Comments on: How rude can the BBC get? http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/ Incisive and topical campaigns and commentary on today's issues and tomorrow's problems Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:18:17 +0000 hourly 1 By: wrinkled weasel http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14827 wrinkled weasel Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:06:37 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14827 I couldn't agree more, Lola. There was a discussion on "This Week" last night (I say discussion, I really mean Andrew Neil giving his opinion) to the effect that gossip, for want of a better word, is no longer the preserve of the elite. All the stories doing the rounds come out on the internet. We bemoan the demise of democracy as we know it (well I do anyway) and yet, it has now been demonstrated that we do not need the moribund mechanisms we used to rely on to make progress. Turn it on it's head, Winston Smith; they may be watching us, but we are watching them. I couldn’t agree more, Lola.

There was a discussion on “This Week” last night (I say discussion, I really mean Andrew Neil giving his opinion) to the effect that gossip, for want of a better word, is no longer the preserve of the elite. All the stories doing the rounds come out on the internet. We bemoan the demise of democracy as we know it (well I do anyway) and yet, it has now been demonstrated that we do not need the moribund mechanisms we used to rely on to make progress.

Turn it on it’s head, Winston Smith; they may be watching us, but we are watching them.

]]> By: Lola http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14826 Lola Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:25:16 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14826 Isn't this 'new media' wonderful? It lets people like you reveal stuff like this about the BBC. They can't manipulate things as much any more can they? Good. Isn’t this ‘new media’ wonderful? It lets people like you reveal stuff like this about the BBC. They can’t manipulate things as much any more can they? Good.

]]> By: Johnny Norfolk http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14825 Johnny Norfolk Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:38:02 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14825 The BBC does not want people on air that say it as it is. Labour would not want you on and probably blocked it. They have always been most ubfair to you the way they have portrayed you. The BBC does not want people on air that say it as it is. Labour would not want you on and probably blocked it. They have always been most ubfair to you the way they have portrayed you.

]]> By: robert doughty http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14824 robert doughty Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:06:35 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14824 Nothing surprises me about the BBC. You are not politically correct and may rock the boat. The way the news is fed to us by the BBC makes me think its not much different than watching North Koren State Television. If you don't fit in, then you are generally excluded, marginised or ridiculed. Nothing surprises me about the BBC. You are not politically correct and may rock the boat. The way the news is fed to us by the BBC makes me think its not much different than watching North Koren State Television. If you don’t fit in, then you are generally excluded, marginised or ridiculed.

]]> By: None http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14823 None Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:29:56 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14823 Note the increased response. Do we really need to pay 2-3 BILLION a year for a media outlet which is a) inept b) incapable of serious journalism c) childishly immature on political matters (cue footage of John at Welsh conference which until last year, had seen almost 2 decades of repeats) d) incredibly partisan on political matters ? Really, who'd miss it ? We've still got the Black Adder and Fawlty Tower reruns, and the mindless portion of the population probably wouldnt notice as long as they got their weekly dosage of Eastenders. At the very least make the license fee voluntary, and put a limit on the subsidies. That way the ones who think it's so great get to pay for it. Note the increased response. Do we really need to pay 2-3 BILLION a year for a media outlet which is
a) inept
b) incapable of serious journalism
c) childishly immature on political matters (cue footage of John at Welsh conference which until last year, had seen almost 2 decades of repeats)
d) incredibly partisan on political matters

?

Really, who’d miss it ? We’ve still got the Black Adder and Fawlty Tower reruns, and the mindless portion of the population probably wouldnt notice as long as they got their weekly dosage of Eastenders.

At the very least make the license fee voluntary, and put a limit on the subsidies. That way the ones who think it’s so great get to pay for it.

]]> By: mikestallard http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14822 mikestallard Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:04:42 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14822 Damn - I was going to say that! By the way, to make you feel better, some labour nonentity (Minister for Work and Travail or something was asked about the budget and, after attacking the do nothing Tories, he announced that because Labour had injected money into the economy they had saved "half a million jobs". He was not questioned about this. He then repeated it! Embryos everywhere methinks! Damn – I was going to say that!
By the way, to make you feel better, some labour nonentity (Minister for Work and Travail or something was asked about the budget and, after attacking the do nothing Tories, he announced that because Labour had injected money into the economy they had saved “half a million jobs”.
He was not questioned about this.
He then repeated it!
Embryos everywhere methinks!

]]> By: Adrian Peirson http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14821 Adrian Peirson Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:02:30 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14821 Ignore the BBC and concentrate on your blog and other online presence, make sure people know why, the Beeb could be doing this deliberately to waste your time. Send them a Bill. Ignore the BBC and concentrate on your blog and other online presence, make sure people know why, the Beeb could be doing this deliberately to waste your time.
Send them a Bill.

]]> By: Alan Wheatley http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14820 Alan Wheatley Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:23:30 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14820 Correspondents have suggested Sky and ITN as preferred alternatives to the BBC, to which I would and Channel 4. On a slightly different tack, much as we all seem to dislike the BBC's coverage of politics and current affairs, I do not think that is a good reason to scrap the whole of the BBC. They do make some very good programmes, and the licence fee enables them to cover minority interests. The fact that they do not do it very well, and at too much cost, is not a reason to get rid of the BBC but to adjust and improve it. Correspondents have suggested Sky and ITN as preferred alternatives to the BBC, to which I would and Channel 4.

On a slightly different tack, much as we all seem to dislike the BBC’s coverage of politics and current affairs, I do not think that is a good reason to scrap the whole of the BBC. They do make some very good programmes, and the licence fee enables them to cover minority interests. The fact that they do not do it very well, and at too much cost, is not a reason to get rid of the BBC but to adjust and improve it.

]]> By: Alan Wheatley http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14819 Alan Wheatley Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:15:05 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14819 I agree, presenters of an entertainment programme, dumbed down current affairs. I agree, presenters of an entertainment programme, dumbed down current affairs.

]]> By: Liz http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/23/how-rude-can-the-bbc-get/#comment-14818 Liz Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:13:05 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3472#comment-14818 Totally agree - ITN has little money but has first rate journalists who know to challenge the Government yet not reveal their own opinions. ITN does not seem to have any desire to promote one political party over another or social engineer the population - while the BBC does both. It would be very interesting to know how many times a day somebody from 10 Downing Street contacts the BBC with a view to influencing the news agenda - quite a lot I'd guess. Totally agree – ITN has little money but has first rate journalists who know to challenge the Government yet not reveal their own opinions. ITN does not seem to have any desire to promote one political party over another or social engineer the population – while the BBC does both. It would be very interesting to know how many times a day somebody from 10 Downing Street contacts the BBC with a view to influencing the news agenda – quite a lot I’d guess.

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