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The Big British Castle

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

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radiator

The BBC seems to really be getting it in the neck lately - attacked from all sides, and being forced to severely moderate/censor their output as to not give their enemies yet more ammunition to hit them with. It seems to be lurching from one shitstorm to the next - the 'fakery' scandal, the phoneline thing, Nick Griffin on Question Time, the whole Johnathon Ross/Russel Brand saga... and there's a lot of discussion about the tories plotting to privitise it when they inevitably get into power.

I understand that these things are largely stirred up by Rupert Murdoch, but this doesn't seem to be solely a media created phenomenon. Do people out there really, truly resent paying the license fee that much? What is it, like £120 a year? The same as a single month's Council Tax? For me, the expenditure is more than justified by the likes of The Apprentice, Screen/News/Gameswipe, Question Time, Being Human, Adam and Joe (and 6 Music in general), The iPlayer, Doctor Who, Psychoville, anything David Attenborough does... not to mention the back catalogue... So not all of their output is for me (and some of it is downright depressing) but then I appreciate that they're trying to cater for all tastes.

Did I miss a meeting or something? I'm absolutely mystified about all this hatred for the BBC! I love the BBC with all my heart, and to sell it off would be an absolute travesty, and something I'm sure we'd all come to regret very deeply.

So what's the beef? Do you agree/disagree?

Dandontdare

I'd agree. For the sheer volume and diversity of what is produced, the licence fee is a bargain. I really fear for the BBC over the next five years, because if Cameron gets in, as seems sadly likely, Murdoch will certainly expect some quid-pro-quo for his support, and the hatchets will be out for the beeb.

As an aside, I had a friend once who bought a TV licence (nobody else had one in them days) specifically so he could, with a clear conscience, ring up the BBC switchboard late at night to make drunken complaints that always began "As a license fee payer...."

SamuelAWilkinson

Way up there with you, chaps. When you look at the dross pumped out by the competition and the networks abroad, there's no comparison, even if Auntie pumps out a good deal of dross herself. I've said it before, but the existence and success of the revived Doctor Who is argument alone for its existence and unique funding method - no other broadcaster in the world would have given a bloke who writes gay dramas a big pile of cash to make a new series of a forgotten and largely-mocked childrens' drama.
Nobody warned me I would be so awesome.

Peter Wolf

I do resent paying the licence fee but not for how much it costs or only because of the quality of its programming although that is part of the problem but my reasons are mostly political in the way that it is clearly politically slanted which is not supposed to be part of its remit and because of the slanted nature of a large amount of its climate change bias and the people who run it.Its too politicised but politicised without being objective.

I feel that this has happened since Greg Dyke was forced to resign and i like making up acronyms of what the BBC stands for.
Worthing Bazaar - A fete worse than death

Jim_Campbell

This is a straight copy & paste from a post by me on another forum, but it's so thoroughly applicable here that I didn't see the point in re-typing ...

QuoteI know it's not exactly a popular viewpoint, but I think the license fee is remarkable value for money, when you consider what it actually delivers.

The commercial TV model is clearly on its last legs, leaving only subscription as a viable model. Subscription + Market Forces = Sky.

Now, if you view the BBC as provider of individually packaged products, then the license fee is an enforced subscription, and I can understand why people rail against it.

I don't view the BBC like that -- I view it as a broad spectrum service provider and, as such, view the license fee as a social tax.

I don't have kids, but I don't expect to be exempted from whatever portion of my income tax and/or council tax goes on education and the upkeep of schools. In the same way, I don't listen to Radio One, but I don't object to the fact that part of my license fee pays for it.

I feel very strongly that the BBC is a very important part of what makes Britain, well, British, and I'm prepared, happy even, to pay for that. If someone could come up with a better way of funding it that didn't sacrifice its public service ethos then I'd happily consider it, but I've yet to hear such a suggestion.

... To which I'd only add: yes, you're right. The current anti-BBC sentiment is largely being manufactured by the Murdoch empire. They know that internet/IP TV will kill free-to-air commercial TV in the next few years so, if they want to grow, the only place they can pick up market share is from the BBC. Just this morning, I heard some media type espousing the view that the BBC should concentrate on news and education and "leave entertainment and sport to the commercial channels" ...

This is dangerous talk: in the very near future, there will only be subscription TV*, and the BBC will be the only real competition to Sky. Nobody wants to say this out loud, but Murdoch knows it and is getting his retaliation in first, to coin a phrase.

Cheers!

Jim

*Plus a la carte: if TV companies could be persuaded to review their pricing policy and stop simply dividing the cost of a DVD box set by 22 and charging that per episode on iTunes, then you could realistically dispense with a broadcast service altogether and buy your TV by the episode. Unless or until they do, this option will never realize its full potential.
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Colin YNWA

One aspect of this that frustrates me is that the BBCs coverage of its only problems. Due to its unerring commitment to present news in as unbiased way as possible it reports the crap slung at it with the same open honest way it does other news. In fact if anything they do it with more gusto just to emphasize how unbiased its being.

