TV licence and RTE

lufties · 30-06-2013 11:21am #1

Hi all, i've noticed a lot of boardies on here whinge and complain about RTE in some way or another(and rightly so)..I just wonder why people just dont stick it to the establishment and boycott our national broadcaster..personally i watch gaa on setanta and have switched to newstalk or today fm.

any opinions?

irishfeen · 30-06-2013 11:24am

Don't Setanta cover only like 10 GAA league games? ... must be a short GAA year for you missing out on the championship.

Optimalprimerib · 30-06-2013 11:26am

lufties wrote: »

Hi all, i've noticed a lot of boardies on here whinge and complain about RTE in some way or another(and rightly so)..I just wonder why people just dont stick it to the establishment and boycott our national broadcaster..personally i watch gaa on setanta and have switched to newstalk or today fm.

any opinions?

I paid my tv license this year, as it is the law. I would rather be out of pocket 160 euro than 500. Besides their sports coverage is very good.

lufties · 30-06-2013 11:27am

irishfeen wrote: »

Don't Setanta cover only like 10 GAA league games? ... must be a short GAA year for you missing out on the championship.

they show 2 or 3 championship games every sunday which is a bit of a shame but its better than none.

uncle_sam_ie · 30-06-2013 11:30am

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

I paid my tv license this year, as it is the law. I would rather be out of pocket 160 euro than 500. Besides their sports coverage is very good.

Being forced to pay for a state entertainment channel that I don't even watch is a stupid law. It needs to be done away with.

The Backwards Man · 30-06-2013 11:32am

I hate Nestlé that much I buy their chocolate by the case, and then don't eat it.

lufties · 30-06-2013 11:33am

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Being forced to pay for a state entertainment channel that I don't even watch is a stupid law. It needs to be done away with.

and they only why that will happen is if people take action.

irishfeen · 30-06-2013 11:35am

lufties wrote: »

they show 2 or 3 championship games every sunday which is a bit of a shame but its better than none.

Are you living in the UK?? because RTE/TV3 have the rights for championship games in Ireland... not Setanta.

Mimikyu · 30-06-2013 11:36am

This post has been deleted.

PlainP · 30-06-2013 11:42am

Got my 2nd red letter asking me to pay mine.

I have always paid it but I'm considering not paying this time. I don't have an aerial or sky. I watch my telly through the internet and if I put on Aertv there is never anything on so I don't watch it.

How many red letters do you get before they come baying for your blood?

irishfeen · 30-06-2013 11:45am

PlainP wrote: »

Got my 2nd red letter asking me to pay mine.

I have always paid it but I'm considering not paying this time. I don't have an aerial or sky. I watch my telly through the internet and if I put on Aertv there is never anything on so I don't watch it.

How many red letters do you get before they come baying for your blood?

I wonder is it actually worth the hassle of not paying it in your case, could be expensive if they brought you to court in terms of a fine and legal costs... Do you really want that hassle for something you have no hope of winning?.

PlainP · 30-06-2013 11:49am

irishfeen wrote: »

I wonder is it actually worth the hassle of not paying it in your case, could be expensive if they brought you to court in terms of a fine and legal costs... Do you really want that hassle for something you have no hope of winning?.

This is very true and why I'm in two minds about paying or not.

Is it worth the hassle, I don't think so, but I actually can't afford it at the moment so they may have to wait a little bit longer.

which brings me back to my other question, how long do I have before they come looking for me?

DEFTLEFTHAND · 30-06-2013 11:56am

Pay it, don't lets us down. Don't be a sneaky fcuker. It's our national station and it provides an invaluable service to many.

It's like how all these guys with Planter surname's join the IRA.

Mint Sauce · 30-06-2013 11:59am

lufties wrote: »

Hi all, i've noticed a lot of boardies on here whinge and complain about RTE in some way or another(and rightly so)..I just wonder why people just dont stick it to the establishment and boycott our national broadcaster..personally i watch gaa on setanta and have switched to newstalk or today fm.

any opinions?

I have probably only watched about a couple of hours of Irish Broadcast in the last few months since getting a Satalite Dish and a cheap receiver from Aldi/Lidl, and only listen the radio in the car, even then its local radio, Todayfm, or BBC radio.

Still pay the TV Licence. Just wait till they replace it with the Broadcast Charge, and Revenue probably look after the payments.

