McAlpine, Newsnight and All That ...

[scottycelt]

Did the Pope ever meet him?

Yes, I believe a now deceased Pope once did ... and the Queen on even more occasions ... and quite a few leaders of left-wing Labour councils in the UK met him on far more occasions and, in direct respond to your obvious innuendo, they showered him with even more honours than the Pope or Queen ever did. In fact, scottycelt met him once, though sc was a bit younger at the time and can't remember the encounter as being particularly memorable. Did you ever meet him, flossie?

Golly, doesn't the messy business of actually meeting people get frightfully dangerous at times ... ?

[Frances_iom]

as I said in an earlier message - our ex-Pepsi-marketing guy would fit - a bland, 'popular' + junk product would fit all requirements of politicians for the BBC - he's got the job + may well be the last DG - I wonder what Lord Reith would have said ?

[Mr Pee]

Am I still expected to pay my licence fee?

[teamsaint]

Lots of people met saville. But the Royals hung out with him and they have teams of advisors, secret service guys etc..Kind of begs questions, doesn't it?

[french frank]

Well, you have to feel sorry for the Beeb, but - accident-prone? They abolished the post of Deputy Director-General a couple of years ago to save money (quite a lot of it). Wonder what Mark Byford's doing these days?

[pilamenon]

Newnight is tainted and must go. The BBC is in a terrible spiral of decline and will be lucky to last a few more years. Break up cannot be far away.

That's ridiculous. There needs to be a shake-up on the editorial team, which is tainted, but why sacrifice the programme?? I doubt most licence-payers are all that bothered. This fuss and over-reaction will all die down..

[ahinton]

I'm not sure what "too late" means: they're not likely to close the BBC down .......................

I'm not sure quite who you might have in mind when referring to "they", but the possibility that BBC might end up shutting itself down, whilst horrifying in the extreme, may not be entirely beyond serious consideration if what it's in now up to its neck ends up being something in which it's up to all of our necks...

Of the other DG candidates, Thomson (C) has left the Beeb and Boaden is up to her neck in both Newsnight fiascos. Given that Entwistle moved Davie out of broadcasting as soon as he took over as D-G, that was a pretty low trick to give him Entwistle's job.

...which possibly kind of risks illustrating my point, n'est-ce pas?...

[ahinton]

as I said in an earlier message - our ex-Pepsi-marketing guy would fit - a bland, 'popular' + junk product would fit all requirements of politicians for the BBC - he's got the job + may well be the last DG - I wonder what Lord Reith would have said ?

Too much, almost certainly; he could usually be relied upon to do that if nothing else...

[ahinton]

Am I still expected to pay my licence fee?

I have no idea and cannot and would not expect to speak either for you or your licence fee but, having just paid mine, I am not unaware that I have most of a 100-day PPI arrangement left on my charge card so will bear this in mind in case events might come to determine my need to apply for a reversal...

[ahinton]

Well, you have to feel sorry for the Beeb, but - accident-prone? They abolished the post of Deputy Director-General a couple of years ago to save money (quite a lot of it). Wonder what Mark Byford's doing these days?

I wouldn't if I were you; hasn't BBC had more than enough Marks of late?...

[Petrushka]

That's ridiculous. There needs to be a shake-up on the editorial team, which is tainted, but why sacrifice the programme?? I doubt most licence-payers are all that bothered. This fuss and over-reaction will all die down..

Lord Patten has spoken of 'shoddy journalism' with specific reference to Newsnight. I would have thought that would have been more than enough to taint the entire organisation never mind Newsnight.

Yes, the fuss will die down and apathy will rule again.

[french frank]

I wouldn't if I were you; hasn't BBC had more than enough Marks of late?...

Marksist BBC?

[jayne lee wilson]

Newnight is tainted and must go. The BBC is in a terrible spiral of decline and will be lucky to last a few more years. Break up cannot be far away.

Been steering well clear of this (good) discussion for reasons best not mentioned, but if you resign yourself to the end of the BBC, at least give us a view of what (independent, principled, unbiased) news analysis outlet would take its place. Newsnight (or an equivalent) can rise from the ashes of its (allegedly) damaged current reputation - a (very partial) destruction brought about largely by its media competitors and political opponents.

Impossible to regulate the internet, but those who make libellous statements upon, or who own and profit from Twitter etc. are never seen owning up to any responsibility are they? I'd like to see some of THEM... interviewed on Newsnight - or even New Newsnight.

Oh and, if you look forward to the break-up of the BBC, who would you choose to sponsor the Proms (complete with looped commercials...)?

[scottycelt]

Lots of people met saville. But the Royals hung out with him and they have teams of advisors, secret service guys etc..Kind of begs questions, doesn't it?

Nope, doesn't beg anything at all to me ... the Royals 'hung out with him' ?... I very much doubt if overtly working-class Sir Jimmy was part of any royal circle but maybe you're simply more familiar with royal circles and 'secret service' operations than I ... ?

[teamsaint]

Nope, doesn't beg anything at all to me ... the Royals 'hung out with him' ?... I very much doubt if overtly working-class Sir Jimmy was part of any royal circle but maybe you're simply more familiar with royal circles and 'secret service' operations than I ... ?

Ok, Its in the mail, but looks good enough to stand up in court as "Hanging out"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2227941/Jimmy-Savile-advised-Prince-Charles-appointment-royal-aide.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

there is plenty else where that came from...