Editing Television licence (section)

==Countries that have never had a television or broadcasting licence==
===Andorra===
[[Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra]], the public broadcaster, is funded by advertising and government grants with no fee for viewers.

===Brazil===
The federal company [[Empresa Brasil de Comunicação]], which manages [[TV Brasil]] and public radio stations (Rádio MEC and Rádio Nacional), is financed from the Federal Budget, besides profit from licensing and production of programs, institutional advertisement, and service rendering to public and private institutions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/noticias/2007/10/11/materia.2007-10-11.2874503544/view |title=Empresa Brasil de Comunicação terá diferentes formas de financiamento — Agência Brasil - EBC |access-date=2 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821131602/http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/noticias/2007/10/11/materia.2007-10-11.2874503544/view |archive-date=21 August 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Padre Anchieta Foundation]], which manages [[TV Cultura]] and the Cultura FM and Cultura Brasil radio stations in [[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]], receives funds from the state government, advertisements and fundraising from the private sector. In December 1997, the "Education and Culture Tax", a state tax in [[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]], was instituted to fund the state's public broadcasters, TV Cultura and Rádio Cultura.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lei nº 9.904, de 30 de dezembro de 1997 |url=http://www.al.sp.gov.br/leis/legislacao-do-estado/ |website=Legislative Assembly of State of São Paulo |access-date=23 September 2021 |language=pt-BR |date=30 December 1997}}</ref> The tax was charged monthly through electricity bills according to consumers' energy consumption.<ref>{{cite news |title=SP cria nova lei para custear TV Cultura |url=https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/brasil/fc070115.htm |website=Folha de S.Paulo |access-date=23 September 2021 |date=7 January 1998 |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Nova taxa torna TV Cultura superavitária |url=https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/brasil/fc080115.htm |access-date=23 September 2021 |website=Folha de S.Paulo |date=8 January 1998 |language=pt-BR}}</ref> However, the collection of the fee was declared unconstitutional by the Court of Justice of the State of São Paulo.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dallari |first1=Adilson Abreu |title=Cobrança de taxa para custeio da TV educativa |url=https://www2.senado.leg.br/bdsf/bitstream/handle/id/371/r138-11.pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y |website=Federal Senate of Brazil |access-date=23 September 2021 |language=pt-BR}}</ref>

=== Chile ===
The state-owned [[Chile]]an television broadcaster, [[Televisión Nacional de Chile]] (TVN), founded in 1969, is financed by advertising, which can air between programs. Its autonomous financing allows the corporation to have economic independence from the State of Chile, being able to fully retain and take advantage of its annual profits only if the director in charge can esteem that way, as if it were a private company; however, TVN by a 1992 law cannot receive state financing under any circumstance.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1992-04-08 |title=Ley N° 19.132 |trans-title=Law N° 19.132 |url=http://estaticos.tvn.cl/skins/especiales/tvncorporativo/201410281740/documentos/Ley19132.pdf |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=TVN.cl |language=Spanish}}</ref> Its educational subchannel, NTV, is instead state-financed through a unique provision of funds courtesy of the Finance Ministry of Chile, and therefore cannot air advertisements, as well as have any commercial links.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-07 |title=John Müller sobre TVN: "La señal cultural es una excusa para seguir detrayendo recursos" |trans-title=John Müller about TVN: "The cultural signal is an excuse to still detract resources" |url=https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/c6825151-913a-492c-8774-a95877393662/episodes/09ad6d4b-9e01-473e-8137-8cf91d3f2df7/columnistas-p%C3%A1gina-13-john-m%C3%BCller-sobre-tvn-la-se%C3%B1al-cultural-es-una-excusa-para-seguir-detrayendo-recursos |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=[[Amazon Music]] |publisher=Tele13 Radio |language=Spanish |type=podcast}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Espinosa |first=Magdalena |date=2021-04-28 |title=Canal cultural de TVN avanza en su implementación en señal abierta y se estrenará el 1 de julio |trans-title=TVN's cultural channel advances on its free-to-air signal implementation and will launch on 1 July |url=https://www.df.cl/empresas/telecom-tecnologia/canal-cultural-de-tvn-avanza-en-su-implementacion-en-senal-abierta-y-se |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Diario Financiero |language=Spanish}}</ref>

===China===
The current state broadcaster, [[China Central Television]] (CCTV), established in 1958, is funded almost entirely through the sale of commercial advertising time, although this is supplemented by government funding and a tax of ¥2 per month from all cable television subscribers in the country.

