Time for the BBC to lose its charter

[alpine_saint]

I will bet any money, that if life goes tits-up in sunny Austria, you'd be on the first plane back claiming your rights to use the NHS & have your kids educated for free, then complaing that you had to wait to see the Doc & there are more than 20 kids in the class. Sometimes Alps, you talk utter sh!te.

 

Wow. Bear does a number two in the wood moment......

 

I am British, my children are half British, damn right if things went tits-up here I'd bring them back. Why should I go to Uzbekistan to satisfy you ? And yes I'd complain about the NHS and class sizes I'd pay for with my taxes, because they are both sh*te.

[alpine_saint]

Thank you sir!

 

What a fine program that was.

 

30 years old. Proves my point.

[alpine_saint]

Debating the BBC is fair enough, but Alpine's posts contain a great deal about other topics, and the manner he discusses them suggest to me that he has a lot more problems in his life than a broadcasting organization from outside of the country he lives in.

 

Worry about yourself, pal.

[pap]

People pay for things generally that aid your life.

 

Police

Law

Medical

Collect your rubbish

 

Tv is entertainment...imagine being forces to pay for the sun newspaper every day

 

Respectfully, TDD - the BBC does more than TV, and does more than entertain. It's an indelible part of the British experience.

[Dimond Geezer]

Wow. Bear does a number two in the wood moment......

 

I am British, my children are half British, damn right if things went tits-up here I'd bring them back. Why should I go to Uzbekistan to satisfy you ? And yes I'd complain about the NHS and class sizes I'd pay for with my taxes, because they are both sh*te.

 

But if this place is such a cess-pit why on earth would you want to move back here? You clearly despise the place.

[Ohio Saint]

Worry about yourself, pal.

 

I just said you have problems, and hopefully implied you might have mental issues that's all. I'm not worrying about you.

[Thedelldays]

Respectfully, TDD - the BBC does more than TV, and does more than entertain. It's an indelible part of the British experience.

if you say so...you could get on with your life just fine without ever turning on to a BBC channel..your quality of life would not be determined on the quality of the BBC..not by any of it..

 

however, the state of police, healthcare, law and justice etc etc

[pap]

30 years old. Proves my point.

 

Lots of good stuff on the Beeb mate, including comedy that makes this sketch look like some sort of comedy cave painting.

 

So, from thirty years ago onwards, just on comedy (which proves your point remember?)....

 

The Young Ones

Only Fools and Horses

Blackadder

Red Dwarf

Harry Enfield

One Foot in the Grave

Alan Partridge

The League of Gentlemen

The Office

The Thick Of It

 

...all sh!t presumably?

[Thedelldays]

Lots of good stuff on the Beeb mate, including comedy that makes this sketch look like some sort of comedy cave painting.

 

So, from thirty years ago onwards, just on comedy (which proves your point remember?)....

 

The Young Ones

Only Fools and Horses

Blackadder

Red Dwarf

Harry Enfield

One Foot in the Grave

Alan Partridge

The League of Gentlemen

The Office

The Thick Of It

 

...all sh!t presumably?

all of which can be seen on dave

 

also, all very old...which is my problem with the beed.

how many TV stations does it need..how man radio stations

throw in all the local stations

[Ohio Saint]

Lots of good stuff on the Beeb mate, including comedy that makes this sketch look like some sort of comedy cave painting.

 

So, from thirty years ago onwards, just on comedy (which proves your point remember?)....

 

The Young Ones

Only Fools and Horses

Blackadder

Red Dwarf

Harry Enfield

One Foot in the Grave

Alan Partridge

The League of Gentlemen

The Office

The Thick Of It

 

...all sh!t presumably?

 

In my local DVD rental place (When we had one) They had a special stand to display British comedy shows because they are very highly regarded. I wonder if anyone can guess how many ITV comedies were on that stand?

[bridge too far]

all of which can be seen on dave

 

also, all very old...which is my problem with the beed.

how many TV stations does it need..how man radio stations

throw in all the local stations

 

Oh my mistake - I didn't realise Dave MADE TV programmes! And The Thick of It is current, not old at all.

[alpine_saint]

Pap and Ohio Saint have proven my point about the BBC with their last couple of posts, as TDD has pointed out, and they seriously dont. get. it.

[norwaysaint]

Once you let go of something like the BBC it's gone forever. It has it's faults, but is beyond compare with anything else out there.

 

Exactly.

 

People won't realise how lucky we've been with the BBC until it's gone and can't be created again. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world and imperfect though it is, it is an international mark of quality. You may not like it all, but its overall quality is head and shoulders above any alternative.

 

I've been expat for 13 years and still use the BBC all the time. I even use its educational pages with my students.

