC Public Service and BBC Studios.

I'm now wondering if the Cunning Plan has additional levels of complexity... e.g. stuff made by BBC Public Service on iPlayer for free, stuff made by BBC Studios on BBC Store for dosh??? Or stuff with BBC Worldwide investment only available for dosh???

UPDATE: Danny Cohen has just given a speech about this. The answer to the iplayer money question was that all that's happening is the government has agreed to change the legislation so that iplayer and other public service catch-up services are covered. The licence fee is for ALL public service telly, not just for BBC stuff.

So basically the detector van guys will no longer ask "Do you have a telly?" but will instead ask "Do you have a telly or do you watch stuff on Channel 4 OD, BBC iplayer and the like?"

Also the agreement says that in 2020 the BBC takes over making the decision as to whether the over 75s still get a free TV licence or not. So they could cancel it, make it means tested or whatever.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Christ, what a fiasco.