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BBC must focus on unique / distinctive content

Infinite Chaos said:
Is this why we get things like "Strictly Come Dancing" extended? Not just the show which has now puffed out beyond all recognition with extended mini-movies before each dance (my daughter wants to dance) and then another follow up show on Sunday and then 5 half hourly weekday slots? Is this why we get not just masterchef but junior masterchef, celebrity masterchef etc etc

I could name more but I think you must think all this is marvellous TV.

We must get all that filler not because we have too many channels from an overstretched BBC but because we have a broadcaster to be proud of. :confused:
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I don't watch Strictly and I don't watch Masterchef, but I watch plenty of other things that I couldn't find on commercial channels.
 
Once, not that many decades ago, the BBC acknowledged it had a duty to be impartial. But long since it has shifted to being 'indepentdent' - in other words being out of control. Even under the new arrangements the BBC will itself choose over half the Board members that supposedly govern it, on behalf of the public who pay a poll-tax to the BBC on pain of imprisonment if they refuse.

Anything other than the impartiality of the BBC being independently monitored is a disgrace.
 
Chagos said:
Sorry to interject, Andy (and IC). I'm way from up to date on reception opportunities down here by now. When Astra's foot print for UK completely rubbed out Southern Spain, my main concern was being overjoyed at not having the TV blocked by the wife heavily panting for the next Eastenders episode, so I never pursued alternatives.:roll:

With wife now having passed and me having moved house last summer I could have investigated but haven't come around to it yet.

So, question: How do you receive?

I know of (and sometimes use, bandwidth permitting) internet alternatives and have seen adverts down here by the usual Brit cowboys offering Satellite (again). What's actually out there?

Obviously not a pressing need but just BBC and Sky News (both the world versions) via a different Sat feed does get kind of "skinny" in the long run. Even where there's no buffering.
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FILMON TV FREE LIVE TV MOVIES AND SOCIAL TELEVISION is free.

Alternatively you can get one of the many IPTV deals going around, although some are being cracked down on because of them sending Sky channels also :)

Sky News is live on Youtube.
 
The thing that hit me the hardest in this BBC suggested change, was the make up of the board. Politically appointed person are expanding as far as I see... which aint good, especially with the right wing around trying to control the media.
 
Infinite Chaos said:
Hmm, I think a huge opportunity has been missed. Things I would like to have seen as the targets for the BBC - without going into the politics of Conservative / Labour meddling. I'm not so bothered about the BBC having


  1. Smaller size BBC focusing on higher quality programming. Less channels, less Radio Stations
  2. High quality education & dramatic programs aimed at a range of audiences but capable of competing with anything satellite broacasters can produce or buy. (Making programs for underserved audiences shouldn't mean lesser quality)
  3. Highest standard in Broadcast Journalism and impartiality in reporting - with external panels to review impartiality
  4. Website to focus on News and less on "magazine / lifestyle" articles.

Thoughts?
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I listen to 3 hours of BBC early morning information every Sunday and otherwise on each 3rd day. Though, they have been known to follow biased tracks from time to time, when they did obviously knowingly inform the public in a selective way, they are one of the most evenhanded delivery systems for global information I know of.
 
Andalublue said:
I don't watch Strictly and I don't watch Masterchef, but I watch plenty of other things that I couldn't find on commercial channels.
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.........................................!

The point was about the extended fluff found on a hugely extended BBC. 11 years ago, Michael Grade promised there would be less prime time repeats and I suspect the 1 in 10 has actually improved but instead of lots of repeats we now have extended programs as I said before. Shows outside prime time are not what I would hope for and yeah - I know it costs to make an episode of drama but if there was a smaller BBC with the same licence fee there wouldn't be the same need to try and fill all those airwaves.

Do we need 9 channels here (1, 2, 4, Alba News 24, Parliament, CBBC, Cbeebies and S4C?) It was 10 but BBC 3 is now internet only but it would make number 10.

Do we need a BBC America?

Do we need 17 radio channels? (one tag extra for all the local radio stations)
 
Infinite Chaos said:
.........................................!

The point was about the extended fluff found on a hugely extended BBC. 11 years ago, Michael Grade promised there would be less prime time repeats and I suspect the 1 in 10 has actually improved but instead of lots of repeats we now have extended programs as I said before. Shows outside prime time are not what I would hope for and yeah - I know it costs to make an episode of drama but if there was a smaller BBC with the same licence fee there wouldn't be the same need to try and fill all those airwaves.

Do we need 9 channels here (1, 2, 4, Alba News 24, Parliament, CBBC, Cbeebies and S4C?) It was 10 but BBC 3 is now internet only but it would make number 10.
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Alba and S4C are both minority language channels. Left to the market they wouldn't exist. You have to decide for yourself whether that would be a positive or negative thing. I'd argue the latter. Strongly.