 

Getting rid of it would be a horrible mistake that could never be put right. Yes I know I no longer pay for the service, but when i lived in the UK I paid my license fee every year for many years.

[Thedelldays]

Oh my mistake - I didn't realise Dave MADE TV programmes! And The Thick of It is current, not old at all.

did you not see the WINK..?

but my point had a serious side..the fact anything good in that genre is on dave tells its own story

[Ohio Saint]

Pap and Ohio Saint have proven my point about the BBC with their last couple of posts, as TDD has pointed out, and they seriously dont. get. it.

We have proven your point that the BBC is a communist cess pit in a cess pit of a country? How so?

[Ohio Saint]

Exactly.

 

People won't realise how lucky we've been with the BBC until it's gone and can't be created again. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world and imperfect though it is, it is an international mark of quality. You may not like it all, but its overall quality is head and shoulders above any alternative.

 

I've been expat for 13 years and still use the BBC all the time. I even use its educational pages with my students.

 

Getting rid of it would be a horrible mistake that could never be put right. Yes I know I no longer pay for the service, but when i lived in the UK I paid my license fee every year for many years.

 

"Thinking Americans" (Not entirely an oxymoron) balance their news intake by backing up what they see on American TV by watching or listening to the BBC. Whatever political biases the staff at the BBC have does not filter through to the actual programming to any noticeable degree in comparison to ANY OTHER news source bar none.

[alpine_saint]

We have proven your point that the BBC is a communist cess pit in a cess pit of a country? How so?

 

You are deliberately obtuse.

 

The arguments you and pap made in referring to programming - its all in the region of 10 years old. Or older.

 

Tick in the box for programming quality issue.

[alpine_saint]

Anyway, I said I was done with this, accepting the majority viewpoint. At least the BBC needs to come under independent supervision.

 

Thats it, I'm done

[pap]

all of which can be seen on dave

 

also, all very old...which is my problem with the beed.

how many TV stations does it need..how man radio stations

throw in all the local stations

 

The intent was to show how the BBC has consistently bunged out quality over a long period, including today.

 

I watched The Thick Of It this week. Stunning conclusion.

[Ohio Saint]

You are deliberately obtuse.

 

The arguments you and pap made in referring to programming - its all in the region of 10 years old. Or older.

 

Tick in the box for programming quality issue.

 

Downton Abbey is immensely popular here, Dr Who is absolutely storming. PBS (American public broadcasting) would sink without trace if they dropped their line up of quality BBC shows. Their OWN public broadcasting relies on the BBC to shore them up.

[Thedelldays]

Downton Abbey is immensely popular here, Dr Who is absolutely storming. PBS (American public broadcasting) would sink without trace if they dropped their line up of quality BBC shows. Their OWN public broadcasting relies on the BBC to shore them up.

I would like to know how US shows fair up compare to UK shows over here..

 

homeland for example..?

[Ohio Saint]

OK, lets look at another British institution. Say, for the sake of argument, Britain had to rely on one institution to define their nationality.

 

Britain had to lose either the BBC or the Royal family.........I'd be at Buck House with an axe on day one.

Edited 22 October, 2012 by Ohio Saint

[Ohio Saint]

I would like to know how US shows fair up compare to UK shows over here..

 

homeland for example..?

 

I've only watched the first episode of Homeland, I may or may not watch the second. I know how American shows can die slowly yet keep hanging on.

I'm also watching Copper on BBC America. I'm enjoying that pretty well, and I know it will have a limited life and not go on forever and will have an ending.

 

 

BTW Homeland is not a good comparison, you have to subscribe to HBO or whichever company it is on to see it....Just like BBC, but more expensive when taking into account the amount of content with each package.

 

 

If you only watch terrestrial TV you will die of boredom.

Yes, those American shows some of you like so much actually cost a LOT of money overall if you are going to see them all on their various subscriber only channels.

 

You would die of boredom watching terrestrial TV here.

Edited 22 October, 2012 by Ohio Saint

[Ohio Saint]

Maybe it would be helpful for people to list their favourite American TV shows and we can see how it would stack up cost-wise? Does anyone seriously think that they do the good stuff here without draining your bank account?

[Lord Duckhunter]

If the BBC is as good and as wonderful as people are making out it'll have no trouble in raising revenue after the digital switchover is complete. It could be on a subscription basis, donations (it's so wonderful I'm sure you'ld all pay), or adverts (they could switch over from the stupid BBC adverts with no loss of programme time).

[norwaysaint]

With a satellite dish and an old sky box, I get the BBC without paying the license fee, however, whether I watch it or not, I have to pay about the same for Norwegian NRK. Now that is dreadful and provides far, far less, be very careful what you wish for.

