Funding of European public broadcasters

TV licence      Television licence only      Television licence and advertising      Television licence, advertising and government grants No TV licence      Government grants, and advertising      Commercial only      Unknown

A television licence (or broadcast receiver licence) is an official licence required in many countries for the reception of television (and sometimes also radio) broadcasts. The verb license or grant license means to give permission The noun license is the document demonstrating that permission Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. It is a form of hypothecation tax to fund public broadcasting, thus allowing public broadcasters to transmit programmes without, or with only supplemental, funding from radio and television commercials. See also Hypothec. The original use of the word hypothecation was for a pledge of property as collateral for a Debt without Public broadcasting refers to radio television and other electronic media outlets that receive some or all of their funding from the public A television advertisement or television commercial (often just commercial or advert (US or ad (UK is a span of television programming produced

The television licence was originally known as a radio licence, and was used to fund public radio broadcasting. With the arrival of television some countries created a separate additional television licence, while others simply increased the radio licence fee to cover the additional cost of TV broadcasting, changing the licence's name from "radio licence" to "TV licence" or "receiver licence". Today most countries fund public radio broadcasting from the same licence fee that is used for television, although a few still have separate radio licences, or apply a lower or no fee at all for consumers who only have a radio. Some countries also have different fees for users with colour or monochrome TV. Many give discounts, or charge no fee, for elderly and/or disabled consumers.

Television licences around the world

The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago^[1] notes that two-thirds of the countries in Europe and half of the countries in Asia and Africa use television licences to fund public television. The Museum of Broadcast Communications (or MBC) is located in Chicago Illinois. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. TV licensing is rare in the Americas, largely being confined to French overseas departments. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Overseas department (départements d’outre-mer or DOM) is a designation under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic that was given to the

The actual cost and implementation of the television licence varies greatly from country to country. The rest of this section looks at the licence fee in a number of countries around the world.

Europe

Albania

The Albanian licence fee is 800 Lekë (around €6. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. The lek (plural lekë) is the Currency of Albania ( ISO 4217 currency code: ALL Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 30) per year. ^[2] However, the licence fee makes up only a small part of public broadcaster RTSh's funding. Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH translated in English as Albanian Radio and Television (ART is the public broadcaster in Albania, founded in 1938 and RTSh is mainly funded directly from the government through taxes (58%), the remaining 42% comes from commercials and the licence fee.

Austria

In accordance with the Austria RGG (TV and Radio Licence Law) all broadcasting reception equipment in use or operational at a given location must be registered. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The location of the equipment is taken to be places of residence or any other premises with a uniform purpose of use.

Responsible for licence administration in Austria is GIS - Gebühren Info Service GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of the Austrian Broadcasting Company (ORF), as well as an agency of the Ministry of Finance, charged with performing functions concerning national interests. Transaction volume in 2006 amounted to EUR 668 million, 66% of which are allocated to the ORF for financing the organisation and its programs, and 34% are allocated to the federal government and the local governments (taxes and funding of local cultural activities). GIS employs some 193 people and appr. 125 free lancers in field service. 3. 3 million Austrian households are registered at GIS, percentage of licence dodgers in Austria amounts to 4%.

The main principle of GIS' communication strategy is to inform instead of control. To achieve this goal GIS uses a four-channel communication strategy:

• Above-the-line activities (advertising campaigns in print media, radio and TV)
• Direct Mails
• Distribution channels – outlets where people can acquire the necessary forms for registering (post offices, banks, tobacconists, five GIS Service Centers throughout Austria)
• Field service – customer consultants visiting households not yet registered

The annual television & radio licence varies in price depending on which state one lives in. Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. Austria is a federal republic made up of nine States, known in German as Länder (singular Land) Annual fees from June 2006 are:^[3]

Belgium (Walloon Region)

The licence fee in Belgium's Walloon Region (encompassing the French and German speaking communities) is €149. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The Walloon Region, commonly called Wallonia, is one of the three Regions of Belgium. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 67 for a TV and €26. 72 for a car radio. ^[4] Only one licence is needed for each household regardless of how many television sets there are. However, each car with a radio must have a separate car radio licence. Household radios do not require a licence. The money raised by the fee is used to fund Belgium's French and German public broadcasters (RTBF and BRF respectively). RTBF or Radio télévision belge de la communauté française is the national broadcasting organisation of the government of the French-speaking southern Belgischer Rundfunk ( BRF) ( Belgian Broadcasting) is the public-service broadcasting organization serving the German-speaking Community of Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The licence fee in Bosnia and Herzegovina is around € 36 per year. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e ^[5] The civil war and the associated collapse of infrastructure caused very high evasion rates. The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly known as the Bosnian War, was an international armed conflict that took place between March 1992 and November 1995 This has in part been resolved by collecting the licence fee as part of a household's telephone bill. Basic principle A traditional landline telephone system also known as "plain old telephone service" (POTS, commonly handles both signaling and audio information The licence is used to fund PBSBiH (Public Broadcasting Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina) which is an umbrella organisation of three separate broadcasters. BHRT redirects here Other uses of BHRT include Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. These are BHRT (Radio Television of Bosnia Herzegovina), which serves the whole country; RTFBiH (Radio-Television of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina) that serves Bosnian-Croat and Bosniak population; and RTRS (Radio-Television of the Republika Srpska), which serves the Bosnian Serb people. BHRT redirects here Other uses of BHRT include Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. The Bosniaks or Bosniacs (Bošnjak pl Bošnjaci bɔ'ʃɲaːt͡si are a South Slavic people living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Bosnia" BHRT redirects here Other uses of BHRT include Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Republika Srpska ( Serbian: Република Српска Republika Srpska ( often abbreviated PC or RS) also Српска Srpska

Croatia

The licence fee in Croatia is set each year in accordance with the Croatian Radio Television Act, 2001. Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between The act states that the total licence fee is equal to 1. 5% of the average net salary in the previous year. ^[6][7] This works out at about €100 per year per household with at least one radio or TV receiver.

The fee is the main source of revenue for the national broadcaster Hrvatska Radiotelevizija (HRT), and a secondary source of income for other national and local broadcasters, which receive a minority share of this money. Croatian Radiotelevision (Hrvatska radiotelevizija HRT is a Croatian Public broadcasting company Despite the licence money, HRT's programmes are still not free of advertisements, but the percentage of air time which may be devoted to advertising is limited by law and is lower than the one that applies to commercial broadcasters.

