New broadcasting charge . .

michaelm

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Looking at this grinning clown you might be forgiven for thinking he has just discovered or invented something. No, he's announcing that we might change the TV licence tax in five years time but he doesn't know how it might work. Surely it not all that complicated, just put a levy on TV/Broadband and mobile broadband packages and forget about it (the providers will probably even suck up most of the cost). And do it now rather than in five years. Free up Garda and Court time chasing evaders and stop annoying us with asinine radio and TV ads coaxing compliance.
 
Add it as an add on item to the household charge. 97% compliance thus allowing for a €10+ reduction AND Rte will get more revenue.

Of course you'll have the usual "we should pay for nothing" crew such as Paul Murphy & Co up in arms.
 
You are forgetting one really important thing; the amount of money the Post Office gets for collecting the existing licence. You'd be "Tearing the heart out of Rural Ireland".
 
Add it as an add on item to the household charge.

Just like the "Universal" Social Charge, not everyone has to pay the Local Property Tax. Just those, you know, silly enough to get themselves a half-decent job or buy their own home.
 
Just like the "Universal" Social Charge, not everyone has to pay the Local Property Tax. Just those, you know, silly enough to get themselves a half-decent job or buy their own home.
But just like the household charge, a tv license is for a dwelling not a person. So applying it to the revenue's database and applying any exemptions would be the easiest, cheapest and most effective way to collect it.

But governments tend not to always go for the easiest option
 
But just like the household charge, a tv license is for a dwelling not a person. So applying it to the revenue's database and applying any exemptions would be the easiest, cheapest and most effective way to collect it.

But governments tend not to always go for the easiest option
Yep, the same people who pay for nothing will continue to pay for nothing.
If they are asked to pay for something a failed Trade Unionist and a few loony left politicians will get them out matching (sure its a change from daytime TV), just like they did when the State asked people to pay for the water they used. We may have to have a constitution amendment to enshrine the right to watch Maura and Daithi.

If we want public service broadcasting we have to pay for it.
 
I might be happy to pay for public service programme making, but that is nothing like what we have in RTE at the moment.
RTE is bloated and increasingly left leaning. It pains me to be part funding them. I'd like to see RTE filleted and they should have to be self-funding. A pot of cash could be made available for public service programme making which RTE and others could apply for.
 
RTE is bloated and increasingly left leaning. It pains me to be part funding them. I'd like to see RTE filleted and they should have to be self-funding. A pot of cash could be made available for public service programme making which RTE and others could apply for.
I agree about RTE but I'd look to ensure that they are somewhat balanced rather than get rid of them.
 
In a way all broadcasters gain from the license fee.

Rte can only have average 6 minutes of advertising an hour (max 9min in any particular hour) Whereas commercial TV and radio can have 12 minutes average and 16 min max.

By restricting rte, this gives more opportunity to commercial broadcasters
 
RTE firstly need to decide what they actually are. Are they a broadcaster or a cultural organisation?. Why do they need choirs, orchastras etc. Hate to say it but if I were DG of RTE I'd be cutting all of those. I'm not saying they shouldn't broadcast cultural events but do they need to actually have their own orchestra or just record what is in the NCH or elsewhere? To me it's a bit like expecting them to have their own professional sports team
 
RTE firstly need to decide what they actually are. Are they a broadcaster or a cultural organisation?. Why do they need choirs, orchastras etc. Hate to say it but if I were DG of RTE I'd be cutting all of those. I'm not saying they shouldn't broadcast cultural events but do they need to actually have their own orchestra or just record what is in the NCH or elsewhere? To me it's a bit like expecting them to have their own professional sports team

I'm not sure if the DG has that kind of authority? I would have expected the current DG to do that already... but I could be wrong.

I agree that I don't think it should be something covered from the licence fee. Seems like orchestra and choir should be from Government Arts budget.
 
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