Eddie Mair's Touchy-Feely Show

[Sir Velo]

Quite possibly. Have a look at the BBC News App which might as well be the BBC News for Teens app with its mindless fixation on celebs, yoof, bizarre illnesses and conditions; and social media. What are the headlines today? The economy? Foreign affairs? No, instead we get Phil Neville's selection as England manager; Indian couples raising each others' children; "Davos" jargon explained; revenge porn advice; how stress makes you fat; US senator having baby in office; ad nauseam.

Frankly, if anyone still feels the licence fee is worth the money we pay, they should look at this. It's on a level with the Mail or the Express for quality journalism.

[DracoM]

Q: << Is it a cynical ploy to increase listening figures? >>
A: Yes.

Tabloids have been feeding off it for decades.
We can get 'facts' via technology eg computers etc, so give 'em sobs and celebs.

Sorry, but..........

Nevertheless, I AM going to defend Eddie Mair and the stalking segment, which I found instructive, moving and revealing, and done with absolute less-is-more understatement, and thus dignity. .

[LMcD]

I have the greatest respect for Tessa Jowell, and a heartfelt sympathy for her and her family as she suffers from a form of brain cancer. That said, from 0810 to 0820 this morning, the Today Programme was given over entirely to an interview with her and Nick Robinson. It was a touching interview which I thought NR handled extremely well. BUT but but...this is a News and Current Affairs programme. I rest my case.

(Well, not completely. At my sort of age, friends begin dying off, some with forms of cancer. One friend t the moment is struggling with the advanced stages of multiple myeloma. The son of another friend has lost his hearing, speech, taste, balance from NF2, which is incurable. Words cannot describe the trauma for them and their families, nor the helpless compassion felt for them by their friends. The trouble is, to complain...as I have done...about deeply personal interviews with Well-Known Persons during News and Current Affairs Programmes, makes me sound uncaring. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's just in the Wrong Place, and I can't understand why this has become a trend for the BBC. Is it a cynical ploy to increase listening figures?)

The new editor of 'Today' is clearly a fully paid-up member of the DFNLTA* and the programme is introducing 'showbiz' items in the same way as the 10.00 p.m news on BBC1. No radio or TV programme is sacrosanct, but I think changes in content are bad if they also start to change the basic character of the programme in question. There was a cringingly awful item on last night's Ten O'Clock News in which Will Gompertz asked somebody from Empire magazine to pontificate on the likely winners in various Oscar categories. Were I interested (which I'm not particularly) I'd be prepared to wait for the actual event or reports following it.

* Department For Not Leaving Things Alone

[greenilex]

I do think the 24 hour news cycle is to blame for a lot of this.

Perhaps best to buy the paper every other day and listen to sweet airs the rest of one’s time?

[Lat-Literal]

Yes - it isn't a lack of caring. What happens outside the media is that people hear an individual is unwell. They have a line or two about the nature of the illness. They then rally round - can I get the shopping in for you?, can I drive you to the hospital?, will you need me to arrange for a care home for you for a fortnight?, can I arrange a meal delivery service?, etc. This enables them to feel strong and helpful rather than worried about all the things that might happen about which they can do nothing. This media would demoralise to loss in any war.

I have nothing but praise for St Georges who saved my mother's life but I did have to wonder whether it was being helped when she was there by being the subject of television's "24 Hours in A and E". There are now also programmes about going behind closed doors at GPs' surgeries, the fattest people in Britain, people with "embarrassing bodies", the undateables - mainly unusual personalities and unusual looks. While most of them are reasonably sympathetic and do not encourage cruel laughter, there is an element that feels a bit like a slippery slope towards the Victorian freak show. In contrast, during the era of the film "The Elephant Man", the message appeared to be that society had moved on from what he had suffered by looking at the strengths in people with difficulties and not dwelling on their problems. I know, for example, that our home was a safe space for my best mate who lost all his hair from an anxiety condition. Taunted at school and troubled by warring parents, he was much happier with us who hardly mentioned it at all and treated any reference to it by him as routine.

Of course, we are now in the period when the average lifespan is declining. Some of us predicted it several years ago when it was being said - as it is still being said - that it would increase substantially. It is similar to the trotted out mantra that everyone would be working a three day week and have a lot more leisure time. That's not news. It's poor astrology.

[Bryn]

Yes - it isn't a lack of caring. What happens outside the media is that people hear an individual is unwell. They have a line or two about the nature of the illness. They then rally round - can I get the shopping in for you?, can I drive you to the hospital?, will you need me to arrange for a care home for you for a fortnight?, can I arrange a meal delivery service?, etc. This enables them to feel strong and helpful rather than worried about all the things that might happen about which they can do nothing. This media would demoralise to loss in any war.