Cyprus

The licence fee in Cyprus is indirect but obligatory and paid through electricity bills. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The amount to be paid varies according to the total floor area of the property. Its beneficiary is the state broadcaster Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC). The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation ( Greek: Ραδιοφωνικό Ίδρυμα Κύπρου Turkish: Kıbrıs Yayın Kurumu or CyBC (ΡΙΚ (KYK

Northern Cyprus ("TRNC" only recognised by Turkey) does not pay the Cypriot licence fee as Cypriot jurisdiction is not applicable in the North. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ( TRNC) (Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti KKTC) commonly called Northern Cyprus (Kuzey Kıbrıs though its Bayrak Radio and Television Corporation, the North's public broadcaster gets it funds through the North Cypriot government. Bayrak Radio and Television Corporation (In Turkish: Bayrak Radyo Televizyon Kurumu) is the official radio and television broadcasting corporation of the

Czech Republic

The licence fee in the Czech Republic, is currently 1440 Kč (€50. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, 58) as from January 1, 2007, ^[8] This will increase further to 1620 Kč (€56. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 90) on January 1 2008. Each household pays for one TV Licence regardless of how many televisions they own. Corporations and the self-employed must pay for a licence for each television. The licence currently forms 68% of, public broadcaster, Česká televize's income, with the rest coming from advertising, sponsorship, and commercial ventures. Česká televize ʧɛskaː tɛlɛvɪzɛ ( Czech television) is the public Television broadcaster in the Czech Republic. However, advertising and sponsorship are being phased out as a form of funding for Česká televize. From 2008 no commercials or teleshopping will be allowed except for adverts related to sports and cultural transmissions^[9].

Denmark

The licence fee in Denmark is 2,150 kr^[10] (around €288) in media licence fee (which applies to all TVs, computers with internet access above 256 kbit/s or with TV tuners or other devices that can receive broadcast TV: which actually means that you have to pay the TV licence if you have a relatively new mobile phone). The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The krone ( sign: kr; code: DKK) is the Currency of Denmark, including the autonomous provinces of Greenland Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e Radio licence is 320 kr (around €43). Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e The black/white TV rate is no longer offered after January 1st, 2007. The majority of the licence fee is used to fund the national radio and TV broadcaster DR. DR (formerly Danmarks Radio) is Denmark 's national Broadcasting corporation However, a proportion is used to fund TV 2's regional services. TV 2 is a Danish government-owned Television station broadcasting from Odense on Funen. ^[11]

Finland

The television fee in Finland is between €208. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 15 and €215. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 40 (depending on the interval of payments) per annum for a household with TV (as of 2007). It is the primary source of funding for Yleisradio (YLE). YLE (Full name Finnish: Yleisradio Oy, Swedish: Rundradion Ab) is Finland 's national broadcasting company founded The amount is being adjusted yearly for reasons including transition to digital television. Digital television (DTV is the sending and receiving of moving images and sound by discrete ( digital) signals in contrast to the analog signals used by There are no exemptions from the fee.

In 1999, television license fee was renamed television fee, since at that time the new constitution of Finland was being drafted. For the constitution of the Grand Duchy of Finland see Swedish Constitution of 1772 The Constitution of Finland (in Finnish This new constitution guarantees everyone the right to receive messages without permission as a part of freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without Censorship or Limitation. ^[12] This had little practical effect.

The switch to digital only transmission of TV in Finland has seen a dramatic decline in the number of households with a TV licence. The reason for this is not clear. It may be that people are recouping the mandatory cost of purchasing a digital receiver (50-100€ for basic models) against the cost of the licence by way of protest. Many (but not all) set top boxes carry encryption technology and YLE, which has lost considerable income and has slashed TV services has said it is considering whether to encrypt the signal to enforce payment of the licence.

France

In 2005, the television licence fee in France (mainland & Corsica) was €116 and in the overseas departments it was €74. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Corsica (Corse Corsican and Italian: Corsica) is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e Overseas department (départements d’outre-mer or DOM) is a designation under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic that was given to the The licence funds services provided by Radio France, France Télévisions and Radio France Internationale. Radio France is the French radio broadcaster. Mission Radio France's two principal missions are To create and expand the programming France Télévisions (fʁɑ̃s televiʒjɔ̃ is the French public national television broadcaster Radio France Internationale (RFI was created in 1975 as part of Radio France by the Government of France to serve as a broadcast vehicle for French Equatorial Overseas departments receive the Reseau France d'Outre Mer ('Télé [name of department or territory]', Tempo, and France Ô), whilst the mainland receives France 2, France 3, France 5, Arte, France 4 and Gulli. Réseau France Outre-mer ( RFO) is a network of radio and Television stations operating in France 's overseas departments and territories France 2 is the largest French public Television network It is part of the France Télévisions group along with France 3, France 5 France 3 is the second largest French public Television channel and part of the France Télévisions group which also includes France 2 France 5 is a public television network in France, part of the France Télévisions group Arte (Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne is a Franco-German TV network. France 4 is a French public television network featuring Arts, including Music. Gulli is a new French television network dedicated to children's programming ^[13] Public broadcasters in France supplement their licence fee income with that from advertising. However, changes in the law in 2000 designed to stop public television chasing ratings, have brought this into steep decline; Between 1998 and 2004 the proportion of France Télévision's income that came from advertising declined from around 40% to 30%. ^[14] To keep the cost of collection low, the licence fee in France is collected as part of local taxes. ^[14]

Germany

The licence fee in Germany is €204. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 36 per annum for TV and radio, and €66. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 24 for just radio. ^[15] It is billed by the month, but typically paid quarterly (yearly payments are possible). The unemployed, disabled and people (nearly) solely dependent on governmental support for living do not need to pay the licence fee. Starting in 2007, the German government will establish a licence fee for every working Internet link (e. g. mobile phone or PC) if it is the only source for radio and television. These devices will be charged the radio fee. The license fee has to be paid even if the device is not attached or has no immediate capabilities to connect to internet. According to the official regulation, the fee has to be paid if the device "could potentially connect to internet without significant efforts" (which means one could buy a modem and then connect). Non-possession of internet-capable devices is no obstacle to required fees, but the virtual possibility of potential capability to receive broadband is sufficient to pay.

The licence fee is used to fund the public broadcasters ZDF, ARD, and Deutschlandradio, ARTE and the public "Third Programmes" TV channels and all public radio stations as well. Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen ("Second German Television" ZDF, is a public service German Television channel based in Mainz. ARD ( Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland &ndash "Consortium of public-law broadcasting institutions of Deutschlandradio is a national German public radio broadcaster Arte (Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne is a Franco-German TV network. Their budgets are often supplemented by limited advertisements at certain hours of the day. Germany currently has one of the largest public broadcast budgets in the world. Their annual revenue is roughly EUR 7. 6 billion (which is approximately twice as much as the European and Russian space programs combined), plus EUR 500 million in commercial ads. Nevertheless the board of public broadcasters sued the German states for interference with their budgeting process, and on September 11, 2007, they achieved a total victory at the Supreme Court, rendering their institution as an independent and self-governing body. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. In addition they are allowed to charge the public for "lost revenues" in their forthcoming fee raise.

