Wednesday, 11 March 2015

The TV License for On Demand

With the use of second screen and content on multi media platforms this has expressed a concern for the current industry. With the use of mobile devices that content can now be viewed on it has called for less need to watch television. The want to renew your television license becomes a struggle to whether you will be receiving the use out of your payment.

In an article from February 2015, produced by the BBC, it states ‘The fee is “becoming harder and harder to justify” given changes in the media, according to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee.’

As society is becoming more and more familiarised with the modern technology, the licence fee costing £145.50 yearly for live television needs to be modernised. The BBC in agreement with this, have identified that the new use of technology is proving an issue to sustain as television users find alternative ways. 



Recently in an article in The Guardian, TonyHall (the Director General of the BBC) gave his vision. Regarding the BBC licence fee he states;

‘He doesn’t mind how the BBC is funded just so long as it’s a universal fee, preferably the licence fee, and welcomed MPs’ support for extending the charge to people who only watch catch up television’.

The impact that this will have on those that choose to watch catch up television may well be negative,  for those that simply wish to use on demand services to catch up on their favourite shows. The BBC brought live television to their on demand service, BBC iPlayer so therefore I agree that this service should bring a fee.  This is seeing unfair disadvantages to the household TV license payers.

The use of multi media platforms and on demand services from public service broadcasters, are free and these are being used through the Internet which we pay for. Perhaps if sustaining the TV licence fee is becoming difficult and people are now watching the television more often, then TV catch up and on demand should become subscription services. This could then lead to less distractions by the younger generation and lift there heads from their mobile devices, as the younger generation may not be able to afford to use pay subscription services for catch up or on demand.


As the population becomes more computer savvy we see that more and more people are using the Internet illegally to watch shows and films. This is again causing an effect on  commerce in the industry. The more we feel we are getting away with watching illegal content the more likely that society will continue to do so. This is then also distracting viewers from the importance of viewing a film as an experience and an occasion.



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