iPlayer Streaming May Soon Require License To View
For the poor UK TV viewer, the license fee is a neccessary evil. You need one if you own a TV set. However, there was one way around that, by streaming content via the iPlayer. That little perk seems to be coming to an end though, as the BBC licence fee could soon be needed for catch-up or delayed streaming.
iPlayer catch-up viewers may soon need to buy a license
The UK government are said to be looking into the idea and circumnavigate current regulations, which only requires viewers to own a TV licence for live broadcasting of TV via television or streaming.
Because catch-TV is not live, some viewers have been using the service to avoid the £145 yearly charge. The iPlayer is getting very popular though, more than 153 million TV and radio shows were streamed in September, add to that, tablets and connected TV sets which can all run iPlayer are getting more popular.
Although the BBC claim that the numbers that watch catch-up only are around 0.2%, the influx of connected hardware coming and the expected launch of YouView in 2012 will just enhance the problem.
The government are expected to look into the matter and publish their findings by the year end.
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