People who only view BBC content through its online video-on-demand service iPlayer should pay for the privilege, according to the broadcaster's tech chief.
A loophole which allows those who only watch BBC programming through iPlayer to avoid paying the licence fee means that some users are getting a "free ride", the BBC's director of Future Media and Technology Erik Huggers told a Broadcasting Press Guild event last week.
"My view is that if you are using the iPlayer, you have to be a television licence fee payer," The Daily Mail quoted Huggers as saying.
"I don't believe in a free ride. If you are consuming BBC services, then you have to be a licence holder."
Despite some media reports claiming plans are afoot to charge people for using iPlayer, the BBC has refuted such suggestions.
The broadcaster said in a statement: "These claims are completely false. The BBC has no plans for charges to use the iPlayer or changes to the licence fee. In any case, changes to current arrangements would need to be made by Parliament."
However, the BBC's independent regulator, the BBC Trust, recently indicated that a rethink may be required around the TV licence due to changes in the way audiences are consuming publicly funded television content.
A BBC Trust report published last month said: "Legislative change is likely to be required in order to reflect technology changes in the licence fee regulations."
The BBC Trust added at the time that it regularly reviews the impact of new technology on audience behaviour but has so far found that online on-demand viewing tends to supplement television rather than replace it.
Talkback
since all licence payers can watch BBC programming on their tv, why spend their licence money on a service that isn't (and can't be ) used by all licence payers, can be accessed by non-licence payers and eats up bandwidth.
The commercial arm of the BBC could fund iPlayer but where's the business case?
There are many websites where people can watch and/or download videos which they have to pay for, normally by buying credits. Auntie should do this with iPlayer.
The problem is, its just another fat cat who wants everything his own way. What about the millions of people who are forced to buy a TV licence who never consume any BBC services at all. I never use BBC IPlayer, or watch any programmes from the BBC, but I am forced each year to help fund the garbage that the BBC put out. I mean god help me if I didn't have Sky and when sitting in on a Friday night, forced to watch such trash as Strictly Come Dancing, Eastenders, the Chelsea Flower show. Young people are being penalised and forced to subsidise older generation of peoples TV habits.
If they want to force that people pay for BBC IPlayer that don't have a licence, fair enough. I think they have the right to do that, but don't force those who don't watch BBC to buy a licence. The problem is the BBC don't have the guts to charge for BBC IPlayer, because they are not used to having to properly generate income and know that most people wouldnt pay to watch BBC IPlayer. You watch next there will be a box you have to tick on next years TV licence form that says "do you internet access at home" if you agree then you must pay £20 extra incase you go on BBC IPlayer.
It's highly rediculous that he even contemplates a charge for this service. In fact BBC should be made resposnible for their own revenue generation, like all of the other channels.
The content of the BBC generally leaves a lot to be desired and, like the UK's politicians, there is little regulation .
How many people legitimately don't pay the license fee because they don't have a television but have broadband and therefore only watch any television online. The television less tend to be television less because they don't believe in that kind of entertainment, so it doesn't make sense that they then consume it online. The guy is a bit of fool.
I dimly recall from my student days that people who wanted their own TVs had to buy their own license too. These days, watching iPlayer on a laptop seems like a far better idea (although not every program broadcast on a BBC channel would be available).
I'm no fan of the BBC in general like some have already said being forced to pay for a license, but as the first poster has already stated why go down this road in the first place if all it does is create more problems than solutions?
Instead wouldn't it have being better to just replace the existing BBC TV service through the TV systems with this one instead, and still maintain some channels purely for live broadcast purposes, like news and alike?
That way all license payers only could watch what they wanted when they wanted, and the rest who don't wish to license broadcast's from the BBC, could make use of rival on-demand services via the same way through the same TV systems.
Sounds like a plan, but format types would haft to be ratified amongst the broadcaster's first like.