Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

The BBC have been overwhelmed with complaints about coverage of Prince Philip

999 replies

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/04/2021 12:29

Showing the same thing on 2 channels simultaneously.

Now you just enter your email to complain as they couldn’t cope with the amount of complaints.

OP posts:
MWMWMW · 10/04/2021 13:27

I feel sorry for his family members having his life endlessly rehashed at every turn. Time to let up for their sake (and ours)

They probably just switch channels/turn the tv off.. 🤣🤣

gamerchick · 10/04/2021 13:27

I haven't watched any of the coverage. There's box sets to binge.

Was slightly annoyed that there was no EastEnders, husband was more annoyed Grin

It's a shame but he was 99. That's an acceptable age to die and the BBC needs to remember that we have to pay to watch it. The exact same thing on seperate channels was damned right laziness on their part.

Nancydrawn · 10/04/2021 13:27

Ugh, go read a book, then.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

percheron67 · 10/04/2021 13:27

Shesmade a twat - What an unpleasant person you appear to be! Probably to be expected if your name is anything to go by.

PoutineQueen · 10/04/2021 13:27

I for one am outraged that the old racist died on Masterchef final day. Very inconsiderate.

TheVampiresWife · 10/04/2021 13:28

Incidentally yes, there being a pandemic does have everything to do with it (to whoever said it didn't). Apart from the fact that news and updates about it have been suspended, there's the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of people grieving at the moment. All of this can't be easy for them.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/04/2021 13:28

I don’t feel I am missing the point, I just don’t agree with it. I feel complaining is a complete overreaction to losing a night of TV

It’s not about missing a night of TV. It’s about a stupid overblown reaction to something that doesn’t interest a lot of the population, and the assumption that it is OK to do this, as we are all staunch royalists and in fact live in the 1950’s.

And I’m not and l don’t.

Suspending channels? Why?

OP posts:
MoltenLasagne · 10/04/2021 13:29

I consider myself relatively pro-royal, quite enjoyed the various jubilees and weddings as an excuse for a party, but even I thought it was odd they were showing the same thing on both channels. I kept switching back and forth trying to work out why my remote wasn't working.

As sad as it is for the family, I don't think a 99 year old passing away is history in the making. What's happening in Northern Ireland at the moment might be...

Operasinger · 10/04/2021 13:29

Not everyone is a Royalist, so not everyone is interested.

NotQuiteUsual · 10/04/2021 13:30

Considering the timing it feels almost disrespectful to the public to do this. We've spent over a year with out lives absolutely fucked, I don't know anyone who hasn't been affected by an unexected bereavement this year. Plenty of amazing, incredible, loved and irreplaceable people gone before their time, their families unable to mourn together. Yet one very elderly man dies peacefully at home and the BBC that we fund is totally taken over. I have mourned enough over the last year. No matter how great his contributons to our society, I will not mourn his death. I didn't know him and he naturally reached the end of his life.

GenderApostate19 · 10/04/2021 13:30

I was miffed to miss my Friday night fix of Gardeners world. There was no need to show exactly the same commentary on both BBC 1 and 2.

FlattestWhite · 10/04/2021 13:30

@poppycat10

Surely if you think it's disrespectful to complain about the coverage, then you think it's disrespectful to watch neflix or read a funny book or play a game with your family, if you think we should all be feeling serious and sober and reflecting on him all the time

I don't think it's disrespectful to do other things.

I think people who are complaining need to get a sense of proportion. Not the same, and not hypocrisy.

but people are complaining that the same thing was shown on all channels, which to me is significant - it's not that the coverage went on all night on one channel (fine, and understandable) but that by removing other channels, the BBC was essentially saying we should be mourning and being respectful by not watching frivolous things. Otherwise they could have given people a choice. It's the fact that the BBC was pushing for people to not watch things in the name of respect that is worrying. Not the fact that they weren't showing specific shows. People aren't saying they couldn't live without TV for one night. It's more the message behind it that people are disagreeing with. By taking off all other shows and only showing this repeatedly on all channels, it sends the message that other things are not respectful and that we should be doing respectful things. And that's what a lot of people are disagreeing with. Those who say 'just watch something else' or 'play games' or whatever are missing the point. If the BBC thought it was respectful to do things like that ,then they could have showed films or other shows on one of the channels. It's the fact that it was on every channel that is riling some people because of the message that goes along with it, not because of the fact that they missed some particular show, or that they couldn't find anything else to do.
TheVampiresWife · 10/04/2021 13:30

@TeenyTinyDustinHoffman

History in the making? A 99 year old has died of natural causes. The only real development they could have with this is if they managed to reanimate him.
I shouldn't laugh, but... 😂
AlexaShutUp · 10/04/2021 13:30

Look, I'm a republican. I'd get rid of the monarchy tomorrow if I had the option. However, we live in a constitutional monarchy. Whether we like it or not, the queen has been our head of state for over seven decades. The Duke of Edinburgh has been her consort for that entire period. His passing is therefore a historic moment, and the media coverage is to be expected.

