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June 08, 2006
Danish PC license fee
Politiken reports (in Danish) that a license agreement for net-connected PC's is on the way. What is not clear is whether this is in addition to or instead of the existing license fee. Very rough translation below.
"More and more Danes are watching television on their computers. So now they will be included in the (TV) licensing arrangements. This emerges from the new media agreement which Folketing [the Danish Parliament] voted upon this morning by a wide margin. The new media license includes all equipment which are capable of receiving programs and services, namely computers and certain mobile phones, according to the agreement. The media license will be at the level of the colour TV license, and will increase by inflation during the period 2007-2010. That means it will cost 1,075 DKK semiannually in 2007 and 1,130 DKK semiannually in 2010. That covers all the household's license-incurring equipment. Poorly-off pensioners, the blind and visually impaired will continue to have the possibility of a license reduction or waiver. The new media license is a victory for DR. The station's Director General, Kenneth Plummer, has strongly argued the case for extending the license, and earlier declared that DR stands to lose 30 million DKK in 2006 because 15,000 Danes watch TV on their computers, and therefore don't pay the license. On the other hand, DR didn't get its wish that TV viewers must actively opt out of the license. In the future they will continue to opt in as users in order to pay the license. The issue had been one of the decisive sticking points in the negotiations - both Social Democrats, Radicals and Culture Minister Brian Mikkelsen (Conservative) had wanted an opt out model, where all households automatically pay the license unless they actively opt out. But opposition from several prominent Venstre politicians lead to the suggestion being dropped. With the agreement that was arrived at, DR will establish a combined children's/history digital channel and transmit news in various languages to immigrants and refugees."
Posted by daen at June 8, 2006 12:47 AM
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