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ITV threatens legal action if pvt channels brought under BBC licence fee ambit
NEW DELHI: British commercial broadcaster ITV has threatened to go to court in case the government implements its proposals to force digital catch-up TV users to purchase a TV licence.
The proposals are part of plans to overhaul the funding of BBC, which has recently issued a Green Paper to discuss various issues on how it could improve.
As per a Sky News report, ITV CEO Adam Crozier had written to the government expressing concerns over the proposals that will impact broadcasters with a public service broadcasting remit.
The terrestrial TV industry as subscription-based services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video will be exempt from the rules.
A commercial broadcasting executive told reporters it was ‘wholly unreasonable’ for users of ITV catch-up services to fund the BBC and accused the government of creating an ‘unlevel playing field.’
The Green Paper said the BBC’s licence fee will be under severe pressure come 2020-21.
