TV licence, Serafe in place of Billag - Page 28

Mica · #**541** 08.06.2020, 17:09

The bulk of the money goes to SRF but also private radio and TV stations receive money out of the SERAFE collection:
https://www.persoenlich.com/medien/s...as-serafe-geld

3Wishes · #**542** 08.06.2020, 21:22

FYI - Serafe has accidentally sent out about 224,000 accidental duplicate bills. If you've received a bill today (we did) double check that you didn't already pay it (we did, a week ago).

https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/doppelt-r...ein-ld.1560227

Deepl Translate of the above article:

	Quote:
	Double radio licence fee charged: Serafe admits mistakes Twice asked to pay for radio and television licence fees - this happened to 224,000 households in Switzerland. According to Billag's successor Serafe, this is a "production error in the billing process". Immediately after the incident became known, the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom), as the supervisory body, was informed of the incident by Serafe AG, according to a statement issued by the Radio and Television Licensing Office on Monday. The clarifications had revealed that 224,000 invoices had been printed a second time in one of the two printing service centres, packed and handed over to the post office for dispatch. Since the invoices were issued from correct data, the outstanding amounts were correctly recorded in the systems of the collection agency and were only owed once, the report continues. The customers concerned can therefore dispose of the invoice received twice. Invoice amounts paid twice will be refunded to the customers of the collection agency.

amogles · #**543** 08.06.2020, 21:26

	Quote:	3Wishes
	The customers concerned can therefore dispose of the invoice received twice. Invoice amounts paid twice will be refunded to the customers of the collection agency.

I wonder how that will work, as there is no easy way to refund a payment made by Einzahlungsschein.

3Wishes · #**544** 08.06.2020, 21:49

	Quote:	amogles
	I wonder how that will work, as there is no easy way to refund a payment made by Einzahlungsschein.

And many, many elderly just pay whatever bill arrives.

Urs Max · #**545** 09.06.2020, 00:46

	Quote:
	I was talking SRF, local news imho can be covered perfectly fine by the already existing local stations.

SRF *is* local news.

	Quote:	amogles
	What I think is more important is that state TV must be obliged to absolue political neutrality, which they clearly are not always.

While I agree witht the rest, this is impossible. Even if they reported nothing but facts, the sequence and position would influence how something is perceived, and by how many it's seen.

People are biased, and that always shows in how and what they report. What should be done is present both/all relevant sides fairly. "Relevant" excludes, for instance, what's not supported by generally accepted science (considering a scientific topic).

omtatsat · #**546** 09.06.2020, 08:23

	Quote:	3Wishes
	FYI - Serafe has accidentally sent out about 224,000 accidental duplicate bills. If you've received a bill today (we did) double check that you didn't already pay it (we did, a week ago). https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/doppelt-r...ein-ld.1560227 Deepl Translate of the above article:

Simply amazing that the Swiss voted yes in an " initiative" to paying this dumb Serafe fee! More money than sense

Tom1234 · #**547** 09.06.2020, 08:40

	Quote:	omtatsat
	Simply amazing that the Swiss voted yes in an " initiative" to paying this dumb Serafe fee! More money than sense

No, they voted Yes so they could pay less and have their viewing habits subsidised by the people who, up to that time, didn't pay, as they neither owned TVs or watched TV programmes.

omtatsat · #**548** 09.06.2020, 08:44

	Quote:	Tom1234
	No, they voted Yes so they could pay less and have their viewing habits subsidised by the people who, up to that time, didn't pay, as they neither owned TVs or watched TV programmes.

In any case one has to pay this dumb fee for what? For endless SRF rubbish-quiz programs,sport etc ,and the occasional good film ( repeated one hundred times!

amogles · #**549** 09.06.2020, 09:23

	Quote:	Urs Max
	People are biased, and that always shows in how and what they report. What should be done is present both/all relevant sides fairly. "Relevant" excludes, for instance, what's not supported by generally accepted science (considering a scientific topic).

I don’t have a TV and haven’t watched Swiss TV in years, with the exception maybe of the odd sporting event down at my local bar.

So maybe this has changed , but from the days I did occasionally watch, I don’t recall ever having seen a science or scientifically slanted documentary. The coverage of the centenary of Einstein’s special relativity theory was absolutely abysmal for example , despite the obvious Swiss angle and interest that the topic could have presented, Even On the news , if something science related had happened, for example something at CERN or a discovery at ETH, it was typically covered far too briefly, not explained properly and then somehow lost at the end between all the gossip items.

As an absolute minimum, SRF needs knowledgeable science contributors.

Ded · #**550** 26.06.2020, 12:58

Hello,

I recently received a bill from an obscure company called Serafe apparently on behalf of "Schweizeriche Erhebungsstelle fur Radio- und Fernsehabgabe".

I have been in the country for a few years now but do not remember receiving any bills like that in the past. The amount is substantial - upwards of CHF 600. My landlord is saying that this is in accordance with some new federal law, but that's all he was able to say. Would anyone know the background? Why do we have to pay this and is there any way to avoid it? I never watch Swiss TV (although there is a TV set in my flat). If I got rid of the TV set, would it help?

st2lemans · #**551** 26.06.2020, 14:19

Pay it, you cannot avoid it.

