To think they should reduce the size of the BBC and cut the license fee?

[bluewedge]

I think BBC 4 is great for example... but would those shows not have fitted on BBC 2 in previous years...

It’s not really about the quality of the programmes (though I think the provision, particularly on radio 4, is very good) it’s about having a medium which is as free as possible from political control. One of the main activities of a dictatorship is state control of the media, look at Belarus.

I always wondered why they don’t have one traffic reporter for example, doing all the radio stations: why have Michelle in radio 5, sally on radio 2 etc etc? It’s the same stuff! It’s not even localised, it’s national, so have one reporter doing all the slots on national radio. 🤷‍♀️ wouldn’t save millions but would save something!

I wouldn’t like to watch if we had to have adverts though. So annoying if you’re watching something and it breaks off half way through.
The issue I have it’s compulsory, we should be able to chose to have it or not.

@yeOldeTrout

My BBC consumption is almost all radio. The radio is so good (diverse) bc it piggybacks on the broadcast budget. I don't want to lose BBC Radio 1-1x-2-3-4-5-6-Asian-WS. I like them all.

NPR is ok, but it's basically 75% Radio3 + 25%R4 while PBS is a little like BBC3 except extremely dependent on foreign-produced content (actual BBC, in fact). I kind of expect lots of people say they want BBC reduced but they would almighty protest if you told them there would be no more programmes like below (nothing equivalent exists on NPR/PBS)...

East Enders
advert free Olympics
Killing Eve
Peaky Blinders
Strictly
Fleabag...

I could live without all that list - add all sport, cooking shows and talent shows. Would happily pay for BBC radio alone though - but they are still so London centric it's not even funny.

I'd say PBS is more like BBC 4 really.

www.pbsamerica.co.uk/shows/a-z/

And NPR a bit like Radio 4.

www.npr.org/programs/