General BBC-related comment thread:

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may be moderated.

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445 Responses to General BBC-related comment thread:

  1. Barry Wood says:

    The senior management Beeboids responsible for commissioning are at last unmasked, here.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/tv/network/whoswho.shtml

    Not much evidence of celebrating diversity at the top is there? It is all a bit hideously white, if you ask me. Middle-class women are well represented, though.

    I wonder how many are the products of comprehensive schools and council estates, like the audience?

    Where do they live? how do they educate their kids? Do any of them attend church? Why are there no elderly people there? How much are they paid? Wouldn’t it be great to know!

    Any other things people would like to know about the commissioning editors at BBC Vision?

       1 likes

  2. WoAD (UK) says:

    Here’s a good answer to your question Mr Wood:

    The unprincipled exception, by Lawarence Auster

    The unprincipled exception is a non-liberal value or assertion, not explicitly identified as non-liberal, that liberals use to escape the suicidal consequences of their own liberalism without questioning liberalism itself.

    Obviously if the higher echelons of the BBC were made to represent Britain as a whole, there would not be another people on the board with the intellectual clout to run the company. Even with Tony Blairs ambition to make sure 50% of all Britons aquire a degree in the future etc.

       0 likes

  3. Reg Hammer says:

    Barry Wood:

    Eloquently put.

    Where do they all live you ask? Well big fat houses in the white home counties of course, away from the multicultural wonderland that they are so busy ‘educating and informing’ us about the benefits of.

    Jana Bennet head of comissioning comedy? Do you think she spent years on the stand up circuit? Perhaps she’s written many brilliant comedy shows in the past. No, apparantly she has developed, commissioned and worked with the best in comedy, such as: The Worst Week of My Life for BBC ONE, The Catherine Tate Show for BBC TWO, and Monkey Dust and Nighty Night for BBC THREE.

    A comic GENIUS if ever there was one.

    And Glenwyn Benson, controller of knowledge (whatever the f*** that means) is stepping down to head the BBBCs response to Ofcom’s public service broadcasting review.

    Yes, it will be Glens job to ensure OFCOM is bombarded with yet more bullshit propoganda to ensure that all these rich, white upper middle class types keep their self-serving, hypocritical snouts as deep and as long as they can in the trough of public funding.

       0 likes

  4. The Fat Contractor says:

    Reg Hammer | 10.12.07 – 6:12 pm |
    And Glenwyn Benson, controller of knowledge (whatever the f*** that means)

    Orwellian that’s what it is. 🙁

       0 likes

  5. Martin says:

    More BBC crap. 6PM News and they’ve flown their chief environmental correspondent half away around the world (so how much CO2 did THAT produce Shuckam?) to report on the cutting down of the rain forests. you might remember a similar story on ITV News a couple of weeks ago.

    EXCEPT for one difference, the BBC didn’t bother to tell us why Palm Oil was now so popular? No mention of bio fuels.

    Perhaps because it might look bad on the EU?

    “…Until now palm oil – of which 83% is produced in Indonesia and Malaysia – was produced for food. But the European Union’s aim of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, partly by demanding that 10% of vehicles be fuelled by biofuels, will see a fresh surge in palm oil demand that could doom the rainforests….

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/indonesia/Story/0,,2049671,00.html

       0 likes

  6. Dr R says:

    I wonder who’s the “Man tits” genius? Danny Cohen I reckon…

    Wow! What a gallery! Aren’t we the lucky ones!

    Cone to think of it, why the hell aren’t their salaries public knowledge? After all, we do pay it. Anyone know?

       0 likes

  7. Matthew (UK) says:

    Barry Wood | 10.12.07 – 4:39 pm |

    At the beginning of the list:
    Jane Tranter, Controller, Fiction Commissioning

    A euphemism for the head of BBC News?

       0 likes

  8. Natty Dread says:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7137080.stm

    Let the Beeboid gloatfest commence.

       0 likes

  9. Reg Hammer says:

    “Cone to think of it, why the hell aren’t their salaries public knowledge? After all, we do pay it. Anyone know?”

