George Entwistle - Clueless? [Update: He's resigned]

[L00b]

You apparently see the tax as great value for money

No. I see what (content/service) is made with the tax proceeds as great value for money.

 

That's not a play on words - there is a fundamental difference.

 

Contrast it with, say, the Millenium Dome, and other such vanity/white elephant projects delivered orders of magnitude above budget, also paid out of taxation (general or not, is not the point, for appreciating value for money).

I see millions of people watching stuff like eastenders and strictly whose lives would not be turned upside down if they had to watch a few adverts for the privilege and in return the licence fee was at the least substantially reduced or better abolished.

That did not happen wherever I have seen it done/tried.

 

France was originally working on the UK model for ages (no ads on state TV, with license fee as its sole sustenance), then went 'semi-commercial' as you suggest. The license fee never went down, and these days, there are as much, if not more(!), adverts on state TV channels (France 2, France 3, etc.) as on purely-commercial channels (TF1, M6). And the same dross (car crash TV: game shows, celeb-themed shows, many of them following formats imported from the UK's BBC, ITV and C4 etc), in substantially the same proportions.

 

I would expect a corresponding UK attempt to follow that model of 'evolution' to the letter.

 

There is absolutely no channel over there, where you can expect quality nature, political, investigative etc. content not to be cut every 15 minutes by 5 to 7 mintues' worth of adverts. Is that really what you are advocating? Because you can't have your cake and eating it, especially these days: either all programs are advert-interrupted, or none. Broadcasters do not have the entire balance of power to themselves, with advertisers.

 

You have also not considered the budgetary requirements on advertisers, expected to support an additional 2 to 5 mainstream channels (BBC1/2/3/4, maybe more) and the impact the lower revenue (distributed between more broadcasters) would have on quality of content (benefitting from correspondingly less investment).

Why's that relevant to George Entwistle?

My take on the payoff issue is that (i) there was absolutely no need for him to fall on his sword. Public hysteria/the ongoing paedo-McCarthism made it so. And (ii) the payoff was contractually agreed before anyone knew the guy would be pushed through the door 2 months later, so in the above context, this latest criticism of the payoff (especially by the political class) is just hypocrisy of the highest order.

 

Considering RBS'Fred and Barclays'Bob (bonuses paid thx to taxpayers' bailout), it's small beer indeer - barely worth a mention.

[Phanerothyme]

Considering RBS'Fred and Barclays'Bob (bonuses paid thx to taxpayers' bailout), it's small beer indeer - barely worth a mention.

Very important point there, in addition to all the other excellent points.

 

The BBC is one of the few British things that still commands worldwide respect. To throw it away, or erode it with endless cuts to services, is a catastrophe.

[JFKvsNixon]

No. I see what (content/service) is made with the tax proceeds as great value for money.

 

That's not a play on words - there is a fundamental difference.

 

Contrast it with, say, the Millenium Dome, and other such vanity/white elephant projects delivered orders of magnitude above budget, also paid out of taxation (general or not, is not the point, for appreciating value for money).

That did not happen wherever I have seen it done/tried.

 

France was originally working on the UK model for ages (no ads on state TV, with license fee as its sole sustenance), then went 'semi-commercial' as you suggest. The license fee never went down, and these days, there are as much, if not more(!), adverts on state TV channels (France 2, France 3, etc.) as on purely-commercial channels (TF1, M6). And the same dross (car crash TV: game shows, celeb-themed shows, many of them following formats imported from the UK's BBC, ITV and C4 etc), in substantially the same proportions.

 

I would expect a corresponding UK attempt to follow that model of 'evolution' to the letter.

 

There is absolutely no channel over there, where you can expect quality nature, political, investigative etc. content not to be cut every 15 minutes by 5 to 7 mintues' worth of adverts. Is that really what you are advocating? Because you can't have your cake and eating it, especially these days: either all programs are advert-interrupted, or none. Broadcasters do not have the entire balance of power to themselves, with advertisers.

 

You have also not considered the budgetary requirements on advertisers, expected to support an additional 2 to 5 mainstream channels (BBC1/2/3/4, maybe more) and the impact the lower revenue (distributed between more broadcasters) would have on quality of content (benefitting from correspondingly less investment).

My take on the payoff issue is that (i) there was absolutely no need for him to fall on his sword. Public hysteria/the ongoing paedo-McCarthism made it so. And (ii) the payoff was contractually agreed before anyone knew the guy would be pushed through the door 2 months later, so in the above context, this latest criticism of the payoff (especially by the political class) is just hypocrisy of the highest order.

 

Considering RBS'Fred and Barclays'Bob (bonuses paid thx to taxpayers' bailout), it's small beer indeer - barely worth a mention.

 

You also have to remember that commercial TV core business is selling advertising space, that is what the programs are there for. The BBC has a different remit, once it starts selling adverts this remit changes for good.

[esme]

Mod Note

 

I believe the topic is George Entwistle ? If you want to discuss the relative merits of sky vs terrestrial TV or whether there should be a license fee or whether music should be free please start another thread.

 

If I have to repeat this warning again then the thread will be closed.

[gnvqsos]

I wonder if Mr Entwhistle will get a free licence as part of his package?I also wonder if he watches Sky TV to have a bit of a change?Perhaps George will end up on I am a Calamity-Get me out of here with Lembit Opic,George Galloway and Arthur Scargill.

[spilldig]

The bbc waste money.For a start we don't need the radio stations. The airwaves are crammed with stations.

[Halibut]

The bbc waste money.For a start we don't need the radio stations. The airwaves are crammed with stations.

 

Many of which (I'm thinking commercial pop stations here) are utterly rubbish.

 

BB4 Radio four is simply the best talk radio station in existence; BBC6 Music is outstanding and has a high international reputation. I hear 1 is good for the kids.