noun
broadcast reception fee; TV/radio license fee
Refers to the mandatory fee paid by households and businesses in Japan to NHK for receiving broadcast signals, regardless of actual viewing.
NHKの受信料を毎年支払っている。
I pay the NHK reception fee every year.
受信料の支払いを免除される世帯もある。
Some households are exempt from paying the reception fee.
視聴料 is a more general term for a viewing fee, often used for pay-per-view or subscription services, while 受信料 specifically refers to the broadcast reception fee.
Compound of 受信 (reception, receiving signals) and 料 (fee, charge).