=== Estonia ===
In [[Estonia]] there are three public TV channels: [[Eesti Televisioon]] ETV, ETV2, and ETV+ (ETV+ was launched on 27 September 2015 and mostly targets people who speak Russian). The funding comes from government [[grant-in-aid]]. ETV is currently one of only a few public television broadcasters in the European Union which has neither advertising nor a licence fee and is solely funded by national government grants. Commercials in public broadcasting television were stopped in 2002 over concerns that its low prices were damaging the ability of commercial broadcasters to operate. The introduction of a licence fee system was considered but ultimately rejected in the face of public opposition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eumap.org/topics/media/television_europe/national/estonia/media_est1.pdf|title=Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence – Estonia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327121308/http://www.eumap.org/topics/media/television_europe/national/estonia/media_est1.pdf|archive-date=27 March 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=8 May 2009}}</ref>

=== Iran ===
[[Iran]] has never levied television licence fees. After the 1979 [[Islamic Revolution]], [[National Iranian Radio and Television]] was renamed [[Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting]], and became the state broadcaster. In Iran, private broadcasting is illegal.

=== Latvia ===
[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] is a consortium of the public radio broadcaster [[Latvijas Radio]] and the public TV broadcaster [[Latvijas Televīzija]], which operates the LTV1 and LTV7 channels. After years of debate, the public broadcasters ceased airing commercial advertising from January 1, 2021, and became fully government-funded by the national budget.<ref name=":0b">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2021-01-02|title=Public media exits the advertising market|url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/features/media-literacy/public-media-exits-the-advertising-market.a387451/|access-date=2021-01-21|website=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]]|language=en}}</ref> The introduction of a television licence has been previously debated, but this was opposed by the government.

===Luxembourg===
[[Luxembourg]] has never had a television licence requirement. Until 1993, it had no national public broadcaster, and it still has no public television broadcaster.

[[Radio 100,7]] is a radio station funded by the country's Ministry of Culture and by sponsorship arrangements. Television in Luxembourg is provided by the commercial network [[RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg]] and channels serving nearby countries.

===Monaco===
Monaco has never had any listener or viewer broadcasting licence fee. Since the establishment of [[Radio Monte Carlo|Radio Monte-Carlo]] in 1943 and [[TMC (TV channel)|Télévision Monte-Carlo]] in 1954, both have been funded on a commercial basis with no charge for the audience.

===Nigeria===
Television licences are not used in Nigeria, except in the sense of ''broadcasting licences'' granted to private networks. The federal government's television station, NTA ([[Nigerian Television Authority]]), has two broadcast networks: NTA 1 is partly funded by central government and partly by advertising revenue, and NTA 2 is wholly funded by advertisements. Almost all thirty-six states have their own television stations, funded wholly or substantially by their respective governments.

=== Philippines ===
Television licensing has never been enacted in the Philippines. The state-owned television ([[People's Television Network|PTV]] and [[Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation|IBC]]) and radio ([[Philippine Broadcasting Service|PBS]]) stations have been funded directly by the government's annual budget and by advertising.

===[[Post-Soviet states]]===
See [[#Soviet Union]].

=== Spain ===
Spanish national public broadcasters had been funded by government grants and advertising income since {{lang|es|[[Radio Nacional de España]]|i=no}} (RNE) radio service was launched in 1937 and {{lang|es|[[Televisión Española]]|i=no}} (TVE) television service was launched in 1956. Although RNE removed advertising in 1986, TVE continued broadcasting commercials until 2009. Since 2010, [[Radiotelevisión Española]] (RTVE) –the corporation that absorbed the management of RNE and TVE in 2007– is funded by government grants and taxes paid by private nationwide television broadcasters and telecommunications companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20090716/nueva-ley-financiacion-rtve-permite-patrocinio-limitado-eventos-deportivos/285196.shtml|title=La nueva ley de financiación de RTVE permite el patrocinio "limitado" de eventos deportivos|date=13 July 2009|publisher=[[RTVE]]|language=es|trans-title=The new RTVE financing law allows for "limited" sponsorship of sporting events|access-date=31 December 2015}}</ref>

=== United States ===
In the United States, privately owned commercial radio and television stations funded by advertising proved to be commercially viable. Some governments owned non-commercial radio stations (such as [[WNYC (AM)|WNYC]], owned by New York City from 1922 to 1997) or [[educational television]] stations, but most broadcasters were private companies or were owned by charitable organizations supported by donations.

