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The Big British Castle

Started by radiator, 13 January, 2010, 10:49:21 PM

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Richmond Clements

QuoteI resent paying money to keep Eastenders, Top Gear and Fame Academy on the air

Good news! You're not!
Fame Academt hasn't been on for what, 10 years? ANd the other two make their money back easily with overseas sales. In fact like it or hate it, Top Gear is one of the most watched- if not the number one- television progarammes in the world. It makes a fortune for the BBC- so rest easy!

radiator

QuoteI resent paying money to keep Eastenders, Top Gear and Fame Academy on the air.

Isn't that like splitting the bill at a restaurant, and complaining because you didn't lke what everyone else was eating?

Mikey

Now asking me if I would pay for a BBC package, the Mikey household would, so I can see the merits of having it as an option so those that don't like it for whatever reason don't have to stump up the cash. But then it wouldn't be the BBC would it?

The BBC has been responsible for some fantastic tv, particularly the Natural History Unit as far as I'm concerned. A lot of people maybe don't really give a monkeys about them, but their flagship nature docs (and others) are usually excellent.

PS - Peter, glad I could clear that up. Reading over my post, I can see how that came across; in my head it sounded different ::) Rest assured, if I wanted to have a pop at you I would do it up front!   
To tell the truth, you can all get screwed.

radiator

It's also worth pointing out that the BBC are pretty much the only UK broadcaster still making decent homegrown kid's TV.

bluemeanie

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 14 January, 2010, 02:41:53 PM
But it's not just entertainment, is it? It performs educational services, community services. Why do you think all the commercial TV stations abandoned local news programming as soon they were no longer mandated to provide it by the terms of their license?

Then the licence fee should be halved and the BBC should be just that. Educational and informative broadcasting. No need for soap operas or game shows or drama or any of the other expensive "light entertainment" type shows with celebrity hosts that commercial television has in abundance.
They have half the money but dont have to compete for ratings, as they seem compelled to do, and the so called public service end of the BBC could be 20 times better than it is now. But no, we still need to afford Davina to front "So you think you can dance"

Or in other words, drop BBC1.

Dandontdare

Quote from: bluemeanie on 14 January, 2010, 03:31:55 PM
But no, we still need to afford Davina to front "So you think you can dance"

errm - that's on Sky 1

Peter Wolf

I get the impression after reading a lot of comments elsewhere regarding the licence fee which some see as something akin to the Poll Tax is purely economical because they claim that if the BBC didnt exist then they would be 120 or 150 quid or however much it costs a year better off so everytime you have an incident like the Ross/Brand incident it adds fuel to their argument because they are incensed that they are effectively paying for them to behave like that.

Another of the incensed and righteously indignant Daily Mail readers arguments is how they are paying for Ross's huge BBC salary so you have an argument against the existance of the BBC that is basically based on envy.

I find those kinds of arguments against it to be petty minded.They have a point but their arguments are rather simplistic.

Its a difficult subject with no easy answer but i do not see why the BBC doesnt have a right to exist as the only publically funded or state owned broadcasting company just because all of its competition is commercial and the way i see it is its not directly competing with any commercial sector channel because what it offers is unique in comparison so its more accurate to say that the BBC exists alongside the commercial sector.

Another point is its a huge bereaucratic organisation and like any huge bereaucratic organisation like govt you will find that there is a lot of cash that is squandered.i dont have any actual figures or what departments are wasting money but its pretty much a given that it goes on.The wastage of cash being eaten up in the running of it rather than the programming itself.

Worthing Bazaar - A fete worse than death

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: bluemeanie on 14 January, 2010, 03:31:55 PM

Then the licence fee should be halved and the BBC should be just that. Educational and informative broadcasting. No need for soap operas or game shows or drama or any of the other expensive "light entertainment" type shows with celebrity hosts that commercial television has in abundance.

The idea that commercial TV is in trouble because the BBC is stealing audience share unfairly from the free-to-air (FTA) commercial channels is a myth propagated somewhat disingenuously by the BBC's opponents. FTA commercial TV is in trouble because people don't want to consume TV that way any more. Between downloading and time-shifting, you can avoid adverts almost entirely ... and people will be doing this in ever-increasing numbers. Commercial TV is dead as an advertising platform, meaning that the only business model left for TV is subscription.

If there's no commercial FTA TV, and the BBC is only allowed to make factual/educational content, then all the entertainment, drama and sport goes to Sky, which is pretty much exactly what Murdoch wants.

Strangely, however, it's not what I want.

Cheers

Jim
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

bluemeanie

I just hate having to pay money to the bbc for what they call a public service and then seeing jamie f*cking oliver and the nice big house he has for being a mockney twat whilst stuffing chickens and grinning at the camera.
News, weather.. yeah, I can see how that is public service broadcasting, even if americans have news and weather channels that dont seem to need public funding.
But 90% of what is on BBC is no better than commercial tv so doesnt deserve the "listed building" status the BBC as a whole seems to enjoy.


I miss LIVE TV, why couldnt that be subsidised to keep going? The weather was read by a frigging midget on a trampoline and the girl doing the financial report took her kit off!   ;)

bluemeanie

Quote from: radiator on 14 January, 2010, 03:01:35 PM
QuoteI resent paying money to keep Eastenders, Top Gear and Fame Academy on the air.

Isn't that like splitting the bill at a restaurant, and complaining because you didn't lke what everyone else was eating?

Only if I had a breadstick that accounted for 1% of the bill and everyone else had steak and champagne

It is because I only watch an hour or two of BBC a week, if that, that it smarts a bit to be told I have to pay for it. I watch music channels a fair bit as background, I pay for them, Im happy to do so.

Richmond Clements

QuoteI just hate having to pay money to the bbc for what they call a public service and then seeing jamie f*cking oliver and the nice big house he has for being a mockney twat whilst stuffing chickens and grinning at the camera.

Lucky he's on Channel Four then!

bluemeanie

Quote from: Dandontdare on 14 January, 2010, 03:33:50 PM
Quote from: bluemeanie on 14 January, 2010, 03:31:55 PM
But no, we still need to afford Davina to front "So you think you can dance"

errm - that's on Sky 1

yeah? crap!   :lol:

ah well , just substitite (checks todays tv listings) Antiques roadshow, Great British Train Journeys, Cash in the Attic, Bargain Hunt, Wanted Down Under, The Weakest Link etc etc
Not exactly open university is it?

bluemeanie

Quote from: His Lordship rac on 14 January, 2010, 04:08:10 PM
QuoteI just hate having to pay money to the bbc for what they call a public service and then seeing jamie f*cking oliver and the nice big house he has for being a mockney twat whilst stuffing chickens and grinning at the camera.

Lucky he's on Channel Four then!

You have no idea how glad I am I didnt know that mate  :)
Really tho, thought he was BBC2
Ah well, live and learn. Shows ya how much tv I dont watch

Trout

Sorry, folks. Not being deliberately controversial - it's an issue I have strong opinions on. I'll post properly when I have more time. Hesitated to post at all before! Very busy couple of days.

- Trout

bluemeanie