TV Licence why???

obriendj

BBC seem set to shut down BBC 3 and leave it as a web only channel

Seems this could be done here to save money. but it is unlikely that they would ever reduce the TV licence and if they made 20% savings it would line the pockets of the suits.

How is Tubridy and D'acry on Half a million each.

The Strawman Argument

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Dont get me started on TG4. Culturally important perhaps, but a tiny audience.

TG4 seems to be constantly churning out documentaries on stuff that otherwise wouldn't get much coverage at all, that alone justifies whatever chunk of the money they get. There's little evidence of any of it costing too much money, can't imagine they've anyone on crazy wages or anything either; Wimbledon must be their most expensive thing each year by a good bit, like?

Plus, like someone else said here, there's been signs that they do aim to have a higher quality output than the other channels. They were all over the Wire and a few other big US shows, gave it a decent time slot with repeats when it otherwise would've wound up at 4am on RTE2 on weekday night after the first season.

They're the only part of the whole TV license thing that seems to be genuinely doing its job.

obriendj

The Strawman Argument wrote: »

TG4 seems to be constantly churning out documentaries on stuff that otherwise wouldn't get much coverage at all, that alone justifies whatever chunk of the money they get. There's little evidence of any of it costing too much money, can't imagine they've anyone on crazy wages or anything either; Wimbledon must be their most expensive thing each year by a good bit, like?

Plus, like someone else said here, there's been signs that they do aim to have a higher quality output than the other channels. They were all over the Wire and a few other big US shows, gave it a decent time slot with repeats when it otherwise would've wound up at 4am on RTE2 on weekday night after the first season.

They're the only part of the whole TV license thing that seems to be genuinely doing its job.

I would have thought that they can get shows and sports events fairly cheap because they will argue they only have a small audience. The may put forward that their audience is only 100K people or so, and therefore can get more for less.

But I like TG4, I dont speak much Irish but think they put on some interesting shows with the likes of John Spillane going around small Irish towns. You would expect that he doesnt try to milk them for a large salary as he is spreading the Irish Culture.

They also had a show about 2 girls going around Europe on called Sofa to Sofa or something. It had history and culture about the cities they visited and about the people they stayed with.
Compare that to RTE's "How Low can you go?" where the 3 lads were trying to make a name for themselves.

AllGunsBlazing

obriendj wrote: »

BBC seem set to shut down BBC 3 and leave it as a web only channel

Seems this could be done here to save money. but it is unlikely that they would ever reduce the TV licence and if they made 20% savings it would line the pockets of the suits.

How is Tubridy and D'acry on Half a million each.

The BBC is an example of how a state funded broadcaster should operate. Quality programs, and more importantly, unflinching in it's scrutiny of how the british government conducts itself.

Viper_JB

ShowMeTheCash wrote: »

I just bought a new home at the end of the summer.. Prior to that I worked in Belfast Mon - Fri and rent there and was back home at the weekend to my parents.

I say about a month or two after buying the house in the state I got a letter addressed to me for the TV licence, how did they get my name?
I assume it was the post office as they see the change of name on the address.

If they did it's a breach of the data privacy act and they could be sued for it...you should find out.

Brian from bray returns

mikom wrote: »

Meet The McDonaghs.

It's ridiculous that our hard earned money is funding chav shows.

keithclancy

I THREW THINGS AT THE WALL ..

Xenji

I see no reason at all to pay, I have not watched Irish TV in years, I do not have a Saorview box or aerial and I do not have Sky, and yet I can watch whatever channel and show I want.

Why then should I be charged for a TV, I like toast, but do not pay a charge on my toaster, it must be the softest fee we pay in this country, might be time we all invest in a projector.

Melanoma

I think a tv licence is something that is required. That it ends up going into inflated wages of celebrities and a bloated RTE is not.

If TV is free to air then it must be paid by advertising or a licence.

Some aspects of tv viewing are not commercial. Within that there are public broadcasting requirements.

We also have people that are entitled to free tv as part of their social welfare such as pensioners.

I dunno how do you decide that some people pay and others do not. That some watch rte and others do not.

I guess the point is that is not possible. So everyone pays for a service some use.

Melanoma

I think there is an law passed so if you are paying a property tax they get your details and they are entitled to it.

Sparkly Blonde

I wonder if Tubs or D'Arcy or any RTE employees have to pay their licence. Surely they would just be paying their own wages then
😂

hiddenmongoose

Melanoma wrote: »

So everyone pays for a service some use.

Will you pay for my sky service so ?

marklazarcovic

ShowMeTheCash wrote: »

I just bought a new home at the end of the summer.. Prior to that I worked in Belfast Mon - Fri and rent there and was back home at the weekend to my parents.

I say about a month or two after buying the house in the state I got a letter addressed to me for the TV licence, how did they get my name?
I assume it was the post office as they see the change of name on the address.

if you registered for eircom or esb or to vote ,there are usually tick boxes asking do you want your name withheld from surveys ,advertising etc..

same thing with me,3 months after moving in...tv license letter in my name and the new house name arrives in the post,i changed the house name when i moved in and only told the postie and my bill providers

mattP

ShowMeTheCash wrote:

I know this kind of thread has been opened before, but why o why do we pay RTE a licence fee?

Why do other people*

:P

rubadub

Melanoma wrote: »

guess the point is that is not possible. So everyone pays for a service some use.

People who don't pay are effectively thieving cunts, forcing others to pay up more to make up the shortfall. Many who object are making out like they are taking a stand or something, yet I imagine fuck all of them have actually contacted a local TD asking for it to be scrapped. You are "saving" 160 euro a year, the least you could do is make some fucking effort.

It's is basically a form of tax, yet they squander loads of money in admin & advertising when it could be just rolled into normal taxation. I would prefer it to be a subscription service, this was looked into before and seems viable.

I wonder do you hear people justifying not paying taxes in a similar way, like do you get plumbers doing cash in hand jobs saying "well I don't use wheelchair ramps, sick to death of paying for them in my taxes when I don't even use them, so I will not pay X amount of tax", or do you get white collar major tax evaders saying "ah sure I never to the library, sick of paying for all those books"

MadsL

http://www.rte.ie/orchestras/

Not just TV being funded. RTE performing arts support is excellent.

Paramite Pie

I should probably pay more attention to TG4... that An Klondike show looks decent. An Irish Western set in a Canadian mining town.

It's a good idea since so many of our emigrants spoke Irish.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsfilmtv/an-klondike-is-a-golden-opportunity-for-irish-actors-352339.html

If more original shows were created, I'd support the license. Right now it seems wasted.