Pretty pink fairy
Banned
- Jan 30, 2008
- 31,981
You'll still be able to watch the BBC probably by subscription and those that don't save some money is that a problem for you ?
Regards
DF
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Curtains for the BBC...
- Thread starter TomandJerry
- Start date
You'll still be able to watch the BBC probably by subscription and those that don't save some money is that a problem for you ?
Regards
DF
The beauty of the diversity of programming - what's not to like, unless you have a narrow viewpoint/agenda?
That said, most of the above would be lost on the likes of the other trolls here - too much thinking required.
I take solace in the fact that this won’t happen anyway. Just Johnson bluster to subvert current news.
- Jan 18, 2009
- 4,889
If the BBC want to commission programmes with licence fee payers hard earned money that celebrate the lives of the super rich and inhabitants of an artificial metropolis built in a desert built by slave workers, run by a dictator without a by your leave on any of those points, or the monumental environmental damage caused, then they can pipe the f*ck down about climate change.
The people in Dubai clearly don’t care……they are living life large and unhectored by their own state broadcaster.
Hypocrisy is not diverse thinking.
You're nowhere near as clever, sarcastic or even funny, as you think you are.
But do carry on.
Take your time and think about it. You tend to rush into an answer in a few hours and write rubbish.......
Have a read, then reflect for a few days and try again.....
The BBC is a precious national asset that we must protect
Readers and campaigners respond to the news that the government is considering decriminalising non-payment of the licence fee
‘The BBC is one of the very few remaining bastions representing public, not private, interests.’
We believe there needs to be a healthy balance between public service and private interest in the media as much as in other spheres. But we fear that news of government intentions to weaken the funding arrangement for the BBC (TV licence may be abolished in 2027 and jail threat removed, says Morgan, 6 February) is the start of a concerted attempt to diminish public service media, that will favour the growing centralised, commercial control of social, print and broadcast media.
The BBC is one of the very few remaining bastions representing public, not private, interests, which is vital for the quality of civic and cultural life in Britain. We believe that the weakening of protections for the licence fee is part of an ideologically driven plan that will critically undermine a great, internationally respected brand representing the best of Britain, at a time when the nation needs it most.
The BBC provides a public media platform that can guarantee universal access and open opportunities for real civic engagement, while protecting against the harms of a media otherwise dominated by market forces. Private media platforms have been caught data mining, using addictive techniques and being co-opted for politically partial purposes. A truly public media – and the BBC needs to be more accessible, accountable to and representative of citizens – is a vital counterbalance.
It is the government’s job to protect and enhance the public sphere. It is not brave enough to say outright that it wants to destroy the BBC, but acts as if that is its intent. Anyone has a stake who reads, listens to or watches the BBC’s extraordinary range of output, underpinned by the licence fee. Like any organisation, the BBC makes mistakes, but the answer is for it to become a more plural, open and truly public media platform, not be killed by a thousand cuts.
It is time to draw a line. We believe the BBC should be protected and improved as one of the few remaining national institutions that binds us together, and creates a wealth of debate, drama, discussion and information, without which we would be a much poorer country.
Andrew Simms, Lindsay Mackie, Shaista Aziz, Alan Rusbridger, Prof Colin Crouch, and Michael Frayn
What can you buy for 43p? Not even a second-class stamp. Yet that is what the BBC costs licence payers each day. For that we get independently gathered, fact-checked news 24 hours a day, with unrivalled worldwide coverage and expertise; spectacular wildlife programmes; internationally renowned dramas and comedies; and a wealth of sport and music – on TV, on the web and on the radio.
The BBC, like the NHS, is a unique and precious British institution – a public forum for entertainment, debate and information. At times of national crisis and joy, many of us turn to it. It is a national asset and accomplishment, which should be celebrated. It is also, most importantly, a crucial part of our democracy, holding governments and politicians of all parties to account.
If we allow the BBC to be dismantled, bit by bit, under the guise of “modernisation”, or “necessity”, or to be so diminished that it no longer counts, I think we will come bitterly to regret losing an institution that is uniquely ours.
Laura Phillips
It is entirely right that those who watch the BBC without paying should be prosecuted, just as someone who tried to hack into any other supplier’s output for free should be. The BBC, a public broadcaster, was deliberately given its own source of funding so that, unlike so many other public broadcasters, it would be, and could be seen to be, independent of government influence.
This has of course long been the basis of its outstanding reputation for impartiality, both at home and abroad. If, instead, funding is to be paid directly to broadcasters at the government’s discretion then it is inconceivable that the government would not expect favourable coverage in return, or indeed, that broadcasters would not seek to curry favour by toadying to the government, as happens in much of the rest of the world.
The licence fee is just another form of taxation, and evading taxes is a criminal offence. It is admittedly a regressive tax – though at about £3 a week, hardly a huge burden – but if the government wishes to grant exemptions, these should be funded from general taxation and not by expecting one group of consumers to subsidise another.
The decriminalisation of non-payment therefore seems to have no justification and, what with the government also refusing to allow ministers to appear on certain programmes, it does seem that this is just part of a government vendetta against an organisation that it – wrongly, in my view – perceives to be biased against it. We must fight to save the BBC and the licence fee as a guarantee of its independence.
