Let’s talk about BBC

[PK99]

Biased in which direction?

Less of an overt political bias, more the habit of Kuenssberg, and others to ask "Gotcha" questions or set elephant traps. Same friends comment favourably about the Science and Medical correspondents. The political correspondents are more interested in the next soundbite on the Rolling news whereas the Science/Medical journos focus on understanding and explaining the Science.

As I said, same sort of comments from friends across the political spectrum.

 

[Hitchington]

Rupert Murdoch told Boris Johnson to ‘get rid of the BBC.’ The media mogul reportedly asked Johnson to scrap the BBC while bouncing the PM's son Wilfred on his knee at Chequers according to Rachel Johnson, the prime minister’s sister.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The BBC do try to block VPNs but they always find a way round any changes

I think some organisations are better at this than others. I can happily access all the Italian programmes I like (using Nord VPN) but it doesn’t fool the NFL to let me see geographically restricted games. I do pay for the top level (Pro) NFL GamePass package but even then they restrict two games per week for delayed consumption in the UK. Switching my VPN to USA makes no difference.

 

[Salty seadog]

What have the BBC ever given us?

Not to mention all the other stuff since this ad ran in 1985.


View: https://youtu.be/UsdtyuSmoXs

 

[Beebo]

That’s a good advert with plenty on famous faces. They have lost sports coverage because they have been priced out of the market, but everything else is still going strong. Imagine the uproar if the BBC spent £600million on football coverage. It’s not like it’s really popular is it?

This advert is from 1997, 25 years ago. Eeck!
From their Glastonbury coverage to Proms season, they offer things that no other channels can.

They need to do a bit more trumpet blowing.


View: https://youtu.be/WJpQJWpVJds

 

[mjr]

But imagine losing R4 or 6 Music.???

They've been the soundtrack to our lives for many a year.

I've been listening to fip for years. It was rebroadcast in Brighton on 91FM for years until 2012 and was on 585kHz MW mornings/early-afternoon until 2011. It's now available off satellite and online.

fip is part of Radio France, which is funded 80% by the French TV licence and 20% from advertising and other commercial activities (the BBC's split is roughly 75-25, excluding grant-funded services like the World Service). The French TV licence is €138 per year and is collected with the equivalent of council tax. Those without TVs can make a declaration to opt out.

The most expensive TV tax in Europe may be Austria's, at up to €335 per year (varies by state), or Switzerland's at CHF 355/year with opt-outs seemingly not allowed after 2023. Interestingly, many of the most expensive countries have the tax collected separately, often by a private collection company, whereas lower amounts are often collected on electricity or telephone bills.

 

[mudsticks]

I've been listening to fip for years. It was rebroadcast in Brighton on 91FM for years until 2012 and was on 585kHz MW mornings/early-afternoon until 2011. It's now available off satellite and online.

fip is part of Radio France, which is funded 80% by the French TV licence and 20% from advertising and other commercial activities (the BBC's split is roughly 75-25, excluding grant-funded services like the World Service). The French TV licence is €138 per year and is collected with the equivalent of council tax. Those without TVs can make a declaration to opt out.

The most expensive TV tax in Europe may be Austria's, at up to €335 per year (varies by state), or Switzerland's at CHF 355/year with opt-outs seemingly not allowed after 2023. Interestingly, many of the most expensive countries have the tax collected separately, often by a private collection company, whereas lower amounts are often collected on electricity or telephone bills.

I'd happily pay some kind of extra levvy or whatever to keep the beeb including its radio output pretty much as it is

I'm sure the BBC contributes enormously to our global diplomatic soft power.

I don't think you can put a price on that.

Of course it has its faults , and doubtless some waste just like any organisation.

But in it we have a resource that allows us to broadcast trusted, well researched, in depth programming to the world.


I really don't think we should risk losing it..

 

[mjr]

I really don't think we should risk losing it..

Too late for that. But I hope we don't lose it. The conclusion which I failed to state is that for all the waffle about finding a better way to fund it, which Nadine Dorries conspicuously didn't have any suggestions for, it doesn't look like anyone is doing anything better than funding public broadcasting from general taxation. There are many which part-fund it by allowing adverts, but the only one in Europe fully ad-funded seems to be Monaco, which has sold off its TV station (TMC) and now only has a radio station (RMC), most of whose audience is over the border in France!

As far as I can tell, there are a few countries which fund public broadcasting from sales taxes on TVs and a few where the public broadcaster has gone subscription-only as part of Digital Switchover, but they aren't really famous broadcasters IMO, so that probably isn't a way to save the BBC.

 

[fozy tornip]

My view is that as well a ringfenced general taxation budget the BBC should get serious about it's streaming services to the rest of the world, there is a huge market out there that is essentially untapped. Many, many people simply use VPNs to get around the regional blocking which brings in no revenue at all.

Here here!
I've found R3 (mostly) and BBC Sounds such boons and blessings in this time of lockdowns and shielding I was moved to write to suggest they use their heft and curatorial chops to offer something like Primephonic or Tidal.

 

[cookiemonster]

I think some organisations are better at this than others. I can happily access all the Italian programmes I like (using Nord VPN) but it doesn’t fool the NFL to let me see geographically restricted games. I do pay for the top level (Pro) NFL GamePass package but even then they restrict two games per week for delayed consumption in the UK. Switching my VPN to USA makes no difference.

There are some great VPNs. I use two. One is designed purely for UK TV, and works a treat, and another I use solely to access French and Finnish TV.

 

[steve292]

"I once asked Rupert Murdoch why he was so opposed to the European Union. 'That’s easy,' he replied. 'When I go into Downing Street they do what I say; when I go to Brussels they take no notice.'"

That's why the government wants rid of the BBC

 

[slowmotion]

It's only when you see the general standard of broadcasting in other countries that you get to realise what an asset the Beeb is.
As Bob Dylan said.. "Ya gonna make me lonesome when ya go."

 

[mjr]

It's only when you see the general standard of broadcasting in other countries that you get to realise what an asset the Beeb is.
As Bob Dylan said.. "Ya gonna make me lonesome when ya go."

Don't believe that British Exceptionalism! The general standard of broadcasting in the UK is also pretty poor. Spend a while watching Really or itvBe, or look at That's TV "local" services for a dodgy use of the licence fee since the Cameron government diverted some of it to private channels. Much of what raises UK minor channels is repeating old shows made by the Public Service Broadcasters.

Other nearby countries don't do badly either but the language difference means we rarely see their shows outside BBC4 and the Channel 4 stations, unless they are in English and usually coproductions with BBC or itv, such as The Tourist and Around the World in 80 Days, both coproduced with Germany's ZDF and the latter with several more including RTBF, France TV and RAI. Which reminds me: RAI seems pretty poor but I think media mogul Berlusconi broke it while in government.

But most of those countries also fund public service broadcasters with some sort of TV tax.

 

[matticus]

But most of those countries also fund public service broadcasters with some sort of TV tax.

So why is the BBC product so much better than theirs?

 

[farfromtheland]

"I once asked Rupert Murdoch why he was so opposed to the European Union. 'That’s easy,' he replied. 'When I go into Downing Street they do what I say; when I go to Brussels they take no notice.'"

That's why the government wants rid of the BBC

The BBC's worldwide reputation is a massive asset, outweighing such parochialist thinking. I reckon the Tories are banking on losing the next election, allowing Labour to salvage the BBC in a clipped form, and slagging them off for it.