The South Bank Sky Arts Awards

[salymap]

I have everything for free, apart from a very expensive new digi/recorder box. However, when you youngsters get to 75 you won't even have to pay a BBC Licence. Of course, it's possible even this will change soon.

[Flosshilde]

If every BBC viewer withheld their licence fee each time there was a technical fault on that channel, they would run out of money very quickly. Anyway, technology has undoubtedly moved on since the Artsworld days.

I haven't watched TV for several years (except dipping in when I'm on holiday - & the dips haven't persuaded me that it's worth getting TV again) how often does the the BBC have technical faults these days?

[amateur51]

Traversal?! Most pianists simply play them, surely.




Possibly becuase the format had got a bit stale? (Not to mention MB). Perhaps BSB should have come up with a new idea. (apologies if it's been said already - just back from 12 days in Istanbul , so I'm having to catch up)

Welcome back, Flossie, I though you'd gone quiet - hope you had a good time

[amateur51]

Interesting to see that the BBC has no qualms about publicising these awards.

Is it likely that Sky Arts would reciprocate, Panyan?

No I thought not

[gurnemanz]

"It's not the principle, It's the money ".
Although in this case its the principle.
I have had a Sky Subscription in the past, but the thought of my money going to the SKY/Murdoch empire sticks in my throat.

I feel the same and held off for quite a long time for just that reason. In the end pragmatism won over principle because I was being denied ever more major live sport - tennis, cricket, football, rugby.... With Sky Sports, you do get Sky Arts and some other worthwhile channels thrown in + Sky Go which gives access to all subscribed channels via Internet wherever you are. I believe you can even get it on a smart phone app but I haven't tried.

After initial hardware outlay I also get hundreds of German and other Continental radio and TV channels free of charge via an Astra/Hotbird satellite dish.

[Mandryka]

I dislike all sports, so have no reason whatsoever to take out a Sky subscription; even if I DID like sports, though, I hope my aversion to Murdoch and all his works would prevent me from giving him any money.

From what I've seen of Sky Arts (my parents have it), it's a very poor excuse for an arts channel: downmarket, populist and catering to some notional 'average viewer' who is lower middle-class, right-wing and inpenentrably suburban.

And who probably lives in West Sussex.

[Nick Armstrong]

I dislike all sports, so have no reason whatsoever to take out a Sky subscription; even if I DID like sports, though, I hope my aversion to Murdoch and all his works would prevent me from giving him any money.

From what I've seen of Sky Arts (my parents have it), it's a very poor excuse for an arts channel: downmarket, populist and catering to some notional 'average viewer' who is lower middle-class, right-wing and inpenentrably suburban.

And who probably lives in West Sussex.

Anticipating Mr Pee's response...

[gurnemanz]

From what I've seen of Sky Arts (my parents have it), it's a very poor excuse for an arts channel: downmarket, populist and catering to some notional 'average viewer' who is lower middle-class, right-wing and inpenentrably (sic) suburban.

And who probably lives in West Sussex.

These comments may well be either a spoof or just intended to provoke. If intended as a serious contribution they are absurdly over-generalised, ill-informed (and ill-spell-checked) and don't really merit a considered response but, much though it pains me to defend anything to do with Murdoch, I'll rise to the bait:
Sky Arts 2 is the only British TV channel which regularly transmits full-length opera performances http://skyarts.sky.com/music/opera
or jazz.
Though not actually conforming to any of the stereotypes mentioned, I do watch the channel quite often and we do enjoy the lower middle-class, suburban activity of going to the theatre. We saw Antony Sher's Macbeth a few years ago and will be interested in Sky's broadcast of it tomorrow http://skyarts.sky.com/the-rscs-macbeth
Of course there is a fair amount of low-grade popularist material, but those at a more lofty cultural and intellectual level are not obliged to watch it. You can find lot of very good stuff if you bother to read the schedule.
This thread concerns Sky's welcome decision to give a home to Melvyn Bragg's South Bank Show. If this programme were "downmarket, populist and catering to some notional 'average viewer' who is lower middle-class, right-wing and impenetrably suburban", then surely ITV would not have killed it off.

[Flosshilde]

This thread concerns Sky's welcome decision to give a home to Melvyn Bragg's South Bank Show. If this programme were "downmarket, populist and catering to some notional 'average viewer' who is lower middle-class, right-wing and impenetrably suburban", then surely ITV would not have killed it off.

In my view the SBS had gone down-market & populist, tired & worn-out before ITV axed it. Of course, they should have replaced it with a new, fresh programme. If BSB was interested in putting on a programme devoted to the discussion of art they perhaps should have developed something of their own, rather than MB's old programme.

[Flosshilde]

Welcome back, Flossie, I though you'd gone quiet - hope you had a good time

Thanks Am. Had a brilliant time - lots of mosques, Byzantine churches, baklava, & a couple of sessions in a hammam. Super weather, too - sunny, warm to hot.

But I did realise that avoiding chuggers here is excellent practice for dealing with people trying to get you into their restaurant, buy a carpet, etc.

[Mr Pee]

Ah, so when was it that Sky Arts successfully broadcast Berio's Outis without the regular stutters every 20 seconds?

No idea. I've only had Sky for a year.

When was the last time BBC television broadcast ANYTHING by Berio, with or without stutters??

[ahinton]

No idea. I've only had Sky for a year.

When was the last time BBC television broadcast ANYTHING by Berio, with or without stutters??

I do not know.

You are by your own frequent admission a fervent Sky advocate. "The sky's the limit", as the old cliché goes - ergo you really are the limit sometimes, Mr Pee!

[Mr Pee]

Anticipating Mr Pee's response...

There really is no worthwhile response to such a load of generalized, patronising nonsense.

[Richard Tarleton]

I dislike all sports, so have no reason whatsoever to take out a Sky subscription; even if I DID like sports, though, I hope my aversion to Murdoch and all his works would prevent me from giving him any money.

Mandryka, this is the mother of all non-sequiturs. I dislike all sports, and so avail myself of a Sky package that does not include any sport (but does include Sky Arts 1 & 2, Sky Atlantic, and a huge raft of other stuff including foreign channels. I've said elsewhere that I'm limited by geography and topography to a satellite offer, so the choice of Sky was not a difficult one. I think I would continue with it even if I move.

Also this Sky/Murdoch thing is all getting a bit obsessive. News Corp own I think, 39% of the shares in BSkyB. They may have to sell them. The pundits largely seem to agree Sky will be an even better offer if this happens.

And I don't conform to your stereotype in any way

[ahinton]

There really is no worthwhile response to such a load of generalized, patronising nonsense.

Oh, come now, Mr Pee; Sky broadcasting's not all quite as bad as that, is it?