The trouble with this is the people attacking it, namely Murdoch and co, the commercial channels, the paper media and politicians from both sides who also see the BBC as biased against their side (God will they look at that both sides bleating about the BBC not representing them fairly. I mean it doesn't take a genius to work out what that probably says about their political coverage.) don't feel any such compunction to be honest.

Hence no bugger defends the BBC with any conviction in the mass media even themselves! Leading to it being very easy to come away with the impression that the BBC must be doing something wrong.

The BBC has done a fantastic job developing with new media and outlets. Just look at the excellent way they have exploited the internet and digital radio. Christ the existence of a website as fantastic as the BBCs used to be before they had to cut it back to try to save money was in itself worth the bloody poxy licence fee. As far as I'm concerned they could double the license fee and I'd still be happy. No its not perfect, not by any stretch but its a damned sight better than the rest!

The BBC is bloody wonderful and something this country should be very proud of. Its about time more of us stood up and said it.

Christ sorry for the rant, I'm trying to stick to topics that are comics related (or at least nerd related) when I come here these days but God this is something I really care about!

Richmond Clements


Dandontdare

Quote from: Peter Wolf on 14 January, 2010, 12:59:56 AM
because of the slanted nature of a large amount of its climate change bias

Tsk yes, they do have a pesky bias in favour of SCIENCE over paranoid conspiracy theories. Bastards!

Buddy

I have never had a problem with paying the TV license.

I do resent the inflated wage of so called BBC 'stars'.

Is anyone really worth £Xmillion contract for appearing on tv for a few hours a week and maybe a radio show or two?

Jonathan Ross, Graham Norton spring to mind, and although I do find them entertaining at times I really wouldn't be fussed if I never seen them on BBC tv again.

Throw in the cast of Eastenders and their massive pay packets and it's enough to make my head hurt!

And I know I don't have to watch Eastenders but I DO have to pay the fee.

BBC make great programmes but they also continue to make really, really shit ones too. Eastenders, Casualty, Holby Bollix ect... so called 'drama'... they are all just pure pish.

I hardly watch TV these days due to the fact there isn't much worth watching, I'll usually set the digital recorder to record stuff over a period of time and just watch that when I have the time to actually sit undisturbed to watch it.

So, in a nutshell.... less shit programmes BBC, more quality..

Mikey

I agree with all the positive vibes for Auntie - I'll give the Beeb a vote, no problem, especially for BBC4 (the new BBC 2!), the radio channels, Radio Ulster News + Gerry Anderson! There's plenty of choice I reckon, although I agree with Buddy on the quality issue for some of it.

Quotethey do have a pesky bias in favour of SCIENCE over paranoid conspiracy theories.

Dan, step away from the rational, it'll do you no good here  ;)
M.
To tell the truth, you can all get screwed.

Richmond Clements

QuoteRadio Ulster News + Gerry Anderson

Along with soda bread (which I can occasionally get in Tesco) they're among the few things I miss from NI!
Although I do get Gerry on the iplay every now and then when I remember...

uncle fester

The Beeb generally just have a higher standard of program making. News reporting, documentaries, iPlayer, radio and everything else that others have mentioned already. The phoneline thing was their only real mistake. Griffin was shown up to be the evil misguided leech that he is. Job done. The Ross/Brand thing was just two pillocks digging their own grave with no outside help. Good riddance.

Even the crap stuff is better than their rivals crap stuff. Happy to pay the licence here.

uncle fester

Quote from: His Lordship rac on 14 January, 2010, 11:55:27 AM
Along with soda bread (which I can occasionally get in Tesco) they're among the few things I miss from NI!

Sainsburys do quite a nice one if you've got one nearby.

Richmond Clements

Quote from: uncle fester on 14 January, 2010, 11:59:49 AM
Quote from: His Lordship rac on 14 January, 2010, 11:55:27 AM
Along with soda bread (which I can occasionally get in Tesco) they're among the few things I miss from NI!

Sainsburys do quite a nice one if you've got one nearby.

Just checked the store locator on their site, and the nearest one to us is 105 miles away!

radiator

QuoteIs anyone really worth £Xmillion contract for appearing on tv for a few hours a week and maybe a radio show or two?

No, and to some extent it is ludicrous how much these people are paid, but then the BBC has to be competitive with the commercial sector - if it doesn't pay enough, it won't attract the big names. I have a feeling that those big multi-million pound deals are hugely exaggerated by the media - taking Ross as an example - how much of his contract is tied into his production company, staff and the like? I suspect that he never sees most of that dosh. Soap stars are overpaid , true, but at least they work hard for their money.

Regardless, I suspect that this culture of excess in showbiz will be a thing of the past in years to come - the upheaval caused by the new media will level the playing field a bit and make wages much more realistic.