Public broadcasters have announced that they are determined to strongly utilize all available ways to access their "customers" and as such have started a very broad internet presence with media portals, news and TV programs. With the intention to "reach their customers" in an appropriate way, the national broadcasters have abandoned their pledge for restricting their internet activities. German society will have the world's most extensive public internet media program in the near future. However, a steep fee raise is announced for 2009.

Greece

The licence fee in Greece is indirect but obligatory and paid through electricity bills. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The amount to be paid is €51. 60 (2006) for every separate account of the electrical company (including residence, offices, shops and other places provided with electricity). Its beneficiary is the state broadcaster Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi (ERT). Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi (Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία Τηλεόραση—Hellenic Radio Television is the Greek state-owned public radio and television Predicted 2006 annual revenue of ERT from the licence fee (officially called "retributive" fee) is €262. 6M (from €214. 3M in 2005). ^[16]

There has been some discussion about imposing a direct licence fee after complaints from people who do not own a television set and yet are still forced to fund ERT. An often quoted anecdote is that even dead people pay the licence fee (since graveyards pay electricity bills). ^[17]

Iceland

In Iceland the TV Licence is 32 460 kr^[18] (around €346. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( The króna (plural krónur) ( sign: kr; code: ISK) is the Currency of Iceland. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 59) (2006). Discounts are available for black and white TVs and those who only have radios. The TV Licence is used to fund RÚV. Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV ( ˈricɪsˌutvar̥pɪð) &ndash The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service &ndash is Iceland 's national public-service broadcasting ^[19] However, this income is supplemented by broadcasting commercials.

Ireland

Main article: Television licensing in the Republic of Ireland

In 2006, the television licence in the Republic of Ireland is €158,^[20] up from €155 in 2005. In the Republic of Ireland, a Television licence is required for any address at which there is a Television set Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e It is free to anyone over the age of 70 and to some over 66, and the blind although these licences are in fact paid for by the state. Everybody (regardless of means or circumstances), over the age of 70, is entitled to a free lifetime licence. The Irish Post Office, An Post, is responsible for collection of the licence fee and commencement of prosecution proceedings in cases of non-payment. An Post ( English literal translation 'The Post' However, An Post has signalled its intention to withdraw from the licence fee collection business. ^[21] The Irish TV licence makes up 50% of RTÉ's revenue. The rest comes from RTÉ broadcasting commercials on its radio and TV stations. ^[22] Furthermore, some RTÉ services, such as RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ Aertel, rte.ie, and the transmission network operate on an entirely commercial basis. RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is commonly referred to is RTÉ 's second national radio station. RTÉ Aertel is a Teletext service broadcast on RTÉ One and RTÉ Two in the Republic of Ireland, and also available in its entirety The URL RTEie is the brand name and home of RTÉ 's online activities RTÉ Network Transmission Limited ( RTÉNL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Radio Telefís Éireann which runs Ireland's principal terrestrial television and radio

The licence fee does not entirely go to RTÉ. After collection costs, 5% is used for the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland's "Sound and Vision Scheme", which provides a fund for programme production and restoration of archive material which is open to applications from any quarters. The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland ( BCI) (Coimisiún Craolacháin na hÉireann is the regulator of the commercial broadcasting sector in Ireland. 5% of what RTÉ then receive is granted to TG4, as well as a requirement to provide them with programming. TG4 ( Spoken as TG Ceathair or TG a Ceathair; tiː dʒiː kʲahəɾʲ is a Television channel in Ireland, aimed The remainder of TG4's funding is direct state grants and commercial income.

The licence must be paid for premises that have any equipment that can potentially decode TV signals, even those that are not RTÉ's.

Italy

In 2008, the licence fee in Italy was €106. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 00 per household with a TV set. ^[23][24]

It is the primary source of income for RAI, which does, however, also broadcast advertising. Rai - Radiotelevisione Italiana, known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian public service broadcaster, and is considered Advertising is a form of Communication that typically attempts to persuade potential Customers to Purchase or to consume more of a particular Brand Italy has problems with collection of the licence, with approximately 10% of viewers not paying their licence. One of the reasons is that the maximum fine is only half that of the licence itself (plus the licence on top of that), compared to the UK where the fine is up to £1000 (about €1500. )

Viewers in the province of Bolzano-Bozen, Italy, which has a large German-speaking majority, can also receive Austrian and German public TV and radio channels via terrestrial transmissions. The Province of Bolzano-Bozen (Provincia autonoma di Bolzano Autonome Provinz Bozen Ladin: Provinzia Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest However, they do not have to pay the German or Austrian license fees.

Macedonia

The licence fee in the Republic of Macedonia is around €57 per year. The Republic of Macedonia (Република Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e ^[25] It is collected monthly as part of the electricity bill. In addition to licence fee funding, Macedonian Radio-Television (MRT) also takes advertising and sponsorship. Macedonian Radio Television ( Macedonian: Македонска Радио Телевизија Latinic: Makedonska Radio Televizija) (or MRT)

Malta

The licence fee in Malta is €34. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands 40. ^[26] It is used to fund the television (TVM) and radio channels (Radio Malta and Radju Parliament) run by Public Broadcasting Services. Television Malta ( TVM) is the national television station of Malta Public Broadcasting Services Limited (PBS is Malta 's Public broadcasting company responsible for the TVM television channel and the Radio Approximately two-thirds of TVM's funding comes from the licence fee, with much of the remainder coming from commercials. ^[27]

Montenegro

In accordance with the Broadcasting Law (Dec. 2002), every household and legal entity, situated in the Republic, where technical conditions for reception of at least one radio or television programme have been provided, is obliged to pay a monthly broadcasting subscription fee. The monthly fee is 3. 5 EUR

The Broadcasting Agency of Montenegro is in charge of collecting the fee (currently through the telephone bills, but after the privatization of state owned Telekom, the new owners - T-com, announced that they will not administer the collection of fee from July 2007). Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE!

The funds from the subscription received by the Agency belong to:

• the Republic's public broadcasting services (radio and television) - 75%;
• the Agency's fund for the support of the local public broadcasting services (radio and television) - 10%;
• the Agency's fund for the support of the commercial broadcasting services (radio and television) - 10%;
• the Agency - 5%.

Norway

The licence fee in Norway is 2103. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional 84 kr^[28] (about €270) per annum (2007). The krone ( sign: kr; code: NOK) is the Currency of Norway. The plural form is kroner. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e The fee is mandatory for any owner of a TV set, and is the primary source of income for Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK). The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation ( Norwegian: Norsk rikskringkasting AS) which is usually known as the NRK, is the Norwegian The licence fee is charged on a per household basis. Therefore addresses with more than one television receiver only require a single licence.

