scotty Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 The BBC is trying to do too much. At one time the licence fee covered two channels and four radio stations. Now 30 odd radio stations, Iplayer, numerous tv channels massive website, 24 hour news etc. They are trying to do much on too little and the quality is not there IMO they should focus on public interest broadcasting - news, documentaries, natural world, 'how stuff works' etc and and leave the commercial stuff to the commercial stations. They should also act as an arm of UK PLC - broadcasting the UK perspective and British culture to the rest of the world - so things like Iplayer should be free to access from abroad and the site should be advert free. I know plenty of people abroad who would love that to be the case. The problem is worldwide copyright issues, they couldn't do it. Most of the yanks I know use a proxy server and get it that way. I'd also echo Pap and Ken tone, the BBC is far and away the best public service broadcaster on the planet. Most of the whingers dont recognise it as such, its just another for-profit corporation to them, that they feel forced to pay for. Its far, far more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohio Saint Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 (edited) 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. I asked for that thread to be put behind the Google wall as I would be quoting posts, but they reasonably simply deleted the thread instead to keep the site on topic, so there will be no further posts. Anyway, I knew how that thread would go when I posted it as the BBC really IS held in that much regard here, and it was enough to prove my point, I hope. I would have been extremely surprised if there had been a single negative response. Edit: I should add that some of those people that posted in that thread have absolutely NO problem in being somewhat "Honest" about their opinion on British people, so taking that into consideration, the BBC is doing us a service in terms of international relations and image. Edited 22 October, 2012 by Ohio Saint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 Too much money too much waste? The other day on the news they got a helicopter to film a correspondent on the roof of one of the tall buildings in Canary wharf, due only to talk about the economy. The same reporter could have done the same report in a studio. Lavish overspending due to having far too much money. I recall Top of the pops being filmed live from germany(?) at the start of the World Cup there. Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecuk268 Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 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 We are forced to pay for ITV whether we watch it or not, unless you avoid any product or company that advertises on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohio Saint Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 I was so busy with my own post that I never read Pap's reply properly......He sums things up very well in my opinion. The BBC is our major source of national pride these days whether we realise it or not. It's not just about Eastenders or the Antiques Roadshow. The BBC is a worldwide treasure respected by all. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manji Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 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. PBS have some awesome documentries. The Civil War., Prohibition, Nixon, etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 We are forced to pay for ITV whether we watch it or not, unless you avoid any product or company that advertises on it. But I don't think I will go to prison or face that threat if I decide not to buy ok magazine or flash floor cleaner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerx16 Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 (edited) But I don't think I will go to prison or face that threat if I decide not to buy ok magazine or flash floor cleaner You CANNOT be sent to prison for non-payment of the TV licence. FACT. You CAN, however, be sent to prison as the ultimate sanction for non-payment of a court imposed fine. For balance, an old Independent story with a misleading headline : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/courts-jail-845-for-not-paying-tv-licence-fines-1428836.html Edited 22 October, 2012 by badgerx16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohio Saint Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 (edited) PBS have some awesome documentries. The Civil War., Prohibition, Nixon, etc etc Yep!! Prohibition was especially interesting. I enjoyed that. Overall though, PBS is nowhere near comparable to the BBC in quality or quantity. That does not make PBS bad, just not comparable. I like PBS, and I'm glad it's there. It is an ideal antidote to televisual travesties like "America, the story of us" or whatever it was called. Edited 22 October, 2012 by Ohio Saint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecuk268 Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 But I don't think I will go to prison or face that threat if I decide not to buy ok magazine or flash floor cleaner Maybe if you deducted the proportion of the cost that goes on TV advertising and walked off with the product, it would be seen as theft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 Maybe if you deducted the proportion of the cost that goes on TV advertising and walked off with the product, it would be seen as theft. Wtf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aintforever Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 The BBC is one of the few good things left in this country. It's refreshing to be able to look at a website or watch TV without being bombarded with ads full of w@kers trying to sell you sh!t products. In fact I think it's thoroughly depressing to watch too much advertising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohio Saint Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 The BBC is one of the few good things left in this country. It's refreshing to be able to look at a website or