roachieuk
Elite Member
Now BBC threatens to make iPlayer users pay licence fee: Director General admits charge could be modernised to apply to programmes on catch-up service
Tony Hall, BBC Director General, said annual fee could be modernised
Almost half a million Britons already dodge the £145.50 charge
Increasing numbers of young people avoid all live TV, and hence the fee
Lord Hall suggested the Government could change way licence fee works
But also pointed out that most still watch programmes live on TV sets
Viewers who avoid the licence fee by only watching catch-up shows on iPlayer could have to pay up, the BBC’s director general warned yesterday.
Lord Hall’s comments come amid growing concerns that younger viewers are using free catch-up services to dodge the £145.50 annual charge. He insisted that the licence fee has ‘plenty of life yet’ but admitted it could be changed.
Currently, a loophole means viewers who only watch catch-up shows instead of on TV as they are broadcast do not have to pay the licence fee.
Lord Hall said: ‘It could be modernised again so it applies to watching BBC programmes both live and on iPlayer. This is for the Government to decide, but worth considering.’
In June, the Daily Mail revealed that 463,846 people avoided buying a TV licence by declaring they had not owned a set or watched live shows in the past year.
According to recent figures from media regulator Ofcom, growing numbers of young people watch TV online, on devices such as tablets, smartphones and laptops, rather than on traditional sets.
Those aged 16 to 24 spend just half their viewing time watching shows live as they are screened.
The rest of the time they use free catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer as well as DVDs, recorded TV shows or films, and programmes they have bought and downloaded from the internet.
The trend has piled pressure on the BBC to extend the TV licence to cover all viewers.
There is concern that older watchers are effectively being penalised for watching on TV sets rather than on computers and other devices.
However, Lord Hall downplayed concerns that the loophole could threaten the Corporation’s funding, saying the vast majority of viewers still watch live TV.
Writing in the Daily Mirror, he said: ‘The other charge people make is that the licence fee must be broken because technology is moving so quickly.
‘Why pay the fee when you can watch everything on iPlayer? Whilst we now have a huge choice of programmes to watch on catch-up, close to 90 per cent of all TV viewing is still live.
‘When England played Italy in the World Cup, more than 15million people watched at nearly midnight because they wanted to share the experience. Fewer than 2 per cent of households only watch on-demand programmes and this is growing only slowly.’
A change to the licence could be made when the BBC charter is renewed in 2017. An option is for viewers to enter a code on the iPlayer website before catching up on shows to show they have paid.
Read more: BBC threatens to make iPlayer users pay licence fee | Mail Online
I knew it wouldn't be long before they pulled this straw out.
Tony Hall, BBC Director General, said annual fee could be modernised
Almost half a million Britons already dodge the £145.50 charge
Increasing numbers of young people avoid all live TV, and hence the fee
Lord Hall suggested the Government could change way licence fee works
But also pointed out that most still watch programmes live on TV sets
Viewers who avoid the licence fee by only watching catch-up shows on iPlayer could have to pay up, the BBC’s director general warned yesterday.
Lord Hall’s comments come amid growing concerns that younger viewers are using free catch-up services to dodge the £145.50 annual charge. He insisted that the licence fee has ‘plenty of life yet’ but admitted it could be changed.
Currently, a loophole means viewers who only watch catch-up shows instead of on TV as they are broadcast do not have to pay the licence fee.
Lord Hall said: ‘It could be modernised again so it applies to watching BBC programmes both live and on iPlayer. This is for the Government to decide, but worth considering.’
In June, the Daily Mail revealed that 463,846 people avoided buying a TV licence by declaring they had not owned a set or watched live shows in the past year.
According to recent figures from media regulator Ofcom, growing numbers of young people watch TV online, on devices such as tablets, smartphones and laptops, rather than on traditional sets.
Those aged 16 to 24 spend just half their viewing time watching shows live as they are screened.
The rest of the time they use free catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer as well as DVDs, recorded TV shows or films, and programmes they have bought and downloaded from the internet.
The trend has piled pressure on the BBC to extend the TV licence to cover all viewers.
There is concern that older watchers are effectively being penalised for watching on TV sets rather than on computers and other devices.
However, Lord Hall downplayed concerns that the loophole could threaten the Corporation’s funding, saying the vast majority of viewers still watch live TV.
Writing in the Daily Mirror, he said: ‘The other charge people make is that the licence fee must be broken because technology is moving so quickly.
‘Why pay the fee when you can watch everything on iPlayer? Whilst we now have a huge choice of programmes to watch on catch-up, close to 90 per cent of all TV viewing is still live.
‘When England played Italy in the World Cup, more than 15million people watched at nearly midnight because they wanted to share the experience. Fewer than 2 per cent of households only watch on-demand programmes and this is growing only slowly.’
A change to the licence could be made when the BBC charter is renewed in 2017. An option is for viewers to enter a code on the iPlayer website before catching up on shows to show they have paid.
Read more: BBC threatens to make iPlayer users pay licence fee | Mail Online
I knew it wouldn't be long before they pulled this straw out.
