As a TV-licence-authority long-term harassee (if that's a word): from the BBC document: "Part 4 of the Communications Act 2003 makes it an offence to install or use a television receiver for the purposes of receiving any television programme service without a valid TV licence. This Act also makes it an offence for anyone to have any television receiver in their possession or under their control who either intends to install or use it in contravention of the main offence (above), or knows or has reasonable grounds for believing, that another person intends to install or use a television receiver in contravention of the main offence. A `television receiver' includes a television set, a VCR, a set-top box, a TV-enabled personal computer or any other equipment designed or modified to enable it to receive television programmes."
So it was indeed in 2004 that the offence changed from *receiving* the broadcast to *posession* and intention to install etc - that's much wider. They only didn't include an automatic right of entry etc because of concern about the licence fee system being at risk overall from publick backlash (so says a consultant with whom I worked and was also consulting for the BBC) An interesting aspect is what is "any television programme"? Discussions elsewhere make it clear this is any live broadcast from anywhere - so if an Australian broadcaster broadcasts something *and* sends it live over the web - then that's a broadcast within the meaning of the Act. If you want a UK example - then any live broadcast of parliament can also be received on a PC through the Parliamentary Channel. And there is some talk of UK broadcasters sending concurrent webcasts. So you don't have to receive these broadcasts, or even want to. But having a PC with an internet connection (or even a new onein a box that you intend to connect) seems to contravene the Act. Ho Hummmm Peter Scott