Poland

The current (2007) annual licence fee in Poland for television set is 204 zł (about €53) per annum^[29] The licence may be paid monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annually, there are discounts for early payment (up to 8. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The złoty (/ˈzwɔtɨ/, plural for numbers ending in 2 3 and 4 (except 12 13 and 14 złote /ˈzwɔtɛ/ plural for all other numbers złotych /ˈzwɔtɨx/ Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 5% for paying for full year in advance). Those that have no TV but have a radio must pay the radio-only licence which costs 63. 60 zł (about €17) per year.

Around 60% of the fee goes to Telewizja Polska with the rest going to Polskie Radio. Telewizja Polska Spółka Akcyjna ( TVP SA, often abbreviated to only TVP, Polish Television) is Poland 's Public broadcasting Polskie Radio Spółka Akcyjna ( PR SA, "Polish Radio" is Poland 's public Radio network Broadcasting Corporation. In return public television is not permitted to interrupt its programmes with advertisements. The TV licence is waived for those over 75. Only one licence is required for a single household irrespective of number of sets, but in case of commercial premises one licence for each set must be paid. There is a major problem with licence evasion in Poland, as the inspectors do not have right of entry to inspected premises and must get the owner’s permission to enter, because of this, it is estimated that about 45% households and 98% of businesses do not pay. ^[30]

Romania

The licence fee in Romania for a household is 48 RON (about € 12) per annum. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The leu ( plural lei; ISO 4217 code RON numeric code 946 is the currency of Romania. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e ^[31] Small businesses pay about €45 and large businesses about € 150. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e The licence fee is collected as part of the electricity bill. The licence fee makes up part of Televiziunea Română's funding, with the rest coming from advertising and government grants. Televiziunea Română (pronunciation "télévizju': nèa ro: mīnə" more commonly referred to as TVR' (pronunciation "té'vé'ré"

Slovakia

The total licence in Slovakia comes to approximately € 42 per annum. Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e ^[32] In addition to the licence fee STV also receives state subsidies and money from advertising.

Slovenia

In 2004, the licence fee in Slovenia stood at SIT 31 644 (about €132). Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west The tolar was the Currency of Slovenia from 1991 until the introduction of the Euro on December 31, 2006. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e ^[33] The licence fee is used to fund RTV Slovenija, which supplements its licence fee income by broadcasting commercials

Sweden

Main article: Television licensing in Sweden

The current licence fee (Swedish: TV-avgift, literally TV fee) in Sweden is 1968 kr^[18](about €210) per annum. Radiotelevizija Slovenija or RTV Slovenija (Radio-Television Slovenia or more commonly en ''RTV Slovenia'' is the national Public broadcasting Organization In Sweden, the Television licence fee (TV-avgift literally TV fee) is set by the Riksdag and goes directly to the funding of the three public service Swedish ( is a North Germanic language spoken by more than nine million people predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e It is collected on behalf of the three public broadcasters (Sveriges Television, Sveriges Radio and Sveriges Utbildningsradio) by Radiotjänst i Kiruna AB, which is jointly owned by them. Sveriges Television AB ( SVT,) is a national Television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by an obligatory fee payable by all Television -owners Sveriges Radio AB (SR &ndash Sweden's Radio Ltd &ndash is Sweden 's national publicly funded radio broadcaster Sveriges Utbildningsradio (UR — the Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company — is a public-service corporation dedicated to serving the needs of the Swedish general Radiotjänst i Kiruna AB is Sweden 's TV licensing body It is a private corporation formed in 1988 and based in Kiruna.

The fee pays for five TV channels and 16 radio channels. In Sweden, the term "television licence" was replaced a few years ago by "television fee", which was regarded as less ambiguous. The fee is leveraged based per household with TV service, not per TV set. Although the fee also pays for radio broadcasting, there is no fee for radios.

Switzerland

According to the Swiss Federal Law on Radio and Television (RTVG), the reception of radio and / or television programs must be registered and is subject to reception fees. The fees are paid per house-hold or business location and not per device.

Since 1998, Billag has been responsible for collecting these radio and television reception fees on behalf of the Swiss Federation. It sends around 12 million bills a year to three million households in Switzerland. The collection volume is approximately CHF 1. 2 billion (EUR 758 million). It also sends out one million payment reminders a year. In addition, approximately 60,000 recoveries are initiated.

Billag employs approximately 260 people and was founded as a fully owned subsidiary of Swisscom, the leading telecommunications company in Switzerland. Its services make public radio and television possible. Billag is independent of SRG SSR idée suisse which is the national public broadcaster and therefore the primary beneficiary of the collected fees. Regional and local broadcasters also receive funding from fees as long as they provide a public service.

One of Billag’s jobs is also to provide information to the general public about registration and fees in all four official languages (German, French, Italian, Romansh). Radio and TV spots, an interactive website, mailings, brochures and visits by field staff are among the most important communications media.

Persons in residential care as well as those who are receiving supplementary income from the Swiss Confederation in addition to their old-age or invalidity pension, are exempt.

Treating all those subject to fees the same way protects the approximately 96% of consumers that readily fulfil their legal obligations and ensures that conditions are fair for all.

The licence fee in Switzerland is CHF 450. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The franc ( German: Franken, French and Romansh: franc, Italian: franco; code: CHF 35 (about € 292) per annum for TV and radio. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e ^[34]

Viewers in the province of Bolzano-Bozen, Italy, which has a German-speaking majority, can also receive the Swiss German-language channels via terrestrial digital transmissions, but do not have to pay a licence fee. The Province of Bolzano-Bozen (Provincia autonoma di Bolzano Autonome Provinz Bozen Ladin: Provinzia Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

United Kingdom

Main articles: Television licensing in the United Kingdom and Television licensing in the United Kingdom (historical)

In the United Kingdom, the current annual cost for a colour television licence (as of 1st April 2008) is £139. In UK English the noun is spelt "licence" and the verb is spelt "license" The Broadcasting Receiving Licence of 10 Shillings was introduced in November 1922 to cover existing BBC radio broadcasts as well as the BBC's 405-line television The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency 50 (approximately €176) and £47. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 00 (approximately €59) for monochrome TV (black and white). ^[35] The licence fee is charged on a family unit per household basis, which means there could be multiple licences per household. The majority of UK domestic customers will require one licence per household. The licence fee is used to fund the BBC's radio, television and internet services. A similar licence, mandated by the 1904 Wireless Telegraphy Act, used to exist for radio, but was abolished in 1971.

There are concessions for the elderly (free for over-75s^[36]), the licence fee here being paid for by the Department for Work and Pensions. Blind people get a 50% discount on their licence or completely free if only in possession of an audio only receiver. Blindness is the condition of lacking Visual perception due to Physiological or Neurological factors Residents of residential care homes (for the elderly and people with physical/mental disabilities) can apply for a special licence called the licence for Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) which is £7. 50 per year.

