Amazing hypocrisy from the HIGHNFY crew on MP’s pay (11 mins)….all things considered:
At the start, Deayton got paid £3,750 a segment, £750 more than was paid to the less experienced Hislop and Merton.
By the time he was fired, he was earning £50,000 a show. While Merton and Hislop receive less than that amount now, it is not considerably less.
Fourteen years ago they got £12,000 a show and while no one will confirm the current stipend, £40,000 per show is not far off the mark for the duo described by Boris as ‘the demigods of the tart rejoinder’.
I can’t watch the show any more, as it’s become another lefty wank-fest. Just like everything else on the BBC. Burn your licence fee.
Don’t burn it, cancel it and stop receiving any broadcast television programme service. You get a refund of the BBC tax for each complete quarter left.
I’m not advocating BBC tax evasion. But as BBC television is crap (and the other channels aren’t much better) I found it surprisingly easy to stop watching. My only contact with the BBC now is when I catch a Radio 4 show. (That makes Radio 4 sound like a disease……)
New Year is coming up – try a resolution to avoid the BBC tax. Eleven simple steps:
1) Do your own due diligence on what avoiding the BBC tax means (the Money Saving Expert website has several good articles).
2) Check your Sky/VirginMedia TV subscriptions are out of contract.
3) Get your household agreement to try it out for a couple of weeks. You may be able to buy some off with a LoveFile/Netflix subscription, If you have live sport fanatics you are probably stuffed!
4) Try living without live broadcast television for at least a fortnight (just remove aerial leads from TVs, disconnect your Sky box, etc.).
5) Get your household agreement to go for it.
6) Delete TV channel tunings/factory reset TVs, DVDs, PVRs, etc. Remove and store all indoor aerials. aerial leads etc. Cancel any Sky/VirginMedia subscriptions and arrange for them to pick their boxes up.
7) Cancel your TV Licence and get a refund for whole quarters left. (You have to return any paper licence – another reason for not burning it!)
8) Anticipate a visit from the BBC (once every two years?). Decide now how you are going to handle this. Make sure the whole household understands. Remember the TVL guys are doing the job out of necessity (2011 average gross income was £23,615, this include £20 commission for each licence “sold”).
9) When they call verify their identity with TV Licensing on 0300 790 6046. Remember almost all convictions are based upon self incrimination (Google “TVL 178”). As you’ve not been receiving broadcast television you shouldn’t have a problem- just be wary and careful.
10) There are some very good UK news/blog sites around. Consider donating your BBC tax refund to them.
11) Have a look on biasedbbc.tv to feel smug at the thought, at least you are not paying for for your democracy to be undermined…..
What would the guy from Capita make of repositioning your satellite dish to Astra 19.2 to pick up live German/French TV? There are a few English speaking channels, as well as Eurosport (in German)
BBC World News is on there as is Sky News, but as they are free to Europe would there still be the need for a licence?
@Geoff
See the TVLA website.
The key phrase is “as it is being broadcast”. “On demand” or catch up services do not require a licence. Some new TVs are wi-fi enabled so you can just watch programs on iPlayer, 4od ITV catch-up etc through your router.
Not necessary. Just refuse to answer any questions and politely inform them that the implied invitation onto your property is revoked, and ask them to inform their employer the same applies to all of their employees.
LINK: How to handle the TV Licence “inspector”
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Do these poor “inspectors” work evenings and weekends, I wonder… merely out of curiosity.
A magistrate who blogs anonymously observed about TV licence court cases:
““Let them see the procession of poor, usually female, usually bedraggled people who trudge through court, having, under the new fine guidelines, three-figure fines imposed, plus costs and (!) Victim Surcharge”
The reason they are “usually female” is that BBC TV Licensing tends to call during working hours.
Only a public petition against the BBC will work. The BBC is entangled into the civil-service ‘jobs for the elite left wingers’ they will fight to keep the gravy train going in 2016. That why they hired Lord ‘Ha-Ha’ Hall. Take a look at all the epetitions against the BBC and vote to end the misery: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/search?q=BBC
Sorry, but as an avid F1 fan, who loves the live SKY coverage, I cannot do without live TV. I am delighted that SKY cover all the F1 live, as it is one less reason to watch the BBC.
