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My understanding is that you need a TV licence if you are watching programmes as they are being broadcast - doesn't matter if it is on TV, PC, phone or any other hardware. You don't need a licence to watch programmes on iPlayer as they are not being broadcast "live". Philip Wark Principal Librarian Midlothian Council - Education and Communities Library HQ 2 Clerk Street Loanhead Midlothian EH20 9DR tel: 0131 271 3971 fax: 0131 440 4635 [log in to unmask] From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Donaghy Sent: 01 May 2008 00:30 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: MLA guidance on TV licences Hi there I was wondering if anyone has had any firm guidance on the position vis-a-vis TV licence requirements for Public Access PCs. I've had sight of some guidance from the MLA which is wonderfully vague, contradictory and unhelpful. I can understand that libraries with TVs, or PCs with direct aerial feeds (e.g. via tuner cards) will need TV licences. That makes sense and is unambiguous. What is the postion with regard to networked PCs that can only get TV programs via streamed content on the Internet? Clearly here the main issue is the BBC iPlayer. One part of the MLA guidance states: "Access to non-live TV pictures, such as the Channel 4 On Demand service, or the BBC iPlayer service, do not require a TV licence." Yep - fair enough - don't need one. But then it says: "The current position with the BBC iPlayer service is that it is suitable for domestic use only, in a non-networked environment." So - can we or can't we? Do we need a licence or don't we? What is the story with iPlayer? There's a lot of descriptive stuff at the beginning of the "guidance" about what a TV receiver is - but it seems to me that if you've no sort of TV receiver attached to a PC at all (i.e. all it has is an Internet feed) then it doesn't count and so doesn't need a licence. But then we have "A computer will be considered to be a 'TV receiver' if it is used to receive TV programmes as they are being shown on TV in the UK (ie 'live' broadcasts)." So how does that square with the live Internet feed of News24? Is there some "guidance" for the MLA "guidance"? A definitive statement from the BBC? The government? DCMS? Does anyone have some advice they've received about this? Cheers Paul Donaghy Electronic Library Services Manager L. B. Richmond upon Thames E-mail: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Mobile: 07960 563 778 Web: http://www.richmond.gov.uk/libraries<https://owa.richmond.gov.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.richmond.gov.uk/libraries> =========================================================================== The information contained in this message may be confidential or legally privileged and is intended for the addressee only. If you have received this message in error or there are any problems please notify the originator immediately. If you are not the intended recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute, copy, print, or rely on this e-mail. All communication sent to or from Midlothian Council may be subject to recording and/or monitoring in accordance with relevant legislation. ===========================================================================