BBC - Why am I paying my Licence Fee

veryunsure

spike7451 wrote: »

If you're on about DIY SOS,I was told a while back by a friend who works in the BBC that most of the people featured in them there type of programmes either work for the BBC or are related to someone who does.

Dunno how true that is but it wouldn't suprise me!

Yes, it was the hour long 'special' of DIY SOS that was shown this week.

paddyrg

Yep - as opposed to advertising for houses with owners who don't understand how TV works it is quicker and easier to ask around the office.

Torry_Quine

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

Unfortunately, there is very little content on the BBC to even contemplate watching one show, the Doctor Who was poor this Christmas, and yesterday the Eric and Ernie show was absolute CODSWALLOP. I switched off after the depiction that prior to 2005, all railways where carbon chucking steam on single tracks and Eric entered the equivalent of the 1940 Britains got Talent show, I mean "You know why you're here, 'cos you've got talent!". I doubt that it was like that.

.

Well I really enjoyed the Eric and Ernie programme last night. The steam train was a lot earlier than 2005! The actor who played Eric Morecambe in particular was uncanny in his resemblance and I learned a lot about how they got started.

LadyDee

For me, there have only been two programmes worth watching on BBC this Christmas/New Year period - Toast and Victoria Wood's Eric & Ernie.

Both surprisingly good - well Toast was surprising, I knew VW would be.

Sharon87

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

If the company I work for wanted me to work overtime, it is me who gets there and home again at my expense.

Unfortunately, there is very little content on the BBC to even contemplate watching one show, the Doctor Who was poor this Christmas, and yesterday the Eric and Ernie show was absolute CODSWALLOP. I switched off after the depiction that prior to 2005, all railways where carbon chucking steam on single tracks and Eric entered the equivalent of the 1940 Britains got Talent show, I mean "You know why you're here, 'cos you've got talent!". I doubt that it was like that.

Freddie, proud not to have watched the BBC news since 21:33Z 03:05:1982. A good 29 years worth.

Working late does not always mean overtime, it's usual for TV workers to work 14 hour days or more. so say at 1am after a big long shift it's good practise to get a taxi for your worker, either that or risk them driving whilst tired, or trying to get home by public transport (if any) and have little rest between shifts.

Low paid workers have it hard because their employers don't care about them (in my experience - expected to get bus home at 3am and walking a mile to the bus stop in icy conditions) TV companies care about their workers, not just the BBC.

Here's Charlie Brooker for the person who asked
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXOPIbb8ZjA

peediedj

i rarley watch terrestrial tv,and usually watch 99% sky programmes,i know we have to buy a liecence but the price of sky packages etc we shouldnt have to pay a liecence as well

paddyrg

peediedj wrote: »

i rarley watch terrestrial tv,and usually watch 99% sky programmes,i know we have to buy a liecence but the price of sky packages etc we shouldnt have to pay a liecence as well

If I were you, I'd take that up with Rupert Murdoch, he'll be only too happy to kill off the BBC so people have to buy his Sky services ;-)

Nilrem

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

who is this right Charlie Brooker?

He's a (fairly sarcastic) commentator who does a few programmes that are basically looking at different things, like what has been on TV.
An odd mix of funny, sarcastic, and informative and rarely holds his punches when commenting on what he thinks of things like TV programmes.

His figures lined up with the published BBC figures for the sort of programme he was on about (the BBC is I think alone in publishing publicly the rough amount it pays per hour of various different programme types - for example drama has 3 or 4 different grades depending on the scale of the drama).

andyrules wrote: »

Nilrem wrote: »

Does your company also expect you to work at odd locations, at short notice (potentially no notice) where public transport may be at best spotty?
If they do, do they cover you for mileage?
How about business class insurance on your car?


Many low paid workers have to find their own way home at odd hours with no notice. Many low paid workers have to transport themselves around for the basic mileage rate.

Most insurers don't charge any additional premium for using your car for commuting, unless you are a commercial traveller.

Commuting to a regular place of work is the normal phrase I believe, most policies are worded to cover normal use to a single place of work, or at most a couple of regular places
If you (as may well be the case in broadcasting or journalism) need to go to multiple different (random) locations that standard SD+P policy probably won't cover it, it is likely to transform into a need for Business cover to be fully legal (always check the exact wording on your policy).
This is the same for anyone who doesn't work all the time at a fixed site, but is sent to different locations potentially at random, much the same as for say repair technicians, salesmen, delivery drivers etc.

I'm not saying that there aren't many jobs where the employees have to make their way home at odd hours (my brother had such a job for a few years).
However any decent employer will assist in unexpected costs incurred at their request - for example if they ask you to stay at work to meet a tight deadline, and it wasn't in your employment contract, at least if they want to retain staff who know what they are doing and aren't easily replaceable (and the BBC historically pays under the market rate for many of it's staff).

Although I strongly suspect that most of this touted huge taxi bill is for guests, who may not be getting any fees, and will be covered under individual programming budgets, or to simply get materials back to the studio from on site reporters before a second reporter or OB unit can get there.
Using a taxi to courier stuff is fairly normal in a lot of companies where normal couriers won't be fast enough/available and can be much cheaper than a same day courier.

Freddie_Snowbits

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Well I really enjoyed the Eric and Ernie programme last night. The steam train was a lot earlier than 2005! The actor who played Eric Morecambe in particular was uncanny in his resemblance and I learned a lot about how they got started.

I may have exaggerated the date by a year or two.

Kite2010

Is it just me who prefers having a repeat on say new years eve so that the BBC can spend the money on something quality instead of them wasting money on some lowest common denominator "comedy" shows?