The licence fee represents approximately 75% of the BBC's income with most of the rest coming from the sale of its programming overseas and other business allied to broadcasting such as publishing. ^[37] However, the UK's second public broadcaster, Channel 4, has claimed that it may need licence fee income if it is to continue with public broadcasting after the digital switch-over. Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom is made up of over fifty primarily free-to-air television channels (including all the national analogue stations To this end, on April 25, 2006, it was announced that Channel 4's digital switch-over bill would be paid for from the licence fee. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[38] Some of S4C's programmes such as Pobol y Cwm and Newyddion, are made by BBC Wales and provided free of charge to S4C, meaning they are paid for by the licence fee. S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru meaning Channel Four Wales) is a television channel in Wales Pobol y Cwm ( People of the Valley) is a Welsh language television Soap opera produced by the BBC since October 1974 Newyddion ( News) is a Welsh-language programme of world national and local news broadcast daily by the S4C television channel in the United Kingdom BBC Wales ( BBC Cymru) is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales.

Asia

Israel

The television licence for 2006 in Israel is ₪ 400 (about £50 or €70). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The Israeli New Sheqel ( ( sign: ₪; code: ILS) (also spelled unofficially shekel; pl The licence fee is the primary source of revenue for the Israel Broadcasting Authority, the state broadcaster; however, its radio stations carry full advertising and its TV programmes sometime receive "sponsorship" from commercial entities to supplement this income. Israel Broadcasting Authority (often referred to as the IBA; רָשׁוּת השׁידוּר Rashùt Ha-Shidúr) is Israel 's state broadcasting Advertising is a form of Communication that typically attempts to persuade potential Customers to Purchase or to consume more of a particular Brand

Japan

In Japan, the annual licence fee for terrestrial television broadcasts is ¥15,490 (about €110) (slightly less if paid by direct debit) and ¥25,520 (about £110 or €164) if you receive satellite broadcasts. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Terrestrial television is a term which refers to modes of television broadcasting which do not involve satellite transmission Direct debit or direct withdrawal is a Payment system that allows an organisation to instruct their bank to collect varying amounts directly from customers' accounts This article is about artificial satellites For natural satellites also known as moons see Natural satellite. ^[39] There is a separate licence for monochrome TV, and fees are different in Okinawa. is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū The Japanese licence fee pays for the national broadcaster NHK. or Japan Broadcasting Corporation, is Japan 's Public broadcaster.

While every household in Japan with a television set is required to have a licence, there is no penalty for non-payment, and people are legally entitled to stop licensing inspectors from entering their houses.

Korea, Republic of

In South Korea, the television licence fee is collected for Korean Broadcasting System(KBS) & Korea Educational Broadcasting System(EBS) and is ₩30000 per year^[40] (about £15 or €25). The won (ko 원 ( sign: ₩; code: KRW) is the currency of South Korea. It has stood at this level since 1981, and now makes up less than 40% of KBS's income & less than 8% of EBS's income. ^[41] Its purpose is to maintain public broadcasting in South Korea, and to give public broadcasters the resources to do their best to produce and broadcast public interest programs. The fee is collected by the national electrical company (Korean Electric Power Company).

Pakistan

The television licence in Pakistan is Rs300 per year (around €3. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The rupee ( sign: ₨; code: PKR) is the Currency of Pakistan. 86). It is collected as a Rs25 per month charge to all consumers of electricity. ^[42] The proceeds of the fee and advertising are used to fund PTV. The Pakistan Television Corporation (abbreviated as PTV) ( Urdu: پاکستان ٹیلیوژن کارپوریشن) is Pakistan's national Television

Singapore

The cost of the TV licence for a household in Singapore is S$110 (about €57). Singapore The dollar ( sign: $; code: SGD) is the Currency of Singapore. ^[43] Additional licences are required for radios and TVs in vehicles (S$27 and S$110 respectively).

Africa

Ghana

The licence fee in Ghana is ¢3,000 ^[44] (about €0. The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the The cedi is the unit of Currency of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas 29) (2006). The fee is used to fund the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcaster of Ghana There has recently been controversy in the Ghanaian Parliament over the number of people who do not pay the licence. ^[44]

Mauritius

The licence fee in Mauritius is Rs 1200 per year (around €29). Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République The rupee ( ISO 4217 code MUR) is the currency of Mauritius. It is divided into 100 cents. ^[45] It is collected as part of the electricity bill. The proceeds of the licence fee are used to fund the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). The Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC is the public broadcaster of the Republic of Mauritius, formed on June 8 1964 The licence fee makes up 60% of MBC's funding with the other 40% coming from television commercials. ^[46] However, the introduction of private broadcasting in 2002 has put pressure on MBC's revenue from commercials and this is decreasing. Furthermore, MBC is affecting the profitability of the private stations who want the government to make MBC commercial free^[45]

Namibia

The licence fee in Namibia was N$204 (about €23) in 2001. Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast The dollar ( Currency code NAD) has been the Currency of Namibia since 1993 ^[47] The fee is used to fund the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcaster of Namibia. ^[48]

South Africa

The licence fee in South Africa is R225 (about €31) per annum (R276 per year if paid on a monthly basis) for TV. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The rand ( sign: R; code: ZAR) is the Currency of South Africa. ^[49] A concessionary rate of R65 is available for those over 70, and disabled persons or war veterans who are on social welfare. The licence fee partially funds the public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation. SABC redirects here as this is the most common use of the abbreviation in English The SABC does, unlike some other public broadcasters, derive much of its income from advertising.

Countries where the TV licence has been abolished

The following countries have had television licences, but subsequently abolished them:

Australia

Radio licence fees were introduced in Australia in the 1920s to fund the first privately owned broadcasters which were not permitted to sell advertising. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. With the formation of the government-owned Australian Broadcasting Commission in 1932 the licence fees were used to fund ABC broadcasts while the privately owned stations were permitted to seek revenue from advertising and sponsorship. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly abbreviated to the 'ABC' is Australia's national public broadcaster. Television licence fees were also introduced in 1956 when the ABC began TV transmissions. All licence fees were abolished in 1974 by the Australian Labor Party government led by Gough Whitlam on the basis that the near-universality of television and radio services meant that public funding was a fairer method of providing revenue for government-owned radio and television broadcasters. Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC (born 11 July 1916 known as Gough Whitlam (ˈɡɒf goff is an Australian former politician and 21st The ABC has since then been funded by government grants, now totalling around A$800 million a year, and its own commercial activities (merchandising, overseas sale of programmes, etc. The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD) is the Currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas ). In the early 1990s, passing criticism of ABC content was often referred to by the term "where your 8 cents a day goes", referring to the cost each Australian was indirectly contributing to the ABC.

