Broadcasting3.10.2023

Big screen monitors and projectors that don’t need a TV Licence

By Myles Illidge

Although the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is looking for a new way to replace TV Licences, for now, South Africans still require a valid licence to purchase a new TV.

However, those without a valid TV Licence and who don’t access SABC content have a range of projectors and big-screen monitors from which they can choose.

The SABC’s latest results revealed that its TV Licence collections have continued to decline, with approximately 86% of licence holders avoiding paying their fees during the 2022/23 financial year.

The public broadcaster has been struggling to get its customers to pay their TV licence fees for some time, with avoidance rates increasing significantly following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The SABC TV licence evasion rate from 2018 to 2023 is as follows:

2018 — 72%
2019 — 69%
2020 — 81%
2021 — 82% (82.1%)
2022 — 82% (81.7%)
2023 — 86% (85.8%)

However, the avoidance isn’t for lack of trying on the SABC’s part.

The public broadcaster has tried a range of tactics to persuade customers to pay, including holiday giveaways for payment within a set period and intimidation tactics through debt collection agencies.

In mid-September 2023, a MyBroadband reader shared an SMS they had received from the SABC, which claimed they would gain entry into competition through which they could win a holiday worth R300,000.

People who had already paid their TV Licence for the year were ineligible to enter, with winners receiving an all-expenses paid trip to a Bundesliga soccer match or Coachella.

Projectors and large monitors that don’t require a TV Licence

In South African law, retailers must request a valid TV Licence from customers before selling them a television.

However, this applies to TVs with built-in tuners, and several big-screen monitors and projectors are available in the country that don’t have one.

They can connect to your home entertainment system — whether it be a streaming stick, gaming console, or even a laptop — via HDMI to stream video content.

The SABC doesn’t appear too pleased with this. In late January 2023, it demanded that South Africans pay TV Licence fees for computer monitors — even if they do not receive broadcast signals on these devices.

In its annual TV Licence renewal notice for 2023, the broadcaster claimed that the definition of television sets includes “TV monitors (without receiving capabilities)” that can receive a broadcast signal by being connected to any receiving equipment.

Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage said including monitors in the SABC’s notice was wrong and that the broadcaster appeared to be taking chances.

A selection of projections and big-screen monitors South Africans can buy without having a valid TV licence is listed below.