BBC cuts

BBC Article

Just wondering about BSG views on the recently announced changes within Auntie.

Personally, I feel like the licence fee represents outstanding VFM, and I'd willingly pay more if asked - these job cuts etc ought not to impinge upon that feeling (I'm SO glad to see BBCs 3 & 4 have had a stay of execution though, think that would have swayed my opinion).

I am concerned about the limitation on new commissions though, especially if it sees some esoteric regional offerings being cut off at the knees.

From what I've read since belonging to this forum, it's becoming harder and harder for writers to attain any recognition, and potentially this news could exacerbate that situation, right?

I really want to see this as trimming of a bloated institution, and not just a bean-counter exercise. Perhaps Jonathan Ross should take a paycut for a quick and dirty solution....

The BBC have got themselves properly in the shitter by falling out of touch with the public - and then failing to properly cash in on the shows which are successful. They need to employ me as their top, top commissioning editor and scheduling advisor.

Anyway, they've been selling off the family silver for years now - I hope that they can remember who's got what, because I certainly can't - and I can't believe that TV Centre is the next to go. Now, admittedly this is almost certainly on a sell-to-rent basis, but unless there are some really convincing figures behind it, I'm not.

I'm a traditionalist, and would like the BBC to continue in the form that it is. But unfortunately, I don't think that will happen. The day will come when the licence fee will go, and they will be like every other broadcaster, showing commercials.

In the meantime, to save money they should concentrate on their public service side, and the things they do best, and the things that no-one else does. But get rid of the wall-to-wall irrelevant drivel that constitutes most of their output: Dog Borstal, F**k off I'm ginger, most of the daytime schedules etc., all of which are no different from the crap being pumped out by other channels.

The BBC should not need to compete with Commercial channels. The Beeb should be a place that is above all that crap and be able to take risks on new talent with new ideas, without the shackles of profits, targets and viewing figures, etc. Of course, it should also be able to beat the pants off Commercial TV by sheer ability.

It should be a place where ONLY 'quality' programs are made, of any and all genres. It should be the elite of World TV. Didn't that Englishman Logie Baird invent TV? (YES he did...)

The licence fee could go and the public should pay for it through general taxation. If they are hungry they can eat potatoes and carrots, very cheap in ASDA at the mo..

The BBC led the world... and still could.

What is wrong with the Government, why is everything good in this country allowed to decline? Heads should roll, and I'm not talking dole queue!!! And before the outcry, apparently the guillotine was quite humane, all you PC ninnies, so don't worry your wickle heads off!

One of the problems with the beeb is that it's diversified far too much and tried to compete with the commercial sector - hence Strictly Ballroom and all the shock docs on BBC3. It needs to streamline itself and concentrate solely on quality comedy, drama and current affairs.

I think the BBC is good value for money - but it could be better value for money. There is a lot of wastage and inefficiency in the corporation - as a result I'm pleased to see that they're being forced to tighten their belts and save some money.

Here's three example of the current flabbiness that needs cutting:

- their taxi bills. The lazy sods have been spending over £11m a year on taxis. £11m = a top notch, high budget comedy series every year!

- cuts in the news room. This is getting better but they're still wasting money. (e.g. sending Hugh Edwards to stand in Iraq to deliver the 10pm news when he could just as well do it from the London studio). Also 'silly duplication' - e.g. the example I always remember is that when Ellen MacArthur sailed into Falmouth a couple of years ago the BBC sent almost 100 people down there because each station has a seperate reporting team (5 Live could easily have reported for Radio 1 Newsbeat too etc)

- there's some vastly over-inflated pay packets at the BBC. Graham Norton gets £2.5m from the BBC just to squawk annoyingly, Sara Cox gets hundreds of thousands to make me almost crash as I dive for the off switch whenever she comes on the radio, and director of television Jana Bennett gets paid £321,000 a year to approve crap shows like Celebrity Basement Bargain Hunt

Phew - rant over!

Good rant Mark..

Those stats make you wonder HOW it was ever allowed to go that way in the first place..

Any clues?

It's not because of the way the Government have allowed it to run is it, 'cos I've got no more pills at the mo..

What I mean is, are the RIGHT people being fired???

I'm with you Guys.

I remember the Beeb as the bastion. The one dependable place, free from viewer ratings battles, unbiased reportage (or as close as you can get) even the soviets used it to get the real news, and true groundbreaking shows. Those were their strengths.

Why did they try to compete on a commercial basis for viewers when there was no 'need'? Why ditch all the plus points that made it the good old beeb, distinct and quality-ridden?

Now they are sadly more like ITV without the ads. Cheap pandering crap with the occasional blockbuster that bombs because they've piled in 'names' not necessarily talent. Because they've become so blatantly biased in reportage that it's cringe-worthy. Because they've forgotten that one generation of talent will eventually wither and die (unless you're Wogan, Brucie, or Parkie) and if you haven't invested in the next then you're bolloxed.

Quote: Frankie Rage @ October 19, 2007, 10:10 AM

Didn't that Englishman Logie Baird invent TV? (YES he did...)

View original

Erm, well he was a Scot, but the magic happened in London, so I suppose one could still argue that it was an English invention.

Quote: Mark @ October 19, 2007, 10:48 AM

- cuts in the news room. This is getting better but they're still wasting money. (e.g. sending Hugh Edwards to stand in Iraq to deliver the 10pm news when he could just as well do it from the London studio). Also 'silly duplication' - e.g. the example I always remember is that when Ellen MacArthur sailed into Falmouth a couple of years ago the BBC sent almost 100 people down there because each station has a seperate reporting team (5 Live could easily have reported for Radio 1 Newsbeat too etc)

View original

Yes, this is f**king barmy. Apparently at some point recently, Mark Thompson had made an announcement about something (i.e. not this week), and so Channel 4 sent a reporter. ITV sent a reporter. As did Channel Five, and Sky News.

Auntie sent no less than 37.

Even aside from that, I was shocked beyond words to see that the newsrooms are seperate. I'd always just assumed that the TV, radio and online news people were at least in the same room together, if not the exact same people just feeding everything in to a central system. Now, small crews with small, local newsrooms at regional stations I don't think anyone can argue with, but again the TV and radio news peoples in each of those need to be the same. Mental!

whos cuts and why is he going BBC?

Quote: Aaron @ October 19, 2007, 9:24 AM

and I can't believe that TV Centre is the next to go.

View original

That bit really upsets me.

Yeah next they'll be axing PC World the bar stewards! *shakes fist*

TV Centre is a right shit hole, ever been there? It's a labyrinth of useless space. The studios are OK, just big open spaces really. But the wiring and stuff in the studios is pretty archaic.

Yes, some great programs were made there but the magic is on screen not in some old bricks..

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Quote: Aaron @ October 19, 2007, 9:03 PM

Erm, well he was a Scot, but the magic happened in London, so I suppose one could still argue that it was an English invention.

View original

Logie Baird, with a name like Logie he can't have been a Scot, anyway they never invented nothing except tossing the caber!

Quote: Frankie Rage @ October 20, 2007, 2:41 AM

TV Centre is a right shit hole, ever been there? It's a labyrinth of useless space. The studios are OK, just big open spaces really. But the wiring and stuff in the studios is pretty archaic.

View original

Oh, many, many times. It's no worse than most schools.

But why do they need so many stations - then keep repeating everything to fill the time up.

Have I got news for you is repeated twice, Robin Hood repeated the following day at almost the same time.