A TV License Inspector Calls: Do Students Really Need a TV License?
By Katie McShane
Out of all the concerns students think about, purchasing a tv license seems to be low on the list. Written off as unaffordable and useless, most students don’t bother even despite the mildly threatening letters coming through the post box. Aside from being unconcerned, most students also seem to be completely oblivious to the laws surrounding TV licenses in Northern Ireland. Is it time to retire the tax on TV? Or should students buck up and pay the price.
44 Queens and Ulster students were surveyed on their thoughts falling into one of three categories; those who pay, those who don’t think they need to pay, and those who don’t want to. Despite the BBCs best efforts, only three households surveyed actually paid up each of them, the majority claiming they were too scared not too. It’s no wonder some students feel anxious, the not so friendly letters and the threat of having to answer the door to a real member of the ‘Enforcement Team’ doesn’t exactly soothe the soul.
The biggest concern amongst students is pricing, £180 pounds is a lot to students already dealing with a cost-of-living crisis. For something they don’t even use or agree with. A large number of students cited their reason for not paying as it simply being too expensive whilst others stated they didn’t watch the BBC or didn’t care enough to pay. The fee supposedly goes towards supporting a public broadcaster without the need to rely on commercial advertising. Enjoying Ad free programming may be a plus but only at the cost of solely watching BBC channels, otherwise it means regular advertisement viewing despite the cost.
A tv license is needed to watch any live tv including BBC iPlayer, ITV X, and even any live programming on streaming sites such as live boxing on Netflix. But how many students actually watch the BBC or even live tv in general. Streaming has wildly grown in popularity over the last ten years and with it regular tv numbers have diminished. Even the news or weather, much like the move from newspapers to tv broadcasts, is now found via more modern means: social media. Many student households don’t even have a tv instead using iPad or laptops whilst others may have a shared tv but no arial relying solely on a firestick or smart apps.
In the end it all comes down to one thing – university students and young people in general don’t consume television in the same way as before, so why should they pay essentially a tax on tv on the assumption that we will all watch BBC. 36 out of the 44 surveyed stated beyond the cost, they didn’t own a tv license because they didn’t watch BBC and because it’s not enforced. Enforcing the license is another real reason students don’t pay. Is there any real way of knowing what we use our TVs or laptops for? Considering elderly people get an exception should students as well? Or should the government finally scrap tv licenses all together and modernise to the streaming age.
