18 May 2009 10:07 GMT / By Duncan Geere
The BBC's technology chief, and former Microsoft executive, Erik Huggers, has suggested that the TV license fee be extended to viewing of the BBC's video-streaming application - the iPlayer."My view is that if you are using the iPlayer you have to be a television licence fee payer. I don't believe in a free ride. If you are consuming BBC services then you have to be a licence holder", said Huggers, while discussing comments that the TV licensing law will need to be changed due to the net.
The BBC's official position is that a £139.50 annual TV licence is only required to watch "live" programming - i.e., as it's broadcast. The iPlayer's catch-up service falls outside those boundaries. Overseas viewers are blocked from watching it.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has also said that it doesn't plan to change the law, and the BBC Trust said in April that internet catch-up services are not yet significantly affecting TV ownership.
Software, Online, Video on demand, BBC, iPlayer, Home Cinema
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