Jonathan Clarke @ Beilabs.com

The Irish Broadcasting Bill 2009 - what a rip off…

From http://stochasticgeometry.wordpress.com”, The Broadcasting Bill 2009 (currently in the last stages of becoming the Broadcasting Act 2009 and then being commenced into law in Ireland) has thrown up a rather unpleasant little nugget for broadband users in Ireland. It now defines a television set as being an electronic apparatus able to receive TV signals or “any software or assembly comprising such apparatus” which would mean that even if you haven’t got a television set, even if you don’t watch streaming content from RTE.ie (the state broadcaster’s website), you’d still have to pay 160 euro a year for a television license for your iPhone, or netbook, or laptop or desktop if you have fixed or mobile broadband.”

I’m not a particular fan of this happening.  This makes the assumption, that if you are in Ireland and use the internet, do not watch television and RTE’s crap content, then you are going to still have to pay for a television licence.  How the hell did this get under the radar?  This will also mean that should you have a tv tuner on your laptop you will also have to stump up for a licence.

Frankly, Ireland should be completely up in arms about this.  People have been talking about rip off Ireland for years, this is yet another nail in the coffin of its citizens.