    Freedom of Disinformation won’t disclose individual salaries but taking a look at what information is available, there are over 322 staff at the BBC earning more than £100,000 per annum. This lot are obviously members of that elite 322.

    So not taking into account bonuses, expenses and perks, Jana Bennet head of comissioning comedy is earning roughly £2k a week. And what brilliant contributions have we had to BBC comedy since her inception for that sort of money?

    Answers on a grain of rice.

       0 likes

  10. Year zero 1997 says:

    Asians found guilty of shattering man’s skull in race hate attack

    Up to 30 Asians set upon the victim and his friends for drinking in a pub on the Clichy estate in Stepney, which the gang considered to be their turf.

    They shouted insults including “white honkies” at the five people who dared to walk through.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=501105&in_page_id=1770

    Nothing on the BBC website of course.

       0 likes

  11. Umbongo says:

    Funny – no news that I could find anywhere on the BBC websites about how our “partners” in the EU are going all out for a constitution: and they’ll all be there at the signing apart from Gordo who’s got a note from his mother excusing his absence because he has to go to a meeting at the local boy’s club.

    Also the BBC chooses to headline a report on the scandal of the London 2012 budget “2012 Olympics budget ‘on track'”. Misleading? Of course – but it keeps Tessa Jowell happy.

    And in another PR job for the government we are told that Wind ‘could power all UK homes’. The politicians (including the LibDems and the official “opposition”) love it despite (actually because of) the probability that this fatuous and expensive project will out-spend even the London Olympics – and for similar benefits to the taxpayer.

       0 likes

  12. Martin says:

    It is a good point about BBC salaries. Why is it we can find out what our MP gets paid or the Chief Constable of our Police force, but not a BBC presenter?

    The BBC could easily publish salaries but just say BBC TV News readers and give an average salary for example.

    WE should be allowed to know. We pay their frigging wages.

    They should also all be made to declare their political alliances or if they take part in fund raising.

       0 likes

  13. Barry Wood says:

    RTE was forced to divulge salaries after a decision on a Freedom of Information application, force them to. The argument was, not unreasonably, that as the taxpayer was paying, they had a right to know.
    There were some interesting knock-on effects that touched the Beeb. As this Guardian article makes clear, secrecy is purely for the benefit of the bureaucrats.

    “The BBC is fighting an official call for it to reveal the salaries of its top-paid presenters in Northern Ireland.

    BBC executives have been told by the information commissioner that they will have to make public how much top stars in Northern Ireland are paid.

    The corporation has been watching the progress of the case with concern, as it believes it would set a precedent and open the floodgates for the salaries of English and Scottish presenters to be made public.

    BBC executives also think it could lead some of the BBC’s most famous faces deserting the corporation for commercial rivals.

    These concerns have been prompted by a Freedom of Information request, which asked BBC Northern Ireland to reveal the top 10 presenters’ salaries.

    After the BBC refused the FOI request – made by freelance journalist Joe Oliver – he appealed to the information commissioner.

    The BBC points out that when Irish broadcaster RTE disclosed its wages, under an FOI request, a number of presenters asked for pay rises to bring them into line with their colleagues. Others were poached by competitors offering them more money.

       0 likes

  14. Anonymous says:

    Al-Beeb is shoving the Conrad Black story down its readers’ throats – main item on the home page, with a “Did he get off lightly?” link! However, despite its prominent placement it’s not in the “Most Read” or “Most e-mailed” sections.

       0 likes

  15. Shug Niggurath says:

    Slightly O/T

    BBC Entertainment Index

    VOTE

    Do you plan to see The Golden Compass?

    Already seen it!
    It’s on my Christmas list
    I’d rather read the book

    So is this movie / book just soooooo great that it’s not possible to not want to see it or at least read the book!