Lifes to short to avoid answering the front door incase its an inspector. Doesn't have to be in your name, any place I have lived in its been 'The Occupier'.

El Gato · 30-06-2013 12:00pm

It's a total disgrace and a scam.

Almost every program is sponsored by one company or another. With multiple advertising breaks per show - all revenue.

We are paying for what exactly? To pay Ryan Tubrity €½million for what - to watch skeletor 'interview' hapless self serving 'celebrities'.....To pay Joe Duffy €378,000 for feign empathy with the poor unfortunates who think he will actually do anything.....To pay Brendan O'Connor €230,000 for an idiotic show, Derek Mooney – €220,000.....the list goes on.

The simple fact of the matter is that the Irish (yet again) are apathetic when it comes to standing up for themselves.

It's just another way of taxing the public....Wait until they bring in the communication tax not that we don't already pay VAT on our phones, broadband and everything else we buy.

(No, I haven't paid in years)

Tar.Aldarion · 30-06-2013 12:11pm

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

I paid my tv license this year, as it is the law. I would rather be out of pocket 160 euro than 500. Besides their sports coverage is very good.

0 is better than 160 or 500, every single year. Can't wait for the 'broadcasting' fee to replace it. Load of bollocks.

irishfeen · 30-06-2013 12:15pm

PlainP wrote: »

This is very true and why I'm in two minds about paying or not.

Is it worth the hassle, I don't think so, but I actually can't afford it at the moment so they may have to wait a little bit longer.

which brings me back to my other question, how long do I have before they come looking for me?

I honestly don't know mate, I would be thinking though they would give you every chance to pay it before taking any legal action.

El Gato · 30-06-2013 12:16pm

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

0 is better than 160 or 500, every single year. Can't wait for the 'broadcasting' fee to replace it. Load of bollocks.

I agree 0 is better than paying for a poor service with overpaid employees.

I believe the fee will be a 'communications tax' as a 'broadcasting' fee would be too narrow a description to screw us all

shruikan2553 · 30-06-2013 12:19pm

PlainP wrote: »

Got my 2nd red letter asking me to pay mine.

I have always paid it but I'm considering not paying this time. I don't have an aerial or sky. I watch my telly through the internet and if I put on Aertv there is never anything on so I don't watch it.

How many red letters do you get before they come baying for your blood?

We had 6 months before a summons after last letter (although there was only 1 letter) so quite awhile. I have heard of people buying one after getting the summons and then calling them to sort it out.

Mimikyu · 30-06-2013 12:23pm

This post has been deleted.

lufties · 30-06-2013 12:25pm

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Being forced to pay for a state entertainment channel that I don't even watch is a stupid law. It needs to be done away with.

i used to stream late late online by by jeebus its absolute cack altogether, especially if you compare to graham norton, its incredibly outdated. best thing about the late late is it's thread on this website

RustyNut · 30-06-2013 12:32pm

shruikan2553 wrote: »

We had 6 months before a summons after last letter (although there was only 1 letter) so quite awhile. I have heard of people buying one after getting the summons and then calling them to sort it out.

Just curious,
Did you have a telly, if so how did the licence people know this?

PlainP · 30-06-2013 12:34pm

shruikan2553 wrote: »

We had 6 months before a summons after last letter (although there was only 1 letter) so quite awhile. I have heard of people buying one after getting the summons and then calling them to sort it out.

Grand. I might try and hold out as long as I can but I know its only delaying the inevitable.

Trying to squirrel away a few quid even for this is gonna be a stretch but it has to be done I suppose.

My arse is getting sore at this stage having to bend over for this corrupt joke of a country. Maybe I should just invest in more lube.......

shruikan2553 · 30-06-2013 12:36pm

RustyNut wrote: »

Just curious,
Did you have a telly, if so how did the licence people know this?

We did. Someone opened the door and answered their questions. They werent allowed to answer the door anymore

rat catcher · 30-06-2013 12:48pm

i pay my licence as i dont want to end up in court. Dont watch rte or tv3. last year we were a few months late paying and the female inspector who stopped me getting out of the car and walking to the front door, said she knew we had a tv as we were with sky! She said the next time she called we would have to have the licence or we would find ourselves in court. I canceled sky shortly after that as I found it was a rip off too. I got a freesat box and now only watch uk channels, and dont miss sky at all!!!