CBBC and CBeebies are essential channels for any stressed but responsible parent. My breeding friends absolutely swear by them.

Do we need a BBC America?
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Is not paid for by the licence fee payer. Actually makes a good profit.

Do we need 17 radio channels? (one tag extra for all the local radio stations)
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Try living in a country with only commercial radio available. BBC radio is mind-blowingly good and caters to virtually every possible constituency, every class of picence fee payer, and radio is cheap. One series of Poldark would pay for almost an entire year's broadcasting on Radio 2.
 
They can start with Doctor Who, show needs a massive reboot again.
 
Higgins86 said:
They can start with Doctor Who, show needs a massive reboot again.
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I haven't really watched it since Russell T. Davies stopped running the show. I find Moffat's story-telling abysmal.
 
Andalublue said:
I haven't really watched it since Russell T. Davies stopped running the show. I find Moffat's story-telling abysmal.
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looking forward to seeing Russell T. Davies adaptation of a Midsummer's night dream.
 
Andalublue said:
Alba and S4C are both minority language channels. Left to the market they wouldn't exist. You have to decide for yourself whether that would be a positive or negative thing. I'd argue the latter. Strongly.
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Alba and S4C are there to placate the locals who argue that England otherwise hates them.

Andalublue said:
CBBC and CBeebies are essential channels for any stressed but responsible parent. My breeding friends absolutely swear by them.
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And they were simply removed from normal scheduling between 15.30 to 17.59p.m. and made into all day channels to babysit kids. Also, in support of what I'm arguing - trying to fill TV slots from 06.00 in the morning to 19.00p.m. means OFCOM say there is too much poor quality and foreign imports of programming on those channels.


Andalublue said:
~ Try living in a country with only commercial radio available. BBC radio is mind-blowingly good and caters to virtually every possible constituency, every class of picence fee payer, and radio is cheap. One series of Poldark would pay for almost an entire year's broadcasting on Radio 2.
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One series of Poldark does not make up for the poor quality and empty fluff on 9 BBC channels for the rest of the year.
 
Infinite Chaos said:
Alba and S4C are there to placate the locals who argue that England otherwise hates them.
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That comment kinda proves their point, doesn't it?

And they were simply removed from normal scheduling between 15.30 to 17.59p.m. and made into all day channels to babysit kids. Also, in support of what I'm arguing - trying to fill TV slots from 06.00 in the morning to 19.00p.m. means OFCOM say there is too much poor quality and foreign imports of programming on those channels.
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That's the opposite of what Ofcom was saying. They were not referring to the BBC kids' channels, but the commercial alternatives. From that article:

Ed Richards, Ofcom's chief executive, said the amount of programming for children being produced in Britain is "not as good as it would ideally be."

Speaking to the Culture, Media and Sport comittee, Richards went on to say: "It would be a lot worse if you did not have the BBC and there was a complete vacuum and essentially we just had poor quality or exclusively imports of children's programmes from other countries."
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One series of Poldark does not make up for the poor quality and empty fluff on 9 BBC channels for the rest of the year.
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Missing the point again, IC. Poldark (which IS empty fluff IMHO) is expensive, whereas all those BBC radio channels, most which are excellent, are using licence fee money well and extremely cost-effectively. I'd be happy to decommission Poldark but protect 6 Music, or Asian Network, since they do real public service broadcasting.
 
Andalublue said:
That comment kinda proves their point, doesn't it?
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LOL, what? I see a sense in having Welsh and Scottish (Gaelic) language channels but that still leaves 8 English language channels largely filled with fluff.

Andalublue said:
That's the opposite of what Ofcom was saying. They were not referring to the BBC kids' channels, but the commercial alternatives. From that article:
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Is it?

Ed Richards, the chief executive of media regulator Ofcom, told MPs that the amount of home-grown children’s programmes on British television was “not as good as it would ideally be”. He told MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport committee: “It would a lot worse if you did not have the BBC and there was a complete vacuum and essentially we just had poor quality or exclusively imports of children’s programme from other countries.”
He said: “The BBC is at its best when it is also being challenged by innovation, development, high quality programmes from other companies as well.
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I see the BBC being seen as underperforming because the alternative channels are being lazy. Nowhere in his submission to the committee does he say the BBC is consistently producing high quality home grown programmes.

Andalublue said:
~ Missing the point again, IC. Poldark (which IS empty fluff IMHO) is expensive, whereas all those BBC radio channels, most which are excellent, are using licence fee money well and extremely cost-effectively. I'd be happy to decommission Poldark but protect 6 Music, or Asian Network, since they do real public service broadcasting.
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Ah, I see, you set me up with Poldark, I take it Poldark was this time produced by Sky? My point remains - if you have lots of channels under your remit and only so much money the law of diminishing returns shows that you cannot hope to keep quality up by spreading your resource thinner and thinner.
 
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