Belgium (Flemish region)

The Flemish region of Belgium abolished its television licence in 2001. The Flemish Region ( Dutch: Vlaams Gewest) is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium alongside the Walloon Region The Flemish broadcaster VRT is now funded from general taxation. The terms Fleming and Flemings ( Vlaming and Vlamingen in Dutch) denote respectively a person and people and the Flemings or

Gibraltar

It was announced in Gibraltar's budget speech of June 23, 2006 that Gibraltar would abolish its TV licence. Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar Budget (from French bougette, purse generally refers to a list of all planned expenses and revenues Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish ^[50] The 7,452^[51] TV licence fees were previously used to part fund the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC is Gibraltar 's public service broadcaster. However, the majority of the GBC's funding came in the form of a grant from the government.

Hungary

In Hungary the government took over the payment of all television licence fees from the public in 2002. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic ^[52] Effectively this means that funding for Magyar Televízió and Duna TV now comes from the government through taxation. Magyar Televízió (or Hungarian Television) is a Hungarian national public service television company which operates two channels called M1 Duna TV or Duna Televízió is one of two state-owned Public television companies in Hungary. As from Spring 2007 commercial units (hotels, bars etc. ) have to pay television licence fees again, on a per TV set basis.

India

India introduced a radio receiver license system in 1928, for All India Radio. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. All India Radio (abbreviated as AIR) officially known as Akashvani ( Devanagari: आकाशवाणी ākāshavānī ( Urdu: اکاشوانی With the advent of television broadcasting in 1956-57, television was also licensed. With the spurt in television stations beginning 1971-72, a separate broadcasting company, Doordarshan, was formed. Doordarshan (दूरदर्शन literally Tele-Vision) is the public television broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati, a public The radio & TV licences in question needed to be renewed at the post offices on a yearly basis.

However in 1977, the licensing system was withdrawn, with both the Indian national public broadcasters, AIR and Doordarshan instead funded by both the Government of India and advertisements.

Malaysia

Malaysia abolished the TV licence at the end of 1999. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and

Netherlands

The licence fee in the Netherlands was abolished in 2000 due to the excessive collection costs. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands ^[26] Public television in the Netherlands is now funded by government subsidy. Public-service broadcasting in the Netherlands is provided jointly by a number of broadcasting organizations under the tutelage of NPO ( Netherlands Public Broadcasting, Dutch Nederlandse In order to pay for public television from government funds, income tax was increased. ^[26]

New Zealand

Licence fees were first used in New Zealand to fund the radio services of what was to become the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Public broadcasting in New Zealand has undergone many changes since the first Radio broadcast on 17 November 1921 Television was introduced in 1960, and with it the television licence fee. The licence fee was capped at NZ$100 a year (around €49) in the 1970s, and the country's two television channels, while still publicly owned, became increasingly reliant on advertising. The New Zealand dollar ( sign: $; code: NZD) is the Currency of New Zealand. Later known as the public broadcasting fee, the licence fee was finally abolished in New Zealand in 1999, partly because the administration costs to collect the tax relative to the level of revenue was unviable, and also because the TV channels had become commercial revenue generators for the government with hardly any public service obligations left.

Portugal

The licence fee was abolished in 1992 by the Cavaco Silva government, the fee funded the national public broadcaster RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal SA, commonly known as RTP and Rádio e Televisão de Portugal ( Portuguese for "Radio and Television of Portugal" It was replaced with direct government subsidy and advertisements. ^[53]

Countries that never had a television or broadcasting licence

Europe

Liechtenstein

In Liechtenstein there is the public radio station Radio Liechtenstein. The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny doubly landlocked Alpine country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland It was founded as private station in 1995, but was nationalized in 2004. Radio Liechtenstein is funded by commercials and government grants. There is no (neither public nor private) television station in Liechtenstein. People in Liechtenstein watch and listen to Swiss, Austrian and German broadcasters.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg has never had a television licence, because when RTL (RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg) was established, it was simply a commercial broadcaster, and acted with public broadcasting dimension in its programming. Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg is the main Television channel in Luxembourg, broadcasting in Luxembourgish. Plus many Luxembourgers are trilingual in French, German and Luxembourgish, so many watched French, German and Belgian television as well as local TV, so putting a television licence in place would be seen as unfair. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Luxembourgish (lb Lëtzebuergesch Luxembourgeois Luxemburgisch Luxemburgs Lussimbordjwès also called Luxembourgian, also spelled Luxemburgish, is one of

Monaco

Monaco has never had a television licence, because when TMC (Télé Monte Carlo) was established, it was simply a government-owned commercial broadcaster, and acted with public broadcasting dimension in its programming. For other uses see Monaco (disambiguation Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque Télé Monte Carlo or TMC Monte Carlo, traditionally known as TMC is a Monégasque general entertainment Television channel.

North America

The reasons why the idea of a licence fee never caught on in Canada or the United States bear some differences. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Canada

The Canadian public broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, lagged slightly behind the private American broadcasters in providing radio and then television service to Canadians. Many, but not all, Canadians had access to radio and television signals from stations in the northern U. S. Thus unlike the BBC, the CBC had to compete with other English language stations for most of its viewing audience. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A licence fee to own a television would almost certainly have been viewed as unfair by Canadians who could only watch one and later two channels, while others would presumably pay the same fee and get four and later five. Moreover, by early 1960s, close to every Canadian household had acquired a television set, giving limited weight to the argument that a licence fee is fair to those who do not own a television. As a result, the Canadian government chose to fund the CBC from its general revenues (funding now totals roughly C$1 billion annually), although CBC Television also sells advertising to cover some of its expenses.

United States

In the United States, historically, privately owned "commercial" radio stations selling advertising quickly proved to be commercially viable enterprises during the first half of the twentieth century; though a few governments owned non-commercial radio stations (such as WNYC, owned by New York City from 1922 to 1997), most were owned by charitable organizations and supported by donations. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The City of New York The pattern repeated itself with television in the second half of that century, except that some governments, mostly states, also established educational television stations alongside the privately owned stations. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Educational television is the use of Television programmes in the field of Education.

The United States did eventually create the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in 1967, which eventually led to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio; however, those are loose networks of non-commercial stations owned by state and local governments, educational institutions, or non-profit organizations, more like U. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB is a private non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress and partially funded by the United States The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the Types of educational institution include Higher education College Career college A non-profit organization ( abbreviated "NPO" also "not-for-profit" is a legally constituted Organization whose objective is to support or engage S. commercial networks (though there are some differences) than European public broadcasters. The CPB and virtually all government-owned stations are funded through general revenues, supplemented by funding in the form of memberships, and donations from private citizens and charitable organizations. Additionally, many individual programs on PBS and NPR are also sponsored by companies. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the While programming is not interrupted by traditional commercial breaks, brief sponsorship messages typically precede and follow each program.

