Are we getting pissed off with the BBC

[Nagraboy]

I’ve not had a TV license for 5 years, never had a cable TV box, and don’t watch, listen to or read any mainstream media unless it’s being commented on by independent sources, of which I do consume a lot each day via YouTube etc. I’m totally sick of the establishment in this country - both left and right, and their business, media and academia chums. And sports is so far out of touch with reality these days, just full of self-obsessed bores. So much better to just switch the hi-fi on and experience something honest and good.

 

[Tony L]

Liked Masterchef, the Small Axe series was great. But I don't see why the price of that should be nihilistic, state-sponsored right wing propaganda and increasingly I don't think it's a price worth paying. Defund these mfrs.

That is a truly awful article. We should all report it to ofcom or whatever I guess.

I do however think the BBC is worth saving and fixing. I realise we have no political opposition in England at present, but hopefully that is a temporary state, and the basic concept of a state-owned factual and impartial broadcaster remains a valid one. I also feel the positive effect of the BBC in arts, science and historical content outweighs a currently obviously broken news and current affairs channel/online subset thereof. ‘Defund the BBC’ is the sort of rhetoric we expect from the Trump/Farage right who basically want Breitbart as the national broadcaster. We should be very cautious about getting on board that particular train to Racist Shitville.

 

[Seanm]

That is a truly awful article. We should all report it to ofcom or whatever I guess.

I do however think the BBC is worth saving and fixing. I realise we have no political opposition in England at present, but hopefully that is a temporary state, and the basic concept of a state-owned factual and impartial broadcaster remains a valid one. I also feel the positive effect of the BBC in arts, science and historical content outweighs a currently obviously broken news and current affairs channel/online subset thereof. ‘Defund the BBC’ is the sort of rhetoric we expect from the Trump/Farage right who basically want Breitbart as the national broadcaster. We should be very cautious about getting on board that particular train to Racist Shitville.

I know there are good things about the BBC but I'm just sick of the moral blackmail that invites the left to keep forcing down the sh** sandwich and smile like it's delicious wholesome fair that others should definitely buy too. There comes a point where you have to say that all the good stuff just isn't worth the price we have to pay, as a society, for the Conservative Party, for whom the BBC is essentially working, and doing a very, very good job too. They are launderers in chief. If the Tories had only the frothing wingnuts at the Mail, Telegraph, Sun etc. batting for them the stuff they get up to would seem way, way wackier than it actually does. Nobody normalises state extremism like the BBC. I'd personally hand the whole thing over to the Barclay Bros and watch them set fire to its reputation, and the Tories' with it.

 

[SteveS1]

I know there are good things about the BBC but I'm just sick of the moral blackmail that invites the left to keep forcing down the sh** sandwich and smile like it's delicious wholesome fair that others should definitely buy too. There comes a point where you have to say that all the good stuff just isn't worth the price we have to pay, as a society, for the Conservative Party, for whom the BBC is essentially working, and doing a very, very good job too. They are launderers in chief. If the Tories had only the frothing wingnuts at the Mail, Telegraph, Sun etc. batting for them the stuff they get up to would seem way, way wackier than it actually does. Nobody normalises state extremism like the BBC. I'd personally hand the whole thing over to the Barclay Bros and watch them set fire to its reputation, and the Tories' with it.

If you think the BBC only offers unqualified support for the Tories, wait until you see what they replace it with. If Labour is serious about fair broadcasting they should take their chance (if we ever get another) to insulate it from political funding influence and blackmail from a government of the day, whoever it is. Your suggestion (I hope tongue in cheek) would be a UK Fox News and as far as I can see, the GOP didn't find their reputation on fire. Far from it.

 

[dweezil]

Even if we think it's only nominally unbiased that's a lot better than the rest of the press and Murdochracy.

Some of the garbage like last night's prolonged exercise in sycophancy called Celeb Masterchef is pretty horrible but it seems to appeal to some and you can choose to watch through your eyelids.

