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TELEVISION

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.

Published: 24 June 2013 11:17 CEST
TV-fee collectors target PC and tablet owners

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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TELEVISION

Norwegian reality show introduces sexual consent rule for contestants

The latest series of Paradise Hotel in Norway has introduced an on-screen consent requirement for contestants planning on having sexual contact following allegations of abuse on the Swedish version of the show.

Published: 21 September 2021 11:55 CEST
Norwegian reality show introduces sexual consent rule for contestants
The show has introduced on-screen consent requirements. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Contestants in the latest series of Paradise Hotel, which aired on Monday night, will require contestants to demonstrate on-screen with a thumbs up to the camera that they consent to any sexual activity.

“We were told from day one that if we were to have sex, we had to consent with a thumbs up to the camera from both parties,” Stian Trulsen, a contestant on the hit reality series, told newspaper VG. 

Earlier this year, it was alleged that a male contestant abused two female participants on the Swedish edition of the show. Swedish prosecuting authorities are investigating the alleged abuse. 

Christian Meinseth, program manager for production company Nent which makes the show, said the new rules weren’t directly introduced because of what happened on the Swedish programme. 

“No, but we have, of course, worked with the series and looked at our practices around the format, so we ensure that Paradise Hotel is both a good watch and fun to be a participant in,” Meinseth told VG. 

“We are very concerned about the participants’ safety, and we have not had any challenges around the new rules,” Meinseth added. 

The program manager added that the production company wanted the show to reflect a more modern approach to sex. 

“At the same time, we are also careful to monitor language use and how the participants describe each other. Everyone should show respect for each other, and there will be more focus on the game itself. Viewers can look forward to an exciting and entertaining season,” he said. 

The 15th season of the show, which has been on Norwegian tv screens since 2009, will also include a “paradise talents” week where there is a focus on inner values as part of several on-screen and off-screen measures to try and promote more healthy sexual relationships.

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