Formal reply from MDA for need of car radio licence!

[Watwheels]

To put it simply, If your shop or house dun have any means of receiving TV or radio signal and u wanna install an antenna.

 

Can. But must apply license and maintain a certain fee every year.

 

Since your car and flat already equipped with and receiving antenna. Just pay for the license fee.

[Bluemice]

.. nice one.

 

Anyway, these are wat i called "sunken cost" of car ownership. this sie something my $$ planner keep "nagging" over...

 

i mean its true, wat if one person die die dun want to listen to lalio ?? maybe a ICE-head, die die only listen to CD musiz one..

 

i just recall that quite some time back got one such fella, that didnt pay, the pink/red reminder comes still dun pay, think he got a court summon. Reply: default must pay, if dun want -> write in and apply for exemption or something. Any1 wif a betta memory , do feel free to correct/ add

 

mice

[Lukie102]

cannot ignore reminders. if take to court then serious case liao. u can try writing in.....but it probably doesnt help. the car comes with antenna....some even built in.

 

maybe invent something that can track usage?

[Bluemice]

"cannot ignore reminders. "

 

this statement beri true, wat we own them, must pay correct and on time. wat they wanna "give" us at their time.

 

nah, just discussing here, not gonna raise a pen and some blain juice on this matter.

 

but its a good topic to stire some tok and tots over it.

 

To mods + team:

keep up the good work MCF !! (its really Good Public Service)

 

mice

[Lukie102]

maybe. i rest my case here since i have nothing new to contribute liao.

[Stingerquek]

I knew of a budget Starlet owner. Didn't install HU in his car.Instead he carried portable transistor radio.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You remainds me of Mr Bean; ......He did the same thing as well.

[Shsoh]

I have written in asking for more explanation to the explanations.... Let us see the response.

[See_nik]

You may get another template to the original template.

 

Or the present stooge realises that the previous stooge has already retired so gets another template from another stooge

[Bluemice]

lets hear their reply ...

 

mice

[King]

talk about this kind of thing make my blood boil....

[Shsoh]

New reply from MDA. According to MDA, Singapore consists of only 2 different and distinct premises - in the car and outside of the car. That is why 2 same radio licences fees are required. Another senseless reply.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

We refer to your email of 26 December 2006 and thank you for giving us the opportunity to clarify the matter.

 

We would like to share with you that for any premises in Singapore that has an apparatus that is able to receive TV/Radio broadcast signal, eg. TV sets, TV-enabled computers etc, the owner/occupant of these premises are required to take up a Residential TV Licence from the MDA. Likewise, for Singapore registered vehicles that has a permanently installed apparatus that is able to receive broadcast signal, the vehicle owners are required to take up a Vehicle Radio Licence from the MDA. Presently, portable devices are deemed to be covered by the household TV licence. A separate licence is required for homes and vehicles as the devices are installed in different premises.

 

As mentioned in my earlier reply, the funds collected are used to commission Public Service Broadcast (PSB) TV/Radio programmes to meet the diverse racial mix in Singapore. Unlike foreign programmes that can be bought "off the shelf", the PSB programmes cater to Singapore's multi-cultural/racial needs and at the same time not commercially viable.These local programmes are costly to produce but are needed to keep Singaporeans informed about issues of relevance to our society, promote better appreciation of social issues and strengthen community bonding. It also ensures that there is continuity in our local heritage and values for the future generation of Singapore to follow. Some examples of the PSB funded programmes are info-educational programmes, news programmes (in the various languages), The Million Makers 2, Get Real, Detik (on Suria), Salaigal (on Vasantham), Front Line (on Channel 8), etc.

 

The collection of the TV/Radio licence fees to fund PSB programmes are not unique to Singapore only. The collection of the TV/Radio licence fee (singularly as a TV or Radio Licence (for residential and vehicle) or as a combined dual TV and Radio Licence) is common in other countries of the world like Germany and Switzerland. The licence fee collected by other countries range from an equivalent of S$245 to S$627 for both Residential TV and Vehicle Radio Licences.

