Why Murdoch really matters

[amateur51]

While I too would fear a complete dominance/takeover of media by Sky, I just want to point out an inaccuracy, from my viewing experience and many others too of course,



Wrong. BBC has measses more content? No. I, and many others, watch about 4 hours of BBC a week, and watch about 10-15 hours of other digital channels a week, sometimes 20+

Well that's just your experience (as you say) against Polly's isn't it so she's not wrong, you just disagree with her.

[Mr Pee]

Well that's just your experience (as you say) against Polly's isn't it so she's not wrong, you just disagree with her.

Well, no it isn't PT's experience, is it, because she doesn't watch Sky, unless she's an enormous hypocrite, which is always a strong possibility with a Guardian columnist.

[John Wright]

Well that's just your experience (as you say) against Polly's isn't it so she's not wrong, you just disagree with her.

Ha ha, yes well she said "its own subscribers watch many more hours of BBC than Sky" and offered no evidence. I offered evidence that some subcribers watch more non-BBC digital than BBC digital, so I proved her 'blanket statement' as inaccurate.

Why would people believe everything that Toynbee said?

[amateur51]

Well, no it isn't PT's experience, is it, because she doesn't watch Sky, unless she's an enormous hypocrite, which is always a strong possibility with a Guardian columnist.

"And thus we find ourselves back where we began, truly the Mr Pee experience"

Yes, it is her experience, however much you distrust/dislike it, Mr Pee - dat's da phenomenological reality of it all

I reckon you need to stop watching so much television, Mr Pee - talk to your guppies praps or take a spin on your cycle in some wretched weather (goodness knows there's plenty of it at the mo' )

[amateur51]

Ha ha, yes well she said "its own subscribers watch many more hours of BBC than Sky" and offered no evidence. I offered evidence that some subcribers watch more non-BBC digital than BBC digital, so I proved her 'blanket statement' as inaccurate.

Why would people believe everything that Toynbee said?

I admire your idiosyncratic definition of proof, John Wright - why don't you drop her a line and ask for some background?

[Mr Pee]

I admire your idiosyncratic definition of proof, John Wright - why don't you drop her a line and ask for some background?

Two Sky subscribers here have said that they watch MORE Sky programming than BBC programming, and I am confident that the same is true of many others. Certainly those of my acquaintance who also have Sky say the same. PT has said the exact opposite....based on what evidence? We have no idea. Therefore John Wright is correct- her statement is innaccurate.

It's very straightforward, really,Amateur......

[Nick Armstrong]

Is it just me, or do others find that the hectoring use of surnames in debate tends to undermine the credibility of the user? Rather like George Galloway on Question Time last week, referring to David Aaronovitch as "Aaronovitch" when he was sitting around the same desk. I think it's scornful, belittling and lacking in respect. I thought the less of Mr Galloway for that. Call me old-fashioned

[Tapiola]

Is it just me, or do others find that the hectoring use of surnames in debate tends to undermine the credibility of the user? Rather like George Galloway on Question Time last week, referring to David Aaronovitch as "Aaronovitch" when he was sitting around the same desk. I think it's scornful, belittling and lacking in respect. I thought the less of Mr Galloway for that. Call me old-fashioned

I sat enthralled during last week's QT, Caliban. Mouth Almighty Galloway versus the barely controlled rage of Aaronovitch. Great stuff! Ironic disrespectfulness given the name of Gorgeous George's party. Perhaps he denotes "Respect" in the way the old East Germany denoted "Democratic Republic of..."

EDIT: Of course the corollary of this is when someone like Reinhard Goebbel refers insultingly to that erstwhile erratic handwaver of the Berlin Philharmonic as "Mr Furtwangler".

[Nick Armstrong]

I sat enthralled during last week's QT, Caliban. Mouth Almighty Galloway versus the barely controlled rage of Aaronovitch. Great stuff! Ironic disrespectfulness given the name of Gorgeous George's party. Perhaps he denotes "Respect" in the way the old East Germany denoted "Democratic Republic of..."

EDIT: Of course the corollary of this is when someone like Reinhard Goebbel refers insultingly to that erstwhile erratic handwaver of the Berlin Philharmonic as "Mr Furtwangler".

Completely agreed on all points, Taps

[LHC]

Well, no it isn't PT's experience, is it, because she doesn't watch Sky, unless she's an enormous hypocrite, which is always a strong possibility with a Guardian columnist.

Can you get Sky in Tuscanny? If you can't that would explain her ignorance about what is available on Sky.

[Mr Pee]

According to the Radio Times, last night's edition of Question Time was supposed to be feature the three main contenders for the London Mayor, namely Boris, Ken, and the other one. But none of them appeared, it was just the usual format. Does anybody know why? I was rather looking forward to watching another stage in the terminal decline of Ken Livingstone.

[handsomefortune]

Can you get Sky in Tuscanny?

you probably can - and you definitely can in clapham.

surnames in debate tends to undermine the credibility of the user?

yes - as it was a live debate. though much like eton, or hm prison where surnames only are considered 'normal'. i'm not sure if it's a question of being 'old fashioned' on your part though caliban.... more 'why do those two not see politeness as necessary'?, especially when it's recorded and broadcast on the tellybubble.

in written form it doesn't matter imo, as it's just handy to abbreviate.... 'gorgeous george' is quite a few letters too long for instance!

this week, gps and the two new private owners of the nhs met up apparently. meanwhile, everyone was glued to the leveson inquiry, and murdoch's showboat performance. (coincidentally, a clash that's happened before).

[Tapiola]

I was rather looking forward to watching another stage in the terminal decline of Ken Livingstone.

Schadenfreude is a most unbecoming trait in anyone.

[amateur51]

Two Sky subscribers here have said that they watch MORE Sky programming than BBC programming, and I am confident that the same is true of many others. Certainly those of my acquaintance who also have Sky say the same. PT has said the exact opposite....based on what evidence? We have no idea. Therefore John Wright is correct- her statement is innaccurate.

It's very straightforward, really,Amateur......

Oh right, you're happy with guesswork & speculation then - no change there then

[amateur51]

Is it just me, or do others find that the hectoring use of surnames in debate tends to undermine the credibility of the user? Rather like George Galloway on Question Time last week, referring to David Aaronovitch as "Aaronovitch" when he was sitting around the same desk. I think it's scornful, belittling and lacking in respect. I thought the less of Mr Galloway for that. Call me old-fashioned

Well here we have John Lehmann, poet, literary editor, publisher interviewing Aldous Huxley for Monitor in 1962, introduced by Huw Wheldon as 'Mister John Lehmann'. Note how he adresses Mr Huxley ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/writers/12233.shtml

whereas here is Malcolm Muggeridge interviewing (or fawning over as it might be termed more accurately )
Somerset Maugham in 1954

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/writers/12234.shtml

Just how Muggeridge manages to articulate anything, given how far his tongue is apparently located up Maugham's person, is a bit of a miracle

But maybe this is not the sort of respect that Caliban means either