to think that the BBC should commision more programmes of the quality of Stargazing Live?

[Mowiol]

I have watched the decline in quality of BBC factual programmes such as Horizon, Panorama, Question Time etc. over many years and so I was delighted by tonight's Stargazing Live.
The BBC is of course capable of some great scheduling (e.g. anything by David Attenborough, University Challenge, Wallander, The Office, The Apprentice) but is also guilty of some awful cack (My Family, Strictly Come Dancing, Bonekickers, Dr Who, The Big Top, Merlin, Eastenders, River City, anything in Gaelic on BBC Alba)
I realise this is all very subjective but I get a leeetle bit annoyed that we pay a licence fee and have an awful lot of crap served up (particularly over Christmas).
It's not as if we can "opt out" - we have to pay the licence fee.

Don't get me started on the fact that sometimes up here we are subject to the whims of BBC Scotland regarding weird scheduling decisions. And I hate that we have a BBC Alba (funded by us) when only about 0.01% of the population speaks it (and falling).
Yes, it's important to keep culture alive but we have not been successful in this regard - so give it a rest and save some money. If the Gaelic speakers amongst us want to keep it going then let them fund it - I doubt much money goes towards preserving Lowland Scots or Doric.
Sorry - rant over but I do get hacked off at paying for a corporation that has a record of not listening (and having no choice in the matter).

[kerstina]

YANBU I am really enjoying Stargazing live. Agree my family is just so not funny it makes me cringe which is a shame even with the top calibre actors in it .Compare with the Royle family which is fantastic. Caroline Adherne is a genius !

[2rebecca]

Agree it's a great programme.

[NorwegianMoon]

I agree with you. Astronomy is sooo interesting and if i had my way it would be taught in all state schools from primary age upwards.

They are giving very little to science and astronomy in the way of funding which is very sad.

I did a couple of modules in astronomy while at uni, and if I had been better guided at a young age would have gone into it. Im too old now and my maths is not worth mentioning.

[maighdlin]

i agree mostly with you. (Dr who is good fun)

the thing is interesting programmes don't have to cost the earth. look at the royal institute christmas lectures. no big name to pay a fortune to present, a lecture theatre and some fun chemicals and some plastic. i would watch these every week. stargazing live probably isn't costing a fortune either, go to an already established observatory get some entertaining but intelligent people to talk to people about things they can do at home and people learn something at the same time. for some reason the bbc thinks all we want are massive special effects and useless celebrities doing useless things and talking to other useless celebrities.

i miss reality and game shows that had normal people on them, much more fun that some desperado who fell into obscurity for probably good reason in the 90s. looking at game shows you want the normal people to win lots of money but with celebrities they could easily give the amount they are hoping to win to charity themselves and normal people are much more fun to watch than some "celeb" name dropping and acting like an idiot becuase "they are crazy that way" so put on.