Are you a friend of the BBC?

[Anna]

Not sure if I would class myself as a friend, but certainly very loyal to the BBC and do not regret a penny of my licence fee (and referring to gamba's post above, the Shakespeare I will certainly catch up with) I only listen to R3 and R4 and watch BBC1,2,4, I watch commercial channels very rarely as a) I hate programmes being interrupted by adverts, not so bad if watching a half-hour programme but imagine if something like The Killing was constantly interrupted and ruining the tension? and b) generally the commercial channel programmes are rubbish, horrible reality stuff of no interest to me at all. In fact, I would gladly pay an increased licence fee to maintain the BBC although I admit I'm not happy at some of the changes to R3 I have to agree with Simon that I trust the BBC.

[cloughie]

Mostly. Locally very good. I think at times their boots don't fit because they grown out of them. They have a nasty habit of biting the hand that feeds them. Their manners are such that the seem unable to apologise for things they have done wrong. The older I get the feeling I get is that the BBC are less friendly towards me as they seek younger companions.

[Stunsworth]

Most of what I watch on TV, or listen to on the radio is BBC1/2/4 (mainly 4) and Radios 3/4 (mainly 3). I don't think this is the kind of mix a commercial broadcaster would be interested in - and I certainly wouldn't put up with the ads.

Speaking of BBC4, there's a new Nordic Noir series starting on Saturday night - 'The Bridge'. Double episodes as with The Killing. My PVR is primed.

[EdgeleyRob]

I don't watch much BBC telly (or any for that matter, except for football) at all, but I am very loyal to radio 3 (despite the shortcomings) and radio 5 (for the sport).
I suppose I would class the BBC as a friend but the way she treats me I don't think I'm a friend of hers.

[gamba]

Afternoon Gamba, I don't know whether you have the Radio Times, but there is mention of a pre offer price of £13.99 for the series, while the full RRP is £19.35. An extra 10% if one quotes a code given.

Thamk you salymap. Yes, I did see the mention of a price reduction in the R.Times. However I shall wait a little & see if there are other lower offers yet to come. ( how mean can some people be !! ) After all, £13.99 could buy me almost 30 Boccherini string quartets !

I shall be interested to know if you heard the programme & your thoughts on it. Thanks again,

gamba

[Mr Pee]

This is a very odd question. Why would I want to be a "friend" of the BBC, anymore than I would want to be a friend of my electricity supply company, or my local council, or Sky, or anybody else who provides me with a service at my expense?

Calling yourself a friend of the BBC is about as meaningless as calling a casual acquaintance a friend on Facebook.

[Panjandrum]

I guess the OP is drawing attention to the fact that this forum is called "Friends of Radio 3". I think it was a blog on one of the national dailies' website which came up with the "funny", "With friends (sic) like these who needs...." Well actually the BBC, more than ever, needs friends who tell it like it is, and not the gushing, sycophants that clog up Radio 3's facebook and Twitter pages, for example.

[teamsaint]

If the mood takes you, there is plenty to be "anti" about the BBC.....as well as some good things !

But more than anything, I mistrust the BBC because of its news .

Other people have said that the BBC is a trusted news source, but I, and lots of others, really don't see it that way.

Their coverage is FAR too often dominated by the agendas being pushed by the government of the day. There is far too much important news, and too many issues, including many from abroad, that never see the light of day on BBC news. (They might see a glint of moonlight on news 24).

We pay for the BBC. But, for example, financial news is too often about the banks or the city, and too infrequently about working conditions for the vulnerable, or the environmental effects of globalisation, or the increasing gap between rich and poor or............well you know all the others. We live in a world with too much hunger and poverty, yet we never hear the end of the footsie 100 or how pension rights HAVE to be cut.

Every time I see the news, I think "Who has decided that this is a lead item" and "why".
And the answer is almost always that somebody high up benefits, or that the story is distraction from other issues.

Still like radio 3 in the main, and even Radio Solent has some redeeming features.Seldom watch BBC telly.(except for the news that I whinged about, MOTD, and the Proms !!)

[gradus]

Gawd bless you Auntie!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Gawd bless you Auntie!

I wish she'd knock her nephews' heads together for the mess that is R3 for a third of its output and TV Music coverage generally, but the Beeb is staggeringly good value for money.

[teamsaint]

I wish she'd knock her nephews' heads together for the mess that is R3 for a third of its output and TV Music coverage generally, but the Beeb is staggeringly good value for money.

is it good value for money?
I am not sure, and am open to be convinced.
it receives huge funding . what does it actually produce, pound for pound?

the BBC loves to tell us its great value for money, but I remain unconvinced.

Not a big fan by a long way, but I would worry about it even more if all broadcasting was in private hands........

[VodkaDilc]

is it good value for money?
I am not sure, and am open to be convinced.
it receives huge funding . what does it actually produce, pound for pound?

the BBC loves to tell us its great value for money, but I remain unconvinced.

Not a big fan by a long way, but I would worry about it even more if all broadcasting was in private hands........

I think the BBC should do things no-one else does. So there is a need for R3, R4, BBC2 and BBC4; perhaps R1, R2, BBC1 and BBC3 could be run by someone else, since they duplicate services provided by commercial companies.

[amateur51]

For us at home it's one of the greats of British life. We criticise it, we moan about it, we wish it would do some things differently, we rail at its perceived bias - but ultimately, we wouldn't be without it.

I personally trust it. Some of the programmes we get we wouldn't get without it's not being a commercial organisation, Having all media paid for by adverts would be the worst thing to do, IMO, and the licence fee arrangement has given us a world leader in broadcasting for nearly a century. The comment that it's a branch of HMG is just silly, I'm afraid - successive governments have had differing amounts of influence within the BBC, but that influence has always been limited in person and scope.

Internationally, the BBC still has the respect of billions, and is the first choice for those who want to hear about the news from a trusted source. That's why one of the most stupid decisions of recent years was the withdrawal of some funding from the World Service. <doh>

I grew up with BBC radio, Light Programme, Home Service and Third Programme radio on my 1960s tranny and then Radios !, 2, 3,4, 5Live, even 6 sometimes. I love Test Match Special, so much better than the BBC telly which no longer provides Test Match coverage (bl**dy Murdoch) so yes I'm a big fan and I regard it even now as a really good friend. That's not to say that I don't miss what Radio 3 used to be, I miss it terribly. And as Simon says, the World Service is wonderful too. But wasn't it the Foreign & Commonwealth Office that cut funding to the World Service via BBC?

Could someone please point out to Simon (he still has me blocked I think ) that no-one has said that the BBC is a branch of HMG so his comment to that effect in his msg #13 is what Hylda Baker used to call rickydoodleous

[MrGongGong]

I think the BBC should do things no-one else does. .

Absolutely
Left to "the market" we would loose many things that we value greatly

[teamsaint]

I think the BBC should do things no-one else does. So there is a need for R3, R4, BBC2 and BBC4; perhaps R1, R2, BBC1 and BBC3 could be run by someone else, since they duplicate services provided by commercial companies.

I really have no idea if R1 provides decent coverage of new and interesting pop and rock these days, (and if it doesn't it should)but I am confident in asserting that commercial radio doesn't provide this service.
R2 has some areas of specialism (Mike Harding , Paul Jones and whispering Bob for three) that I can't imagine a home for elsewhere, certainly with national coverage)

Radio Wiltshire gave my son's metal band its one play on "proper radio", so that particular station is untouchable !!