       0 likes

  16. Reg Hammer says:

    Does anyone moderate the BBCs World Have Your Say blogs? Looks like they don’t, if postings like this can go uncensored up there:-

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldhaveyoursay/2007/01/rabs_at_tvc_shocker_1.html

    COMMENT No.5:

    Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi are two X two bit wh**** and f****** useless s*** and f*** you with your b******** site.
    Your days are numbered you f***** controlling Illuminati/freemason controlled pieces of s***.
    Always promoting the lie of multiracialism.

    F*** YOU BBC.

    Oh well, at least we know where to get moderated HYS comments posted now.

       0 likes

  17. Anonymous says:

    One in three Brits back BBC accuracy…
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/dec/10/bbc.television

       0 likes

  18. abundance99 says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20071210_ledzep.shtml

    Hilarious! I can count seven spelling mistakes and factual inaccuracies in the first couple of paragraphs. Any advance? Who is writing this stuff??

       0 likes

  19. Martin says:

    Anyone else notice the BBC have failed to point out that the Hurricane season is over in the USA and they’ve had fewer than predicted Hurricanes this year?

    So no global warming then? Were we not told to expect more Katrina’s then?

       0 likes

  20. pounce says:

    Martin: wrote;
    “Anyone else notice the BBC have failed to point out that the Hurricane season is over in the USA and they’ve had fewer than predicted Hurricanes this year?”

    Funny you should look in the direction of across the pond and mention the BBC gravitation towards GW as the answer for everything that happens on earth have a butchers at this BBc news report and tell me what you think killed these people. (Of course the BBC tells you but you do have to traverse to the bottom of the article)

    Ice storm in US claims 14 lives
    At least 14 people have died in the US as an ice storm sweeps several states just east of the Rocky Mountains. More than 400,000 people were left without electricity after trees and power lines toppled in the icy blast. The National Weather Service issued ice storm warnings for parts of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Texas and said more ice was on the way. Ice up to 1in (2.5cm) thick layered parts of Oklahoma and Missouri, where states of emergency have been declared. “We expect a lot more [ice], especially with another round of freezing precipitation that will be making its way through this afternoon,” said a spokeswoman for Oklahoma’s department of emergency.
    ………………..
    Twelve people were killed in road accidents in Oklahoma over the weekend, including four who died in an 11-vehicle pile-up on the ice-covered Interstate 40, west of Okemah. A homeless man died of hypothermia in Oklahoma City, and a highway accident claimed another life in Missouri.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7137682.stm

    So out of those 14 lives the BBC was claimed by an Ice Storm 13 died due to Automobiles and only one died of the cold. (and he was homeless) Out of a combined population of around 9 million for those 2 states does anybody find 14 deaths excessive? It appears the BBC does..

       0 likes

  21. James Walker says:

    Anyone else taken aback by the jokey, matey, blokey banter between Gavin Essler and Conrad Black that Newsnight passed off as an interview?

    The odd thing about it was that it was Paxo’s shift. Did Black only agree to appear on the proviso that the Beeb set him up with a poodle rather than with their resident attack dog?

    But even the attack dog would have been struggling with the ammo Newsnight researchers fed their poodle. They gave Essler nothing, literally nothing, on the case. And the smooth talking embezzler came out smelling like roses.

    How is it that Newsnight, a programme with more staff and resources devoted to it than the entire 24 hour Sky News operation couldn’t assign a single researcher to this story? Worse, how could they allow themselves to be compromised like that?

    Tell us Davidov Gregorovitch: is sitting an old lag in front of his icam a scoop in your book?

       0 likes

  22. Lurker in a Burqua says:

    ……and again

    Embarrassing World Service survey shows public concern over BBC’s news ‘bias’

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=501137&in_page_id=1770

       0 likes

  23. Lurker in a Burqua says:

    “British Jobs for British Workers”
    Law Lords Rule Labour Party Guilty of Racial Discrimination

    http://www.order-order.com/2007/12/british-jobs-for-british-workers-law.html

    Guido can’t help thinking that if the highest court in the land had just found the Conservative Party guilty of racial discrimination, that Alex Hilton, Kevin Maguire, Polly Toynbee, Roy Hattersley, Jackie Ashley together with the leader writers of the Guardian and Independent would all be working overtime. The silence is deafening.

