The South Bank Show is coming back!!

[Mr Pee]

People are often surprised when they find out that Sky ‘does’ the arts. The inevitable question then follows – ‘But, why?’

The answer is pretty simple – we love the arts and culture and we think they are part of the fabric of life. And we know millions of people across the UK and Ireland agree with us.

That’s the reason Sky Arts came into being. We recognised that television just wasn’t covering the arts in the way it used to. Arts had been marginalised in schedules, hours were reduced and programmes placed in late night slots with the same faces discussing the same issues.

So we thought – what can we do to change that? How can we bring people more of what they enjoy? And how can we bring it to life, beyond TV screens?

We are completely dedicated to doing more, and doing it better - and we want to continue to work with arts organisations and other partners to ensure that we’re bringing the arts to people on screen, on the ground and on-line.

Paragraph Two- can anyone seriously disagree with that, given the axeing of the South Bank Show by ITV and the funding cuts to BBC4?? Outside of the Proms season, how much classical music do we get on the BBC??

As for the last paragraph, it was Melvyn Bragg who recently praised the Sky Arts organisation, comparing it to Lime Grove in the 1960s.

It's amazing to me that here on an arts- related message board, there are people so blinded by their disdain for Murdoch that they are unable to countenance the possibility that Sky Arts might actually be doing some good, despite all the evidence and comments from independent journalists confirming that fact.

I doubt he'll be offering you any as Rupe doesn't do freebies.

(Flosshilde)

Well, when I signed up to Sky I got 100 pounds worth of M+S Vouchers. Does that mean you won't be shopping there any more????

[Flosshilde]

I'm reminded of Percy Sugden in Coronation Street (some decades ago), complaining that another character had a certain brand of car and that was 'the car that Hitler used to drive.'

I just found this on the Sky Arts Ignition website mentioned above. It sounds pretty reasonable to me, though others might find sinister meanings:

People are often surprised when they find out that Sky ‘does’ the arts. The inevitable question then follows – ‘But, why?’

The answer is pretty simple – we love the arts and culture and we think they are part of the fabric of life. And we know millions of people across the UK and Ireland agree with us.

That’s the reason Sky Arts came into being. We recognised that television just wasn’t covering the arts in the way it used to. Arts had been marginalised in schedules, hours were reduced and programmes placed in late night slots with the same faces discussing the same issues.

So we thought – what can we do to change that? How can we bring people more of what they enjoy? And how can we bring it to life, beyond TV screens?

We are completely dedicated to doing more, and doing it better - and we want to continue to work with arts organisations and other partners to ensure that we’re bringing the arts to people on screen, on the ground and on-line.

But I still wouldn't accept sweeties from sinister old men.

[Flosshilde]

As far as I can find out it costs £240 to subscribe to Sky, compared with £143 for a TV licence. How many orchestras does Sky have, & how many original programmes does it commission (as opposed to buying in DVDs & programmes originally made by other TV companies), how much new music, how much rising talent, how many concert seasons does it support & pay for, compared with what what the BBC does.

[Mr Pee]

As far as I can find out it costs £240 to subscribe to Sky, compared with £143 for a TV licence. How many orchestras does Sky have, & how many original programmes does it commission (as opposed to buying in DVDs & programmes originally made by other TV companies), how much new music, how much rising talent, how many concert seasons does it support & pay for, compared with what what the BBC does.

And how many times has the BBC put money into the Hay and Cheltenham literary festivals, amongst others? Has the BBC sponsored a seven year tour by English National Ballet, with workshops in schools? Have the BBC offered up and coming young artists grants of 30,000 to further their careers? Has the BBC also helped to fund 18 regional arts organisations, as Sky have done? Do the BBC have anything like the Sky Arts Ignition series, investing in the creation of new arts events?

http://corporate.sky.com/thebiggerpicturereview2011/arts-priorities.aspx#tab2

No, Sky do not fund an Orchestra. In the real world, is there really room for another professional orchestra in the UK? In the current economic climate, the answer, sadly, has to be no. And I fear it is only a matter of time before the BBC decides it can manage with one less.

But Sky does invest money into many areas of the arts where the BBC have invested absolutely nothing. Perhaps you'd rather they hadn't.

[Chris Newman]

I think, Mr Pee, you are in danger of using these boards as an advertising front. Rather like your promotion of a political party on the old BBC boards. We know about all these things that Murdoch does out of the goodness of his heart and would prefer it that other companies made these donations from sky unnecessary. I doubt, though I may be wrong, that the BBC is allowed under its charter to do all of the things you suggest it should be doing, though I know and you know that it has supported all of them as far as it can; yes, even ENB. You ignore Flosshilde's remarks about the lack of original programmes from sky. The BBC New Generation Artists Scheme supports six musicians or groups in their first year of professional life.

To be honest, WHY DO WE NOT CALL A TRUCE? The whole thing is becoming a silly case of my one is bigger than your one. It is more important that the arts are supported as much as possible. We are never going to convince each other as we are too far entrenched. You do not like the BBC; at least your last message suggests so. I have no respect for the Murdochs. I do not know about others on this thread but I have more important things to think about than sky-bally-TV, and all I achieve by arguing with you is to give you more screen space to indulge in your advertising campaign.

[Mr Pee]

I think, Mr Pee, you are in danger of using these boards as an advertising front. Rather like your promotion of a political party on the old BBC boards. We know about all these things that Murdoch does out of the goodness of his heart and would prefer it that other companies made these donations from sky unnecessary. I doubt, though I may be wrong, that the BBC is allowed under its charter to do all of the things you suggest it should be doing, though I know and you know that it has supported all of them as far as it can; yes, even ENB. You ignore Flosshilde's remarks about the lack of original programmes from sky. The BBC New Generation Artists Scheme supports six musicians or groups in their first year of professional life.

To be honest, WHY DO WE NOT CALL A TRUCE? The whole thing is becoming a silly case of my one is bigger than your one. It is more important that the arts are supported as much as possible. We are never going to convince each other as we are too far entrenched. You do not like the BBC; at least your last message suggests so. I have no respect for the Murdochs. I do not know about others on this thread but I have more important things to think about than sky-bally-TV, and all I achieve by arguing with you is to give you more screen space to indulge in your advertising campaign.

Fair enough. Although I would like to point out that I started this thread because I was pleased that The South Bank show was making a return to TV. It then got hijacked by the usual suspects with their Murdoch obsession, to which I felt compelled to respond.

Please don't accuse me of being involved in advertising....I think I'd rather be accused of being a tabloid journalist.....

[amateur51]

Please don't accuse me of being involved in advertising....I think I'd rather be accused of being a tabloid journalist.....

Mr Pee you advertise Sky TV at every opportunity and you take every opportunity to put the boot into the BBC.

Chuck it, Smith!

[Mr Pee]

Mr Pee you advertise Sky TV at every opportunity and you take every opportunity to put the boot into the BBC.

Chuck it, Smith!

Smith?? Who he???