The BBC is pretty refreshing after watching TV around the world.

 

[Tony L]

If you think the BBC only offers unqualified support for the Tories, wait until you see what they replace it with. If Labour is serious about fair broadcasting they should take their chance (if we ever get another) to insulate it from political funding influence and blackmail from a government of the day, whoever it is.

Absolutely. The current crop of Tories typified by Johnson, Gove, Rees Mogg etc are pure Trump/Tea Party and won’t be happy until Breitbart or equivalent was the state broadcaster (and controlled our national internet access too). The news and current affairs side of the BBC is clearly weakened at present, but I’d prefer to take to the streets and throw bottles and bricks at Conservative Central Office rather than to defund it. The current low quality of reporting is an effect of our political kleptocracy, it is not a cause.

 

[Seanm]

If you think the BBC only offers unqualified support for the Tories, wait until you see what they replace it with. If Labour is serious about fair broadcasting they should take their chance (if we ever get another) to insulate it from political funding influence and blackmail from a government of the day, whoever it is. Your suggestion (I hope tongue in cheek) would be a UK Fox News and as far as I can see, the GOP didn't find their reputation on fire. Far from it.

My point is that if they were peddling the stuff they do now under Murdoch or the Barclays it wouldn't be as widely consumed or as credulously, especially if it were even more craven and nutty. I mean that article is pure Breitbart! And half of their political news they already get directly from Guido!

A reminder that Labour offered proposals for insulating the BBC from government and for democratising it, and they were absolutely pilloried by every journalist in the land, including (especially) the Sensibles. Because you know, not having the government choose the Director General, having an independent funding body, all of that's very Trumpian!

Even at its best BBC current affairs just gives us lib bullshit like that.

It's unreformable, let Murdoch wreck it!

 

[SteveS1]

My point is that if they were peddling the stuff they do now under Murdoch or the Barclays it wouldn't be as widely consumed or as credulously, especially if it were even more craven and nutty. I mean that article is pure Breitbart! And half of their political news they already get directly from Guido!

A reminder that Labour offered proposals for insulating the BBC from government and for democratising it, and they were absolutely pilloried by every journalist in the land, including (especially) the Sensibles. Because you know, not having the government choose the Director General, having an independent funding body, all of that's very Trumpian!

Even at its best BBC current affairs just gives us lib bullshit like that.

It's unreformable, let Murdoch wreck it!

Can't agree. The BBC is nowhere near unreformable and produces a lot of great output - your reaction is rather hysterical. Your idea that a Murdoch would wreck it is for the birds. As I said, Fox UK would be no different to Fox US and that hasn't done the GOP any harm, far from it.

 

[Tony L]

FWIW if people want to defund something I’d start with the Labour Party. It is entirely unfit for the purpose of political opposition to the nationalist right-wing forces that currently control the country. We are where we are largely due to well over a decade of entirely incoherent policy, self-interest and political failure from this party.

 

[Seanm]

Can't agree. The BBC is nowhere near unreformable and produces a lot of great output - your reaction is rather hysterical. Your idea that a Murdoch would wreck it is for the birds. As I said, Fox UK would be no different to Fox US and that hasn't done the GOP any harm, far from it.

The Fox audience is tiny compared to the BBC’s. The BBC is much more important to the Tories’ success than Fox’s is to the Republicans’. If Fox replaced the BBC tomorrow it would not be good news for the Conservatives.

 

[SteveS1]

The Fox audience is tiny compared to the BBC’s. The BBC is much more important to the Tories’ success than Fox’s is to the Republicans’. If Fox replaced the BBC tomorrow it would not be good news for the Conservatives.

The latter is down in large part to the threat of funding withdrawal. There is still plenty of platformed fair analysis and criticism. There is absolutely no case for trashing it and handing it all to a Murdoch.

