Re: [Swprograms] Quote of the Day

[Mike Barraclough <softbulletin1@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:> 

>BBC Director General Mark Thompson is
>> quoted as follows:
> 
> "[The BBC] should no longer think of itself as a
> broadcaster of TV and 
> radio and some new media on the side.  We should aim
> to deliver public 
> service content to our audiences in whatever media
> and on whatever 
> device makes sense for them, whether they are at
> home or on the move."

The speech was Royal Television Society's Fleming
Memorial Lecture dealing with domestic TV and radio,
tying in for the BBC's licence fee submission
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/04_april/25/creative.shtml

The full speech is online but I can't find the link.

> But apparently if you are part of the BBC's audience
> living in the 
> Western Hemisphere or Australasia and you are a part
> of the sizeable 
> segment of that audience for whom the media that
> makes the most sense 
> for you--whether at home or on the move--is
> shortwave

Doesn't follow from the above but how do you justify
putting the word sizeable in front of segment? Time
has moved on since the decision was made to drop
shortwave, which in itself reduces the shortwave
audience. There is more broadband penetration and
online listening with portable devices and WiMax being
developed. Satellite radio, which at the time was
unproven, has a large subscription base. I would
contend, since you are asking me to pay out of my
taxes a service you would get free on shortwave, that
there is a segment but it's not sizeable and, given
there is a limit on funding, it's not seen as a
priority. I don't accept the BBC's claims on FM
coverage being effective in the US market for reasons
previously argued on this list but, in my opinion, you
can't argue a case like this now without statistics.  

To put it bluntly how many people in the US and Canada
today are using shortwave to listen to international
broadcasts, to what extent are they using it if they
have access to other sources, and, which is more
difficult to argue, how many would consider using
shortwave again if a BBC service came on with reliable
reception. You would also need a commitment for the
advantages of shortwave to be publicised to rebuild
the audience. Did one of your government agencies
recommend everyone have a wind-up radio with shortwave
coverage in case of emergency by the way? If so that's
actually a good argument for a re-introduction of the
service.
 
> One can only conclude from this dichotomy that this
> statement is just 
> more of the same p.r.-inspired b.s. that is intended
> to obfuscate 
> rather than clarify and illuminate which we are
> getting used to 
> hearing from those in BBC management circles of
> late.

How can one conclude that in such strong terms?
Thompson backed up his statements with research,
stating what I see every day, young people don't use
media like I used to, for example a quarter of 16-24
year olds watch no BBC television. Everyone in the
country pays a licence fee and as the UK media scene
becomes more diverse, both in terms of media sources
available and the way people access them, the BBC has
therefore, as a broadcaster, to use the appropriate
technology. If it buries its head in the sand and
thinks everyone will listen to radio and TV at set
times of the day on traditional devices its whole
model of funding will collapse as people will question
the licence fee. 
  

>Underlining  this point is information contained in
>the remainder
> of the article 
> wherein Mr. Thompson states that he wants the BBC
> and its web site to 
> be a "premier destination" for unsigned music
> groups, 

How is that more appropriate to a commercial entity as
you claim later who have narrow playlists of bands
signed to major labels with PR budgets. The BBC's
committment to music is excellent. Use appropriate
technology for public service content. The BBC is
adding an Electric Proms season this year, long
overdue.

>ape the success 
> of sites like MySpace.com, create a new "broad-based
> teen brand" 
> with "a single music strategy" across all its
> platforms and commission 
> more comedy pilots while creating a BBC Sports
> broadband portal with 
> live video and audio.

If you read and google further you will see that the
"teen brand" will be targeting markets the commercial
sector does not, for example unsigned music, access,
and talk radio programmes for young people.
 
> To my ears, these all sound like broadcasting
> objectives more 
> appropriate to commercial entities, and decidedly
> not the "delivery of 
> public service content" stated by Mr. Thompson. 

Disagree for reasons above. 

>In
> drawing such a 
> conclusion, one has to wonder under what possible
> justification can 
> the BBC still legitimately claim special status as a
> public service 
> broadcaster and demand access to a mandatory license
> fee, let alone an 
> increase in one.

There's a widespread debate going on at the moment in
the UK, amongst those who pay the licence fee, on
these very points but I don't accept the premise on
which you base your conclusion. 
 
> The recent management had broken the BBC... and it
can
> no longer be 
> fixed. 

The programming and strategy has improved a lot since
the governors found the excuse they needed to get rid
of Greg Dyke. As you assert that it can no longer be
fixed what exactly are you proposing? 

>Make it be what its myopic management wants
> it to be by 
> releasing it from its no longer deserved special
> status. 

The use of the word myopic in a speech dealing with
how technology is changing, and will continue to
change, the use of audio and visual content I find
quite bizarre. Can't respond, don't understand.

>What has 
> been lost is considerable and valuable, but it can
> no longer be 
> recaptured or rebuilt and that is sad, very sad. 
> Let's not reward the 
> destroyers of the dream and let the delusion that
> this is a "public 
> broadcaster" stand any longer.

A politicians statement, using 43 emotive, yet
ultimately meaningless, words to back up, in my
opinion, a wafer thin case.

I am quite happy daily to watch the breadth of
programming on BBC Television, listen to the superb
radio networks, use the listen again facilities on the
BBC radio player, await the new Integrated Media
Player, use ITunes to start subscribing to the BBC
podcasts, and use the BBC website, I believe the UK's
most visited. 

As a US citizen John you say, in somewhat dramatic
terms, that, despite all this use I make of its
content, the BBC has been destroyed, can you point me
to another public, or even private, broadcaster that
offers all this please since you appear to be claiming
the BBC may as well close down tomorrow. 

Where is your model of a public service broadcaster I
am to compare with one you say is irreparably broken?

Mike 





		
___________________________________________________________ 
NEW Yahoo! Cars - sell your car and browse thousands of new and used cars online! http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/
_______________________________________________
Swprograms mailing list
Swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://arizona.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms

To unsubscribe:  Send an E-mail to  swprograms-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown above.