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General BBC-related comment thread.
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they’ll be dragging up that little omagh bomb by them patrotic freedom fighting volunteers next to divert attention
Hold the front page, the BBC has stunning revelations about a huge story…er…uhm..yeah it happened 20yrs ago but its still…er..huge and…er…fresh..what about the sensational news that Spain has windmills’N’stuff….never mind about ‘smeargate’ thats old news innit…dont look over there, look over here instead…pleeeeese look over here instead…pleeeeese, nothing to see over there honest!
Smell the fear, smell the desperation and savour it folks, savour every second of an arrogant bigoted media empire dangling on the cliff edge of a disaster they so richly deserve
Notice how the latest polls on the state of the parties are never mentioned online, even on the “Politics” page – you’d think they could find room.
In fact the last time I remember the polls having an article were those heady days (for the BBC), during the “Brown Bounce”.
How would a Cameron-led Conservative government be a disaster for the Beeb?
Dorian Smith.
There was a passing mention of the decline in labour support to, I believe, 25% somewhere on Radio 4 this morning but without “comment” of course. Probably noted somewhere as a bias rebuttal point.
There is nil chance of the BBC being castrated by Labour. There is at least SOME chance that the Tories might take an axe to the BBC
Red Lepond: You really have to ask? If the Tories get a big majority we could easily see the funding model of the BBC changed (subscription based) and certainly the BBC trust needs reforming as does it’s political bias.
Oh and even the BBC have gone back to reporting Smeargate as No1 story. It ain’t working is it for the Liebour spin?
I’d love to se the the Conservatives scrap the license fee, but I won’t be holding my breath. (I heard a rumor Cameron’s happy with it for the moment.)
All those wanting the next Tory govt to reform (at least) or demolish (at best) the BBC? I really, really wouldn’t wouldn’t hold your collective breath if I were you.
This isn’t defeatism or whatever, it’s just realism. Much talking, statements and harumphing will emanate from the Tories, but in the end nothing will be done. And you know that’s true…
Sadly.
Listen to Kevin Maguire trying to dig himself out of the shit on the BBC this morning. (13 minutes in)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jqxk4/Broadcasting_House_19_04_2009/
Sutkeh: I don’t agree. As I’ve pointed out numerous times in previous years there was no technical solution to BBC funding. Now there is.
Most people probably pay their TV tax monthly so in effect it is a subscription payment.
All the Tories have to do with the digital switchover is to say that if you want the BBC you may the additional charge to Sky, Virgin or whatever or your digital signal is blocked.
I’m sure it can also be worked out for Freesat as well.
As for terrestrial digital many people can’t get it anyway so that doesn’t really matter. You can have a similar system of licence fee charging for those that don’t have Sky, Virgin or other digital service.
I’m betting the appetite to scrap the TV tax is quite high now as most people are used to paying for what TV they want.
Even within the BBC there is some acknowledgement that the TV tax cannot continue in its current form.
Martin:
Sutkeh: I don’t agree. As I’ve pointed out numerous times in previous years there was no technical solution to BBC funding. Now there is
Martin | 19.04.09 – 1:41 pm | #
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Oh, absolutely. The technical solution has been here for a long time. But we’re talking political will and impetus here, not the nuts and bolts of HOW to do it.
But I honestly can’t see the Tories being infused with that motivation. And once you appeal to the section of the Conservative party who love those words ‘tradition’ and ‘institution’, then the battle is lost.
This is one of those rare times I would love to be proved wrong though.
Time, as they say, will tell…
Martin:
I’m betting the appetite to scrap the TV tax is quite high now as most people are used to paying for what TV they want.
Martin | 19.04.09 – 1:41 pm | #
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It’s a shame some neutral third party can’t generate a fair and balanced referendum on this. I think the results would be interesting, to say the least.
Kevin Maguire and Nick Robinson blend seamlessly into the Nulab media-manipulating machine. They are part of it. How they and much of the rest of the ‘lobby’ can describe themselves as journalists is beyond me. It appears now that the only real journalist is Guido Fawkes (Paul Staines).
Old Holborn points out that NuLab has hired a media firm to review report opinion on-line. Here’s mine: you’re all a shower of sh*t and I’m voting BNP because I want you hung for what you’ve done to our people and our country – so there!
My own theory about the “secret” files on Hillsborough will be that the story will be quietly dropped anyway, as they will almost certainly indicate that many Liverpool fans contributed to the disaster. Lost votes in Liverpool – that’ll never do.
Sutekh
The subscription mechanism of funding only becomes possible when all channels soon go digital. People without Sky or cable will need a set-top box to manage it.
sutekh: I think there is more demand within the Tory party (like John Redwood) to reform the BBC.
I accept that it is not going to be at the top of the Tory agenda, but we need to pester our MPs about it. Make it clear that our votes will depend on a promise to reform the BBC and its funding model.
At the very least the left wing bias of the BBC needs dealing with. The BBC Trust is a total failure.
Trouble is – the Tories are steeped in the cosy traditionality of the BBC – it would be like getting rid of the memories of nanny….
Liquid P Gasse: In the past perhaps. But the Tories have been in opposition for 12+ years. In that time they’ve had a right kicking off the BBC. I don’t think they are prepared to forget that.
So who is the BBC being biased against/for this time? Liverpool? Football? The Police? Forest? Sheffield?
It’s really not that amazing that Hillsborough gets lots of coverage. It has pretty much defined the national sport in the past twenty years. 96 people died and their families still haven’t received a proper answer as to why and how.
What gets me is that once you’ve seen the way the ZaNu Labour/BBC realtuonship works, it’s all so damned obvious.
The headlines just get worse and worse and, hey presto, the BBC announce on News 24 at 11 a.m. that Jacqui Spliff, sorry, Smith, your oh so wonderful Home Secretary, is to release the Hillsborough Inquiry report 10 years early.
Now it is ‘may’ release.
By tomorrow, no one will remember.
Twizzle.
THAT is exactly the point. Yesterday’s news is tomorrows fish and chipper..but on the day….
The secret papers if they are released might not be to the liking of the people of Liverpool. How will the BBC spin that
For the open mided and the curious, i’m sure there’s a few on here.
http://pseudscorner.blogspot.com/2009/04/earlier-hillsborough-disaster-margin.html
Perhaps best if the fingers in ears brigade don’t click on the link.
glj
Yes, an interesting account of an earlier near-disaster at the Leppings Lane end.
Whine . whine , whine, it’s all the police’s fault. nothing to do with the hundreds of drunken Liverpool fans who turned up with no tickets. Bloody scousers, it’s never their fault. Heysel Stadium anyone?
Marc | 23.04.09 – 7:45 pm | #
Let’s hope you’re better informed on other subjects than you are on this one.
It was nothing to do with any number of drunk fans turning up without tickets, as every report ever issued relating to this subject clearly states – not that yoy will have read any of them.