Do we need BBC 4?
I don't watch much television but have found BBC 4 to be one of the best channels. Now it seems that they're planning to axe the channel.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/bbc-four-faces-closure-as-tv-bosses-battle-£125m-covid-19-shortfall/ar-BB1447o0?ocid=spartanntp
Do readers feel similarly disappointed?
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/bbc-four-faces-closure-as-tv-bosses-battle-£125m-covid-19-shortfall/ar-BB1447o0?ocid=spartanntp
Do readers feel similarly disappointed?
thewilliam2, Surprised no one has commented on your post. BBC 4 channel is the best that they broadcast. Might be old programmes from years ago, but they are certainly worth watching. i.e. Country Music, Rock'nRoll music ,etc.
Easter time - Radio 4, some supposed comedy on that channel.[Thursday night 11 p.m.] Can't remember the exact joke, but it was along the lines " I isolated on Friday,.... and came out on Monday." I am Cof E, but do not go to church as I should. I was offended by the joke, and lodged a complaint with the BBC. I mentioned that if such foul comment had been broadcast about the other main religions then there would have been an uproar.
Took 2 weeks or so for a result - THE RESULT- the usual non-commital, mealy mouthed,reply in that they do not try to offend anyone.
Radio 4- Shipping Forecast- It is still true. !!!! The remainder of the stuff they broadcast, TV, radio, etc, never bother to watch or listen.
Easter time - Radio 4, some supposed comedy on that channel.[Thursday night 11 p.m.] Can't remember the exact joke, but it was along the lines " I isolated on Friday,.... and came out on Monday." I am Cof E, but do not go to church as I should. I was offended by the joke, and lodged a complaint with the BBC. I mentioned that if such foul comment had been broadcast about the other main religions then there would have been an uproar.
Took 2 weeks or so for a result - THE RESULT- the usual non-commital, mealy mouthed,reply in that they do not try to offend anyone.
Radio 4- Shipping Forecast- It is still true. !!!! The remainder of the stuff they broadcast, TV, radio, etc, never bother to watch or listen.
The BBC are trying to save money - first it was charging the over 75's for a TV licence then came lockdown and they decided to revue that idea later in the year - then they decide to axe BBC 4. I don't know why they have a Channel that is only on from 7.00 p.m. in the evening particularly over the past few weeks it has really puzzled me. The popularity of the YouTube broadcasts of West End shows, and the increase of many folks watching repeated football games, past golf tournaments etc. just to keep people from going slightly mad. The BBC has missed a trick - entertainment is what we all need - some laughs and some joy. They must have reels and reels of plays, dramas, comedy shows, which would be far more entertaining than the continual updating of the number of new cases, the number of folk who have died today and the drone of continual stories of sadness and woe. I am not discounting the need to keep the public up-to-date nor the need to try and impress on them the importance of keeping safe BUT I need some happiness and laughter, joy and delight. Axing BBC 4 will not do that - The Joy of Painting is a delight, The Beauty of Books is a joy, Lucy Worsley's love of her subject (and dressing up) is inspiring. More of this and less of the rubbish, but it would seem that those at the Beeb haven't a clue of what they need to do.
I've got a much better idea . . .
. . . get shot of the BBC altogether.
. . . get shot of the BBC altogether.
BBC4 is my wife's favourite channel so she will be very disappointed.
Dave
Dave
There is lots wrong with the BBC but a whole lot more right!. People's tastes are more diverse now and there is alot of competition from places such as Netflix, Amazon and Apple. I love BBC dramas, waiting patiently for Line of Duty to reappear for another season.
People don't want to be dictated to and tied down to having to watch a programme when it is broadcast. Hence the BBC's own iPlayer, and the enormous rise in popularity of the various streaming services which are now available - Netflix, HBO, Amazon, YouTube et al.
The numbers watching traditional tv are declining in step with the rise in streaming viewer numbers.
What is surprising, is that the Beeb are considering removing the one channel which has the most loyal viewers - the over 60s.
