My thoughts are that since this thread was raised almost 3 years ago, though added to occasionally last year is: despite many wanting it changed...... things remain as they were.

Unchanged. The remainder of my thoughts are on Kate's thread. As for staff cuts: tough: it's happening everywhere, don't see why it makes any difference the name of the company.... times, are as they say: hard.

Well, arista I am with Kate near all the way in her comments,I know you dislike the licence fee with as much passion as I do, I have said a lot on the subject yesterday but the one reality is that the current agreement as to the BBC and the licence fee is contracted until 2016 so no change is possible before then likely.

That's at least another 4 years of this accursed tax,which it is seen as, but I hope that some political party will include in their manifesto the aim to change the funding of the BBC and aim to abolish the licence at the next election,(the votes would roll in for the party that does that).

The BBC does some good programming but there should not have to be any compulsion now to have to pay to watch the BBC,their proportion of channels as to all channels available in the UK is now very small and despite their better programmes,in my view,there is no reason at all why they should receive public funding for their transmissions.

Earn their income like most other companies do and not get funded by an ever increasing fee like this,it is outdated and ridiculous, (even though they have agreed to a temporary freeze on the licence as to increasing it), at £145.50 it is time it was abolished.

"fee like this,it is outdated and ridiculous,"


Yes welll outdated
and the BBC bosses
know that.

I like the cut of Andymans jib. He should return. He'd probably end up banned pretty quickly these days, though.

Sadly he
has passed away.

Seriously? Oh wow.

Thanks for link. Pity I never got to know him, I think we would have got along.

"The 148 BBC stars avoiding tax: MPs attack 'immoral' tactics of presenters who reduce their tax bills by being paid through private companies
The BBC employs the TV and radio presenters through ‘personal service companies’ that allow them to minimise contributions to the Exchequer
The deals also allow the corporation to sidestep millions of pounds in national insurance
Six top BBC presenters earned at least £1million last year
16 of its 'top talent' earned at least £500,000"


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz20r8BOX4m

http://media.skynews.com/media/image...-1-329x437.jpg


Full Stinking Circle.

BBC tells stars to dodge tax: Workers face the ultimatum, go off the books or face the sack

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz21RLXpSu1


[The BBC has told thousands of workers to go
‘off the books’ to cut its tax bill.
Whistle-blowers claim stars are routinely ordered
to set up personal service companies, or face the sack.]




This Stinks

BBC Cowboy Trap presenter Clive Holland sacked for 'inappropriate' behaviour towards woman he met on show

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2IYrZgIuh

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...58_306x645.jpg

Following an investigation Mentorn Media immediately removed him from filming and all his contracts with the BBC were terminated.'

No Clive!!!!!!!!

The BBC froze me out because I don't believe in global warming:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...15_634x436.jpg

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2IhsICxZ5

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...06_306x474.jpg
Now 80, Bellamy says of his broadcasting peer
David Attenborough: He's a natural history man
and I'm a campaigner, we're different.'


Poxy BBC

A More Simple Way
show that Episode after 9PM

"Don't mention the ***: Censorship
row as BBC cuts the Major's 'racist' lines
from classic Fawlty Towers episode
Viewers complain that only the 'terminally thin-skinned' could
be offended by the character
BBC said it was edited to suit a family
audience to reflect changing attitudes"


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2ItVw7GCV


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...93_306x423.jpg
"Ballard Berkeley as the Major Gowen,
who makes the offensive remark. Viewers said
that the 'bigoted character' was meant to be laughed at - not with"



BBC Re-Writes History --- George Orwell is Born Again

"BBC staff to strike over redundancies
NUJ members across the country start
work-to-rule protest on Friday with one-day
walkout to take place on Monday


BBC journalists will go on strike on Monday,
after beginning a work-to-rule on Friday,
in a dispute over compulsory redundancies,
the National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
has announced.
NUJ members across the country at the BBC voted
for industrial action unless the corporation
agrees to end compulsory redundancies
and redeploy at-risk staff internally.
Hundreds of journalists will start a
work-to-rule protest from Friday, 15 February,
over the cost-cutting measures,
which are part of the BBC's
Delivering Quality First strategy.
A one-day strike in protest at
compulsory redundancies is due
to follow on Monday, 18 February.

