PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => General Tech Discussion, News & Q&A => Topic started by: Clive on May 19, 2009, 22:17
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The BBC is considering plans to change the TV licence to stop people getting a 'free ride' through the iPlayer.
Plans were outlined this week by a senior BBC executive to the Broadcasting Press Guild.
Erik Huggers of the BBC said: "If you are using the iPlayer you have to be a television licence fee payer. If you are consuming BBC services then you have to be a licence holder."
At the moment, you need a TV licence to watch live television content through the BBC's website but not to use the iPlayer service.
But the BBC is unhappy that many people are able to access catch-up content without paying and have proposed either introducing a special iPlayer licence or increasing the cost of the TV licence to cover the iPlayer.
A third idea is that the iPlayer could become a subscription service. However, the plans are far from solid at the moment.
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I think it would be most unfair on people who don't use iPlayer, if the general licence fee was increased to cover it. I see this as pure greed from the BBC, and they should have thought of this before introducing iPlayer in the first place. >:(
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Perhaps some sort of TV license number check could be made when people use the iPlayer, without incurring additional costs? After all, I can use either a bank, a cash dispenser or an on-line facility to manage my money and it doesn't cost me any extra for having multiple facilities at my disposal.
The BBC ought to be doing likewise - or perhaps they're looking for ways to cover the lost income from BBC Worldwide now the regulators have spotted this lucrative cash cow.
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I think it would be most unfair on people who don't use iPlayer, if the general licence fee was increased to cover it. I see this as pure greed from the BBC, and they should have thought of this before introducing iPlayer in the first place. >:(
absolutely pure greed, I some times think the BBC, like our government, thinks we are their personal bank. For f***s sake! come on lets have a bit of intelligent thinking for a while. You offer the service, if it costs too much then cut it. I hate this country at times. Gosh I can't wait to try living in Canada for a while.
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You may never come back, Sam, if you like it as much as friends of mine did. In your position, I would go and stay, this country has little to offer you.
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You may never come back, Sam, if you like it as much as friends of mine did. In your position, I would go and stay, this country has little to offer you.
apart from the young lady... need her to come too
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I was wondering how things stood on that front, does she want to go?
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She goes all doey eyed when she looks at him Rik. ;D
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Say no more. :)
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alas, not really... she wants to be near family / she is starting a PhD here in Birmingham next autumn... but in the longer term who knows (I'm only on a two year contract anyway!)
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If she's been offered the chance to do a PhD at Birmingham then she has no choice but to stay. Long distance relationships are much easier these days! :D
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indeed!