Since the annual funding for public television in the United States is only about $2 per capita, a separate tax or fee for public television would probably prove unviable. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been

In some rural portions of the United States, broadcast translator districts exist, which are funded by an ad valorem property tax on all property within the district [2], or a parcel tax on each dwelling unit within the district. An ad valorem tax ( Latin: according to value) is a Tax based on the value of Real estate or Personal property. Property tax, or millage tax, is an Ad valorem tax that an owner pays on the value of the property being taxed Failure to pay the TV translator tax has the same repercussions as failing to pay any other property tax, including a lien placed on the property and eventual seizure. In Law, a lien is a form of Security interest granted over an item of Property to secure the payment of a Debt or performance of some other [3] In addition, fines can be levied on viewers who watch TV from the signals from the translator without paying the fee. Depending on the jurisdiction, the tax may be charged regardless of whether the resident watches TV from the translator or instead watches it via cable or satellite, or the property owner may certify that they do not use the translator district's services and get a waiver. Satellite television is Television delivered by the means of Communications satellites as compared to conventional Terrestrial television and Cable

Another substitute for TV licenses comes through cable franchise agreements. An itemized tax on customers' bills is included or a tax on the cable TV operator's gross income to fund public-access television for the municipality that granted the franchise agreement. Public-access television in the United States is a form of Citizen media, similar to Canada's community channels Australia's community television State governments also may add their own taxes. These taxes generate controversy since these taxes sometimes go into the general fund of governmental entities or there is double taxation (e. g. a tax funds public access television, but the cable TV operator must pay for the equipment or facilities out of its own pocket anyways, or the cable TV operator must pay for earmark projects of the local municipality that are not related to television).

Asia

Iran

Iran has never had a television licence. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979, the state broadcaster has been Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, which before 1979 was called National Iranian Radio and Television. Islamic Republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Mauritania Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, or IRIB, ( Persian سازمان صدا و سيمای جمهوری اسلامی ايران Sāzmān-e Sedā va Sima-ye Jomhūrī-ye In Iran private broadcasting is illegal.

Detection of evasion of television licences

In many jurisdictions, television licences are enforced; usually 'television detector vans' are employed, such as those used by TV Licensing in the UK. ^[54] Besides claims of (usually undisclosed) sophisticated technological methods (such as TEMPEST) for the detection of operating televisions, detection of illegal television sets is normally limited to simple methods such as the observation of the lights and sounds of an illegal television in a user's home at night. TEMPEST is a Codename referring to investigations and studies of compromising emanations (CE Detection is made a lot easier because nearly all houses do have a license, so only those houses that don't have a license need to be checked.

Opinions of television licensing systems

Many feel that one of the main advantages of TV fully funded by a licence fee is that programming can be enjoyed without interruptions for advertisements. Voluntary funding of public television via subscriptions would require a subscription level higher than the licence fee (because not all people that currently pay the licence would vountarily pay a subscription) if quality and and/or output volume is not to decline. These higher fees would deter even more people from subscribing leading to further hikes in subscription levels. In time, the poorest in society would be denied access to the many well-funded programmes that public service providers produce today for the relatively low cost of the licence.

The UK government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport, as part of its BBC Charter review, asked the public what they thought of various funding alternatives. Respondents were 2-1 in agreement with the statement "Advertising would interfere with my enjoyment of programmes" (59% sided with the statement and 31% disagreed with it) and 4-1 in agreement with the statement that "subscription funding would be unfair to those that could not pay" 71% agreed and 16% disagreed). They concluded, as others have done before, that the licence fee as method of funding public service broadcasting is "the least worse option". ^[55]

In many countries, radio channels and broadcasters web sites are also funded by a TV licence, giving access to radio and web services free of commercial advertising, so the benefit is wider than just in the sphere of television viewing. However, in countries with a receiver licence there is a minority who oppose the system. Some of the critics dislike the very idea of a mandatory charge for using a television, they regard it as an anomaly that a person can be forced to pay the licence fee, even if they choose not to use the services it pays for. ^[14] Such claims have grown stronger with the rise of multi-channel digital television funded by advertising. Digital television (DTV is the sending and receiving of moving images and sound by discrete ( digital) signals in contrast to the analog signals used by Critics claim that the licence fee is unjustifiable on the basis that minority interest programming can now be broadcast on specialist commercial channels. ^[14]

Others argue that a fixed licence fee is a regressive tax, and thus unfair on low-income groups. A regressive tax is a Tax imposed in such a manner that the Tax rate decreases as the amount subject to taxation increases ^[56] Defenders of licence fees point out that, although the licence fee is a regressive tax, the same is true of many other compulsory payments such as petrol tax, vehicle tax and VAT. Furthermore, some countries attempt to make licence fees fairer to disadvantaged groups by offering discounts.

Opponents point to alternatives such as commercial funding, voluntary subscription, or funding from general taxation. However, opinion polls in most countries with a TV licence have shown that an overwhelming majority prefer the current system, as it can give them access to TV that is not driven by commercial and political pressures as is sometimes seen with commercial, subscription, and taxation funded broadcasters (and thus "dare" to show "difficult" programmes). While this argument could be seen as valid for countries where the government is likely to wish to control a taxation-funded station, it can fall short in more democratic societies. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, for instance, which is funded by general taxation, shows more political satire shows than any other station. Programmes such as "The Glasshouse", and the multiple Chaser programmes ("CNNNN", "The Chaser's War on Everything"), not only make jokes out of general politics, but are often anti-government, no matter what their policies or political orientation is. Some claim that a licence fee also leads to better programmes on the commercial channels, as commercial broadcasters must compete with the licence fee funded broadcaster(s). There is no doubt that advertising yields more profit than the comparatively small budgets of government-funded stations, as private television station budgets frequently more than double the budgets of government-funded commissions comprising of multiple television stations, multiple AM and FM radio stations, plus publications (magazines, etc).

The British government described the licence fee system as "the best (and most widely supported) funding model, even though it is not perfect". ^[57][58] That is, they believe that the disadvantages of having a licence fee are less than the disadvantages of all other methods. In fact, the disadvantages of other methods have led to some countries, especially those in the former Eastern Bloc, to consider the introduction of a TV licence. During the Cold War, the term Communist Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) was used to refer to the Soviet Union and countries it either controlled or that were

For example, both Bulgaria^[59] and Serbia^[60] have attempted to legislate to introduce a television licence. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country In Bulgaria, a fee is specified in the broadcasting law, but it has never been implemented in practice. Lithuania^[61] and Latvia have also long debated the introduction of a licence fee but so far made little progress on legislating for one. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. In the case of Latvia, many media commentators believe this is partly due to the fact that the government is unwilling to relinquish the control of Latvijas Televīzija that funding from general taxation gives it. Latvijas Televīzija ^[62] In other cases, nations with licence fees, such as the Czech Republic,^[9] have increased the proportion of funding that their public broadcaster gets from licence fee. In some cases such nations have found that the existing public service broadcasters could not compete with commercial broadcasters for advertising revenues. Conversely, others have found that the public broadcasters severely damage the prospects of commercial broadcasters by taking up a significant slice of available advertising revenue.

