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

[jobhunter7]

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

Even if you like sport, they've hardly got anything left there most of the year. They used to have Grandstand on all weekend with all different sports which have mostly gone away from the channel. They've lost the cricket a long time ago, the rugby, the tennis, the golf, the formula one, most football. They rely on the fact that by law certain events stay 'free' to air (Wimbledon, British Open, World Cup) without that they'd have next to no sport at all.

The quality of the programming has dipped massively while the quantity has increased with all the extra channels.

Yes. Programming is tied to available money. Murdoch bought the sport. Drama is expensive to produce. And few want to pay the current licence. Look at Sky sport. Look at Sky drama. Then compare prices. I dont see many complaining about stuffing extortionate amounts of dosh into Murdoch's pockets.

I am really concerned that unlike most pps on here the majority of programmes that I enjoy are on the BBC.

Detectorists
Wurzel Gummidge
Sewing Bee
Paul & Bob Fishing
This Country
Gavin and Stacey
History documentaries - esp Lucy Worsley ones
Meet the Bears, Chimpanzee Rescue
This Fishing Life
Strictly
Ballets and music documentaries on BBC4

I also listen to R4 and 6Music and they are my friends!!

We have Netflix and Prime and it's a standing joke in our house that I spend 10 mins scrolling and then say "I'm going to read a book".

As someone who spends a lot of time at home (outside of Corona) due to limited mobility I really hope we don't lose the BBC.

I'm not convinced that many of the programmes that I really treasure would be made by Netflix or Prime. They just don't have the same sensibilities.

@Yuddiesorno I couldn't agree more! I have lost count of the times I have to tell my DH that after 20 mins trying to find something to watch on netflix it's time to stop. I will cancel netflix (again)

nobody does comedy consistently as good as the bbc: uncle,mum, gavin and Stacey, OFAH, detectorists, josh, royal family, etc

Wurzel Gummidge and Gavin and Stacy, are those still being made.
I remember growing up watching Wurzel lol.

Btw Prime has loads of documentaries, and Prime/Netflix show Gavin and Stacy. (forget which one)

Ha - yes I threaten to cancel both Netflix and Prime on a monthly basis but having teen DC and lockdown means that I always relent. They certainly get their (or my) money's worth!!

I also love BBC quizzes like Only Connect and University Challenge even though I very rarely get a question right. Have managed to get 14 yr old DD into University Challenge after she identified Cardi B on a music question which none of the contestants knew!!!

@canigooutyet - the new Wurzel Gummidge was one of my favourite Xmas treats! Really lovely if you get a chance to see it.

I don't pay a tv license. I subscribe to a newspaper instead and watch mainly Netflix and other subscription based services.
You only need to pay the license fee if you use bbc up later or need to watch live tv.
I'd prefer the bbc was a subscription only service though. I don't like an enforced fee.

It’s interesting the posts saying scrap the licence fee but keep the news. How would the news get paid for? Would people really be happy to still pay a licence fee for news, but not get Strictly?

The polarisation of society in the US is a scary example of what happens with an unregulated market with minimal public service media. People get into echo chambers and genuinely believe that the election was stolen. The implications for society are scary.

If we want decent media, we need to fund it properly and it needs to include programmes people like.

I agree @Eyewhisker and I'm not sure how impartial the BBC is re current affairs but it seems to me that those on the right can often cite examples of BBC left-wing bias just as those on the left can cite examples of right-wing bias - all depends on your perspective. So maybe they are hitting the centre ground after all.

That should read bbc iplayer not up later*!

[quote redfernsydney]@Yuddiesorno I couldn't agree more! I have lost count of the times I have to tell my DH that after 20 mins trying to find something to watch on netflix it's time to stop. I will cancel netflix (again)

nobody does comedy consistently as good as the bbc: uncle,mum, gavin and Stacey, OFAH, detectorists, josh, royal family, etc[/quote]
Not anymore though. Detectorists (which I loved) the only one that's recent.

