Petition against BBC cuts

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 09:58 AM

Fairy nuff, Dave Mac and Folk Police (love the name:-) ) but I still cannot help but wonder if we are being manipulated. I've signed it now anyroads so it's academic to me!

Firstly, I am never too happy with the lesser of two evils argument. It is a common ruse by politicians (not always those in government either!) to get you to accept a bad choice. Common in situations like "Would you rather loose the maternity unit or the childrens ward?" Never a mention of the third option - Sack the director! :-)

Also, I have seen the save 6 Music page but, in reference to this peteition the wording is -

Please put listeners and viewers first, not corporate media barons. The BBC should focus on strengthening and improving its services, not cutting stations like 6 Music and BBC Asian Network.

Which is not about saving one particular station but aboout standing up to 'corporate media barons'.

I think we may just be being used as pawns. Not the first time. Will not be the last. :-(

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: the Folk Police
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 08:35 AM

Dave, over 90,000 people have joined the Facebook Save 6 Music group. It's not about being used or abused by corporate bigwigs, it's about saving one of the best stations on national radio - and one that is often an antidote to more mainstream programming.

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 07:00 AM

I've had a fair bit to say about the BBC over the years, but, like democracy, the alternative's worse.

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 05:09 AM

Funny thing is...

It becomes obvious after you have added your name. When presented with the page to send the message to friends it says quite clearly that Rupert Murdoch is putting pressure on etc. Now, here is where the irony lies. It mentions then that he is also pressing for them to cut Radio One - A move supported by many including some here.

So, think me cynical if you must, is the BBC cutting the minority stations just to get support? Can we believe anything that ANY media company say? How can we trust the BBC moguls any more than Murdoch? Surely if they were to axe Radio One, they would save enough money to support a dozen minority music channels which is what it should be concentrating on. Maybe they are cutting these channels just to get public sympathy?

Sorry, but the more I think about this, the more I feel I have been manipulated into signing this petition to support one set of media bastards in their war with another set of media bastards. If I could now take my name off, I would.

DeG

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 05:01 AM

The Murdoch family are totally opposed to monopolies, unless they're Murdoch family monopolies. Currently the BBC is the only media organization strong enough to stand up to them in Britain.

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 04:57 AM

OK - I'm sold. Thanks Jack.

DeG

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 04:34 AM

The pressure to cut the BBC's services comes from Rupert Murdoch, and he has no intention of stopping there.

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 04:01 AM

OK - I'll bite. I am happy to sign the petition if it saves a minority service but can I ask two really stupid questions first?

1) Who is Murdoch and what does he have to do with it? I thought it was a bloke called Thompson heading up the cuts and
2) How will closing a couple of minority stations and cutting back online content 'destroy the BBC'? Surely 6Music and the Asian channel are digital stations - only available for the last, what, 4 years? and web sites change all the time.

Having said all that I agree with the premise of getting rid of the crap stuff but how does someone decide which is good and bad when it is partialy based on personal tastes and cannot really be objective?

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 03:41 AM

Cerys Matthews was on BBC Breakfast News this morning, putting her case for keeping 6Radio very forcefully and eloquently. Cerys, for those who don't know, is one of the presenters on that station. She spoke of the 90,000 people now signed up to Facebook to save the station...and of the opportunities it gives to new music, something that's sadly lacking on other stations.

The BBC6 Music came back saying they wanted to introduce the ethos of 6Radio into Radio 1 and 2, giving more coverage to new music. They also stated that it would be around 2013 before the changes come into place.

What came across though, from the presenters, and from Cerys, is that the BBC6 Music belongs to US, and we need to make our case if we want to keep this station..

So...everyone over to Facebook...FAST!

Save BBC 6 Music - Facebook

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Paco O'Barmy
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 06:46 PM

That is a brilliant idea!!! Radio 1 no longer has any reason to exist!

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: EnglishFolkfan
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 06:05 PM

Why not axe BBC Radio 1, that station is commercially replicated all over the place. Keep BBC6Music make it meet it's Terms of Service and that would get a lot more post 1960 Folk and 'new' folk artists broadcast.

I find the only whiff of possible cheer is the stopping of the naff reality shows like 'dancing & singing on just about everything' and getting more quality drama.

