TV Licenses Replaced With "Media Fee".. Eveybody MUST Pay..

[Mark I.]

Now they're all good and generous to say that it's *only* 175€. But what happens one or two years down the line?
I wouldn't be surprised if the charge would be 250€ within two years.
Inflational excuse...

/pun

Yes, that's a tricky one. YLE must not have a license to print money.

I'd think there's enough of controlling powers, politicians and the general public.

BTW, I think the present leadership of YLE is honestly about making this right for all the citizen, and the opponents of this proposed new media tax - are about "interest groups" or of "personal interest". But, that's not a scientific fact, just an opinion.

[dampa]

Hey, the tax we pay in Finland is already too much and I am glad it covers whatever the government need to do. Bringing a new ridiculous Media Fee is just plain nuts.

So why should it be our problem if enough people dont pay for katselukortti? They should find another way to get money, shut down the whole Yle, let it go bankcrupt or let some other people who has got brains run it!

Maybe WE people should start thinking and re-elected our representatives to make laws that say that YLE is a company like any other company and shouldnt force people living in Finland to pay for what they really dont need and start running ads.

This is is communism, authoritarian probably already becomming totalitarian!

@Karhunkoski, Education comes somewhere else and I dont think it comes from YLE.

I have never listened to any YLE radio channel and dont use anything YLE for that matter. My other media needs are fulfilled by the Internet so forcing people like me to pay for what I dont use is pure madness!!! I believe they can get the money from somewhere else. Maybe all those rich politicians who want to save YLE can donate some money to the cause but not from many people who are trying to get by in this difficult times we are in...

NATIONWIDE PROTEST IS WHAT WE NEED!!!

Mark.I must be working for YLE and waiting for his fat bonus when the law comes to effect!

[Mark I.]

Hey, the tax we pay in Finland is already too much and I am glad it covers whatever the government need to do. Bringing a new ridiculous Media Fee is just plain nuts.

So why should it be our problem if enough people dont pay for katselukortti? They should find another way to get money, shut down the whole Yle, let it go bankcrupt or let some other people who has got brains run it!

Maybe WE people should start thinking and re-elected our representatives to make laws that say that YLE is a company like any other company and shouldnt force people living in Finland to pay for what they really dont need and start running ads.

This is is communism, authoritarian probably already becomming totalitarian!

@Karhunkoski, Education comes somewhere else and I dont think it comes from YLE.

I have never listened to any YLE radio channel and dont use anything YLE for that matter. My other media needs are fulfilled by the Internet so forcing people like me to pay for what I dont use is pure madness!!! I believe they can get the money from somewhere else. Maybe all those rich politicians who want to save YLE can donate some money to the cause but not from many people who are trying to get by in this difficult times we are in...

NATIONWIDE PROTEST IS WHAT WE NEED!!!

Mark.I must be working for YLE and waiting for his fat bonus when the law comes to effect!

You've never listened or watched YLE, so that's makes you an expert determining what YLE is?

This is Finland, and YLE is part of Finland. You come from abroad, and say you don't need that part. Therefore, part of Finland should be eliminated. According to you.

Well, there's a Finnish saying: "vieras tulee ajallaan, talo elää tavallaan".

YLE is important part of Finnish society. You have no idea what I'm talking about. Still you have a strong opinion. Like a blind furious about a painting.

[dampa]

Mark.I, I ok WE if that helps can also get that part of Finland if I want from somewhere else. YLE is not and cant be the only one offering that part OK?

And I dont need them to teach me the Finnish culture. I guess that is learnt from living here and interacting with the culture directly and not from TV I still stay on the point that forcing people to pay for services and products they dont use is unethical.

I guess all the ISPs and phone companies should send all bills too for having their equipment and masts everywhere even if we dont use what they offer right?

[luomu]

Like a blind furious about a painting.

A blindman who is coerced to buy a painting 175 euros every year to be exact. We may be foreigners, but we would not be exempted to pay that tax, I guess that entitles us to have an opinion about it, no?

[llewellyn]

Well, at the moment if you own a TV, you are legally obligated to pay even a bigger fee whether you watch YLE or not. So, my heart is too busy breaking for that to break for this unfair proposed imposition. What can one do, there are limits even to my bleedingheartedness...

[ajdias]

Why rich people should pay more than students to watch TV??? Does milk cost more for a rich man than for a student? It is just a commodity.