References

1. ^ "License Fee". Encyclopedia of Television (1st Edition). (1997). Chicago: Museum of Broadcast Communications. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The Museum of Broadcast Communications (or MBC) is located in Chicago Illinois. Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.  
2. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Albania. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI). ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
3. ^ http://www.orf-gis.at/files/36_gebuehrentabelle_06_2006_brutto.pdf
4. ^ http://www.wallonie.be/cmsmedia/fr/autoradio_television_tout_savoir_sur_la_redevance_pdf.pdf?uri=8a838083007a58500100bd7b7b5a0eee
5. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Bosnia and Herzegovina. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 253 - 338. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
6. ^ The Croatian Radio-Television Act 2001, HRT. Croatian Radiotelevision (Hrvatska radiotelevizija HRT is a Croatian Public broadcasting company Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
7. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Croatia. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 425 - 481. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
8. ^ Česká Televize 2006, Czech Television External Relations.
9. ^ ^{a b} (May 2006) Česká Televize 2006, Czech Television External Relations.
10. ^ The Licence - dr.dk/OmDR
11. ^ Forside - dr.dk/OmDR
12. ^ FINLEX ® - Hallituksen esitykset: HE 34/1998
13. ^ A quoi sert la redevance audiovisuelle ?
14. ^ ^{a b c d} (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: France. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 638 - 728. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
15. ^ Gez Faqs
16. ^ http://stocks.e-go.gr/article.asp?id=201967&cat=01003000000&section=business
17. ^ AWMN Forum • Προβολή θέματος - ΕΡΤ και ΔΕΗ. Πως μπορείτε να μην πληρώνετε αναγκαστικά
18. ^ ^{a b} http://www.nordicom.gu.se/common/stat_xls/684_5210_tv_licencefee_1994-2006.xls
19. ^ English version
20. ^ http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/Personal+Customers/More+from+An+Post/TV+Licence/
21. ^ Comptroller and Auditor General
22. ^ About RTÉ
23. ^ RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana - Gestione Abbonamenti
24. ^ RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana - Gestione Abbonamenti
25. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Republic of Macedonia. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 1165 - 1230. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
26. ^ ^{a b c} (May 2006) Analysis of Responses on Fees for Broadcasting and Fees for Non-Commercial and Passive Services, Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) within the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT).
27. ^ (May 2002) European Benchmarking: Public Service Broadcasters in the Digital Era, Circom Regional (European Association of Regional Television). Retrieved 2006-11-21
28. ^ http://www.nrk.no/informasjon/lisens/1.2843218, Retrieved on 2007-10-23. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC -
29. ^ http://bip.krrit.gov.pl/pl/bip/ab_rad_tel/abonament_2007/px_abonament_rtv.rtf
30. ^ Abonament
31. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Romania. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 1231 - 1314. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
32. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Slovakia. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 1385 - 1470. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
33. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Slovenia. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 1471 - 1538. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
34. ^ http://www.billag.com/web/de/gebuehrentabelle.html
35. ^ TV Licensing - TV Licence Information
36. ^ TV Licensing - Aged Over 74
37. ^ (2006) BBC Annual Report, BBC. Retrieved on 2008-02-02. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
38. ^ Plunkett, John. "Channel 4 gets £70m subsidy for switchover", The Guardian, 2006-04-25. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.  
39. ^ Receiving Fee System
40. ^ TV수신료와 수신서비스
41. ^ Kbs Global
42. ^ AsiaMedia :: PAKISTAN: PTV to earn Rs4bn thru licence fee: New collection system
43. ^ Media Development Authority - Public Licences
44. ^ ^{a b} "MPs Fail To Pay TV license?", Ghana Today, 2006-07-13. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.  
45. ^ ^{a b} (August 2003) The Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation: A Report, Sir Victor Glover, Prime Minister's Office, Republic of Mauritius. Retrieved on 2006-11-21
46. ^ [1]
47. ^ "Have you paid your TV licence yet?", The Namibian Economist, 2001-11-02. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.  
48. ^ Tyson, Robin. "The Future Of The NBC", The Namibian, 2006-06-02. The Namibian is a daily newspaper in Namibia, and claims to be the largest selling daily in the country Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.  
49. ^ Pay Yours
50. ^ Chief Minister's Budget Speech, Government of Gibraltar Information Services, 2006-06-28. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
51. ^ Commonwealth Secretariat - Gibraltar
52. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Hungary. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 789 - 864. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
53. ^ Universidade do Minho: Media policy network in Portugal : a case study approach
54. ^ BBC - Press Office - New generation of television detector vans
55. ^ http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk/pdf_documents/what_you_said_aboutthe_BBC.pdf Review of the BBC’s Royal Charter. What you said about the BBC DCMS
56. ^ IPPR (2003-12-27). The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR is a UK Think-tank with strong ties to the Labour party that claims to produce progressive ideas committed Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the "BBC Review should consider licence fee concessions". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.
57. ^ (March 2005). Review of the BBC’s Royal Charter: A strong BBC, independent of government (BBC Green Paper), Department for Culture, Media and Sport
58. ^ "Licence fee 'needs more scrutiny'", BBC News, 2006-06-12. In Britain other similar Commonwealth jurisdictions (eg Australia and the Republic of Ireland a green paper is a tentative government report of a proposal without any commitment to The Department for Culture Media and Sport ( DCMS) is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Retrieved on 2006-11-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem.  
59. ^ Däther, Kerstin; Alexander Scheuer (2000). "The Financing of Public Service Broadcasting in Selected Central and Eastern European States". IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory: 14 - 20. European Audiovisual Observatory.  
60. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Serbia. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 1315 - 1383. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
61. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Lithuania. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 1019 - 1075. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  
62. ^ (2005) Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence: Latvia. EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP)/ Open Society Institute (OSI), 955 - 1017. ISBN 1-891385-35-6.  

External links

TV licensing authorities

• A list of TV licence authorities by the European Audiovisual Observatory
• Billag (Switzerland)
• PEMRA (Pakistan)
• GEZ (Germany)
• ORF-GIS (Austria)
• Radiotjänst (Sweden)
• TV Licences (South Africa)
• TV Licensing (United Kingdom)
• TV-maksuhallinto (Finland)

Other websites

• Info and images about the history of the UK radio licence
• An argument against the Irish licence fee system