Thanks to the Rational Review News Digest:
Germans may need licence to watch TV on computers
Computer owners in Germany will need a TV licence in future after German TV and Radio Licensing Authorities proved PCs could be used to watch the telly.
The fee will be collected whether the computer has been equipped to receive radio and television with a “TV card” or not, and will apply to all PCs with an internet connection from January 1, 2007.
Most private households already pay the state fee for TV and radio, but this could become a costly factor for commercial businesses using the internet.
As most offices rely on the internet, they could face a significant rise in annual costs.
The authority has not decided whether the fee will be collected based on plots of land, office units, or individual PCs.
The move comes days after the authority decided to raise the monthly fee by 58p pence to £11.06 from 2005.
