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In Germany, even though TV shows can be picked up via Antennae and via a cable running into every apartment and house, you need a license to watch it. Failure to report your TV or radio could result fines and feeds. A way around it? Buy a TV card and watch TV on your computer, it will be much harder to catch you this way, than owning an actual TV. Though, wouldn’t it better to support German TV? I’ve been criticized often for finding questionable ways out of fees rather than doing the right thing and paying for it.

Wikipedia:

“The license fee in Germany is 204.36 euros per annum for TV and radio, and 66.24 euros for just radio. It is billed by the month, but typically paid quarterly (yearly payments are possible). The unemployed, disabled and people (nearly) solely dependent on governmental support for living do not need to pay the licence fee. Starting in 2007, the German government will establish a licence fee for every working Internet link (e.g. mobile phone or PC) if it is the only source for radio and television. These devices will be charged the radio fee. The license fee has to be paid even if the device is not attached or has no immediate capabilities to connect to internet. According to the official regulation, the fee has to be paid if the device “could potentially connect to internet without significant efforts” (which means one could buy a modem and then connect). Non-possession of internet-capable devices is no obstacle to required fees, but the virtual possibility of potential capability to receive broadband is sufficient to pay.

The licence fee is used to fund the public broadcasters ZDF, ARD, and Deutschlandradio, ARTE and the public “Third Programmes” TV channels and all public radio stations as well. Their budgets are often supplemented by limited advertisements at certains hours of the day. Germany currently has one of the largest public broadcast budgets on the planet. Their annual revenue is roughly EUR 7.6 billion (which is approximately twice as much as the European and Russian space programs combined), plus EUR 500 million in commercial ads. Nevertheless the board of public broadcasters sued the German states for interference with their budgeting process, and on Sept. 11 2007, they achieved a total victory at the Supreme Court, rendering their institution as an independent and self-governing body. In addition they are allowed to charge the public for “lost revenues” in their forthcoming fee raise.

Public broadcasters have announced that they are determined to strongly utilize all available ways to access their “customers” and as such have started a very broad internet presence with media portals, news and TV programs. With the intention to “reach their customers” in an appropriate way, the national broadcasters have abandoned their pledge for restricting their internet activities. German society will have the world’s most extensive public internet media program in the near future. However, a steep fee raise is announced for 2009.”

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