I have nothing but praise for St Georges who saved my mother's life but I did have to wonder whether it was being helped when she was there by being the subject of television's "24 Hours in A and E". There are now also programmes about going behind closed doors at GP's surgeries, the fattest people in Britain, people with "embarrassing bodies", the undateables - mainly unusual personalities and unusual looks. While most of them are reasonably sympathetic and do not encourage cruel laughter, there is an element that feels a bit like a slippery slope towards the Victorian freak show. In contrast, during the era of the film "The Elephant Man", the message appeared to be that society had moved on from what he had suffered by looking at the strengths in people with difficulties and not dwelling on their problems. I know, for example, that our home was a safe space for my best mate who lost all his hair from of an anxiety condition. Taunted at school and troubled by warring parents, he was much happier with us who hardly mentioned it at all and treated any reference to it by him as routine.

Of course, we are now in the period when the average lifespan is declining. Some of us predicted it several years ago when it was being said - as it is still being said - that it would increase substantially. It is similar to the trotted out mantra that everyone would be working a three day week and have a lot more leisure time. That's not news. It's poor astrology.

But I will be working 3 days a week and having a lot more leisure time from now on. There again, I could have claimed my State Pension (yes Mr. Hinton, that is what HMG call it) around five years ago.

[Lat-Literal]

But I will be working 3 days a week and having a lot more leisure time from now on. There again, I could have claimed my State Pension (yes Mr. Hinton, that is what HMG call it) around five years ago.

That's good news for you but one of the worries that was frequently mentioned was that there would be more in the way of petty vandalism because of all the extra time that people had available. Given the cohorts where petty vandalism has historically been mostly a problem - young, male, low income - that implies everyone was expected to be on three days a week.

[ardcarp]

I could have claimed my State Pension (yes Mr. Hinton, that is what HMG call it)

Well, do they? I have several documents which refer to it now as State Retirement Benefit. For instance, my wife applied for a (well hidden) thing called Guardian's Allowance (which is not means tested) because we are bringing up 2 of our grandchildren as their principal carers. Having filled in and sent off all the forms, she got a reply in which HMRCC really excelled itself:

We are pleased to inform you that you qualify for Guradian's Allownace.
The amount you will receive is £0.00
This is because you are already in receipt of State Retirement Benefit.


Er.....

[DracoM]

Woops!
Welcome 2018! - Oh, and by the way, you're getting nowt from us.

[Bryn]

Well, do they? I have several documents which refer to it now as State Retirement Benefit. For instance, my wife applied for a (well hidden) thing called Guardian's Allowance (which is not means tested) because we are bringing up 2 of our grandchildren as their principal carers. Having filled in and sent off all the forms, she got a reply in which HMRCC really excelled itself:

We are pleased to inform you that you qualify for Guradian's Allownace.
The amount you will receive is £0.00
This is because you are already in receipt of State Retirement Benefit.


Er.....

Here's the horse's mouth.

[oddoneout]

Well, do they? I have several documents which refer to it now as State Retirement Benefit. For instance, my wife applied for a (well hidden) thing called Guardian's Allowance (which is not means tested) because we are bringing up 2 of our grandchildren as their principal carers. Having filled in and sent off all the forms, she got a reply in which HMRCC really excelled itself:

We are pleased to inform you that you qualify for Guradian's Allownace.
The amount you will receive is £0.00
This is because you are already in receipt of State Retirement Benefit.


Er.....

Well the GOV.UK web site refers to State Pension (page updated 24 January 2018).
I assume you will challenge the HMRC letter(or ask the CAB) - they don't always get things right....

[ardcarp]

Well, I'm glad they refer to it as The State Pension on their website. Is was definitely referred to as a Retirement Benefit on documents in the past. Have to rush off now, but will dig one out later.

[french frank]

Well the GOV.UK web site refers to State Pension (page updated 24 January 2018).
I assume you will challenge the HMRC letter(or ask the CAB) - they don't always get things right....

They seem to refer to it indifferently as a benefit or a pension. Recipients are pensioners.

[ardcarp]

Haven't badgered Mrs A for the paperwork yet. It may have been filed in the bin. However, this is from a Government website:

Entitlement to other benefits can be affected when you claim State Pension, even if your State Pension is deferred.

State Pension is an income replacement benefit and only one earnings replacement benefit will be paid at a time. Therefore, if you [are?] entitled to State Pension, you will not be paid benefits such as Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or Bereavement Allowance as State Pension counts as an income.

However, if you are entitled to one of these benefits (or other earnings replacement benefits) that is payable at a higher rate than your State Pension, you will get extra money from these on top of your pension.

For example, you can claim Carer’s Allowance after you reach State Pension Age but it will only be paid if you get a reduced pension which is less than the rate of Carer’s Allowance you can be paid.

It is worth claiming Carer’s Allowance even if you will not be paid anything, as it can lead to more generous amounts of benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefits and Rates Relief, through a carers premium or additional amount.

One might note that Guradian's Allowance is not mentioned....as I said, it's well hidden.

I think I need a bleeding hearts spot with Eddie on PM.

[burning dog]

. Given the cohorts where petty vandalism has historically been mostly a problem - young, male, low income - .

Ive found it's often young male intoxicated