to not have a television licence if we don't watch live television?

[Meggymoodle]

Some of our friends think we're unreasonable not to have a television licence. We don't have a television but we do watch things on BBC iplayer and itvplayer. We also listen to the radio.

In some ways, I can see the argument, we are not breaking the law - it states on the BBC licence pages that as long as you are not watching things through the internet as they are being shown on television, which we never do, you do not require a licence. However, are we being like Starbucks with the whole tax thing - not acting illegally but a bit morally suspect? (On a far lesser scale obviously!).

I'm not saying if everyone here thinks we ABU I will rush and get a licence but I'd be interested to see what the general consensus is.

Gosh, I don't know if YABU.

I don't have live tv either but I do have an license because I thought you needed one to wach catch up. I also watch the on demand stuff on a digibox though, it's just the live tv that I can't get.

French, I hope you're enjoying the free education provided for your children paid for by the taxes of childless people ?

manic, no, you don't need one to watch catch-up, so long as that's all you watch. You can't watch live streamed TV without a license.

I imagine that the BBC sees iPlayer as a form of advertising - let people watch selected bits for free in the hope that they will be tempted into buying the whole package. It is no more morally dubious than eating the free samples at the deli counter of the supermarket without having any intention of buying a whole pork pie/pot of olives/ piece of cheese etc.

It would not be difficult for the BBC to set up the technology to require you to enter your licence number to gain access to an iPlayer program. They have decided not to so far, so there is no moral obligation to give more than they demand on you.

I watch live BBC and don't have a licence for it. I love consuming all the programmes you guys have paid for!

YANBU.

"And you can have Sky as long as you only watch recorded shows, and be license free (as if anyone does that). "

From BBC web site

"You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder."

Sorry, from TVlicensing.

www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/

what if you use the sky anytime/virgin catch up features only?