BBC is threatened to become privitised.

[Vonnerz]

Idle talk over lunch turns into a policy statement by a rightist think tank.

Questions to ask - what is C4's response to this report? Have they dismissed it out of hand? If not then I think my above statement could hold true perhaps.

Regarding the BBC...the BBC is and always has been the target of rightist think tanks and politicians. This is more gnawing at the BBC charter.

However there is a case to be made with regard to the commercial arm of the BBC. It seems that there is little transparency in terms of expenditure and subsidy of BBC programming from BBCWorld.

Having said that I see little wrong with that if there is proper transparency. This is also one of the fundamental issues with the BBC. The lack of accountability of BBC managers as well as the size of the BBC management structure.

Is the BBC bias free? Of course not. Is it a voice of whichever government is in power? Of course not. Is it the voice of the opposition? Of course not. You might ask where the bias lies then. I think the bias lies with the BBC itself...after all it needs to compete against a number of other news agencies from AFP to Reuters. If the BBC can gee up its image it will do so.

[Wallonochia]

You know the BBC doesn't just do news, right? It has eight TV (not including numerous local variants) and countless radio stations, most of which have very little to do with the news section.

There's even a BBC America that shows reruns of Benny Hill. Hell yes.

[Greed and Death]

You know the BBC doesn't just do news, right? It has eight TV (not including numerous local variants) and countless radio stations, most of which have very little to do with the news section.

There's even a BBC America that shows reruns of Benny Hill. Hell yes.

did you ask America for permission ?
damn BBC not asking my permission.

[Vozgia]

To be honest, I had no idea that the BBC wasn't a part of private business. Well, that explains why there so good with the news.

[Vonnerz]

To be honest, I had no idea that the BBC wasn't a part of private business. Well, that explains why there so good with the news.

There are two parts - the BBC proper which is funded by the taxpayer and BBCWorld which is the commercial arm of the BBC.

I am not entirely certain of the relationship between the two in terms of subsidising BBC programming but BBC World does seem to make a tidy profit out of taxpayer funded programming....

[Vozgia]

I didn't know that either, interesting. All of this is very foreign to me, I am an American after all.

[Vonnerz]

I didn't know that either, interesting. All of this is very foreign to me, I am an American after all.

We all have our imperfections I myself am half English half American LOL

[Dehn]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8458271.stm

The BBC must undergo a radical overhaul and Channel 4 should be privatised, a think tank has said in a report on the future of UK broadcasting.

The centre-right Policy Exchange "

I stopped reading after that, as should everyone.

[My 3rd Floor Flat]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8458271.stm

The BBC must undergo a radical overhaul and Channel 4 should be privatised, a think tank has said in a report on the future of UK broadcasting.

The centre-right Policy Exchange "

I stopped reading after that, as should everyone.

Exactly. I read that and went "pffft".

[Vonnerz]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8458271.stm

The BBC must undergo a radical overhaul and Channel 4 should be privatised, a think tank has said in a report on the future of UK broadcasting.

The centre-right Policy Exchange "

I stopped reading after that, as should everyone.

Exactly. I read that and went "pffft".

well its not like its the Centre for Policy Studies...and I do rather like to abide by the 'know your enemy' tenet...

[You-Gi-Owe]

An independent think tank recommends that Channel 4 (i.e. not the BBC) be privatised and that the BBC sell its commercial wing, and that amounts to the BBC being threatened with privatisation?

That's like saying that if I got a group of ten friends together and we agreed that Channel 4 should be privatised the BBC was being threatened.

Lack of funding from the commercial wing could potentially ruin some of my programs.

Let's assume that there are people with money that like the BBC as it is and are willing to invest in it. People that agree with the current BBC political stance and programming. If those people buy the BBC and want to make money with it, would you be upset?

[Karsol]

An independent think tank recommends that Channel 4 (i.e. not the BBC) be privatised and that the BBC sell its commercial wing, and that amounts to the BBC being threatened with privatisation?

That's like saying that if I got a group of ten friends together and we agreed that Channel 4 should be privatised the BBC was being threatened.

Lack of funding from the commercial wing could potentially ruin some of my programs.

Let's assume that there are people with money that like the BBC as it is and are willing to invest in it. People that agree with the current BBC political stance and programming. If those people buy the BBC and want to make money with it, would you be upset?

Yes, The market is fickle and the stance could change to get more viewers.

[You-Gi-Owe]

An independent think tank recommends that Channel 4 (i.e. not the BBC) be privatised and that the BBC sell its commercial wing, and that amounts to the BBC being threatened with privatisation?

That's like saying that if I got a group of ten friends together and we agreed that Channel 4 should be privatised the BBC was being threatened.

Lack of funding from the commercial wing could potentially ruin some of my programs.

Let's assume that there are people with money that like the BBC as it is and are willing to invest in it. People that agree with the current BBC political stance and programming. If those people buy the BBC and want to make money with it, would you be upset?

Yes, The market is fickle and the stance could change to get more viewers.

So, you think that money (if only to pay the bills) corrupts, even the good of heart?

[Pope Joan]

The BBC News section is a powerful propaganda tool that the UK government would be foolish to surrender it has a reputation for fairness (even when it isn't) and is well regarded world wide.