To add some context to my above comment, I spent 2 years avidly researching the “free man on the land” lawful rebellion. I met with the “leaders” and “gurus” of the movement and spend many hours discussing all the ins and outs of various alternative ways to living such a lifestyle, the perils, traps and pitfalls, the successful court cases, people who have won amazing successes, and people who have failed and lost everything …
… To cut a very long story short, I learned that I am neither knowlegeable enough, nor do I have the wit to be able to confidently exist within a solely lawful existence, whilst successfully avoiding the legal statute traps. Therefore I choose willingly, (albeit begrudgingly), to live knowingly in the legal world. That means I do consent to Statute law, until such time as I choose to revoke my consent and embark upon a life of peaceful lawful rebellion. (emphasis on the LAWFUL as much as the rebellion).
This means as I intend to continue watching live TV (SKY F1) that I accept the statute law and under the threat of criminal procedings being taken against me if I do not pay for a TV licence, I choose to pay it. I will continue to fight and campaign for the abolition of the TV licence, (and even for the abolition of the BBC in its entirety, as it is massively unfit for purpose.
This is funny, especially at the end
I have given up Today, QT, Marr, The NewsQuiz, HIGNFY, Newsnight. In fact all BBC politics content except DP and SP. Boy do I feel happier and my blood pressure is back to normal.
Except it isn’t just the obvious BBC politics shows and the BBC’s agenda gets slipped into drama, soaps and even Strictly – but I have to admit Phil O’The Wisp that avoiding the obvious candidates helps.
Welcome to the Club.
I gave up on QT around 1982 when the Thatcherhate really set in. I gave up on The News Quiz in the early 1990s when Jeremy Hardy was spewing out four letter filth about “Tories”. Today followed shortly after. I gave up on the rest of BBC current affairs and news on 2 May 1997 when the Blair election triumphalism got too much.
The first signs of the Drama output becoming unacceptably leftist was there in 1982 with “Boys from the Black Stuff”. When Eastenders was launched in 1985 one of the first lies uttered was an attack on “the Tories” so that went in the TV bin. The rest of their drama output slowly died the death of a thousand subtle digs (and not so subtle) during the nineties.
Then in 2007 as the Blair-Brown House of Twigs and straw finally collapsed under a firestorm of debt, lies, incompetence and associated corruption. Even Today couldn’t ignore that and there was a semblance of balance.
But I noticed as soon as the 2010 election approached around December 2009 normal business was resumed. Soft peddle Labour: hate the Tories.
Now I only watch on sufferance if some one insists on a programme (not often) or if it happens to be shown in Banks, Pubs etc.
The experience of watching is akin to cross a picket line of smug progressive middle class know all’s sneering at those who do not share their outlook.
That I can do without.
“smug progressive[greedy ignorant thick hypocritical sanctimonious] middle class know all’s sneering at those who do not share their outlook.
Personally I dislike the regular sneering at Money Box almost as much as the party-political ranting. They’re saying ‘we have so much money we don’t have to bore ourselves thinking about it’. Some of us don’t, of course, so we do.
“Boys from the Black Stuff” was written about the time before Thatcher – most of it written before she got to power, I understand. It was about a process that was going on already.
.
The BBC DVD may claim mendaciously on the sleeve that it is written as a criticism of Thatcher – but that is later spin by the Beeb and one or two others.
The pay levels for the bbc claque, including those you mention, is obscene. These people are nothing but entertainers; they should be subjected to market forces where I doubt they’d earn a tenth of what the bbc; ie licence fee payers; cough up for them. Fortunately, I’ve cancelled my tv licence and now don’t contribute to these parasites.
In a similar vein, has anyone noticed the total change on Radio4Extra? It started out as apparently being run on a shoestring; and it was a breath of fresh air because of it. Now, there are endless presenters, all coming out with humourless comments and stories about nothing and wall to wall comedy programmes which inevitable include the execrable Arthur Smith. I have no idea what budget the station now requires to pay for all these unnecessary presenters (if that’s the correct term these days) and distinctly unfunny comedians but the waste of money must be quite large these days.
Merton has made nobody laugh since 1998 as far as I can tell.
