The BBC

Never! Not without a fight sisters!

Count me in for that fight!!

Me too. I'll chain myself to the railings if necessary!

The political dogma of competition looming once more; the concept of a service once more not grasped. Sigh.

I'd be even happier if we could have the old BBC back, instead of this pallid cringing replica that I no longer bother with...

Did you not watch the interview between Obama and David Attenborough, feetle? You missed a treat.

There are some excellent programmes on BBC4 - and the proms are coming - hooray!!

I will join the fight. We need the BBC to give us a break from continuous reality TV and American imports.

Did you know that there was a BBC privatisation bill going through parliament?
It had its first reading last month.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33519385

It's about time Tony Hall stood up for the BBC. Apparently 97% of households use the BBC, up from 96% last year, so the public want to carry on with it. More people want to keep the licence than pay any other way.
There's a good breakdown of how much each household spends on each part of the BBC.

There's a petition doing the rounds to Save the BBC from government interference. I've already signed.

Hope everyone else has seen it to???

Tooooooopoooppp

Blasted iPad

Too!

Does anyone remember James Murdoch's lecture in 2009 in which he lambasted the BBC? He described it as "The Addams Family of world media". He said "The BBC feels empowered to offer something for everyone, even in areas well served by the market."

These are exactly the same noises as are gaining momentum now - that the BBC should just concentrate on its "public service" remit, which to some people means not producing programmes that bring high rating figures, such as Strictly and The Voice. My feeling is that if the BBC is limited to solely catering to "minority tastes" on niche subjects, the next step will be to say that rating figures are so low that the existence of the BBC can no longer be justified.

James Murdoch was also pretty furious with Ofcom which, I think, was at that time in the process of investigating whether the BSkyB pay-TV group was operating within the rules re monopolies.

The Murdochs would very much like to see the back of the BBC and it seems their agenda has the backing of many powerful allies.

James Murdoch and the right (which generally forms a substantial part of the anti-BBC lobby) complain that the licence fee is a "regressive tax". But you won't hear them complaining about the unfairness of a VAT rate of 20%, even though VAT is paid by everyone, regardless of income, and so has a far greater impact on the poor than does the cost of a TV licence.

Fine, I want to keep BBC, I don't mind the fee, but I do object to the likes of the Top Gear presenters old and new getting millions to present a show. They are not saving lives, get real BBC!

I do agree rubylady that some of the presenters are getting ridiculous amounts of money but, much as I dislike shows like Top Gear, they - and their presenters - are popular.

If the BBC is going to continue to produce progammes with mass appeal, such as Top Gear, Strictly and The Voice, rather than concentrate on minority interest programmes, then to some extent they have to compete with the commercial channels for their presenters. Like many people, TV presenters want to be paid the going rate and, in the main, are not likely to forego the top money that commercial channels and work for the BBC instead.

If the BBC's range of programmes becomes more "niche", fewer people will watch it and I believe that will then provide the required grounds for getting rid of it.

I really don't understand why some people say there is nothing of interest or quality to watch on the BBC. There have been some fabulous one-off dramas like The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries, Marvellous, etc., some great series like Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Spooks, Silk, etc., and a host of light entertainment and quiz shows, current affairs, consumer information and documentary programmes - surely something for everyone?

And, of course, BBC radio adds yet another dimension.

Do we get a chance to say anything about it? We want to keep the BBC providing they sort out the pay structure?

theconversation.com/now-is-the-time-to-decide-what-kind-of-bbc-do-you-want-44735

Absolutely right: this is also a constitutional matter, - one cannot have constitutional democracy without independent objective sources of information. The British media are controlled by very narrow personal interests, the BBC, - far from being left wing, has been cowed by these undemocratic interests and pressures from government. Apparently though it is not supine enough, and also competes too succesfully with foreign and tax-avoiding agenda-driven media moguls. We have very few world class truly British businesses or institutions left, and for all its faults, -and there are many, - the BBC is just that. I see no problems with a publicly owned British business- especially one with a reputation for integrity) competing effectively on a world scale. The licence fee is excellent value for money. If there are problems with management, or establishment thinking, or centralisation in London, - there are ways and time to address them apart from gutting the BBC. Furthermore, on principle, the BBC should not be funding free licences ofrom the licence fee. Technological changes are used as a spurious reason for moving away from licence fee revenue. By paying collectively we ensure maximum quality at minimum cost, and that a world class media industry thrives in the UK. It is a no-brainer, - unless the driving force is actually quite extreme ideology. Its the same logic that says its OK for German State railways to run our trains, but a publicly owned UK company can not be allowed to compete.

While I think there are some rubbish program's on the BBC it is the channel we watch most. In fact we never actually watch anything on the others we record them and skip through the adverts. The BBC provides the best news coverage and I didn't understand the people who found the election coverage left wing. I found it balanced as always. So count me in. I'm happy to pay the license fee and don't expect it to be free when I reach 75 or whatever.

The BBC is a hard act to follow! It sets a standard which other broadcasters hope to achieve, and must be preserved.

Which other channels broadcast breaking news & headlines, along with intelligent political discussion and comment, from 5 am in the morning? The quality of BBC worldwide news is phenomenal.

The licence fee is reasonable considering the quality of news, comment, political discussion, dramas, series, and live entertainment.

However, I feel that the BBC's views should be totally unbiased, which occasionally they are not! And I do feel that salaries of executives, perks, colossal payments to presenters such as Gary Lineker, etc should be reviewed.

Us viewers and listeners must take action to save the BBC from ideologically- driven cuts. Email your MP, talk to everyone about it and sign any petition going, e.g. you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/protect- the-BBC-from-damaging-government-interference, or the one being run by the broadcasting union, BECTU. Otherwise, in ten years time, we ll be left with shreds and patches of the BBC we know now.

It would seem like the end of the UK without the BBC. Here they are again putting down and trying to destroy something that the rest of the world thinks is wonderful and praises. The BBC is watched and listened to all over the world and its programmes are very highly rated for there outstanding quality. Another great export. (My American friends seem to be watching BBC programmes soon after us and were waiting for the next episode of Poldark.) The BBC News programmes are well respected.

Well worth the licence fee and you can rely on my support.

The Tory party always looks to the price of a thing, they never view it's value.

The BBC, like the NHS, is priceless. The entire nation would be diminished if they get their hands on it. It has my support.