TV-fee collectors target PC and tablet owners
PC and tablet owners are being targeted by the Sweden's TV licensing authorities to collect annual fees required of all those with a television transmitter device.
The fee, which currently stands at 2,076 kronor ($320) a year, applies to all owners of a device that can access television channels.
Private broadcaster TV4 decision's to broadcast all its content on the internet last year meant that the TV-licence law adopted in 2006 came into force.
When Sveriges Television (SVT) followed suit earlier this year CEO Eva Hamilton said that Radiotjänst - the agency tasked with chasing licence fees - would keep a "low profile" towards tablet, smartphone and PC owners.
Radiotjänst CEO Carl-Gustav Johansson denied that the agency was "hunting" the new customers.
"Eva Hamilton has said that we shouldn't hunt PC owners but if we don't apply the law then we are in trouble," he said to news agency TT on Monday.
Johansson did however concede that the agency is busy ringing up households currently without a TV licence to remind them that if they have a PC or tablet with an internet connection then they have to cough up the fee.
"We have been having a dialogue with our customers if they have equipment that is subject to the charge," he said.
He underlined that it is up to the individual to report whether they have equipment that can receive television broadcasts.
"Not everyone does so, out of ignorance probably. So we have decided to contact them and inform them of the rules."
The Swedish TV-licence law has been in place since 2006, when it was stipulated that anyone who can access an entire TV channel on any device is required to pay the fee. This became possible in 2012 when TV4 provided full streaming services.
TT/The Local/pvs
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The fee, which currently stands at 2,076 kronor ($320) a year, applies to all owners of a device that can access television channels.
Private broadcaster TV4 decision's to broadcast all its content on the internet last year meant that the TV-licence law adopted in 2006 came into force.
When Sveriges Television (SVT) followed suit earlier this year CEO Eva Hamilton said that Radiotjänst - the agency tasked with chasing licence fees - would keep a "low profile" towards tablet, smartphone and PC owners.
Radiotjänst CEO Carl-Gustav Johansson denied that the agency was "hunting" the new customers.
"Eva Hamilton has said that we shouldn't hunt PC owners but if we don't apply the law then we are in trouble," he said to news agency TT on Monday.
Johansson did however concede that the agency is busy ringing up households currently without a TV licence to remind them that if they have a PC or tablet with an internet connection then they have to cough up the fee.
"We have been having a dialogue with our customers if they have equipment that is subject to the charge," he said.
He underlined that it is up to the individual to report whether they have equipment that can receive television broadcasts.
"Not everyone does so, out of ignorance probably. So we have decided to contact them and inform them of the rules."
The Swedish TV-licence law has been in place since 2006, when it was stipulated that anyone who can access an entire TV channel on any device is required to pay the fee. This became possible in 2012 when TV4 provided full streaming services.
TT/The Local/pvs
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