 

We hope that the information provided above has answered your further queries on Public Service Broadcast as well as the Radio and TV Licensing requirements in Singapore.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Tan Jennie (Ms)

Customer Service Officer

for Director

Customer & Licensing Services

[Tony76]

wat to do bro? u know such senseless and repetitive nonsense is coming back ur way.

[Shsoh]

Dear Ms Tan,

 

Thank you for your reply dated 29 Dec 2006.

 

Based on your explanation, I have a few questions that need your comments:

 

1. MDA seems to imply that there are only 2 categories of radio licence - vehicle and residential (ie. anywhere else outside of the vehicle). Does residential radio licence blatantly also include industrial, commercial, educational premises and the like?

 

2. If (1) is indeed true, then to put things in another perspective that with the launch of islandwide wireless broadband network, does it mean that ISPs should also practise dual subscriptions for vehicle owners ie. one for use of internet in the vehicle and another for internet access outside of the vehicle? Will this appear to be reasonable?

 

3. You have mention some PSB programmes that are subsidised by the general public and again further supported by vehicle owners in your reply. While the objectives of the PSB programmes remain deeply lucid and essentially vital to our society, however, these are but TV and not radio programmes of which the latter is the subject of this discussion. I believe funds collected from the additional car radio licence are sensibly not channeled into PSB programmes. In this aspect, could you also list some recent PSB radio programmes?

 

4. Germany and Switzerland are 2 countries which you have highlighted that are collecting "TV/Radio licence fee (singularly as a TV or Radio Licence (for residential and vehicle) or as a combined dual TV and Radio Licence)". I have authenticated the information and discovered that both countries actually practise the collection of a combined TV and radio licence fee. Could you possibly list other examples of countries that are collecting 2 licences - a single TV and radio licence as well as a separate vehicle radio licence which is tantamount to 1 TV and 2 radio licences.

 

I look forward to your favourable reply to the above concerns.

 

Thank you.

[Sarong1]

I really think your queries should be directed to someone at a higher echelon. If not, the mail will always be stuck at the root and never reaching the top...

[Pisces69]

what public service programme do we have ?? During my past 30 yrs of life, I had never know the existence of public service programme !!! Is our Singapore make version of "Myth Buster" a public service programme?? Or those Sunday morning funny programme for kids consider PSG?? Or our election broadcast once in five years ??

 

To a layman like me. Things are very simple. Programmes are driven by profit. Profit come from adverts and sponsors. Adverts and sponsors pay to spread certain msg. So adverts and sponsors will pay for slots when good programme are play and many are watching. So the programme is pay off. If the programme attracts no viewership so attracts no adverts or sponsors then what is the programme still there when no one is watching!! We pay license fee to make programmes that no one watches ??

===========================

 

Maybe we can look at it this way:

 

We r paying to cover their inadequacies & inefficiency period.

[Sapience]

why are you making things difficult for her? she's just doing her job... what answer do you expect? that she's going to change the policy tomorrow? this ding-donging will just continue until you elevate the issue...

[Pisces69]

Long ago when they realised that many car owners did not have a radio license, they started to enforce to get pple to pay the fee.

 

U know how they track u down? They send pple to carparks & peep into the car to see if got radio or not & submit with veh. number for checking.

 

If u got no license & u say u don't have a radio but u actually have, they take u to court based on the evidence that their officer checked & saw a radio in your car.

 

Then with the HU that can cover up or those CD player that look like radio, they cannot tell by peeping in your car so they implement a blanket that all cars got radio unless u inform them that u don't.

 

That's how desperate they were to collect the fees.

[Pisces69]

You may get another template to the original template.

 

Or the present stooge realises that the previous stooge has already retired so gets another template from another stooge

=======================

 

So I guess they must have more then 3 stooges over there. Let's see if their replies come from Larry, Joe or Moe only?