The numbers watching traditional tv are declining in step with the rise in streaming viewer numbers.
What is surprising, is that the Beeb are considering removing the one channel which has the most loyal viewers - the over 60s.
I have followed a few stories on CITYA.M, they do have a distinguished record of misrepresenting and skewing information so I am not panicking yet.
But apart from BBC news coverage, BBC4 produces the only programmes worth watching on television. Full stop.
They do tend to show them at silly times, so we catch up on the iplayer. Our standard TV viewing consists of one or two BBC4 programmes an evening on catch-up. Arts, history... Waldemar Januszczak, Andrew Graham Dixon, Mary Beard, Helen Castor... The current Culture in Quarantine: Shakespeare is brilliant, and actually makes lockdown seem worthwhile.
If BBC4 disappears I would be quite happy to just stick with Radios 3 and 4, and sod the telly.
But apart from BBC news coverage, BBC4 produces the only programmes worth watching on television. Full stop.
They do tend to show them at silly times, so we catch up on the iplayer. Our standard TV viewing consists of one or two BBC4 programmes an evening on catch-up. Arts, history... Waldemar Januszczak, Andrew Graham Dixon, Mary Beard, Helen Castor... The current Culture in Quarantine: Shakespeare is brilliant, and actually makes lockdown seem worthwhile.
If BBC4 disappears I would be quite happy to just stick with Radios 3 and 4, and sod the telly.
Are we missing the point? If channel 4 is popular, especially with say older viewers, then threaten to axe it. It is simply cut something popular in order to tell everyone that more money is necessary. They did review what funding they considered necessary, remarking that a change to the current licensing was, their words, non negotiable.
There's some good stuff on BBC4, stuff that in the past would have gone on BBC2.
Axing the channel is not the issue in he big scheme, but axing those programmes that appear on it is. If it goes the way of BBC3, online only, that's ok.
In many ways, the fact that there's little that's wanted from the BBC, and other channels too, is a good thing in that it gets people away form spending so long in front of a screen. They may then choose to watch streaming services instead of course, just a more expensive way of being a couch potato.
The BBC and let's face it most of the other channels often only have drivel (personal observation, but true) and repeats (fact) so it's not enticing people to watch.
As long as Ken Bruce keeps his Radio 2 show all will be fine
Line of Duty, yes, waiting for that one too.
Axing the channel is not the issue in he big scheme, but axing those programmes that appear on it is. If it goes the way of BBC3, online only, that's ok.
In many ways, the fact that there's little that's wanted from the BBC, and other channels too, is a good thing in that it gets people away form spending so long in front of a screen. They may then choose to watch streaming services instead of course, just a more expensive way of being a couch potato.
The BBC and let's face it most of the other channels often only have drivel (personal observation, but true) and repeats (fact) so it's not enticing people to watch.
As long as Ken Bruce keeps his Radio 2 show all will be fine
Line of Duty, yes, waiting for that one too.
Not stopped by BBC 4 looks it it would be worth checking it out.
Have been watching several of the Freeview channels recently catching up with programmes from yesteryear.
OK, they are, in effect, repeats but I cannot remember many off the episodes !
Dr. Finlay's Casebook, Poirot, Bergerac, Emmerdale, Heartbeat, Coronation Street, Morse, ..........
Missing from that list are the light entertainment shows like Sunday Night At The London Palladium, Billy Cotton Band Show ( tv series ) , Black and White Minstrel Show ( probably not allowed these days ! )
We do not appear to have much of those programmes these days.
Have been watching several of the Freeview channels recently catching up with programmes from yesteryear.
OK, they are, in effect, repeats but I cannot remember many off the episodes !
Dr. Finlay's Casebook, Poirot, Bergerac, Emmerdale, Heartbeat, Coronation Street, Morse, ..........
Missing from that list are the light entertainment shows like Sunday Night At The London Palladium, Billy Cotton Band Show ( tv series ) , Black and White Minstrel Show ( probably not allowed these days ! )
We do not appear to have much of those programmes these days.