[Ohio Saint]

Oh yes.... I'm LOVING Boardwalk Empire!.............But again with the cash to see that stuff! Oy Veh! I'm becoming Jewish!

[Lord Duckhunter]

 

Tv is entertainment...imagine being forces to pay for the sun newspaper every day

 

It's worse than that.

 

Imagine reading the Guardian but still having to pay for the Sun.

[Ohio Saint]

If the BBC is as good and as wonderful as people are making out it'll have no trouble in raising revenue after the digital switchover is complete. It could be on a subscription basis, donations (it's so wonderful I'm sure you'ld all pay), or adverts (they could switch over from the stupid BBC adverts with no loss of programme time).

 

Now, when I was in England, I DID have a problem with the BBC advertising themselves on my money. That I will agree with.

[Ohio Saint]

It's worse than that.

 

Imagine reading the Guardian but still having to pay for the Sun.

 

And in this scenario, the Sun is the BBC and The Guardian is ITV!!??

 

Seriously, be careful what you wish for.

[bridge too far]

If the BBC started to screen commercials, its independence and accountability would be compromised.

[Ohio Saint]

If the BBC started to screen commercials, its independence and accountability would be compromised.

 

Not so much compromised as stripped down to it's little pink panties, bent over the knee of corporate interests and spanked lightly but playfully with a feather duster.

 

 

 

Then raped mercilessly by a zombie and left to die behind a dumpster.

[anothersaintinsouthsea]

Thats it, I'm done

 

You keep saying that....

[Bearsy]

Downton Abbey is immensely popular here, Dr Who is absolutely storming. PBS (American public broadcasting) would sink without trace if they dropped their line up of quality BBC shows. Their OWN public broadcasting relies on the BBC to shore them up.

 

Ain't Downton on ITV?

 

That's like when Alan Partridge was trying to ingratiate himself with the BBC commissioning dude and all he could come up with was ITV shows like Inspector Morse or whatever, then finally he hits on a BBC show and he's like "I want originality, quality and excellence, so I go home, sit in front of the tv and watch Noel's House Party and I think to myself "Thank God for the BBC".

[Ohio Saint]

Ain't Downton on ITV?

 

That's like when Alan Partridge was trying to ingratiate himself with the BBC commissioning dude and all he could come up with was ITV shows like Inspector Morse or whatever, then finally he hits on a BBC show and he's like "I want originality, quality and excellence, so I go home, sit in front of the tv and watch Noel's House Party and I think to myself "Thank God for the BBC".

 

Ah, OK, I guess that was a slip up. The tide is still firmly with the BBC in quality though. I stand by everything I've said.

[pap]

I would like to know how US shows fair up compare to UK shows over here..

 

homeland for example..?

 

Homeland started life as an Israeli show, I believe.

[Ohio Saint]

Homeland started life as an Israeli show, I believe.

 

So many shows get remade for their prospective companies these days that it's a non issue. The BBC must be making tons out of American versions of UK shows and vice versa

 

 

Interesting to note though just how many "American" classics as they are viewed here were originally BBC shows.

Edited 22 October, 2012 by Ohio Saint

[Bearsy]

They do need to knock all the reality and cooking and home improvements type shows on the head though, i don't see why they need to spend my money making crap that i could just as easily not watch if it was on channel 5.

 

Also, they shouldn't be showing movies unless they made them themselves.

[pap]

They do need to knock all the reality and cooking and home improvements type shows on the head though, i don't see why they need to spend my money making crap that i could just as easily not watch if it was on channel 5.

 

TV companies love reality shows, Bear. Morons like them and in general, they're a lot cheaper to make. Take the X-Factor as an example. They only really need to employ scriptwriters to do the judge arguments.

[Bearsy]

True dat! But the commercial stations are quite happy making shows that people want to watch, it makes good commercial sense for them cos they can sell advertisings. The BBC should concentrate on making shows people don't want to watch.

[Ohio Saint]

TV programming aside, the BBC, with it's worldwide news services and the respect that it garners the nation is one of the reasons that the UK is just about managing to hang on to any semblance of relevance on the world stage.

 

If you want the UK to sink further into the abyss, then carry on, I suppose!

[Thedelldays]

TV programming aside, the BBC, with it's worldwide news services and the respect that it garners the nation is one of the reasons that the UK is just about managing to hang on to any semblance of relevance on the world stage.

 

If you want the UK to sink further into the abyss, then carry on, I suppose!

speak for the world, do you..?

[Ohio Saint]

TV companies love reality shows, Bear. Morons like them and in general, they're a lot cheaper to make. Take the X-Factor as an example. They only really need to employ scriptwriters to do the judge arguments.

 

Reality shows started in the US with COPS during a writer's strike......Kind of explains it all.

[Ohio Saint]

speak for the world, do you..?