The walkout on 18 February could hit the
BBC's coverage of Scottish parliament
and the Welsh Assembly, which both return
from recess that day. It is also the date of the
Armenian presidential election.
A number of posts have been identified
as being at risk by the end of March,
including jobs in the national news division,
BBC Scotland, and BBC Radio 5 Live."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013...dundancies-nuj

Yes the BBC News readers are on strike.
shorter broadcasts today
and some like Radio 4 today show removed

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...Humphr-008.jpg
BBC strike: Radio 4 Today, which was due
to be hosted by John Humphrys and Evan Davis,
was replaced by repeats

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013...-radio-4-today

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...96_634x397.jpg
Anger: Staff on the picket line outside
BBC Birmingham are some of many
protesting outside offices nationwide today

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2LFQ0moQD

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...rogrammes.html

"Michelle Stanistreet, the general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said the strike sent a "really significant" message to BBC managers about union members' opposition to planned compulsory redundancies."

But Michelle the BBC is happy to use Producers as Presenters
you are living in the past , honey

Latest
no newsnight
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/201...-live-coverage

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013...uion-nuj-bectu

More Strikes next week

"The BBC is facing an Easter blackout after
journalists voted on Wednesday to go on strike
over job cuts, excessive workloads and claims of bullying.
The date of the strike has not been announced,
but the National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
said it was expected to be at Easter.
It follows a 24-hour strike on 18 February
when presenters, including BBC Radio 6
Music's Lauren Laverne, refused to cross the picket line.
Members of the BBC's two biggest unions,
Bectu and the NUJ, backed the strike.
The NUJ said 61.2% of its members voted
for the walkout, and 79.9% for action short of a strike.
The dispute is over the BBC's cost-cutting programme,
which is part of its Delivering Quality First strategy.
Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary of the NUJ,
said the cuts were harming
quality journalism at the corporation."

Had to grin at 'quality first strategy'.Can't say I have noticed much of that.
I couldn't care one bit, I really only watch sky news anyway. Any chance though of a reduction in the licence fee if they are not able to effectively report like other channels can.

I don't watch the BBC much anymore. Never thought I'd hear myself say that. I'm appalled at the amount of money they spent moving everything up to Salford when they had the iconic, historic Television Centre in West London. It would have cost a fraction of our money to update the building... but no. They moved everything and everyone to massively expensive purpose-built premises in Manchester and closed Television Centre. I guess Broadcasting House will be next. Shame on them. I want my money back.

I also do not watch much TV these days and when I do it's usually recorded from any of the Channels incl Sky so I can avoid the Adverts. The importance of the BBC for me has diminished over the last 20 years as other TV companies subcontract program making to smaller production companies who can make quality programmes easily on par with the BBC. Also the large influx of quality programmes from the US has raised the bar in programme making across the board which has further reduced the claims that the BBC is at the forefront of Television.

It is not, it is an outdated,overweight, overfunded, left wing liberal state owned mouthpiece which reports the news and delivers programmes that it thinks we should see not what we actually want to see. Being able to still charge a licence fee is in itself unbelievably undemocratic and should be resisted by all until this stupid law is changed.

To be fair in its day the BBC was a global leader and paved the way for all who followed, but the world has changed what with TV & Radio available on Cable,Satellite,Internet etc.. and specific Films,Music & TV Programmes available 24/7 in HD from specialist companies, the days of one large state owned Corporation are well and truly numbered.

So yes please stop making me pay for the privilege of watching the BBC, let the BBC fight for revenue like everyone else, then it might realise a lot of its output is tosh and it might streamline its programmes and compete for market share like everyone else.

Excellent post,I agree with every single word.

We don't always agree, do we. But when I do agree with you, it's 100%.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013...ction-thursday


Yet another BBCNews strike today

BBC staff strike over workload, jobs and bullying
Newsnight and Radio 4’s World at 1 and PM have been taken off the air today as BBC journalists and technical staff strike in a row over jobs, workload and claims of bullying.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...-bullying.html