Tory plan to destroy the Beeb...

[El Presidente]

Your not forced to pay for Sky.

'Your' not forced to pay for the BBC.

 

[tigertim68]

'Your' not forced to pay for the BBC.

Oh yes you are , not unless you don't own a TV ,radio or computer or mobile phone

 

[El Presidente]

Oh yes you are , not unless you don't own a TV ,radio or computer or mobile phone

Radios are excluded, as are other devices unless you watch live TV on them.

If you watch catch up recordings or on demand then you don't need one.

 

[nicko31]

The Tories dream is Fox News UK is back on. Most of the public support the Beeb, why go against public opinion?

http://www.theguardian.com/media/20...uld-result-in-u-turn-on-licence-fee-agreement

 

[BadFish]

As someone who understands and works closely alongside the BBC, I can say, quite categorically, it is the most overblown, self-indulgent, exclusive club in the world. Ironic, for an institution often touted as a socialist, leftie machine.The lack of accountability is a disgrace. And it's all you guys (me included) paying the membership fees. The BBC, as an institution, can exist only by the generosity (enforced) of its patrons. Without this obscene and wholly undemocratic 'tax', the BBC would disintegrate and die. In a world of fairies and happy endings, this would be a tragedy. But what about the billion other companies and institutions which no longer exist in the real world? Should we also be dipping in our pockets to save them too? Of course not. Axe the BBC, save the money and make its club members find 'real' jobs.

We dipped into our pockets for the banks.

 

[cunning fergus]

We dipped into our pockets for the banks.

Not a valid conflation, if you owe a bank money you can make yourself bankrupt and not pay what you owe, the banks write off millions of pounds a year this way.

If you owe the BBC money and can't pay you end up being criminalised and can then go to prison.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23792388

It's good to see that the BBC are responsible for sticking so many women in prison.........maybe Clare Balding should do a documentary on their fate.

 

[BadFish]

Not a valid conflation, if you owe a bank money you can make yourself bankrupt and not pay what you owe, the banks write off millions of pounds a year this way.

If you owe the BBC money and can't pay you end up being criminalised and can then go to prison.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23792388

It's good to see that the BBC are responsible for sticking so many women in prison.........maybe Clare Balding should do a documentary on their fate.

But what about the billion other companies and institutions which no longer exist in the real world? Should we also be dipping in our pockets to save them too? Of course not.

i was responding to this point in the previous post. To me this sounds like exactly what we did with the banks when they played fast a loose with our money and debt and caused a global financial crisis that we are still recovering from.

 

[cunning fergus]

i was responding to this point in the previous post. To me this sounds like exactly what we did with the banks when they played fast a loose with our money and debt and caused a global financial crisis that we are still recovering from.

Indeed, but banks recklessly lending money, customers borrowing more than they can afford and Governments allowing all of this to happen has nothing to do with a state sponsored broadcaster criminalising and imprisoning the poor.

As bad as the banks record is on reckless lending through arrangements like the bank levy, they are paying money back and through "forebearance" they have not chucked hundreds of thousands of people out of homes they cannot afford.

They are not criminalising hundreds of thousands of poor people each year...........its disgusting and unjustifiable.

It's a genuine shame so many people who probably consider themselves progressive support an organisation with such a punative approach to the poor............in this context the banks are angels in comparison.

 

[JCL666]

Most of the people who I know that work or have worked for the bbc are objective and work very hard. The renumeration for the majority of people who work at the bbc isn't great.

Like ALL organisations there will be some waste, but it's amplified because people take the numbers out of context.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Whatever the reforms are, you can bet we all end up paying more than we do now.

 

[El Presidente]

There are two separate issues. One is the funding of the BBC, which is an outmoded method of collecting money.

The second is the output and operations of the BBC. Those that are the biggest critics here are those who would benefit most financially from the emasculation of Auntie. One of the suggestions from the Tories is that the BBC website should be behind a paywall. This is most likely to direct traffic to newspapers' websites which already have paywalls and make money for their owners.