 

[dweezil]

The Fox audience is tiny compared to the BBC’s. The BBC is much more important to the Tories’ success than Fox’s is to the Republicans’. If Fox replaced the BBC tomorrow it would not be good news for the Conservatives.

Try living next to a UKIP bubble!

The right wing think the BBC is a hotbed of Trotskyist maniacs.

 

[gintonic]

So much better to just switch the hi-fi on and experience something honest and good.

oh yes a music industry run by blood sucking exploitative music companies, (I include plenty of indies in that).......money money etc. I hope you choose your listening material as carefully as you choose your video/TV

 

[Nick_G]

This is a Fox News headline, but unlike Fox News the BBC is the most used and trusted news source in the country:

Climate change: Law used as stick to beat government
By Roger Harrabin
BBC environment analyst

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55368922

Liked Masterchef, the Small Axe series was great. But I don't see why the price of that should be nihilistic, state-sponsored right wing propaganda and increasingly I don't think it's a price worth paying. Defund these mfrs.

What a tiwkcuf.

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

FWIW if people want to defund something I’d start with the Labour Party. It is entirely unfit for the purpose of political opposition to the nationalist right-wing forces that currently control the country. We are where we are largely due to well over a decade of entirely incoherent policy, self-interest and political failure from this party.

That description also reminds me of the LDP and the Tories! ...except for the "opposition to the right" bit, of course.

But you still face the problem that any LP policies that don't suit the UK press get monstered or ignored, so people don't get to really find out about them. And, alas, BBC programs like 'Today', etc, go along with the gag most of the time.

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

The Fox audience is tiny compared to the BBC’s. The BBC is much more important to the Tories’ success than Fox’s is to the Republicans’. If Fox replaced the BBC tomorrow it would not be good news for the Conservatives.

Depends. The Tories now are largely run for and used as sock-puppes by a tiny group of tax dodging people whose wealth - and thus power - is so high that they can simply hide it from the rest of us, beyond any tax or accountability. Go look who funds them, and their own backgrounds. e..g the financial background of the present Chancellor, and even the treasurer of the Tory Party.

That said, you'd have to look in places other than the Tabloids or the BBC for most of the info.

 

[Nagraboy]

oh yes a music industry run by blood sucking exploitative music companies, (I include plenty of indies in that).......money money etc. I hope you choose your listening material as carefully as you choose your video/TV

I was talking about the musical message not the music business itself.

 

[Tarzan]

What party and ideology is this? I don't watch Sky Sport.

You are lucky then.

 

[Seanm]

The latter is down in large part to the threat of funding withdrawal. There is still plenty of platformed fair analysis and criticism. There is absolutely no case for trashing it and handing it all to a Murdoch.

There is, and I've made it! The BBC performs a normalising role for far right ideas that no other institution could. Better Murdoch owns it outright so that everybody knows where they stand.

All the left and liberal arguments for supporting the BBC even as they jump up and down on left and liberal values belong to another era. The British state has changed and with it the state broadcaster: it's effectively been captured and it is now a laundering operation pure and simple. All the fair analysis and criticism has to be seen in that light: it's part of the con. Some of the journalists know it and some of them don't but that's what it is. Some of them take it too far on occasions, the Lewis Goodalls (plural? Are there any others?): let's see what happens to them.

 

[SteveS1]

There is, and I've made it! The BBC performs a normalising role for far right ideas that no other institution could. Better Murdoch owns it outright so that everybody knows where they stand.

All the left and liberal arguments for supporting the BBC even as they jump up and down on left and liberal values belong to another era. The British state has changed and with it the state broadcaster: it's effectively been captured and it is now a laundering operation pure and simple. All the fair analysis and criticism has to be seen in that light: it's part of the con. Some of the journalists know it and some of them don't but that's what it is. Some of them take it too far on occasions, the Lewis Goodalls (plural? Are there any others?): let's see what happens to them.

OK that's a conspiracy theory too far for me. I'm out. I see an organisation under political pressure for fear of it's funding and threats of break up.