RustyNut · 30-06-2013 12:50pm

shruikan2553 wrote: »

We did. Someone opened the door and answered their questions. They werent allowed to answer the door anymore

Bummer. I got riped off by tv licence people a few years ago, when I became liable for licence I done my duty, went to the post office and reluctantly coughed up what I owed.
After a few weeks I got a letter telling me that altho I payed up for a full year I was only getting 3 months because there was no licence for the address for the time before I payed.
I made the call to see what the story was and how to sort the missing 9 months and was more or less told to suck it up.
Haven't bought a licence since, get a letter about every 3 months or so,they go straight into the recycle and we have never seen the inspector who will be getting the same PFO I got from them.

Mimikyu · 30-06-2013 12:50pm

This post has been deleted.

annascott · 30-06-2013 12:56pm

I avoid RTE wherever possible. I listen to BBC radio and do not have a Saorview box for any RTE channels. If someone I know is on a programme, I will catch it on RTE player.

PlainP · 30-06-2013 1:14pm

Captain Morgan wrote: »

You can pay by direct debit or stamps bought from An Post.

The DD can be monthly if the cost of it all in one go is too much for you.

Link

Thanks for this will go down this route, grudgingly I might add.

Dostoevsky · 30-06-2013 1:21pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Pay it, don't lets us down. Don't be a sneaky fcuker. It's our national station and it provides an invaluable service to many.

It's like how all these guys with Planter surname's join the IRA.

Wtf.

markfinn · 30-06-2013 1:22pm

Genuinely don't have a TV here, and have never even attempted to use the RTE player. Now folks are telling me that as long as I have any device which could be used with other devices to watch TV (That is computer monitor, if I added a tuner box of some sort, could be used to watch TV) I'm supposed to pay.

Feck that. I'll see 'em in court and teach them the meaning of contempt first.

Dostoevsky · 30-06-2013 1:23pm

PlainP wrote: »

Thanks for this will go down this route, grudgingly I might add.

If you miss even a single direct debit payment it could negatively affect any application you might make for a mortgage. Be weary of that if it applies to you.

Dostoevsky · 30-06-2013 1:28pm

50% surge in those jailed over TV licence fines

272 people were jailed by the forces of the Irish state last year for not paying their tv licence. This puts the situation of the leaders of Anglo Irish Bank, AIB, Irish Nationwide, Ernest & Young, Fianna Fáil, PWC, KPMG and all the rest, none of whom have been imprisoned, in perspective.

In this brave republic jail, like taxes, is for the little people. Don't you forget it.

looking_around · 30-06-2013 1:44pm

I watch sport online .. by live streaming it .. I've even live streamed sky (for free ) :O :P .... :S

but RTE is NEVER watched here... (cept when my partner feels they're might be something interesting/important on the news..) Nothing else gets watched.
Personally I'd rather the money go to tg4, least they sometimes have good shows.

uncle_sam_ie · 30-06-2013 1:50pm

Dostoevsky wrote: »

50% surge in those jailed over TV licence fines

272 people were jailed by the forces of the Irish state last year for not paying their tv licence. This puts the situation of the leaders of Anglo Irish Bank, AIB, Irish Nationwide, Ernest & Young, Fianna Fáil, PWC, KPMG and all the rest, none of whom have been imprisoned, in perspective.

In this brave republic jail, like taxes, is for the little people. Don't you forget it.

"Figures released earlier this year show that 83 staff members at RTÉ are paid more than €100,000. The average pay at the station is €60,000 — almost twice the national average."
Socialism at work. This is what they're doing with our money :mad:

lau1247 · 30-06-2013 2:15pm

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

the difference is that it is law where if you have device capable of receiving broadcasting signal, then you have to pay.. so if you don't have it, you don't pay.. AFAIK, computer monitor on its own doesn't fall into TV licence category..

Your example is not directly comparable (Open to correction)

lufties · 30-06-2013 2:29pm

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

"Figures released earlier this year show that 83 staff members at RTÉ are paid more than €100,000. The average pay at the station is €60,000 — almost twice the national average."
Socialism at work. This is what they're doing with our money :mad:

thats an absolute disgrace, wtf like? even more reason to boycott it.

murpho999 · 30-06-2013 3:16pm

I find it hard to believe that people don't use RTE at all.

They must watch RTE news at some time.

Or Prime time, sport etc.

RTE always get bashed here but I think they do a pretty good job.

I like to watch shows about my own country, and you won't get that on BBC.

looking_around · 30-06-2013 3:35pm

tbh, I don't use RTE at all. My partner once in awhile will watch the news.

