Help shape the BBC

George

We will leave to one side referring to the country with the 5th biggest economy in the world as a second rate European power but have you really never heard of soft power which the BBC epitomises. I understand that they are even going to show the xmas edition of Sherlock in Chinese cinemas for god's sake. That is global reach and is priceless for this country.

Surely if Germany is the first power in Europe all other Europeans are at least second rate?

Just a thought!

ATB from George

PS: Mind you cozying up to the Chiness may not be all that clever in itself!

Lionel, George (or Frisky Fred or whatever he calls himself this week ) seems to be very vocal about paedophiles at the BBC but strangely quiet about kiddy-fiddling priests in the Catholic Church, which is a far worse problem, as I suspect he knows. But why let facts get in the way of an agenda, eh?

Dear Kevin,

If I were a Catholic, or even very committed religious person, then you might have a point, but fortunately I am unable to contribute to the Catholic coffers or those of any other religion as I simply do not attend their services!

Very best from George

Where did I say I wanted you to disappear or "be disappeared"? Or even hint that I wanted to silence you? I merely suggested you follow your own advice and said that I found your tropes tiresome.

This particular post, which carries a whiff of self-pity, says more about you and your motives than it does about me, I'm afraid.

Try harder next time.

George. Hole in stop digging. That is a ridiculous response.

Just another couple of thoughts, BBC4 is currently running an excellent documentary series on The Hundred Years War. Just name me one commercial broadcaster who would do that. Moreover since you are so keen on live concerts what is your opinion of the regional orchestras that the BBC supports. Waste of licence fee money?

Dear Kevin,

I have lived enough life to have not an iota of self-pity! If you thought you detected it then I can definitely say the detection was ill-founded1

George

So the fact that you're not a Catholic, and that you don't fill its coffers, means that kiddy-fiddling in the Church is of no interest to you? So non-public-funded depravity or illegal activity is OK?

And yet you moan about "moral decline"?

I'm an atheist, and I would like this culture of priestly pederasty and paedophilia to be dealt with, and those responsible for it (and covering it up) be brought to account and where appropriate, punished.

Camlan, every village needs its idiot, and our little forum community has its very own in the shape of this chap.

Dear Camlan,

On concerts, I believe that they exist on their own level and should not be be broadcast at a general cost.

I believe the BBC has no business running concerts or orchestras as financed by a Tax on watching TV in the UK. The BBC may consider it worth broadcasting a classical or pop concert or two a week from the commercial sector if there are subscribers for such a service.

ATB from George

Of course not, but this thread is about the BBC not the RC Church.

Start a thread on that and I may [or may not] have something to add. Your point is a red-herring on a thread about the BBC.

ATB from George

George

I can see that we are not going to agree on this so let me just say that if you leave the cultural health

of this country in the hands of commercial interests then it will quickly be on it's death bed.

Just one more, the magnificent BBC2 Shakespeare cycle - as long as there is the means to preserve visual output that will stand as an item of record. ITV, Sky or Channel 4 wouldn't even have considered attempting it. 

Are filmed theatre or broadcast classical concerts remotely important these days? To most people I mean. They are important for me, but I would survive without for all that ...

When every great recording and theatrical production is readily available on the net then why bother to spend money on it?

I doubt that it makes any difference to the average person these days, and the elite can afford to attend the live events, thus ensuring the livelihoods of the performers. Recordings and broadcasts actually diminish the livings of performing artists overall!

It is an interesting and delicate point. At one time the chances of hearing a Beethoven Symphony were related to owning a very expensive wireless receiver, but now anyone with an iPod and an iTunes account can get if for less than a five pound note. 

Times have moved on, ...

ATB from George

OK I give up, if just pandering to the lowest common denominator is acceptable then you have fairly summarised the future.

Just let me finish by saying that, in my opinion, if it is the case, and for the record it isn't, that there is only one truly world class organisation in this country then it is definitely the BBC. Like others on this thread, if you don't believe then travel!

So long as fine VHF/FM concerts are broadcast [in the UK] then i’ll make an effort to receive them as they are significant for me, but the times are changing. When the live broadcast culture based on the License Fee stops, I’ll revert to recordings already purchased, and going to live events as I can afford. I see no reason to expect that those who want to watch the normal UK television should subsidise my wish [and current ability] to listen to live Radio Three concerts for example. But if Radio Three where to be available as a subscription service then I’d pay for it if I could afford it

It will not happen that way of course, and I am in no position to affect the future of it.

Best wishes from George

OK George I just can't resist this. Tell you what you can have Radio 3 for a very reasonable £145 a year and I will throw in 50+ other radio stations, 4 TV channels and attendant cultural products.

Deal?

No deal! Forty Pounds GBP for Radio Three and Radio Four alone! No TV, no Radio One [and the rest] and no further £105.

Fair deals. Pay for what you get. Don’t subsidise the people who want something different, and please don’t ask for my ilk to be subsidised by others. If that will not do then I’ll abstain ... Most people don’t want to pay for the cultural riches that are available, and I am all for them not doing so.

Best wishes from George

So to take that argument to its logical conclusion, if the only music you liked was say Stravinsky's The Firebird and that was only played on average twice a year by the BBC then you would only want to pay 2p?

Cant you see that your proposed solution of people only paying for what they want just won't work on any level?

If my musical taste extended to Stravinsky’s Firebird alone, then I’d buy every recording of it for my existing replay system, and attend every live concert in Britain each year, which might amount to only two in any given year! It might amount to a bit more than two pence a year, but small beer in any case ...

But I can see that, as one can with Sky, one might subscribe to a specific range of Radio or TV channels. I imagine Radio Three and Radio Four might be rather more expensive than Radio One or Radio Two ...

Very best wishes from George

Actually all the radio channels are free. The licence fee is required to be paid only for the TV channels.....

Which makes radio 3 rather exceptional value for those of us in the UK.

best

David

But David, that is unfair as well.

Isn’t it? Why should anyone who watches TV in the UK support Radio Three, which has a tiny if regular audience? The Radio Three audience [and many Radio Three people have no interest in TV or paying the License] should not be subsidised in that way for fairness’ sake.

Good value certainly; theft is good value for the thief!

ATB from George

George

i am going to post once more then leave it.

From the previous posts your position seems to be that:

1. I ain't paying a penny to those communist leaning and paedophile apologists the BBC.

2. Having said that I rather like Radio 3 and 4 so notwithstanding the fact that I think the poor fools who do pay the licence fee (that's me by the way) shouldn't have to subsidise them il'll listen to them anyway.

3. Notwithstanding the above if said communist leaning and paedophile apologists the BBC show something I want to see  on the TV, I'll go round my friends, who do pay the licence fee to watch it.

If I have that right it seems a somewhat contradictory position to say the least?

Well not quite.

I have zero interest in TV. If it is on in a friend’s house I am much too polite to ask for it to be turned off. I do not count that watching as such!

The last TV I actually watched  by [accidntally] tuning in [at a friend’s house] was James Arthur getting some talent award. That was the last nail for TV for me! It was like watching a slow motion car crash without the risk of anyone being hurt apart from aurally in the process! 

I doubt that my listening to what are free radio broadcasts today means that I am actively supporting communist apologists or pederasts, but I do not think that the anomalous situation of free radio based on a License Fee on watching TV in the UK can or should continue indefinitely.

But if there were a scheme that allowed me to pay for quality radio then I would entertain the idea if I could afford it. 

ATB from George