Will BBC Be Dismantled?

[ethics]

British government considering dismantling BBC (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040214/wl_uk_afp/britain_politics_media_040214223216).

Government papers detailing possible changes to the BBC’s structure proposed breaking it into separate regional entities for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, The Sunday Times said.

The documents, which the newspaper said had been drawn up by “senior civil servants”, also suggested that the job of ensuring the BBC’s impartiality could be taken away from the corporation’s board of governors.

The BBC, which is independently run despite being financed by public money through a compulsory television licence, is currently facing perhaps the worst breakdown in relations with the government in its 82-year history.

The dispute came after a BBC radio report alleged in May last year that Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government deliberately exaggerated the threat posed by Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction in a pre-war dossier.

Government weapons expert David Kelly was later identified as the anonymous source of the charge. Kelly killed himself soon afterwards.

An inquiry into Kelly’s death, led by judge Lord Brian Hutton, concluded last month that the BBC’s story had been “unfounded”, a verdict which forced the corporation to apologise, with the corporation’s chairman and director general resigning.

It won't guarantee better reporting, imho, but what has transpired was horrendous and SOMEthing needed to be done. Not sure if this is a good thing or bad, but maybe one of the British folks can explain this to all of us.

[Neo]

Having local “branches” or bureaus in places like Edinburgh or Belfast but with London calling the shots would be one thing. But having the local bureaus run by the locals with high or complete editorial discretion and autonomy would result in a dramatic change—especially within the UK. Just imagine the Irish, Welsh, and Scots having their “own” news service not controlled by the English in any significant or practical way. It would put a new meaning into the word “British.”

[Coot]

The BBC has outlived its usefulness. The Brits pay, I believe, a 100 pound annual tax for the privilege of owning a television. That tax is what funds the BBC. That was probably as good a way as any prior to the advent of independent TV in Britain. At this stage of the game, a state funded media outlet is pretty archaic.

[David McDuff]

The BBC has outlived its usefulness. The Brits pay, I believe, a 100 pound annual tax for the privilege of owning a television. That tax is what funds the BBC. That was probably as good a way as any prior to the advent of independent TV in Britain. At this stage of the game, a state funded media outlet is pretty archaic.


The BBC - with all its undeniable defects - is the best media institution we have here in the United Kingdom. Sometimes it's a good idea to look round at the rest of the world and see what the competition looks and sounds like...

There's little doubt that in the wake of the recent crisis the corporation will be restructured, though probably not dismantled, and much of the power removed from the hands of the board of governors. As for the licence fee: the BBC is not solely a media and current affairs organisation. Here in London I'm able to listen every day to a large variety of digital radio channels - all free of commercials and advertising - devoted to different kinds of music and also to specialist and special interest subjects. It would be hard to find someone in Britain who doesn't regularly make use of the BBC in one form or another. I'd argue that the licence fee is worth it.

[Allene]

My favorite TV programs are all BBC exports, or is it Granada I'm thinking about? Where do Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! originate?

[Robert Harris]

David -- you do not understand the spirit of free-market capitalism.

Never have the government offer a quality service for a nominal cost when it can be privatized so someone like Murdoch can offer crap with a lot of annoying advertising.

[David McDuff]

David -- you do not understand the spirit of free-market capitalism.

Never have the government offer a quality service for a nominal cost when it can be privatized so someone like Murdoch can offer crap with a lot of annoying advertising.

Robert, we have Murdoch, Sky etc. here in the UK, too. Murdoch would dearly love to get his hands on the BBC, but I doubt that he will be successful.

[David McDuff]

My favorite TV programs are all BBC exports, or is it Granada I'm thinking about? Where do Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! originate?

Allene, I'm not really familiar with those series, but AFAIK they originate with Granada and other commercial companies in the UK and Australia.

[Robert Harris]

Robert, we have Murdoch, Sky etc. here in the UK, too. Murdoch would dearly love to get his hands on the BBC, but I doubt that he will be successful.

Let us hope...

[Swamp Fox]

I'm all for privatization, actually - including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. But, then again, I'm a Republican type.

[Robert Harris]

Stanley, just because you lean Republican does not mean you have to become a lackey for the greedy media barons. :)

[Copzilla]

Stanley, just because you lean Republican does not mean you have to become a lackey for the greedy media barons. :)Funny, I was thinking the media was usually leftist, and wondering the same about you, Bob.

[Robert Harris]

Gee, Copz. You are wrong about so many things... :)

[Copzilla]

Wrong about Ted Turner and his commie bride? You mean I'm supposed to LIKE with them? ;)

[Robert Harris]

She has nice...er, legs.

[Swamp Fox]

just because you lean Republican does not mean you have to become a lackey for the greedy media barons.

Why not? That's how I'll get rich - and also get a chance at their beautiful teenage daughters, who will fall in love with me, and then I'll get a share of their inheritance after long and costly court proceedings.

(Spoken like a true divorce lawyer, eh?)

[ditch]

The BBC reported something that was inaccurate! Every other newspaper in the country surely has done the same. Because the BBC is publicly funded they needn't be a mouthpiece for the govt.
Lord Hutton was conservative and somewhat naive in hs ruling IMO. Sorry Lord Hutton, but your also pompous sounding and arrogant. But to an Aussie a lot of you Lords are toffee noses.

We have the ABC here which is also publicly funded. Always short of money but a blessed relief from the commercial garbage. Also the Special Broadcasting Service, SBS, is the presenter of a good percentage of foreign language films and documentaries the commercial stations won't touch because they actually make the viewer think sometimes, which is something the average commercial channel viewer isn't keen on doing.

Like the BBC, the ABC runs several radio stations and country services that, for a long time, were the only broadcast media available in the bush. Also like the BBC, our ABC gets into trouble for giving the govt a hard time. Too bad. More power to them.

[Robert Harris]

Ah, Stanley -- you will have to split the loot with her lawyers, and her family probably has a sizable stable of them.