It's called progressive taxation and it's the way people pay taxes in most countries, including this one. People pay taxes according to their income or their ability to pay (eg vat, traffic and court penalties).

If you want it you pay for it, full-stop..

You must be confused. If you do not want it you will pay for it according to this proposal.

[ajdias]

I suppose it would be naive to expect to have a discussion on public broadcasting financing models without having people shout either "it's stupid to have it" or "i am so much happy that no one wil be able to get away from it"

I do understand the value of a public service that pushes commercial ones to better themselves at information and fiction productions and that does the dirty job that barely anyone would do because it's not appealing - but is valid and needed from a cultural and national pov.

I just happen to not to buy it this proposed solution. It's disproportionate. And if you think that they aren't just baiting with the lower fees (and raise to prices over the current levels) I want to sell you a property I possess in moon. Very cheap.

What would be a satisfactory solution for me? Hard to say, but let's think of a yle-tax collected with your tax declaration a small percentage of your income. You can cap it if you think the Lilius of this world would pay too much.
This way you get the tax as " a tax" and politicians pay the price for increasing/decreasing your tax bill. Of course, that way you would not solve the problem with Yle writing their own bill but would likely shift the discussion topic.

[SteveS]

Why rich people should pay more than students to watch TV??? Does milk cost more for a rich man than for a student? It is just a commodity.

It's called progressive taxation and it's the way people pay taxes in most countries, including this one. People pay taxes according to their income or their ability to pay (eg vat, traffic and court penalties).

Of course they do as that is how tax is taken, based on your income.. BUT what the hell has taxation got to do with buying a license to watch TV?

If you want it you pay for it, full-stop..

You must be confused. If you do not want it you will pay for it according to this proposal.

I don't believe anyone who says they never watch TV, never listen to the radio or ever read YLE webpages..

How many Finnish people watch the Presidents party each year? More than those paying the license fee I'm sure...

[Upphew]

If it is tax, why not include it to taxes then? Then we would have progression and not this quite hefty fee for students and pensioners.

The reason YLE is not funded by tax money is that the government decides how tax money is distributed. Being dependant on the government would mean YLE's journalistic integrity (I'm assuming they have some) would be compromised.

4) How is YLE run?
Yleisradio Oy’s administrative organs are, in accordance with the Act on Yleisradio Oy, the Administrative Council, the Board of Directors, and the Director General, who acts as the Managing Director.

Administrative Council
YLE’s supreme decision-making organ is the 21- member Administrative Council.
The members of the Administrative Council are elected by Parliament during the first session of its term. In addition to the members appointed by Parliament, two
representatives appointed by the company’s personnel are entitled to attend and exercise
the right to be heard at meetings of the Administrative Council.

- http://www.yle.fi/fbc/faq.shtml

And if the parliament elects AC's members, who elect board of directors, how is it not government that is deciding how the money is spend?

[ajdias]

BUT what the hell has taxation got to do with buying a license to watch TV?

&

I don't believe anyone who says they never watch TV, never listen to the radio or ever read YLE webpages..

Is it bout watching Tv or tv + radio + internet? Can you please make up your mind
It's a tax, it's imposed on you. (Define:tax)
Btw, one does not need to access any of those directly to benefit from their availability.

[luomu]

I don't believe anyone who says they never watch TV, never listen to the radio or ever read YLE webpages

And why not? It's true though, in my case. That's the problem, some people can't imagine others may have radically different life, motivations and interests than theirs.

[mrjimsfc]

How many Finnish people watch the Presidents party each year? More than those paying the license fee I'm sure...

You've got to be kidding! Right? Does ANYONE watch the presidents party? There has to be something far more interesting than watching that! Counting the number of peas in pea soup would be more interesting. GET A LIFE!

[Upphew]

You've got to be kidding! Right? Does ANYONE watch the presidents party? There has to be something far more interesting than watching that! Counting the number of peas in pea soup would be more interesting. GET A LIFE!

You've got to be kidding! Right? Does ANYONE watch the Academy Awards ceremony/Super bowl? There has to be something far more interesting than watching that! Counting the number of peas in pea soup would be more interesting. GET A LIFE!

edit. I did watch super bowl and skimmed the independence day party..

[dampa]

How many Finnish people watch the Presidents party each year? More than those paying the license fee I'm sure...

Damn you are funny... and you think that is something worth spending time on?