Do I Need A TV Licence?

[MissMerily]

I have Sky Stream and watch Netflix, Disney+, Discovery+ and stream programmes after they’ve aired via my Sky Puck. I mostly watch films from Sky Cinema or box sets. I don’t remember the last time I watched anything from the BBC and I don’t watch live TV.

I’m aware that watching live TV and the BBC means I do need a licence but it’s the ‘recording’ of live TV on Sky Stream on other channels that’s confusing me. For example if I add a Sky Cinema premiere to my playlist it says it’s set to record. With Sky Stream doesn’t that mean the film (or programme) is just being added to my playlist after it’s aired and not ‘recorded’?

So yes, do I need a TV licence?

[Dazzasky]

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@MissMerily wrote:

I have Sky Stream and watch Netflix, Disney+, Discovery+ and stream programmes after they’ve aired via my Sky Puck. I mostly watch films from Sky Cinema or box sets. I don’t remember the last time I watched anything from the BBC and I don’t watch live TV.

I’m aware that watching live TV and the BBC means I do need a licence but it’s the ‘recording’ of live TV on Sky Stream on other channels that’s confusing me. For example if I add a Sky Cinema premiere to my playlist it says it’s set to record. With Sky Stream doesn’t that mean the film (or programme) is just being added to my playlist after it’s aired and not ‘recorded’?

So yes, do I need a TV licence?

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Yes you would need a licence with Sky Stream @MissMerily 

[Exiled-in-HH]

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@MissMerily wrote:

I have Sky Stream and watch Netflix, Disney+, Discovery+ and stream programmes after they’ve aired via my Sky Puck. I mostly watch films from Sky Cinema or box sets. I don’t remember the last time I watched anything from the BBC and I don’t watch live TV.

I’m aware that watching live TV and the BBC means I do need a licence but it’s the ‘recording’ of live TV on Sky Stream on other channels that’s confusing me. For example if I add a Sky Cinema premiere to my playlist it says it’s set to record. With Sky Stream doesn’t that mean the film (or programme) is just being added to my playlist after it’s aired and not ‘recorded’?

So yes, do I need a TV licence?

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Stop doing what you're doing and only select movies from Sky Cinema on demand😉

It is interesting question whether a selection from a live broadcast channel means your liable to pay for a TV license ... it would be if a cloud recording is created🤔

TV license payment is not dependent on device used BUT on what is watched😉

[TimmyBGood · Accepted solution]

@MissMerily 

Equipment isn't licensed: it's the premises which are licensed for licenseable activity to take place.  If no such activities (consumption of television content as it is being broadcast plus viewing of any iPlayer content live or on-demand) then a license isn't required.

Watching content as it is transmitted in a particular timeslot on a numbered Sky Cinema channel would be licenseable activity: I suspect current interpretation of the relevant legislation isn't nuanced enough to deal with the Stream playlist, but it would be unfortunate to become the test case.

[MissMerily]

Thank you all for your help 🤩