Lots of people will feel a sense of loss at his passing. I don't personally connect with that at all, but I accept that others feel differently. Many will feel that the wall to wall coverage is appropriate. It isn't mandatory for those of us who aren't interested to watch.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/04/2021 13:30

Yeah, Northern Ireland is much much more important, and it’s practically being ignored.

OP posts:
NoWordForFluffy · 10/04/2021 13:31

@Operasinger

Not everyone is a Royalist, so not everyone is interested.
I'm not a Royalist. I just found something else to watch last night. 🤷‍♀️
SetPhasersTaeMalkie · 10/04/2021 13:31

I don't think it's a big deal. I watched a bit of it and then stuck on the iplayer and then listened to a podcast - all provided by the BBC. It was all fine and I survived not seeing the masterchef final.😁

It all just strikes me as a bit of an extreme reaction to a change of television schedule for a couple of days, especially because so many other options are available.

Normally threads on here are filled with people who are far too busy to ever watch live television and often claim not to have a TV licence.

MN never fails to surprise.😂

whenwillthemadnessend · 10/04/2021 13:31

@thebillyotea

"It's not just about You!"

GrinGrinGrinGrinGrin
The irony!!! crying

Boomshakkalakka · 10/04/2021 13:32

Its just a bit OTT but its cheap TV for them as they must have had it all prepared for years so just roll it out.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/04/2021 13:32

This

The BBC have been overwhelmed with complaints about coverage of Prince Philip
OP posts:
LIZS · 10/04/2021 13:32

@GenderApostate19

I was miffed to miss my Friday night fix of Gardeners world. There was no need to show exactly the same commentary on both BBC 1 and 2.
GW back at 8pm tonight.
ChristinaYang10 · 10/04/2021 13:33

@FlattestWhite

But the point is why are people saying 'watch netflix' or 'find something else to do', if they agree with the BBC that we should all be in mourning and that it's disrespectful to be doing fun or frivolous things? And if they don't agree that we should, then why shouldn't people be able to watch something on one of the BBC channels if they want? Surely if you think it's disrespectful to complain about the coverage, then you think it's disrespectful to watch neflix or read a funny book or play a game with your family, if you think we should all be feeling serious and sober and reflecting on him all the time. It's the slight hypocrisy of it all that doesn't make sense.
No, I don’t think we should all be in mourning. I think the bbc have made a decision (an odd decision IMO) that means I personally don’t have any interest in watching the programmes they are showing. This happens reasonably often when I think about the sheer amount of output the bbc must produce, compared to the small amount I watch. Plenty of people want to watch it, they are currently being catered for. I don’t complain every time I can’t find something on the bbc I want to watch, I guess I just don’t really see how this is massively different. At various times TV shows I have been interested in have been cancelled fo things I’m not interested in (mainly sport) and I just accept that sometimes decisions don’t go the way I want. That’s not to say I don’t think it’s an odd decision to broadcast exactly the same thing on both channels.
Arbadacarba · 10/04/2021 13:33

@Cactus1982

Also I don’t think it’s at all comparable to Diana. Diana was a young mum of two who was killed suddenly and tragically in an horrific car crash. It was shocking because no one expected it or saw it coming.
Yes, this. I personally found the Diana reaction excessive, but it was more understandable, for the reasons you state.

Whatever your opinion of Philip, he lived to a longer than average age and for most of it enjoyed good health. It's very sad for his family and the Queen's grief is unimaginable, but for those who didn't know him personally but admired him, the mood should be one of celebrating a long life rather than one of misery at a death.

JovialNickname · 10/04/2021 13:33

I think it's a shame that people couldn't go without terrestrial telly, just for one day. I imagine it must be very upsetting for the Queen and Royal family to hear, that people are complaining in their droves about his death because it interrupted the Masterchef final.

Although I suppose I'm a little older (40) and remember this protocol from other royal deaths - Diana and the Queen Mum! I'm not from the "but what about meeeee" generation, so did expect the wall to wall TV coverage.

Having said that I am surprised that the BBC in particular didn't drop programmes at their usual time just onto iplayer. Then people could have chosen to select what they wanted to watch whilst terrestrial TV continued with the DoE coverage.

ComDummings · 10/04/2021 13:34

@BurbageBrook

It was a ridiculous level of coverage for a 99 year old man dying a natural and peaceful death.
Absolutely