Businesses get TV licence warning

Watching live TV at work could lead to a fine

2 October 2009 10:04 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

As more live online television becomes available, employees who use such services at their workplace could be putting their employers at risk of a big fine.

The BBC reports that businesses are being warned they could be breaking the law if staff watch live TV on their computers when the firm does not have a TV licence.

Although if you watch live TV on a mobile, portable media player or laptop out and about you are covered by your home TV licence, once the device you're watching TV on is plugged in, the onus is on the premises.

This means that anyone watching live TV (not catch-up services like the iPlayer) could be risking their employers facing a fine of up to £1000.

A spokesperson for the TV licence body told the BBC: "You need a licence if you are watching programmes as they are broadcast. At a business, the same rules apply".

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