 

It's an opinion dumbass. I thought that would be obvious even if I didn't add "IMO"

 

EDIT: Please feel free to argue any of my points without being silly.

Edited 22 October, 2012 by Ohio Saint

[Jonnyboy]

I am trying to figure out exactly what this source of resentment you accuse me of harbouring could possibly be.

 

I am a Brit, and was brought up with the BBC in fore-ground and back-ground, and find it hard to envisage a world without it. Without a doubt, for a lot of the period since WW2 they have been the worlds best broadcaster and as a Brit I am immensely proud of the quality and reputation it brought to broadcasting.

 

But this is 2012, and the BBC is suffering from the same dogma, self-servedness and social decay that the rest of the nation is suffering, when it should actually be a power for helping stop that decay. Is the World Service still running ? Is it still the voice for decent journalism and broadcasting around the world ? I dont think so. And as someone slightly to the right of the political spectrum, I deeply resent the socialist dogma that dominates its every decision making process nowadays.

 

Hey, ho, I can see at least in this forum their is no force for change, and I assume that this majority view is reflected in British society in general. Just demonstrates the decline in standards in the UK even better to me, not surprised that so many who live there cannot see it.

 

Did dune and alpine mate with each other and produce this freak of nature?

[Horley CTFC Saint]

And it has two of tehe best channelsavailable Beeb 2 and Beeb 4

[pap]

In my local DVD rental place (When we had one) They had a special stand to display British comedy shows because they are very highly regarded. I wonder if anyone can guess how many ITV comedies were on that stand?

 

Probably not many. Spitting Image was class in the early days. I also have a soft spot for Hale and Pace. Not much more springs to mind. I'm not saying you can't do comedy on commercial telly; Channel 4 and many American shows prove otherwise.

 

ITV just don't seem to get it.

[Ohio Saint]

The American view on a non-political forum after posting an unbiased request. I have not omitted or altered any posts:

 

Me:

 

I'm currently in a heated discussion on a UK thread about the BBC.

 

Anyone care to share your opinions about them here? I'm looking for any quote, positive or negative. I simply realised that this is a big subject and would like some opinions other than me or my own or my friends. I want an American perspective.

 

I don't want extremely specific aspects of the BBC, just general opinions.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Others:

 

1) I like how they cover stories in a unique way that many (most, all?) of the big American media corps (Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS) don't.

 

Unlike Fox and NPR, they don't (to me at least) have an obvious liberal or conservative spin.

 

And, I like their accents.

 

2)For political news I turn to them. Simply because they are going to be as close to impartial as you can get. Lately I have been turning to them for international news also because again they are much more impartial. Well put together and produced.

 

 

3)I used to read most of my news from the BBC.

 

As far as the network goes, I just recently started checking out some of their shows. BBC America has an awesome show on right now, Copper. It's about a detective in NYC in the 1860's after the Civil War riots.

 

 

4)When it comes to stories that are important to the USA, BBC gets closer to true reporting than the American sources which will show a clearer bias. However, that doesn't mean they are without bias. If you want a really different perspective, it's best to read a newspaper in another language.

 

As for their entertainment shows, American TV can't hold a candle to them. American TV is just a bunch of copycat fools compared to some of the original programming on the BBC.

 

I LOVED watching Top Gear... the British one.

 

 

5)Nothing but love for the BBC. I wish we had an equivalent, although it would certainly never have the global appeal of BBC, which is more ubiquitous than you can imagine. My favorite part of the local NPR affiliate is the BBC world service, which begins around 9pm locally. I like NPR, but it lacks the hard news that I love from BBC.

[The Cat]

Probably not many. Spitting Image was class in the early days. I also have a soft spot for Hale and Pace. Not much more springs to mind. I'm not saying you can't do comedy on commercial telly; Channel 4 and many American shows prove otherwise.

 

ITV just don't seem to get it.

 

Benidorm. Now that was hilari...oh ok.

[pap]

I'll not quote Ohio's excellent post for fear of crashing SaintsWeb servers, but seriously, thanks for that. Very good to see how well regarded the Beeb is, although not surprising in the least.

 

Without wanting to sound like one of the respondents from the Not the Nine O Clock News sketch, I don't see why we aren't doing even more. There are not many things that we Brits can say we're a genuine world contender on. Our cultural output is one of our biggest assets; our film production staff are often referred to as the "best in the world" by many of the Americans who have worked with them.

 

The influence of the BBC can't be understated. I find it amazing that so-called conservatives would want to destroy what is arguably our finest institution. It's tantamount to cultural vandalism, and I reckon the only reason so many people on the right dislike it is because it's a nationalised industry pumping out world class material.

 

That, or it shows them stuff which violently broadens the myopic worldview they so often espouse.