Having a mooch through the Feedback site I see Roger Bolton has a few thoughts on the internal workings of the BBC such as this about Woman’s Hour:
As you well know BBC programmes are supposed to be impartial but I’m not sure if that can be said of Woman’s Hour, at least when it comes to feminism. Woman’s Hour is in fact a powerful advocate for women’s empowerment.
Then there was this:
Feedback: Presenters’ views about the BBC
Bolton’s comments on this must have made him popular with his colleagues:
Presenters like John Humphrys are now on the staff. Should they be silent?
I will try and say something controversial on the issue.
It is this…..
Don’t take too much notice of what presenters say because most don’t know much about the issues involved.
I speak as someone who has been on both sides of the fence, a former BBC executive (dispensed with in politically sensitive times) as well as a presenter.
The latter are primarily performers, preoccupied with the content of the programmes they are presenting. If they have a strong journalistic background they probably think most management is a waste of time and see its representatives as roadblocks to be driven around.
Many know little, and care less, about budgets, training and other issues. So don’t pay too much attention to them, or me.
BBC executives are, of course, self-interested when discussing the future of the organisation that feeds and clothes them, but many do care passionately about the BBC and public service broadcasting. Some presenters are just self-centred.
Wonder if Bolton got any ‘feedback’ on that.
He is being honest and correct here surely…and I think that he DID do some good stuff as a producer.
Hence my real irritation at his paddling in the shallows with his Godawful Feedback-he makes Barry Took look like Robin Day by comparison.
Witness his awful crap interview with Jane Garvey(Feedback 11/4/14)…but at least she admits that
1. This game-changing crap running on her show this week was a naked attempt to suck up to non-white listeners.
2. 43% of her listeners( a significant minority said Roger) are men-and she said “the programme is stuffed” if that figure goes over 50%.
Are you thinking what I`m thinking?
3. Garvey defends WH as the only forum where all those gels in feminist media studies courses can continue to blame men for Vicky Pryce, once Hef has paid off their Gucci bills…where “feminist” is something good…slut walks and picnics on the circle line and such.
In short, a car crash of an interview-if only anybody would listen to Roger, he could be selectively used to get Laurie, Libby to insult their listeners and to learn how to get their programmes decommissioned.
And all because Adrian Childs left her to develop his Croatian…
Can only exist in the unique way the bbc is funded. The only market this caters for is the men hating wimmin, and they are smaller in number than the noisy one’s make out.
Woman’s hour more like PMT hour.
How much does it cost ? What are it’s true audience figures ? and how much does the large woman get and what is the size of here pension pot ?
Bolton’s views are personal, well-argued and concise.
Alan’s are… well, one out of three isn’t bad. I mean, it’s not good…
In a word – bollox
Another drive-by ad hominem.
Tedious.
Boulton is a great broadcaster . He ticks all the boxes. Avuncular, calming, I’ll sort this out for you persona. The problem with him is that in interviews, he always accepts his interviewees opening premise,where he should be questioning it. His programme has got an opium for the masses feel to it now. Shame
Feedback is a pretence at being a voice for listeners to air their concerns. The formula is always the same; Bolton picks out a complaint that one or several listeners have made, seems to sympathise with it and then on comes a BBC Producer or Editor, to explain why the listeners are entirely wrong and how they should shut up and be grateful for the wonderful BBC. Problem solved. Same every time.
That is such an accurate description of Bolton’s wet programme. He is hopeless these days – comes across as a sycophamt.
Of course his fees from the BBC have nothing to do with the way her swallows the BS from BBC spokesmen.
OK – sometimes there are 2 sides to the coin. But other times the BBC is totally in the wrong. Bolton should tear them apart – isn’t that what WE pay him for ? But no – he just goes with the flow.
He had a very good broadcasting record before. He should be ashamed of the way he now runs Feedback.
‘ then on comes a BBC Producer or Editor, to explain why the listeners are entirely wrong’
—
It’s a winning formula. Ray Snoddy honed it well, and his attractive D. Cohen compliant sub keeps up the good work in its graveyard slot.
Maybe one should be grateful that it is at least a named if facilitated person telling licence fee payers to take a hike vs. the usual anonospokesweasel used in every press release the rest of the media meekly accept.
Quite amazing. I am surprised that anyone can still think a defence of a compulsory tax to pay for the BBC ( criminalised or not ) is defensible.
Liberals have this blind spot when it comes to the BBC. Anxious to dismantle every custom and challenge every standard in the name of individual freedom and equality they are quite unable to see how absurd it is to continue with the funding model for the BBC. This is 2014 as they are so fond of telling us.
I do not take the BBC seriously any more.
I don’t take them seriously either, but millions do and, although I think that the influence of the BBC is waning, it still remains a powerful propaganda tool for the left. Which is why the Labour party and all those who draw their pay directly or indirectly from the state will defend it to the death. Let us hope that the new Secretary of State sets in train the plan that will rid us of this foul organisation which has done so much to harm the country.