       0 likes

  24. Susan says:

    Will the Beeboids posting here explain why the racist attack on the white guy in Stepney was not covered? A machete through the skull to an innocent man while the attackers screamed “kill the white honkies” sounds pretty newsworthy to me.

    Please also do not insult us by denying that if this had been a white attack on “Asians”, that al-Beeb would have featured it 24/7 in every news venue possible.

    Thank you in advance for your replies.

       0 likes

  25. Year zero 1997 says:

    Embarrassing World Service survey shows public concern over BBC’s news ‘bias’

    Fewer than a third of Britons believe the BBC performs well when it comes to accurate news reporting, a survey has revealed.

    Only 29 per cent gave a positive rating to publicly-funded news.
    Earlier this year a survey for the regulator Ofcom showed that the number who think the BBC is impartial has fallen to 54 per cent from 77 per cent in 2002.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=501137&in_page_id=1770

       1 likes

  26. Alan says:

    Yesterday BBC quoted Mohammad Barakeh accusing Israel of racism.
    It seems Mohammad Barakeh is guilty of racism himself:
    http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/933201.html

       1 likes

  27. Cockney says:

    “The odd thing about it was that it was Paxo’s shift. Did Black only agree to appear on the proviso that the Beeb set him up with a poodle rather than with their resident attack dog?”

    Probably the institutionalised pro ultra-capitalist, rightist and Israeli lobby bias 🙂

       1 likes

  28. Cockney says:

    Oh dear god!!!

    wonder how much carbon ramadan cost?

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7137504.stm

       1 likes

  29. Abandon Ship! says:

    Year zero

    Of course the Beeboid brain will reject this story by default since it is in the Daily Mail.

       1 likes

  30. Andy says:

    Is there a shortage of news or something?

    Major beeb headlines this morning include the resuscitated blubber of the Zeppelin reunion and how how global warming spells trouble for penguins…

       1 likes

  31. Abandon Ship! says:

    Lyrical terrorist anthology

    ….given free and friendly publicity by the Today programme:

    “0824: There’s an interesting book of poetry appearing on the shelves. It’s a collection of poems written in Guantanamo Bay.”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/

       1 likes

  32. Ben says:

    Fantastic. Only on B-BBC could the BBC be simultaneously criticised for supposedly giving Black a hard time (for, I assume, having capitalist tendencies) as well as be accused of giving him an easy ride in an interview. Come on, which is it?

    Typical example of people twisting non-existant ‘evidence’ that only they see

       1 likes

  33. BaggieJonathan says:

    Significant discovery – life found on mars!

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7137793.stm

    No wait, they have not actually found intelligent life.

    Its microbes.

    No wait, its only an environment that would suit microbes.

    No, an environment that would have suited microbes in the past.

    Very distant past.

    Could not would.

    ‘Scientists’ believe.

    Maybe.

    So hypotheses suggest.

    ‘Impressive’ to make such a long article from so little in the way of actual facts.

    Still it fits in with the agenda, so that will do, treat it as fact, isn’t that so BBC.

       1 likes

  34. ian says:

    ben,

    In what way is stealing millions of pounds capitalist.

    Oh yeah, I get it. People who make money always do it by stealing off others.

    Thank you for your beeboid interpretation of capitalism.

       1 likes

  35. David Gregory (BBC) says:

    BaggieJ: Erm, if the headline said “LIVE ON MARS!” I could understand your scorn, but it says “Mars robot unearths microbe clue”. And that’s what the article is all about. When it comes to producing something so long with “so little in the way of facts”, well I think your post is more of a case in point! 😉

       1 likes

  36. John A says:

    Interesting article on Radiohead, environmentalism and the New Puritanism: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/10/radiohead_wartime_misery/

       1 likes

  37. watcher says:

    Cokney wrote: Oh dear god!!! wonder how much carbon ramadan cost?

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/engla…ter/ 7137504.stm

    Personally I’d be more worried about the methane emisions from so many sprouts. However the Beeb anti-American bias shines (sparkles?) through with: “The cranberry sauce alone, normally imported from North America, contributes half the carbon footprint related to transport.”

