I have to write something about “The BBC v the media.”
The BBC has hit back at critics who have questioned executive salaries, asking whether licence payers are actually getting good value for money.
The BBC has issued, via Twitter, a rebuttal.
The Telegraph’s Anita Singh doesn’t seem convinced. She cites a number of figures which make the BBC’s protestations of prudence seem slightly disingenuous.
Danny Cohen has begged journalists to be “less of the critical friend and a bit more of the friend” to the corporation.
What about the critics who feel the BBC is politically biased, institutionally anti-Israel and out of touch with half the viewers? What about the critics who respect the power and influence the BBC still commands, but wish it could be turned around, shaken up and used to better effect?
At the moment it’s not only the profligate squandering of resources that we criticise, but the inherent left-wing bias, the lack of imagination and lack of variety, the political correctness, the ubiquity of certain ‘personalities’ who appear time and time again, on everything, till everyone’s sick of the sight of them.
Cohen stressed the importance of the BBC, its outstanding reputation and the fact that it delivers education and deep joy and stimulation to 97 % of the population every month.
Maybe it did, once.
There has been criticism of the large amount of repeats scheduled for the Christmas period. That does seem to be a pretty poor state of affairs, what with all those over-paid managers and high-salaried TV talent, you’d think they could cobble together some original material to entertain us over the dreary Christmas hols.
The salary thing again? Hasn't that been done to death already? Total smokescreen, a distraction from the real problems. Sometimes I think those bringing it up know this and are really only setting things up for the usual National Treasure encomia. Capping salaries and pensions will solve nothing. Outside of breaking it up and privatization, only a serious purge will even begin to address the problems at the BBC.
ReplyDeleteThe BBC has to be defensive because there is a coalition of Murdoch payees, right wing capitalists and media enemies who want to destroy ad-free broadcasting in this country.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the BBC cannot continue to be "Guardian TV and Radio" - it has failed in its mission of being a national broadcaster and, implicitly a strong defender of free speech and democracy (rather than an appeaser of Islam and other totalitarian ideologies).
Dan Read
Remember when Beeboids and other journalists used to chide me condescendingly for doing exactly this on B-BBC? Ah, good times....good times.....
ReplyDeleteYes. Remember it well. Good times indeed.
DeleteThe Telegraph's fisking of the BBC's attempted fisking of the 'Sun' hit a few targets and missed a few targets.
The BBC has now entered the game though. It's trying to do unto other what it hates others doing unto it. Risky.