BBC

What will/should be the fate of the BBC? Any good ideas, the powers that be may read this thread.

What will/should be the fate of the BBC? Any good ideas, the powers that be may read this thread.

I have always felt that the BBC should be given enough money from government to fulfill its prescribed role as the broadcaster who has no bias and gives clear unadulterated information to the general public, and who provides the knowledge that is necessary for the public to make informed choices, not necessarily confining itself to politics but the most recent thinking in health, education, sciences, the arts and general thinking from those involved in specialisms. But in recent years I feel that they have somewhat lost their way and have joined the mass of media in producing 'shock', 'horror', 'sensation'. To my mind they have completely lost the plot and 'bent' to the lowest common denominator. As a mother of young children in the early years of the nuclear age I felt somewhat safer expecting that the BBC would inform the general population if there were an emergency, such as arose with the Bay of Pigs situation and the assassination of John Kennedy. Now I don't feel that reassurance as I don't have the same faith in the folk who run the BBC - they seem to be too beholden to pressures from outside and to keen to give in to what seem to me to be undue influences. So personally I think that the whole situation needs some very careful assessment. The license fee often seems to be spent on sending reporters/presenters to foreign climes which largely is unnecessary (Is really necessary for Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford, and Julia Somerville to go on holiday to report on holidays that have been spoiled by 'rip-off' practices!), or Professor Brian Cox to spend quite so much time walking across either frozen deserts or sandy deserts. i.e. I think that more careful budgeting is needed, they should not be trying to outdo SKY! If necessary the license fee should be dispensed with and other forms of funding found i.e why can some people (in other countries, in certain circumstances) watch BBC without a license? (Probably one of you will know the answer but it puzzles me.)

I have always felt that the BBC should be given enough money from government to fulfill its prescribed role as the broadcaster who has no bias and gives clear unadulterated information to the general public, and who provides the knowledge that is necessary for the public to make informed choices, not necessarily confining itself to politics but the most recent thinking in health, education, sciences, the arts and general thinking from those involved in specialisms. But in recent years I feel that they have somewhat lost their way and have joined the mass of media in producing 'shock', 'horror', 'sensation'. To my mind they have completely lost the plot and 'bent' to the lowest common denominator. As a mother of young children in the early years of the nuclear age I felt somewhat safer expecting that the BBC would inform the general population if there were an emergency, such as arose with the Bay of Pigs situation and the assassination of John Kennedy. Now I don't feel that reassurance as I don't have the same faith in the folk who run the BBC - they seem to be too beholden to pressures from outside and to keen to give in to what seem to me to be undue influences.

So personally I think that the whole situation needs some very careful assessment. The license fee often seems to be spent on sending reporters/presenters to foreign climes which largely is unnecessary (Is really necessary for Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford, and Julia Somerville to go on holiday to report on holidays that have been spoiled by 'rip-off' practices!), or Professor Brian Cox to spend quite so much time walking across either frozen deserts or sandy deserts. i.e. I think that more careful budgeting is needed, they should not be trying to outdo SKY! If necessary the license fee should be dispensed with and other forms of funding found i.e why can some people (in other countries, in certain circumstances) watch BBC without a license? (Probably one of you will know the answer but it puzzles me.)

Commercialisation. They are a business, they should thrive and survive (or not) as a business.

Commercialisation.

They are a business, they should thrive and survive (or not) as a business.

Angie.....you have hit the nail on the head..... the bbc has deteriorated into a gross self feeding monster, with most output aimed at the lowest common denominator, or, so very biased one way. I am watching and listening to the bbc less and less, so many programs are repeats, or very poor attempts at social engineering. It’s time it it supported itself. Hobbo

Angie.....you have hit the nail on the head..... the bbc has deteriorated into a gross self feeding monster, with most output aimed at the lowest common denominator, or, so very biased one way.
I am watching and listening to the bbc less and less, so many programs are repeats, or very poor attempts at social engineering.

It’s time it it supported itself.

Hobbo

One positive for BBC television is that you can watch programmes without advertisement breaks during them. OK, they do have advertisements between programmes, but then as far as I am aware it is for their own output, tv & radio.

One positive for BBC television is that you can watch programmes without advertisement breaks during them.

OK, they do have advertisements between programmes, but then as far as I am aware it is for their own output, tv & radio.

Boring Bluebells Category. Shoot Other Subjects (S.O.S.)

Boring Bluebells Category.
Shoot Other Subjects (S.O.S.)

The BBC - top heavy with overpaid managers, 'celebrity' presenters poor programmes and constant repeats and they still want to try to take £154.50p out of my already taxed pension. At my age I wouldn't mind commercial breaks, always welcome, to move my limbs, go to the bathroom or make a coffee. If I occasionally record programmes with commercials then I can always fast forward through them. I lived in Spain for years, all programmes had commercials, (this was before the internet landed) if I remember correctly, even TVE the state run channel. The neighbours didn't believe me and laughed at me when I told them that we had to have a licence and pay a fee to watch TV in Britain.

The BBC - top heavy with overpaid managers, 'celebrity' presenters poor programmes and constant repeats and they still want to try to take £154.50p out of my already taxed pension.
At my age I wouldn't mind commercial breaks, always welcome, to move my limbs, go to the bathroom or make a coffee.
If I occasionally record programmes with commercials then I can always fast forward through them.
I lived in Spain for years, all programmes had commercials, (this was before the internet landed) if I remember correctly, even TVE the state run channel.
The neighbours didn't believe me and laughed at me when I told them that we had to have a licence and pay a fee to watch TV in Britain.