They've lost their way with sitcoms. Easy to either dumb down (Mrs Brown) or make another panel show.

@Yuddiesorno

I agree *@Eyewhisker* and I'm not sure how impartial the BBC is re current affairs but it seems to me that those on the right can often cite examples of BBC left-wing bias just as those on the left can cite examples of right-wing bias - all depends on your perspective. So maybe they are hitting the centre ground after all.

The left and right hate the BBC for different reasons. The right hate them because of the whole liberal bias.. The left hate their establishment bias and mostly poor at holding power to account.

Both are valid complaints. It's not because they do a good job of being down the middle.

@User158340 what you describe IS the middle though; how much more middle do you want?

[quote longwayoff]@User158340 what you describe IS the middle though; how much more middle do you want?[/quote]
They can't complain to be unbiased if they have such a liberal/woke bias

Would people really be happy to still pay a licence fee for news, but not get Strictly?

I would. Strictly is wank.

I would be happy to pay a fee for proper impartial news.

I don't think The BBC quite achieves that at the moment, but 'A BBC' could.

It should be a goal for them, that is where they can add value to society. But currently they are awash with too many conflicting interests to be able to achieve truly impartial news.

I hear you @DynamoKev but no one is going to like everything. You don't like Strictly but I do. I don't like Soaps or Sports but I appreciate that millions do. I like watching the NBC coverage of Glastonbury because I am unlikely to be able to go.

I am therefore happy to contribute because that's the way public services work. Some of us will use public services in all their guises much more than others over their lifetime that's just the way it is. I am still happy to pay for a lot of content that is of no interest to me because I value the quality of the content that is of interest to me.

To those of you who only watch streaming do you plan everything? Do you still say, sit down for a cup of tea for ten minutes and flick the telly on ( usually it's Escape to the Country!). Sometimes I don't want to have to make a choice and commit to watching a whole programme. Same with radio - sometimes I want to listen to a particular album but sometimes I just want to listen and see what comes on. Particularly with R4 - I wouldn't necessarily tune in specifically for a programme on throat singing or copper mining etc but I find myself engrossed in all sorts of random programmes and learn a lot along the way.

Maybe it's a generational thing as I'm the wrong side of 50 - my kids are very much streaming experts for music and tv but I sometimes wonder if they'll miss out on all the extraneous bits of information that I have accumulated. (Most of which are probably useless but make life a little more interesting).

Auto corrected BBC to NBC - maybe my phone has its own ideas

It's interesting re the accusations of bias in BBC news, whether you think it's too far to the left or to the right, is that deliberate or accidental? How would a deliberate bias actually happen? Who decides what the editorial or political position of the BBC should be? That would be against the very strict impartiality rules, how come everyone goes along with it?

The licence fee is a household charge/tax. As long as there is a way to opt out if you have no tv, could it be collected with another tax, to save the costs of detector vans etc and licence printing?

@singingstones

It's interesting re the accusations of bias in BBC news, whether you think it's too far to the left or to the right, is that deliberate or accidental? How would a deliberate bias actually happen? Who decides what the editorial or political position of the BBC should be? That would be against the very strict impartiality rules, how come everyone goes along with it?

The top positions at the BBC are handpicked by the government of the day. The new chairman of the BBC has just been announced, a staunch Tory. It comes from the top.

When Labour were in Blair did the same.

To those of you who only watch streaming do you plan everything? Do you still say, sit down for a cup of tea for ten minutes and flick the telly on
Don't plan everything, often choose something random on a streaming service and watch it to see if I fancy it, if I only had ten mins I'd just watch a YouTube video

I always groan every quarter when it's due again (40 quid every 3 months) but we do use it a lot to be fair.
I think what they're doing in lockdown for school children is brilliant, with all the educational programmes for kids on telly.
Definitely worth it for that alone, even though I wish t cost a bit less!

While I would consider myself as leaning Left, there is a whiff of as with Local Councils when faced with cut backs, much that is nice to have is intentionally merged with essentials in order to create confusion.