The BBC is the best global ambassador this country has. It would be a shame for an institution that shows so many of the good things about this country, and is held out as the most objective broadcaster around, to be chopped down at the knees, simply because the current administration is so keen to punish anyone who dared not to be pro them in the last election campaign.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I like not having adverts. Overall I like the range of programmes and types of media they produce. I don't mind some people getting paid a bit more of they are good in their field. Personally, I think the BBC are pretty good value for money. I would probably watch a more non BBC programmes if there was an option to pay a premium to avoid all the adverts. At the moment I record any commercial programmes and page through the adverts - it's a pain but worth it. Sky is the worst of both worlds - they hammer you with adverts AND charge a lot for their services.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

There are two separate issues. One is the funding of the BBC, which is an outmoded method of collecting money.

The second is the output and operations of the BBC. Those that are the biggest critics here are those who would benefit most financially from the emasculation of Auntie. One of the suggestions from the Tories is that the BBC website should be behind a paywall. This is most likely to direct traffic to newspapers' websites which already have paywalls and make money for their owners.

The BBC is the best global ambassador this country has. It would be a shame for an institution that shows so many of the good things about this country, and is held out as the most objective broadcaster around, to be chopped down at the knees, simply because the current administration is so keen to punish anyone who dared not to be pro them in the last election campaign.

IMO the idea of putting the BBC website behind a paywall has been cascaded down from Uncle Rupert.

 

[El Presidente]

If you take a look at the alternatives. US TV now has 16 minutes of adverts every hour. Whilst people have a grizzle about the Beeb and it advertising other programs from the institution, it comes to far less than 27% of the broadcast hours that is the alternative.

 

[Nibble]

I think the BBC does need reviewing. One of the main reasons I think this is because I disagree with the criminalisation of those who don't pay the fee. However, the Tory's have stated they would not decriminalise the non-payment of fees.
I've no doubt it'll be placed behind a paywall, thus ensuring the poorest in our society don't have access to objective news.

 

[Albumen]

Typical ****in Tories - they can't live with the fact they can't own something. I'd happily donate to a crowdfunding mission to raise 50m or so the BBC can stick their two fingers up at the *****.

 

[Hamilton]

The BBC is the organisation that guarantees balance; guarantees quality and guarantees accessibility for all. It does this not just through its services, but because it exists. It is a force to ensure other broadcasters and media outlets behave in a similar fashion - or at least attempt to do so. A world without the BBC would leave us open to the PR spin of the media mogul with the biggest budget. You want Fox TV?

The BBC is the envy of many people worldwide. To give up the BBC would be a moment of madness and something that the vast majority of citizens in the world outside would fail to understand.

BBC 1, 2, 3, 4, Radio 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1xtra, BBC Proms, bbc.co.uk, BBC News, BBC Sport, BBC iWonder Guides, iPlayer, podcasts, crown jewel events, Cbeebies, BBC America and the World Service. Just a few things. Not bad for 40p a day. Try getting the same value from other providers who are more interesting in generating profits for their shareholders.

 

[Hamilton]

Oh and f*ck competition. The one thing this society doesn't need is any of our so called media entrepreneurs running the show when it comes to the managing our country's information, education and entertainment. I'd sooner leave the to a Trust that is owned by us all!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

We already know that the 20% remainder of the Government's holding in Lloyds is going to be sold off to raise £4Bn but will they now consider selling their 30% stake in Royal Mail and all of the BBC to the highest bidder ?

Half of the Government's stash of Royal Mail shares were flogged off last month. More shares in Lloyds were sold this week taking the Government's stake to just under 15%. The Tories are preparing a long list of publicly held assets that they can flog off cheap to their mates in "The City".

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Oh and f*ck competition. The one thing this society doesn't need is any of our so called media entrepreneurs running the show when it comes to the managing our country's information, education and entertainment. I'd sooner leave the to a Trust that is owned by us all!

Dodgy Dave isn't very keen on the idea that the BBC of the future is overseen by the BBC Trust , he prefers it to be ruled over by Ofcon (formerly known as Ofcom)