One good move would be to de-criminalise the watching of a television without a licence. The maximum penalty is up there with drunken driving and offences where innocent people get hurt!

One good move would be to de-criminalise the watching of a television without a licence.

The maximum penalty is up there with drunken driving and offences where innocent people get hurt!

In a broad general sense, I think people are disgruntled that the BBC no longer provides the quality it once did, and therefore grudge the money. I agree, but feel that reform to get from the BBC what we want is in order rather than radical reform from which I feel there would be no way back, such as has been suggested in recent times.

In a broad general sense, I think people are disgruntled that the BBC no longer provides the quality it once did, and therefore grudge the money. I agree, but feel that reform to get from the BBC what we want is in order rather than radical reform from which I feel there would be no way back, such as has been suggested in recent times.

Inside Broadcasting House on the wall there is an engraving on the wall in Latin. Translated, it says. 'In the year of our Lord 1931 with John Reith as director, the first governors dedicated this temple of the arts and muses to Almighty God so that a good sowing might bring forth a good harvest and all that impure things and those things harmful to peace may be expelled and that the people, inclining their ear to whatever is beautiful and true and of good report, may tread the path of virtue and wisdom.' (It seems we are a long way away from this, perhaps it has been removed!)

Inside Broadcasting House on the wall there is an engraving on the wall in Latin.

Translated, it says.

'In the year of our Lord 1931 with John Reith as director, the first governors dedicated this temple of the arts and muses to Almighty God so that a good sowing might bring forth a good harvest and all that impure things and those things harmful to peace may be expelled and that the people, inclining their ear to whatever is beautiful and true and of good report, may tread the path of virtue and wisdom.'

(It seems we are a long way away from this, perhaps it has been removed!)

The BBC was a great national institution in its day. That day has gone and it must evolve into something sustainable for the 21st century. The licence fee model is obsolete and doomed. It will only survive if it offers the public what they want at a price they are willing to pay. There are too many competitors that can do that. I'm afraid it's evolve or die.

The BBC was a great national institution in its day. That day has gone and it must evolve into something sustainable for the 21st century. The licence fee model is obsolete and doomed. It will only survive if it offers the public what they want at a price they are willing to pay. There are too many competitors that can do that. I'm afraid it's evolve or die.

Quality of output is definitely poorer IMO. My main gripe is with poor manners/behaviour of interviewers and TV journalists who badger and interrupt interviewees, especially (but not solely) if they happen to be Tory politicians. This is not confined to the BBC though.

Quality of output is definitely poorer IMO. My main gripe is with poor manners/behaviour of interviewers and TV journalists who badger and interrupt interviewees, especially (but not solely) if they happen to be Tory politicians. This is not confined to the BBC though.

[quote] why can some people (in other countries, in certain circumstances) watch BBC without a license?[/quote]I can answer that from personal experience. They can't or rather shouldn't be able to do so. The BBC do everything they can to stop viewing from outside the UK. People can and do view the BBC from outside the UK, however but that is by using unauthorized services or VPNs. The BBC tries to stop them but plays a game of cat and mouse which it cannot ultimately win but hopes will discourage viewing. Small parts of northern France can view via FreeSat but that is because the footprint of the Astra satellite can't be made small enough to restrict French viewing without cutting off southern parts of the UK as well. Anyone who has lived abroad will appreciate the value of the BBC compared to other countries' commercial or state run systems. It is one of those things that they won't know the value of until is gone. Anyhow, we've ruined the railways and utilities, that nice Mr Cummings intends to destroy the NHS so we might as well get rid of the BBC at the same time :P

Quote: why can some people (in other countries, in certain circumstances) watch BBC without a license?
I can answer that from personal experience. They can't or rather shouldn't be able to do so. The BBC do everything they can to stop viewing from outside the UK.

People can and do view the BBC from outside the UK, however but that is by using unauthorized services or VPNs. The BBC tries to stop them but plays a game of cat and mouse which it cannot ultimately win but hopes will discourage viewing. Small parts of northern France can view via FreeSat but that is because the footprint of the Astra satellite can't be made small enough to restrict French viewing without cutting off southern parts of the UK as well.

Anyone who has lived abroad will appreciate the value of the BBC compared to other countries' commercial or state run systems. It is one of those things that they won't know the value of until is gone. Anyhow, we've ruined the railways and utilities, that nice Mr Cummings intends to destroy the NHS so we might as well get rid of the BBC at the same time

Sky generate three times the income of the BBC. Take away sport and cinema and are you left with a higher quality output?

Sky generate three times the income of the BBC. Take away sport and cinema and are you left with a higher quality output?

I'd suggest that with commercial TV stations, the programs are the cheapest and lowest quality that will keep the punters watching until the next ad break! With a few notable exceptions, the programmes on BBC do not seem much better than those on the commercial stations. Much of the "good" BBC output is then sold to the commercials. Have you noticed that many BBC programmes have a natural break point every 15 minutes so that it's easier to insert the ads? Many of the Freeview channels have 20 minutes of adverts per hour.

I'd suggest that with commercial TV stations, the programs are the cheapest and lowest quality that will keep the punters watching until the next ad break! With a few notable exceptions, the programmes on BBC do not seem much better than those on the commercial stations. Much of the "good" BBC output is then sold to the commercials. Have you noticed that many BBC programmes have a natural break point every 15 minutes so that it's easier to insert the ads?

Many of the Freeview channels have 20 minutes of adverts per hour.