Why do we pay a TV tax?

wigglebeena

Although that said, enough of the BBC justifying getting rid of every woman presenter over 40, while wrinkly old gits like John's Simpson and Humphrys are allowed on air. Seriously, John Simpson: would you?

Time for top male totty presenting the news - get 'em from a few model agencies, sod the skills!

Nice_Username

wigglebeena wrote: »

Although that said, enough of the BBC justifying getting rid of every woman presenter over 40, while wrinkly old gits like John's Simpson and Humphrys are allowed on air. Seriously, John Simpson: would you?

Time for top male totty presenting the news - get 'em from a few model agencies, sod the skills!

My missus is in love with Huw Edwards AND John Snow! :eek:

wigglebeena

Nice_Username wrote: »

My missus is in love with Huw Edwards AND John Snow! :eek:

Past their prime, love, past their prime...

michaels

Remember how the Met used to be institutionally racist - not specifically racist but just by language and preconception?

The same is true of the BBC - it is institutionally left wing. This means that the editors can't even see that they are left wing as everyone around them shares their views, when they recruit they chose 'people like us' and those who apply in the first place are 'people like them' cos anyone holding different views is unlikely to apply in the first place knowing they would not fit in and anyway probably holds negative views on working for the public sector so it is all entirely self reinforcing.

During the banking crisis govt policy was announced via Robert Peston (Clown's biographer) rather than to parliament or via a govt spokesman.

There a other examples of this self selection bias - the Euro parliament is full of people whop believe in European integration hence their positions being markedly more pro-european than the population as a whole - a quick bit of double think allows them to rationalise that their view is that of 'right thinking people' and thus ignore the opinions of the 'Neanderthals' who disagree with them.

StevieJ

michaels wrote: »

Remember how the Met used to be institutionally racist - not specifically racist but just by language and preconception?

The same is true of the BBC - it is institutionally left wing. This means that the editors can't even see that they are left wing as everyone around them shares their views, when they recruit they chose 'people like us' and those who apply in the first place are 'people like them' cos anyone holding different views is unlikely to apply in the first place knowing they would not fit in and anyway probably holds negative views on working for the public sector so it is all entirely self reinforcing.

No comment on my Nick Robinson post above?

Paranoid

StevieJ wrote: »

Interesting when you look at the Beebs major political player, Nick Robinson Political editor

At Oxford he was also President of the Oxford University Conservative Association.

In 1986, he spent a year as national chairman of the Young Conservatives

Strange, not many get more left wing as they age.

Institutional political bias................? I don't think so.

Cleaver

solodanceparty wrote: »

Name one show.

Stuff I watch / use / listen to on the BBC for a tenner a month:

• The current Sunday night show on the Solar System on the BBC1 is ace
• PM almost daily on radio 4
• Today on Radio 4
• Excellent footie coverage regulary on Five Live
• Tonnes of quality musical output like 6 music (please don't get rid of this)
• Charlie Brooker's Newswipe
• Question Time
• Newsnight
• QI and quite a few other comedies
• On the rare occassions they do buy american stuff it tends to be good: Seinfield, Larry Sanders, The Wire, Heroes, Mad Men etc.
• Anything with David Attenborough
• I use the website on pretty much a daily basis
• Moneybox on Radio 4
• Wake up to Money on Radio 4
• I use the iPlayer a lot and enjoy podcats on my walk home from work
• Match of the Day
• A load more I can't think of right now.

What do I watch on Sky?

• Football
• Er... that's it.

I think the BBC has a bit of lefty bias but who cares? I can see through that. When I go to my Nans I can happily read the Daily Mail and know that it's right wing. I am more than happy to pay £12 for the BBC. I'd pay up to £25 at a push I think.

One thing that always confuses me with people is when they say that they 'have to pay the TV tax'. If you think the BBC is cr*p then you obviously think Sky is worse, because it blantantly is. So surely you don't need a working TV? Just get a TV and a DVD player, because if you don't rate anything on the BBC then surely you can't get in to Sky? Unless you're the type of simpleton who enjoys 'Are you Smarter than this Stool Sample' or 'Ross Kemp Does Something Again' in which case I do understand why you don't like the BBC.

Cleaver

michaels wrote: »

Remember how the Met used to be institutionally racist - not specifically racist but just by language and preconception?

The same is true of the BBC - it is institutionally left wing. This means that the editors can't even see that they are left wing as everyone around them shares their views, when they recruit they chose 'people like us' and those who apply in the first place are 'people like them' cos anyone holding different views is unlikely to apply in the first place knowing they would not fit in and anyway probably holds negative views on working for the public sector so it is all entirely self reinforcing.

I agree with all of this. But I can't say it really bothers me that much, in the same way it wouldn't bother me if they were slightly right-leaning. When I'm watching quality shows like tonight's one on the solar system, or listening to a quality documenarty on Radio 4 I don't really think about the political leanings of the management structure.

In the same way I don't really like Rupert Murdoch's political leanings, but that doesn't really bother me when I'm watching the Premeriship coverage on Sky Sports.

Cleaver

googler wrote: »

I'd rather watch, (American) Frasier, Two and a Half Men, Becker, Spin City, Taxi, Roseanne, etc than (British) My Family, The Royle Family, Hi De Hi, 'Allo 'Allo........

I think three of the best American comedies are Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show and The Simpsons which were all screened over here for the first time by the BBC.

michaels

You are probably right but two counter arguments:

1) BBC is paid for by everyone without choice so should probably not have a bias to one party unlike Sky which customer chose to pay for.
2) There is that embarrassment when you go abroad if the foreigners snigger at you for thinking the BBC is a bastion of unbiased reporting just as we feel superior to the state controlled media in Russia or Venezuela.

Cleaver wrote: »

I agree with all of this. But I can't say it really bothers me that much, in the same way it wouldn't bother me if they were slightly right-leaning. When I'm watching quality shows like tonight's one on the solar system, or listening to a quality documenarty on Radio 4 I don't really think about the political leanings of the management structure.

In the same way I don't really like Rupert Murdoch's political leanings, but that doesn't really bother me when I'm watching the Premeriship coverage on Sky Sports.