watch TV without being bombarded with ads full of w@kers trying to sell you sh!t products. In fact I think it's thoroughly depressing to watch too much advertising. This post was brought to you by Whammo! See our products online or call our hotline! (Using Whammo products may cause shortness of cash, temporary blindness or sudden death) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 People pay for things generally that aid your life. Police Law Medical Collect your rubbish Tv is entertainment...imagine being forced to pay for the sun newspaper every day about 5% of our taxes go on "entertainment" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Duckhunter Posted 22 October, 2012 Share Posted 22 October, 2012 The BBC is one of the few good things left in this country. It's refreshing to be able to look at a website or watch TV without being bombarded with ads full of w@kers trying to sell you sh!t products. In fact I think it's thoroughly depressing to watch too much advertising. You can't watch a BBC program without a BBC ****** trying to get you to watch a shirts BBC show later in the week/month . Not one person supporting the BBC has explained how it won't continue to survive without tax payers being forced to pay for it. Surely it's so good people will pay . Perhaps deep down they know its pretty much like any other and not a patch on sky. The BBC wants to act like a commercial media company but not conform to commercial free markets . Having to have a licence to watch state owned tv,whether you watch it or not belongs in soviet Russia not a modern 21st century democratic country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pap Posted 23 October, 2012 Share Posted 23 October, 2012 You can't watch a BBC program without a BBC ****** trying to get you to watch a shirts BBC show later in the week/month . Not one person supporting the BBC has explained how it won't continue to survive without tax payers being forced to pay for it. Surely it's so good people will pay . Perhaps deep down they know its pretty much like any other and not a patch on sky. The BBC wants to act like a commercial media company but not conform to commercial free markets . Having to have a licence to watch state owned tv,whether you watch it or not belongs in soviet Russia not a modern 21st century democratic country As communicated in the "trousers" style of early 21st century communication:- TV channels advertise own shows shocker. @trousers - not a dis, sir - rather, a homage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintandy666 Posted 23 October, 2012 Share Posted 23 October, 2012 What absolute rubbish. The BBC is the best TV channel there is. Okay, there are some programmes I don't want to watch, but that is why it is national broadcaster. It caters to the needs of everyone. It is also almost certainly the least biased news provider there is. If you don't believe that, just look at its current coverage of the Saville scandal. They are scathing of themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 23 October, 2012 Share Posted 23 October, 2012 You can't watch a BBC program without a BBC ****** trying to get you to watch a shirts BBC show later in the week/month . Not one person supporting the BBC has explained how it won't continue to survive without tax payers being forced to pay for it. Surely it's so good people will pay . Perhaps deep down they know its pretty much like any other and not a patch on sky. The BBC wants to act like a commercial media company but not conform to commercial free markets . Having to have a licence to watch state owned tv,whether you watch it or not belongs in soviet Russia not a modern 21st century democratic country Oh bore off and go run away to live in Austria if it bothers you so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsbridge Saint Posted 23 October, 2012 Share Posted 23 October, 2012 Jeez - you should see the TV in Australia - wall to wall rubbish from the moment you get up to the moment you turn in. The BBC shines like a beacon in comparison, despite the efforts of the liberal left to dumb it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergei Gotsmanov Posted 23 October, 2012 Share Posted 23 October, 2012 What absolute rubbish. The BBC is the best TV channel there is. Okay, there are some programmes I don't want to watch, but that is why it is national broadcaster. It caters to the needs of everyone. It is also almost certainly the least biased news provider there is. If you don't believe that, just look at its current coverage of the Saville scandal. They are scathing of themselves. The irony of people arguing for the BBC for its impartiality and for making good modern day comedy programmes. The one thing the BBC would benefit from is having to compete in a free commercial market like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Tone Posted 25 October, 2012 Share Posted 25 October, 2012 Good to see that BBC radio figures are up. I'd pay the licence fee for the Today programme alone. Maybe the rest of the UK population isn't as thick as I thought! From the 'rajar' release today..... National networks strongRadio 4 is up 8% year on year, and 5Live just under 3%, although it has fallen back from its record breaking final quarter of 2010. The Today programme now has 7.03 million listeners per week - up from 6.44m last year and 6.63m last quarter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 25 October, 2012 Share Posted 25 October, 2012 Good to see that BBC radio figures are up. I'd pay the licence fee for the Today programme alone. Maybe the rest of the UK population isn't as thick as I thought! From the 'rajar' release today..... National networks strongRadio 4 is up 8% year on year, and 5Live just under 3%, although it has fallen back from its record breaking final quarter of 2010. The Today programme now has 7.03 million listeners per week - up from 6.44m last year and 6.63m last quarter. More people listen to Today than watch Eastenders, but you'd never know it from the endless trailing of Eastenders on the tv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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