BBC to live stream main TV channels

[JohnDotCom]

BBC to live stream main TV channels

BBC 1 and BBC 2 will be available for live viewing online as part of a 12-month trial,
but questions remain over whether Auntie can actually enforce the TV licence for online viewers.

By Chris Green, 20 Nov 2008 at 12:29




The BBC has announced plans to broadcast its two main TV channels online as live web-based video streams, following successful trials involving its digital channels.
The Beeb already offers live streaming access to BBC News, BBC Three, BBC 4, two children’s channels and the vast majority of the BBC’s local and national radio stations. Access to these live streams is restricted to UK-based IP addresses.
"From 27 November licence fee payers will be able to watch BBC programmes, live, wherever they are in the UK on their computers, mobile phones and other portable devices,” said Jana Bennett, Director of BBC Vision.
However, it remains unclear exactly how TV Licensing can maintain enforcement of the TV licence which provides the BBC with the vast majority of its funding and is the cornerstone of the Royal Charter that ensures the BBC’s existence and independence. TV Licensing is the body responsible for collecting the licence fee and enforcing the legal requirement to hold a TV licence in order to watch TV broadcasts in the UK.
The TV Licensing web site states: “If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch TV programmes at the same time as they are being shown on TV (live) then you will need to be covered by a valid TV Licence. If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch BBC programmes after they have been broadcast - either to download, or via streaming 'on demand' you will not need a TV Licence.”
While viewers of the live streams will need a licence, both the BBC and TV Licensing are vague on exactly how licence fee evasion can be detected and proven, given that the current detection process if geared towards identifying active televisions in unlicensed houses, rather than what computers are being used for.
"The licence fee was easy to police when everyone was just watching one big television in the corner of the room but people are watching shows in all kinds of ways. How are they going to police what people are doing?” Philip Davies MP, who sits on the culture, media and sport select committee, told the Daily Mail.
'This… is the death knell for the licence fee,” he added.
The future of the TV licence is clearly in doubt, as the BBC Trust has announced a review of how the licence fee is collected, in light of the changing technology used in accessing and delivering broadcast content to the public.
"The BBC has a duty to be efficient in collecting the licence fee and to keep evasion rates as low as possible so that those people who pay are not disadvantaged by those who do not," said Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC Trust.

Copyright Permissions Granted.

[GreyGhost]

One way to collect the fee would be to require registration to watch live streaming. Usual stuff, username, password and TV licence number to register, then username and password to watch.
They have just set up a buy your licence on line and have it delivered to your email address, no word on discount for not using paper and post office though.

[JohnDotCom]

I won't pay any bills the paperless way unless there is a very healthy Discount.

Even when Dodo views the Phone Bill on line she still prints it off even though the real one turns up a few days later.

It is just another step in the Graveyard for the Post Office otherwise.
Same as Car Tax etc.

[efreeti]

The best thing that ever happened to car tax was being able to pay it online. Lets face it the P.O. has been shuffling towards the grave for the last 15 years due mainly to it's own lack of foresight and inability to modernise and adapt. IMHO the fact the they are not the UK's biggest email service provider speaks volumes!

The BBC are doing a much better job and access to channels via the web is the obvious way forward. Lets just hope they can work out a system that keeps them afloat though. I would personally be happy for the licence to be collected as part of the council tax. No arguments about whether or not you have a telly, just a simple standing annual charge for every household in the UK, collected by the councils and transferred into a national fund. I wonder if that would work? There is probably some glaringly obvious reason why it wouldn't that I just haven't spotted.

[GreyGhost]

Originally Posted by efreeti

T No arguments about whether or not you have a telly, just a simple standing annual charge for every household in the UK, collected by the councils and transferred into a national fund. I wonder if that would work? There is probably some glaringly obvious reason why it wouldn't that I just haven't spotted.

I do not have a television and have not for over 15 years. There are many like me, demonised by the BBC's collection agencies. The thinking is that everybody has a television this is not the case.
I will not be watching live streaming video via computer.

[JohnDotCom]

I would personally be happy for the licence to be collected as part of the council tax. No arguments about whether or not you have a telly, just a simple standing annual charge for every household in the UK, collected by the councils and transferred into a national fund. I wonder if that would work? There is probably some glaringly obvious reason why it wouldn't that I just haven't spotted.

Because over 28% of the Public don't pay Council Tax.
Many Single Parents on benefits, Unemployed claiming Income Support, and anyone generally claiming Income Support through low wages, sick etc are exempt so I can see a big problem there.

[efreeti]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

I do not have a television and have not for over 15 years. There are many like me, demonised by the BBC's collection agencies. The thinking is that everybody has a television this is not the case.
I will not be watching live streaming video via computer.

It must be said though that there are very very few people who genuinley do not have a television and being taxed for services you do not personally use is nothing new. I am willing to bet most of those who don't have TVs do still use the BBC radio network.

Originally Posted by JohnDotCom

Because over 28% of the Public don't pay Council Tax.
Many Single Parents on benefits, Unemployed claiming Income Support, and anyone generally claiming Income Support through low wages, sick etc are exempt so I can see a big problem there.

I wonder how that compares to the amount of people who don't pay for a TV licence anyway? Plus the costs of collecting the money would be tied in with the current council tax collection anyway so there would be savings there.

[Simon]

Ah but the License isn't classed as a tax per se and I bet a fair few (I myself for one) would not like the idea of being 'taxed' to watch TV (although in principle we are under the current system - personally I do not like this and would much rather put up with adverts than pay a 'license' to watch TV channels that then have adverts in them such as Sky channels.)

[efreeti]

Resenting paying the license in the first place though is a different issue. You have to pay at the moment anyway. It would still be the same cost as it is now, just streamlined in with the council tax system. It would even be itemised as such on the bills. I imagine the administration cost of transferring a fixed amount per household out of the council coffers and into the BBC central funding pot would be minimal, at least compared to the current system of detector vans, knocks on the door, media campaigns etc etc.

The radio stations are worth the fee alone in my book. If it came to it I would happily pay a tenner a month just to keep BBC Radio advert free!

[podge]

On a lighter note, living out here in "the sticks" we have only just got fresh water/electricity/no gas/still have outside thunder traps(but posh indoor one upstairs)......now what was I going to say...ah yes:
We cannot get Digital T.V./BBC3/BBC4/Channel5/Digi Radio...as a consequence I was quite miffed that I missed a super documentary on BBC4 about the end of steam and the building of the new Peppercorn Pacific(sorry Anorak mode!)Then tonight I have just discovered the wheel again!!I am downloading it onto this electric tea tray!!Amazing times we live in.Right slippers on,used to smoke a pipe,hot choccy and off to bed.P.
p.s....spent the day trying to cure an air leak on fuel delivery side of the old M#n#e#........don't ask!!