I don't use the rte player either. There's never been anything on rte that interested me. In saying that, there's rarely much on tv that interests me.

Stereomaniac · 30-06-2013 3:39pm

I go through phases of watching television. But the gaps between when I am watching it regularly is growing longer and longer. I will watch RTÉ on a weekly basis when Love/Hate returns.

endacl · 30-06-2013 3:41pm

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Being forced to pay for a state entertainment channel that I don't even watch is a stupid law. It needs to be done away with.

But you're not forced to pay are you?

You choose to own a telly, to which the obligation to pay licence fee is attached. I know the norm is that a telly is a necessity, but in reality isn't it a luxury?

markfinn · 30-06-2013 3:41pm

murpho999 wrote: »

I find it hard to believe that people don't use RTE at all.

They must watch RTE news at some time.

Or Prime time, sport etc.

RTE always get bashed here but I think they do a pretty good job.

I like to watch shows about my own country, and you won't get that on BBC.

Hands up. Never use them for anything. Shows about Ireland are shows of tedium.

murpho999 · 30-06-2013 3:55pm

markfinn wrote: »

Hands up. Never use them for anything. Shows about Ireland are shows of tedium.

Oh yes of course all tv from outside Ireland is so much better.

markfinn · 30-06-2013 3:59pm

murpho999 wrote: »

Oh yes of course all a lot of tv from outside Ireland is so much better.

FTFY

murpho999 · 30-06-2013 4:02pm

markfinn wrote: »

FTFY

Still can't find station that covers Irish news better.

looking_around · 30-06-2013 4:03pm

sky news/tv three has always covered it well enough ..there's always googling the Irish papers and reading the news

markfinn · 30-06-2013 4:04pm

murpho999 wrote: »

Still can't find station that covers Irish news better.

You have internet access and still go to TV for news?

murpho999 · 30-06-2013 4:42pm

looking_around wrote: »

sky news/tv three has always covered it well enough ..there's always googling the Irish papers and reading the news

Sky do not cover Irish stories in depth all, it is definitely a British station, and a poor one at that.

markfinn wrote: »

You have internet access and still go to TV for news?

I don't want to read Irish news and one something major happens (like Anglo tapes) then RTE have it.
Sometimes I want to watch it on my TV too.

I have internet and I still go the cinema too!

UCDVet · 30-06-2013 6:42pm

lufties wrote: »

Hi all, i've noticed a lot of boardies on here whinge and complain about RTE in some way or another(and rightly so)..I just wonder why people just dont stick it to the establishment and boycott our national broadcaster..personally i watch gaa on setanta and have switched to newstalk or today fm.

any opinions?

I'm doing my part, not that I think it will help.

I don't have a TV, don't pay the license, and don't watch RTE at all. Sadly, I'll just be labeled a criminal/liar/cheater and be used as an example for why they need stricter laws that force *everyone* to pay, no matter what.

EDIT: To clarify - I don't have a 'TV' by the definition of the law. I have many devices that can play all sorts of media. I have things like Netflix, Hulu, and visit lots of US sites like fox.com / abc.com / cbs.com and I watch exponentially more TV, for free, than RTE could ever hope to offer. I even encode media to play on my old HTC Hero. But I don't have any sort of TV tuner, don't have cable TV, and have never watched anything produced in Ireland.

bumper234 · 30-06-2013 6:52pm

murpho999 wrote: »

Sky do not cover Irish stories in depth all, it is definitely a British station, and a poor one at that.

I don't want to read Irish news and one something major happens (like Anglo tapes) then RTE have it.
Sometimes I want to watch it on my TV too.

I have internet and I still go the cinema too!

What?

RTE have done **** all coverage of the Anglo tapes and if anything have played them down as a minor story (3rd or 4th story and even then very little said) they know where there money is coming from and are being manipulated by politicians want this scandal swept under the rug.

goose2005 · 30-06-2013 7:12pm

bumper234 wrote: »

What?

RTE have done **** all coverage of the Anglo tapes and if anything have played them down as a minor story (3rd or 4th story and even then very little said) they know where there money is coming from and are being manipulated by politicians want this scandal swept under the rug.

Not really, it's more that they're very very lazy and it's far easier to pass on the news about how Nelson Mandela's doing than report on something complex - leave that to the real media.

TV licence and RTE

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