Adrian Cosker
Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Last edited:
- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,781
It's incredible that after all that has happened in the last 2 years and is now being made public, Johnson blows his whistle and all his lapdogs come running, jumping and barking
Truly remarkable
Truly remarkable
It's incredible that after all that has happened in the last 2 years and is now being made public, Johnson blows his whistle and all his lapdogs come running, jumping and barking
Truly remarkable
They don’t even question it. “Hang on, isn’t that Johnson something of a liar? Maybe I’ll look into some possible reasons he may have for wanting to destroy the BBC”.
Nope. If Johnson brought back slave-trading these idiots would back him.
faoileán
Well-known member
- Jan 29, 2021
- 914
No the BBC isn't all vacuous shite as evidenced inter alia by BBC2, 3, 4, Radio 4, BBC World Service, 6 Music, local radio stations, etc.
faoileán
Well-known member
- Jan 29, 2021
- 914
There we go again... people who knock the BBC thinking that it only does TV stations.
faoileán
Well-known member
- Jan 29, 2021
- 914
So there we have it, media consumption like this probably illustrates how a large proportion of the UK public are today; not interested in the news or current affairs, not bothered about documentaries or history, forget political debate, the arts? - who cares? Just give me Disney and superheroes and Jeremy Clarkson smashing-up caravans.
beorhthelm
A. Virgo, Football Genius
- Jul 21, 2003
- 36,026
so the question is, should a TV licence be funding radio, or should that service be funded from general taxation?
i doubt this has changed much, the vast majority tune into TV for entertainment. whats wrong with that? BBC current affairs is fairly non-existant (and Panaroma has gone tabloid), few documentaries, and arts pushed to BBC4 tells a tale, they dont prioritise it themselves. this should basis of public service remit, focus on those areas properly.
- Jan 18, 2009
- 4,889
It’s fascinating how many neo imperialists there are on her, damping their mattresses about the world service?
A service funded by the Foreign Office (from all taxpayers) and U.K. license fee payers.
A service provided to its listeners for f*ck all.
The BBC may congratulate itself on its global reach but if all you are doing is providing a service for free then it’s popularity is no measure of popularity.
https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2021/world-service-funding
If people love they will pay for it……..UK taxpayers should not be subsidising the BBC or incumbent Governments indulgence for neo imperialist propaganda.
Randy McNob
> > > > > > Cardiff > > > > >
- Jun 13, 2020
- 4,725
important to remember Lineker is criticised because he made comments how we should have more empathy for other human beings. clearly a misjudgement on his part as was a red rag to bull for the daily mail readership, but nevertheless nothing to do with his role at the BBC. He should however, be judged on his value as a TV presenter which he is the best in the business
Randy McNob
> > > > > > Cardiff > > > > >
- Jun 13, 2020
- 4,725
important point missing from this is the Tories abolished free TV licences for the elderly in 2015 under the banner of "austerity", which is typical Tory policy to destroy everything state owned, just like British rail, under fund it, run it to the ground then make the case for privitisation. Now you pay the highest rail fares in Europe.
Gabbafella
Well-known member
- Aug 22, 2012
- 4,907
There we don't have it at all.
Just because I don't use the BBC for news, politics, history or art doesn't mean I don't research or study any of those things elsewhere. There are plenty of other options than the BBC.
Cheeky Monkey
Well-known member
- Jul 17, 2003
- 23,884
I wasn’t referring to radio, or specifically to the BBC, I was referring to ‘the idiot box’ (television). Radio is excellent, nothing better than doing some DIY, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or whatever, with music, debate or football commentary on in the background, which is entirely different to sitting watching the 2,000th crime drama churned out this year (oh joy, another crime/cop show), whether by the BBC, Netflix, ScAmazon, or utter quiz show hell like Pointless (it is) or Jodie whatsherface in Killing Eve or James shitting Nesbitt and his stupid f**king hair transplant or Ricky shitting one trick pony Gervais in After Shite (there’s more shite coming up straight after, including The Queen’s shitting Gambit, Top Gear...)
As usual on North Stand Chat, it falls to the peerless smackhead Mark Renton to sum up the state of the nation:
Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit crushing game shows, stucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away in the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, ****ed up brats you spawned to replace yourself, choose your future. Choose life.
London Irish
Well-known member
The problem is, lots of centrist people seem to be under the impression that left wingers "supporting" the BBC would make any difference. No, we're totally powerless and illegitimate, the people centrists need to appeal to are the people you spent five years putting into power to defeat us. Good luck!
- Jan 18, 2009
- 4,889
The Tories rightly stopped UK taxpayers subsidising the BBC for over 75s (save those in receipt of pension credit) in addition to the money generated from licence fees. The BBC then re-imposed the licence fee on over 75s before they subsequently back tracked on pursuing over 75s through the courts for non payments. The BBC were given a chance to cut their cloth but they decided to continue with their largesse. This arrogance has accelerated the inevitable end of the licence fee in its current model, so bravo.
I am all for state ownership of institutions hence why I supported Brexit. Had we have stayed in the EU, and TTIP come into affect courtesy of the unelected EU commission agreeing trade deals with the US, we would have a privatised NHS anyway being picked over by US Medicare, but I suspect even furious masturbators know that……….
Surely it’s ‘Now WE pay…..’ it sounds like you don’t even live in the country [emoji6]
Btw has the Frau forgiven you yet [emoji6]
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