The [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]] (CPB) was created by the [[Public Broadcasting Act of 1967]], and this led to the creation of the [[Public Broadcasting Service]] (PBS) and [[National Public Radio]] (NPR). These are loose networks of [[non-commercial educational]] (NCE) stations owned by state and local governments, [[educational institutions]], and non-profit organizations. They are more similar to U.S. commercial networks than European public broadcasters.

Annual funding for [[public television]] in the United States was US$445.5&nbsp;million in 2014 (including interest revenue).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/financials/budget|title=CPB Operating Budget|date=15 January 2015|website=Cpb.org|access-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> The CPB, and virtually all government-owned stations, are funded through general taxes, donations from individuals (usually in the form of "memberships"), and charitable organizations. Individual programs on public broadcasters may be supported by [[underwriting spot]]s paid for by sponsors. Between 53 and 60 percent of public television's revenues come from private membership donations and [[Grant (money)|grants]],<ref name="revenue">{{cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2005PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf|title=Public Broadcasting Revenue Fiscal Year 2005|access-date=10 March 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515140419/http://www.cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2005PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf|archive-date=15 May 2011}}</ref> so most stations solicit individual donations by [[fundraising]], [[pledge drive]]s or [[telethon]]s which can disrupt regularly scheduled programming. Normal programming can be replaced with specials aimed at a wider audience to solicit new members and donations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/2006/03/pledging_allegiance_or_march_madness.html|title=Pledging Allegiance, or March Madness?|last=Getler|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Getler|date=24 March 2006|publisher=PBS Ombudsman|access-date=22 May 2006}}</ref>

In some rural areas of the United States, [[broadcast translator]] districts exist, which are funded by an [[ad valorem]] [[property tax]] on all property within the district,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aspenpitkin.com/Departments/Public-Works/TV-FM-Broadcast-Service|title=TV/FM Broadcast Service &#124; City of Aspen and Pitkin County, Colorado|publisher=Aspenpitkin.com|access-date=13 January 2011|archive-date=13 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213095808/http://aspenpitkin.com/Departments/Public-Works/TV-FM-Broadcast-Service/|url-status=dead}}</ref> or by a parcel tax on each dwelling unit within the district. Failure to pay the TV translator tax has the same repercussions as failing to pay any other property tax, including a [[lien]] placed on the property and eventual seizure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.monocounty.ca.gov/online_services/documents/cocode/_DATA/TITLE03/Chapter_3_32_TELEVISION_TRANSL.html|title=Chapter 3.32 TELEVISION TRANSLATOR SERVICE CHARGE|publisher=Monocounty.ca.gov|access-date=13 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115192928/http://www.monocounty.ca.gov/online_services/documents/cocode/_DATA/TITLE03/Chapter_3_32_TELEVISION_TRANSL.html|archive-date=15 November 2010}}</ref> In addition, fines can be levied on viewers who watch TV from the translator signals without paying the fee. As the Federal Communications Commission has exclusive jurisdiction over broadcast stations, whether a local authority can legally impose a fee merely to watch an over-the-air broadcast station is questionable. In some areas the tax is charged regardless of whether the resident watches TV from the translator. In other areas the property owner may certify that they do not use the translator district's services and get a waiver.

[[Cable television franchise fee]] agreements are added to cable TV bills to fund [[public, educational, and government access]] (PEG) television for the municipality that granted the franchise agreement. State governments may also add taxes. These taxes generate controversy since they sometimes go into the general taxation fund, or there is "double taxation" where [[public-access television]] is paid for by taxes but the cable television operator has to pay for equipment or facilities, or has to pay for local municipality projects that are not related to television.

=== Uruguay ===
Uruguay does not have a fee or TV licence. The two public broadcasters in the country, [[Canal 5 (Uruguay)|Canal 5]] and [[Radiodifusión Nacional del Uruguay|RNU]], are funded by government grants.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ley N° 19.307 |url=https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/leyes/19307-2014 |website=Centro de Información Oficial |access-date=20 October 2022 |language=es-UY}}</ref>

=== Vietnam ===
Vietnam has never had a television licence fee. Advertising was introduced in the early 1990s as a way to generate revenue for television stations. The current state broadcaster, [[Vietnam Television]], receives the majority of its funds through advertising and some from government subsidies. Local television stations in Vietnam are operated in a similar way.