    This type of report must warm the hearts of the Beeb’s drones: Global warming nonsense coupled with a routine dig at America and the hint that a mostly Christian festival is responsible for the problems facing us.

       1 likes

  38. Anonymous says:

    For crying out loud. The BBC and it’s obsession with MMGW. Is this really worth a front page news spot. Utter drivel. They can go get stuffed

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7137504.stm

       1 likes

  39. David Morris says:

    Speaking of MARS. perhaps someone on the BBC environment team might like to sit down and consider how the temperature on Mars is rising at roughly the same rate as that on Earth? In both cases it couldn’t be anything to do with that big orange thing in the Sky could it (unless the Martians eat christmas dinner and drive 4x4s)?

    ps why didn’t penguins (and polar bears) become extinct in previous ages when the earth’s temperature was much higher than today? I think we should be told.

       1 likes

  40. Barnetpete says:

    The BBC was outraged on Radio 4 this morning because of the non-custodial sentences given to ten young men in a Queensland court for having sex with a ten year old aboriginal girl.
    What the BBC omitted to tell us was the race of the young men and the female judge.
    I think these are an important omissions.

       1 likes

  41. Barnetpete says:

    Correction.
    Nine young men not ten.

       1 likes

  42. Tim says:

    The Cranberry sauce line really is classic BBC!

    “The cranberry sauce alone, normally imported from North America, contributes half the carbon footprint related to transport”

    You just have to stand back and admire the bias for what it is sometimes…

    Hopefully there will be a show one day with your top 100 BBC bias moments.

       1 likes

  43. Tim says:

    Ha ha ha,

    I’ve got tears in my eyes, absolute BBC classic..

       1 likes

  44. Ben says:

    ian:
    ben,

    In what way is stealing millions of pounds capitalist.

    Oh yeah, I get it. People who make money always do it by stealing off others.

    Thank you for your beeboid interpretation of capitalism.
    ian | 11.12.07 – 10:36 am | #

    Oh dear, maybe from now on I’ll need to insert a disclaimer for times when things are said somewhat tongue in cheek

       1 likes

  45. John Reith spins in his grave says:

    Only 29 per cent gave a positive rating to publicly-funded news.
    Earlier this year a survey for the regulator Ofcom showed that the number who think the BBC is impartial has fallen to 54 per cent from 77 per cent in 2002.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages…in_page_id=1770

    Year zero 1997 | 11.12.07 – 7:31 am | #

    Yes- and the really fascinating thing is that this survey was carried out by BBC World’s favourite pet lefty/greeny polling outfit – Globescan.

    No doubt the result from an unbiased source would have been far worse.

    ——————————————————————————–

       1 likes

  46. Greencoat says:

    Right that’s it! I’m swearing off devilish American cranberry sauce!

    I’m going to spend the money I save on that book of poems from the innocent captives of Guantanamo Bay.

       1 likes

  47. rightofcentre says:

    A sensible question for David Gregory (BBC) as I understand he is a science chap.

    How can the BBC still transmit the Greenwich time signal, as due to the process of digitising and bouncing off a satellite it is approx 1 or so second late?

    Small point I know, but it`s bugging me.

       1 likes

  48. AntiCitizenOne says:

    Ben,

    It’s considered polite to put sarcasm tags around sarcastic posts.

       1 likes

  49. MattLondon says:

    Tim:
    The Cranberry sauce line really is classic BBC!

    “The cranberry sauce alone, normally imported from North America, contributes half the carbon footprint related to transport”

    You just have to stand back and admire the bias for what it is sometimes…

    And since when has Cranberry Sauce been a traditional component of a British Christmas Dinner?

       1 likes

  50. Tim says:

    MattLondon

    I couldn’t care if it’s Cuban cigars or dates from Palestine that are part of a traditional British Christmas dinner.

    It’s just classic BBC biased, MMGW and a dig at the yanks.

    I’m still laughing at how petty (and funny) that story is.

       1 likes