Another so-called “celebrity” whose mental health issues gives him carte blanche not to be sacked or told he`s crap.
File under Fry…Mrs Merton was always the funny part of that pairing.
And why is it still on?…there is no market for it, it`s a dead parrot-but it`s a jolly for Labour luvvies to do endless Footlights reviews at our expense.
chrisH: What did he say in 1998 that was funny? I must have missed it. His partner-in-humour, Brigstoke got an airing on Live at the Apollo on Friday. Dire.
Eerrr!…no, can`t recall it, as you ask.
But a digression.
Will somebody please tell the Mighty Nick Cave that if he EVER puts bloody Will Self in one of his videos( see 02.45-55) again…I will have to revise my opinion that he is a true prophet of the times
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFjrmATIUYU
I know it`s “not strickly Beeb”…but Selfies are in the news and, no doubt, the Plank spewed forth this morning…segregating Muslim wimmin as empowerment maybe?
Very nice to hear praise here for the magnificent Nick Cave. The Boatman’s Call is my favourite album.
As for HIGNFY the problem is the guest bookings have gone to the dogs. Ditto QI.
If you’re booking Richard Bacon for the laffs you know you’re on the slide.
“If you’re booking Richard Bacon for the laffs you know you’re on the slide”
—-
True. If referring to his last HIGNFY outing he seemed more hired as the butt of any sparse humour, like the peroxide reality celebs 8 out of 10 Cats wheel out for Sean Lock & Jimmy Carr to savage cruelly (and little humour) & then discard.
It was about as painful as any I have seen, including any with a gurning pol who fancies themselves a bit of a wit. Bar Prescott. I actually passed over the episode with him in as the last time he was wheeled out created anti-humour for a month.
Indeed-I regard Nick as the very voice of the Godly prophet at his best…his Canongate prologue to the book of Mark is excellent-knocks Bono`s “Psalms” into a cocked hat!
But…Will Self FFS?…must be that Brighton tendency to employ fellow luvvies in exile from LDN.
Well he did make me smile once in 2008. On HIGNFY an item came up about the popularity of Gordon Brown.
The guest chair (Damien Lewis I seem to recall) said
“Polls show that Gordon Brown is more unpopular with the British public than Neville Chamberlain was in 1940”
Merton:
“He is more unpopular than Adolf Hitler was with the British public in 1940”.
Yes that did raise a smile.
I used to read Private Eye but gave up on it a few years ago after the death of Paul Foot. Foot was a deluded moron but he was replaced by a couple of pages of out and out leftist bullshit. Over time the rest of the scurrilous rag followed it.
It seems Hislop has become dependent on his BBC income and nothing can come between him and it.
I am pretty sure someone at the beeb ‘has something’ on Hislop: look at the Wiki entry:
“Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.
Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency, corruption, pomposity or self-importance and it has become a self-styled “thorn in the side” of the British establishment.”
yet despite this he always seems to shy away from any ‘real’ mention of anything even remotely disparaging about the BBC?
I think Hislop is a fully paid up member of that (modern progressive) establishment.
It lost any bite with the passing of Ingrams, Foot, Waugh, etc.
£40k per show? It’s a staggering amount for doing not very of anything for thirty minutes a week.
Is this what they mean by ‘progressive’?
How much does David Vance get paid per appearance?
Maybe we could then make a comparison?
Change the record Nicked Emus, or do you only ever play the same bitter song?
David Vance has been on HIGNFY? Damn, I missed that one.
Aren’t they worth it? It’s all part of the BBC self-aggrandisement culture, where these days even the lowliest most talentless tv presenter is wheeled out as a CELEBRITY for endless inane quiz shows panel games and ‘reality’ programs. These people think they are the most important in the universe, and pay themselves accordingly.
Rodney you plonker! Are you Nicked Emus (aka Nicodemus) or is this just the official instruction all you beeboids get? It’s getting very tired now, and as always completely irrelevant.
Anyone who pays the licence tax is a c*nt.
There, you’ve been outed you lefty liberal whores.
No. No excuses. I don’t give a sh*t for your pathetic excuses for paying for the licence.
Your wife likes Strictly? Gives a sh*t. Tell the b*tch to watch it on iPlayer 1 minute after the sh*t ends.
Then give her smacking.