The Future of the BBC

[MrGongGong]

Some hilarious (???) comments after this article ('why oh why oh why' is the Independent infected by Kippertrolls?)

A BBC Trust review had found a “sizeable crossover” between audiences for the two stations and steps have been taken to try to stop their content overlapping

(referring to R1 & 2)

It's MUSIC FFS it's ALL CONNECTED and "overlapping"

from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-10393819.html

[Dave2002]

Someone called Megan Bentall from 38 Degrees has been encouraging me to sign a petition re the BBC. This is part of a message I received earlier today.

So far, the government thinks they can tear our BBC apart by stealth - slowly slipping in cuts and changing the rules. But if hundreds of thousands of us create a huge public outcry now, we can show David Cameron it'd be a political disaster to destroy our BBC [3].
Click here to sign the petition to save our BBC now - it takes 10 seconds to sign:

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/protect-our-bbc

From the Archers, to 6 Music, to Sherlock and Blue Peter, there's a part of the BBC that we all love. The BBC website is often the first place we go to for news that we can trust.

I am concerned that the emphasis seems to be to preserve "exciting" and "award-winning" programmes such as Strictly etc.

Others may have received similar messages.

The "reference list" at the end might be useful - I've not checked it out yet:

1] Sky News: BBC Braced For Government's Cuts Announcement:

http://news.sky.com/story/1519697/bbc-braced-for-governments-cuts-announcement

Yahoo! news: BBC warning as John Whittingdale unveils Government paper on future service:

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/bbc-reform-options-set-government-015337496.html#Aoa3KwB

[2] Daily Mail: Revealed: David Cameron's four secret meetings with Rupert Murdoch that he didn't disclose:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2135379/Revealed-David-Camerons-secret-meetings-Rupert-Murdoch-didnt-disclose.html

[3] The Guardian: Nick Robinson: Cameron threatened to close down BBC on election bus:

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jun/21/nick-robinson-cameron-threatened-close-down-bbc-election-bus

The Telegraph: Tories go to war with the BBC:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/11598450/Tories-go-to-war-with-the-BBC.html

[4] 38 Degrees Blog: Victory - Murdoch withdraws BSkyB bid:

https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2011/07/13/victory-murdoch-withdraws-bskyb-bid/

[5] 38 Degrees Blog: Flashmob outside the BBC:

https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2010/05/25/flashmobs-outside-the-bbc/

[6] Portland Communications: Soft power 30 ranking:

http://softpower30.portland-communications.com/ranking

Of course this is slightly political ....

[MrGongGong]

Of course this is slightly political ....

So lets watch all the Bufton Tuftons who were delighted at the election result start to realise that they are likely to lose Ambridge, Test Match Special, CE, The Proms etc etc

Never mind, that's what "we" apparently want

[Dave2002]

Mr GG

Better watch out - we'll be banished to outer darkness, or Room 101!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rqID3X4vqg for example.

[french frank]

So lets watch all the Bufton Tuftons who were delighted at the election result start to realise that they are likely to lose Ambridge, Test Match Special, CE, The Proms etc etc

Never mind, that's what "we" apparently want

It shows your prejudices that people who like what, apparently, you don't like are Bufton Tuftons.

I just did a quick check of Rajar - there are about 300 radio stations in the UK, including local/regional ones, the vast majority catering for some flavour of popular music. team describes Radio 2 as 'MOR': that is, arguably, what the BBC should NOT cover. Leave it to Saga Radio.

[teamsaint]

It shows your prejudices that people who like what, apparently, you don't like are Bufton Tuftons.

I just did a quick check of Rajar - there are about 300 radio stations in the UK, including local/regional ones, the vast majority catering for some flavour of popular music. team describes Radio 2 as 'MOR': that is, arguably, what the BBC should NOT cover. Leave it to Saga Radio.

Well my MOR is another persons cutting edge....and vice versa.
My point was that the commercial sector does this worse, and in a less popular way than R2, which also offers some genuine public service content, effectively cross subsidised by the Chris Evans and Simon mayo shows.

One might make a similar " leave it to the commercials" argument about CFM and R3.
The answer of course is to leave Radios 1 to 4, all of which do, can and should provide something really distinctive, good quality , valued and at really rather modest cost.

[Dave2002]

Re msg 197, I ought incidentally to mention that at the time of writing I have not signed the petition suggested by 38 Degrees.

While I may agree with some of the aims, and that there are some problems pointed out by the lobbying organisation, it does not always follow that I will sign up to very simplistic approaches without a more detailed analysis, and perhaps a more personal form of response to those who can influence outcomes.

I put up that post for information as much as anything, and it does seem to be becoming relevant today.

[MrGongGong]

It shows your prejudices that people who like what, apparently, you don't like are Bufton Tuftons.

I"m a great fan of TA (though I wish they would kill off Peggy)
The Proms is a wonderful thing that we should look after and not submit to market forces

It's the smug Toryism that I don't like NOT the "niche" outputs of the BBC

[MrGongGong]

Mr GG

Better watch out - we'll be banished to outer darkness, or Room 101!
.

I'm already in there matey

[french frank]

and at really rather modest cost.

Tell that to the commercials!

[teamsaint]

Tell that to the commercials!

probably a fair comment....but....but.....
compare to cost of TV....and BBC radio's reach.... ( I'll bet there would be a gold rush to buy R1/R2 almost whatever the cost base).

[french frank]

The thing about the BBC's expenditure on 'youth services (cut out R2 in that!) is that it's mainly strategic. Not just a question of providing for younger audiences, but it's the quantity: so children's television costs £140m in total, compared with BBC Four's £63m; and BBC Three takes another £114m. BBC One and BBC Two take £2bn. Popular music on network radio takes £150m. The strategy is that the larger the quantity of popular entertainment, the bigger the audiences you get and therefore better value. Which disregards how much it all costs in the first place.

[french frank]

The first thing that strikes me is that the suggestion that R1 and R2 seems to be one of the first things " put out there".

Getting back to this point: page 23 of the Green Paper says: "A recent example is the BBC Trust’s report which found a sizeable crossover in audiences for Radio 1 and Radio 2."

That might also be an argument that Radio 3 isn't distinctive enough from CFM, with 45%(?) of Radio 3's listeners also listening to CFM. If those listeners are satisfied with CFM, let Radio 3 move away to become LESS attractive to those listeners, rather than giving them a choice of two stations (and other listeners nothing).

[Frances_iom]

...
That might also be an argument that Radio 3 isn't distinctive enough from CFM, with 45%(?) of Radio 3's listeners also listening to CFM. ....

whilst I applaud your sentiment I would require more details of this 45% - eg if it was measured during Wodger's demolition of evening concert period when CFm offers R3-like concert in the evening then this might well explain it.

[teamsaint]

Getting back to this point: page 23 of the Green Paper says: "A recent example is the BBC Trust’s report which found a sizeable crossover in audiences for Radio 1 and Radio 2."

That might also be an argument that Radio 3 isn't distinctive enough from CFM, with 45%(?) of Radio 3's listeners also listening to CFM. If those listeners are satisfied with CFM, let Radio 3 move away to become LESS attractive to those listeners, rather than giving them a choice of two stations (and other listeners nothing).

Probably a case of finding what you are looking for, if you do enough surveys, and ask enough questions.

The same trust report also points out elsewhere that there is close to no crossover between the music played on R1 and R2.
all of which proves.....what....?