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 05:29 PM

They've tried to spread themselves out too far, be the shop that sells everything, and in so doing they've forgotten where their strengths lie.

Yes, we are in the worst recession that we have ever possibly been in at present, and it'll be a long way down the road to get out of it, so they need to make cuts where they can, without damaging their reputation.


Today I learned that Laura Ashley are cutting the wages of their staff, along with their hours..and WH Smith are doing the same..

*Everyone* is going to suffer some cutbacks, setbacks in this period of history, and the BBC will be no different. Time for us all to face up to how bad things are getting and be thankful that so much of the BBC will be saved.

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: GUEST,Mark Gleadhall
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 03:43 PM

Save the BBC, get rid of Thompson

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 03:37 PM

I, for one, wouldn't mind paying more for license. BBC puts on some cracking good programmes Radio and Telly. I hate to see specialised stuff go.

Would be great if they could set up a pay per view or listen on the web too.

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Paco O'Barmy
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 03:30 PM

I think this is a crafty move to preempt any much more drastic cuts that would be imposed on the BBC if the Conservatives got into power this year,

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Bernard
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 09:22 AM

We had the same problem four years ago when BBC GMR was 'rebranded' to its old name 'Radio Manchester', and in the process ditched everything Manchester from its schedules.

Our programme, Ali O'Brien's Sounds of Folk, was one such programme they ditched, and I see they're using much the same argument this time around... we were told that the Community Radio Stations were in a better postion to serve 'specialist music' programming. Apparently this time Channel Four are better than the Beeb...!

We were also sworn to secrecy about the plans to take us off air... luckily, someone else from another programme blew the whistle in the national press, so people had a chance to have their say - and be completely fobbed off.

Well, the BBC's loss was Oldham Community Radio's gain - we will been broadcasting with them for three years on March 17th (baptism of fire with a two hour St. Patrick's Special!), and even have our programme repeated on Fridays.

It would be easy to use money as the excuse, but I think not - after all, the programmes which were axed had a paid presenter supported by volunteer production staff, and were replaced by a paid presenter and paid production staff.

PRS/MCPS savings couldn't be an issue, either, because they play as much music now as then, and it's all mainstream playlist stuff - at least we had regular live performances.

There's more to it than meets the eye, mark my words!

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 09:02 AM

I'm sorry but instead of broadcasting, the BBC is narrowcasting. It has ghettoised music, and as a result, we get radio stations with wall to wall, monocultures of pop/easy listening/ethnic/oldies/classical etc etc. In too many cases, never the twain shall meet. The BBC has expanded it's activities far beyond it's remit, and it is doing it with limited budget, all of which we provide.
It needs to stop spreading, and target itself better, so cuts are inevitable.
I'm not saying that what they are doing is right or wrong, but things need looking at very seriously.
I shan't be signing any petitions to stop them doing whatever it is they are doing, because petitions never changed anything, and if they are persuaded to change the targets of the present cuts, then whatever target takes it's place, will upset another special interest group.
I listened to a wonderful old broadcast of Take it From Here on BBC7 this morning, all the way from 1953, and it was as funny now as then.
However Radio7 is a minority channel, and I'm surprised it appears to have survived the projected cuts, from what I've heard.
Face it, either you are willing to pay a lot more for your licence, or you are going to have to suffer cuts of one sort or another.

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: SunrayFC
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 08:53 AM

Please let's stay rational.
Times when money is short. Wars going on. Jobs going every day, with more to come- no! much more to come.

People always react violently to change. Change is a way of life.

Let's take this carefully.

There was a time when people would pay £500 for a flight- now they expect it for £3.

There was a time when people went to their local shop for produce, now they spend 30 times that amount at a supermarket.

Get a grip guys!!!!

Subject: RE: Petition against BBC cuts
From: GUEST,erbert
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 08:45 AM

What hope is there for good quality knowledegable music broadcasting
when BBC Director-General Mark Thompson seems to be so enthusiastic to reduce funding
for all but his own personal biased favouritisms in programming;
news, drama and light entertainment.

If you look at his biography,
experience or any serious interest in music broadcasting
is conspicuously absent ???

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/executives/markthompson.shtml

Subject: Petition against BBC cuts
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 06:41 AM

Don't let Murdoch destroy the BBC:

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/BBC-stop-the-cuts