As far as the entertainment section is concerned, there are two primary considerations. Did the BBC buy it or did it produce it? The BBC should not be using purchased content such as American sitcoms etc ( I don't know if they do this) . By doing this they effectively engage in unfair competition with other broadcasters. I also don't believe that they should be profiting from advertising in the same way that private broadcasters do.

I agree with you that the BBC has increasingly become a simple mouthpiece for prevailing government policy.

[Nadkor]

To be honest, I had no idea that the BBC wasn't a part of private business. Well, that explains why there so good with the news.

There are two parts - the BBC proper which is funded by the taxpayer and BBCWorld which is the commercial arm of the BBC.

I am not entirely certain of the relationship between the two in terms of subsidising BBC programming but BBC World does seem to make a tidy profit out of taxpayer funded programming....

Essentially the BBC owns BBC Worldwide, and BBC Worldwide's job is to make money for the BBC to make programmes with.

Considering it makes most of its income from selling BBC shows I've never really understood where the problem lies.

[Nadkor]

The BBC News section is a powerful propaganda tool that the UK government would be foolish to surrender it has a reputation for fairness (even when it isn't) and is well regarded world wide.

As far as the entertainment section is concerned, there are two primary considerations. Did the BBC buy it or did it produce it? The BBC should not be using purchased content such as American sitcoms etc ( I don't know if they do this) . By doing this they effectively engage in unfair competition with other broadcasters. I also don't believe that they should be profiting from advertising in the same way that private broadcasters do.

I agree with you that the BBC has increasingly become a simple mouthpiece for prevailing government policy.

One of the things you'll notice about the BBC is that it gets accused of bias by everyone.

[Vonnerz]

To be honest, I had no idea that the BBC wasn't a part of private business. Well, that explains why there so good with the news.

There are two parts - the BBC proper which is funded by the taxpayer and BBCWorld which is the commercial arm of the BBC.

I am not entirely certain of the relationship between the two in terms of subsidising BBC programming but BBC World does seem to make a tidy profit out of taxpayer funded programming....

Essentially the BBC owns BBC Worldwide, and BBC Worldwide's job is to make money for the BBC to make programmes with.

Considering it makes most of its income from selling BBC shows I've never really understood where the problem lies.

Because the charter (from what I understand anyway) limits the BBC in terms of commercial enterprises. Not sure if you remember the uproar regarding the ACORN/BBC computer thing back in the early 80's or not but that was deemed a questionable activity by many yet swiftly swept under the carpet...

[Abdju]

To be honest, I had no idea that the BBC wasn't a part of private business. Well, that explains why there so good with the news.

There are two parts - the BBC proper which is funded by the taxpayer and BBCWorld which is the commercial arm of the BBC.

I am not entirely certain of the relationship between the two in terms of subsidising BBC programming but BBC World does seem to make a tidy profit out of taxpayer funded programming....

Essentially the BBC owns BBC Worldwide, and BBC Worldwide's job is to make money for the BBC to make programmes with.

Considering it makes most of its income from selling BBC shows I've never really understood where the problem lies.

I agree. Provided the BBC is the one in command of it's commercial subsidary, using it to meet it's mandate, and not vice versa, I don't see a problem. It's when the commercialism dictates what is produced, how and why, that is the cause for concern.

[My 3rd Floor Flat]

One of the things you'll notice about the BBC is that it gets accused of bias by everyone.

Sigged ^^

[Helertia]

This is the same "think tank" (Septic tank?) that recommended we abandon the north and come to live in the lovely sunny south
So this report is a good thing, in a way. Everyone hates it, the incumbent Prime Minister backs off from privatising it and Policy Exchange loses more credibility, which is wonderful

[Inchland]

I think the BBC is a fine station with very good quality progamming, They really shouldn't be changed

[Karsol]

An independent think tank recommends that Channel 4 (i.e. not the BBC) be privatised and that the BBC sell its commercial wing, and that amounts to the BBC being threatened with privatisation?

That's like saying that if I got a group of ten friends together and we agreed that Channel 4 should be privatised the BBC was being threatened.

Lack of funding from the commercial wing could potentially ruin some of my programs.

Let's assume that there are people with money that like the BBC as it is and are willing to invest in it. People that agree with the current BBC political stance and programming. If those people buy the BBC and want to make money with it, would you be upset?

Yes, The market is fickle and the stance could change to get more viewers.

So, you think that money (if only to pay the bills) corrupts, even the good of heart?

Did not The phrophet Jesus say that in the temple of Jerusalem?

[Tagmatium]

I think the BBC is a fine station with very good quality progamming, They really shouldn't be changed

It's like Murdouche's son having a bitch about it, that it owns too much of the market and it ought to be disbanded, so that Fox can get its fangs more deeply embedded into the British populace.

They only dislike it because it isn't doing what they want.

[Imitora]

As an American...

This is gonna suck. One of the major reasons Top Gear is as good as it is, and would fail in the US, is because it isn't beholden to sponsors. If Clarkson, Capt. Slow, and Hammond have to follow what sponsors tell them to for funding...oh that is just fucking fail.

[Inchland]

I think the BBC is a fine station with very good quality progamming, They really shouldn't be changed

It's like Murdouche's son having a bitch about it, that it owns too much of the market and it ought to be disbanded, so that Fox can get its fangs more deeply embedded into the British populace.

They only dislike it because it isn't doing what they want.

Ok, so maybe i kinda like the BBC a lot...