Tom

Snoopy · #**552** 26.06.2020, 14:21

	Quote:	Ded
	Hello, I recently received a bill from an obscure company called Serafe apparently on behalf of "Schweizeriche Erhebungsstelle fur Radio- und Fernsehabgabe". I have been in the country for a few years now but do not remember receiving any bills like that in the past. The amount is substantial - upwards of CHF 600. My landlord is saying that this is in accordance with some new federal law, but that's all he was able to say. Would anyone know the background? Why do we have to pay this and is there any way to avoid it? I never watch Swiss TV (although there is a TV set in my flat). If I got rid of the TV set, would it help?

Does BILLAG sound familiar? It's the replacement.

Ace1 · #**553** 26.06.2020, 14:22

	Quote:	Ded
	Hello, I recently received a bill from an obscure company called Serafe apparently on behalf of "Schweizeriche Erhebungsstelle fur Radio- und Fernsehabgabe". I have been in the country for a few years now but do not remember receiving any bills like that in the past. The amount is substantial - upwards of CHF 600. My landlord is saying that this is in accordance with some new federal law, but that's all he was able to say. Would anyone know the background? Why do we have to pay this and is there any way to avoid it? I never watch Swiss TV (although there is a TV set in my flat). If I got rid of the TV set, would it help?

Yes, it's a TV licence, and hardly obscure.

This thread (now with this post merged into it) should tell you all you need to know about it, but simply put, if you have any sort of device that can receive any sort of video signal, including your computer, then you have to pay it.

venetian · #**554** 26.06.2020, 14:49

	Quote:	Ded
	I have been in the country for a few years now but do not remember receiving any bills like that in the past. The amount is substantial - upwards of CHF 600.

This new company started operating one year ago, this should be the second bill you receive from them. Unless you belong to the groups subject to initial errors and delays, thus explaining the high sum - it probably includes 2019 as well.

Anyway, it's a federal tax and you must pay it to this new company.

Axa · #**555** 26.06.2020, 15:03

	Quote:	Ded
	Hello, I recently received a bill from an obscure company called Serafe apparently on behalf of "Schweizeriche Erhebungsstelle fur Radio- und Fernsehabgabe". I have been in the country for a few years now but do not remember receiving any bills like that in the past. The amount is substantial - upwards of CHF 600. My landlord is saying that this is in accordance with some new federal law, but that's all he was able to say. Would anyone know the background? Why do we have to pay this and is there any way to avoid it? I never watch Swiss TV (although there is a TV set in my flat). If I got rid of the TV set, would it help?

There's enough interest to collect this tax that they even translated the site in English

https://www.serafe.ch/

I do listen to Swiss radio stations, it helps to learn the local accent. TV is generally boring except the time they transmitted the MotoGP races without any commentary some years ago. The sound captured in the track arrived to your living room without any dumb person speaking, thanks RSI

aSwissInTheUS · #**556** 26.06.2020, 15:41

	Quote:	Axa
	I do listen to Swiss radio stations, it helps to learn the local accent. TV is generally boring except the time they transmitted the MotoGP races without any commentary some years ago. The sound captured in the track arrived to your living room without any dumb person speaking, thanks RSI

SRF showed once a football match w/o commentary. You really got some kind "I am in the Stadium" feeling. In these days with multiple possible stereo channels this should really always an option. Pure sport w/o the nonsense.

chordmeister · #**557** 31.07.2020, 12:51

Background:

I am a consultant, living in Luzern, staying in a serviced apartment (Think long term Hotel with weekly cleaning, etc...). I recieved the Radio/TV licence bill and wasn't sure what to do with this.

Thoughts:
I am only here till the end of December, all television services are provided by the property. Any extra fees, etc... are wrapped in my montly bill/rent (or so I thought). Radio? are you kidding me? I haven't listened to the radio (broadcast) in 5 years. The TV that I do watch at the apartment (flat) is all cable but not even much of that, since I prefer Netflix/Prime/Hulu, etc...

Just curious as to what my obligations are. I could certainly get my company to reimburse me, but I suppose that its kinda the principle of the matter. I.e. I don't think that I owe anyone anything (but I've been wrong before, and will probably be so again)

Thanks for your input..

aSwissInTheUS · #**558** 31.07.2020, 14:15

	Quote:	chordmeister
	Just curious as to what my obligations are. I could certainly get my company to reimburse me, but I suppose that its kinda the principle of the matter. I.e. I don't think that I owe anyone anything (but I've been wrong before, and will probably be so again)

You are a human being, right? No lizard people, a dog on the internet, or some strange form of ethereal being?

If your are a human your obligation pay the fee comes from the Federal Act on Radio and Television starting at Art. 68 l and the Ordinance on Radio and Television, starting at Art. 57.

See also: https://www.bakom.admin.ch/bakom/en/...ision-fee.html

I you think the fee does not apply to you, you must formally object and bring maters to court.

Ace1 · #**559** 31.07.2020, 14:46

	Quote:	chordmeister
	The TV that I do watch at the apartment (flat) is all cable but not even much of that, since I prefer Netflix/Prime/Hulu, etc...

Just like most countries where licence fees are applied, it's not about whether you watch broadcast, or indeed any, TV or not, but having equipment with which you could receive any sort of TV/Video service.

So yeah, even if you only had a mobile phone and never used it you'd still be liable.

aSwissInTheUS · #**560** 31.07.2020, 14:57

	Quote:	Ace1
	Just like most countries where licence fees are applied, it's not about whether you watch broadcast, or indeed any, TV or not, but having equipment with which you could receive any sort of TV/Video service. So yeah, even if you only had a mobile phone and never used it you'd still be liable.

Actually, the needed "equipment" is now a functional a ear or a functional eye. If at least one works you most likely have to pay.