Telegraph - Minister's TV licence fee threat 'The BBC could lose its exclusive right to the licence fee if it does not tackle a “culture” of secrecy, waste and unbalanced reporting, a senior Cabinet minister warns.'
" Last week, this newspaper highlighted questions over a bulletin by Mark Easton, the BBC’s home editor, on a European Commission report about benefits for migrants. It appeared to draw inaccurate conclusions and fail to present the Government’s position fairly.
Mr Shapps said the item was “wrong” and added that there had been problems with other items by Mr Easton, including one on the Government’s austerity measures, which Mr Shapps described as prophesying “Armageddon, rubbish on the streets and people unburied”.
Although the minister stopped short of an accusation of “institutional bias” he said: “I do think there is, possibly with the particular journalist, but also there is an editorial question for the BBC about applying fairness in both directions. That also is a question of credibility for the organisation.”
He highlighted an opinion poll two weeks ago that concluded that the public were content with the outcome of the spending cuts so far, which the BBC downplayed.
“When they were proved categorically wrong, and people gave the wrong answer and said their services were improved, their response was to bury the story,” he said."
Sounds grim outside already. I hope the winds aren't too bad here.
You think you've got it bad - we've had freeze warning for the last 2 nights - this far south in October! But I was always told it's grim up north.
Speaking of which, I'm reseaching air fares for my trip to the UK next summer for the Tour de France finish in Harrogate, and going past my boyhood home in Addingham the next day.
I was told it's cheaper to fly to / from Dublin than mainland UK, and it is - about $300 round trip. Even factoring in ferry / train packages it's still about $250 less.
Atlanta to Dublin, changing planes in Paris Charles de Gaulle $750 round trip. Atlanta to CDG, on the same flight same day -$1050. It's $300 cheaper to fly via CDG to Dublin and back than to fly to CDG. There is no rhyme or reason to these fares!
Any other ways to achieve (relatively) cheap travel to / from the UK?
Twitter Dan Hodges @DPJHodges 8m BBC respond to threat to licence fee by criticising "political pressure". Isn't that actually a reason for scrapping the licence fee?
I think on reading the article it's pretty clear there is no 'fiddle' at all. If there is fiddling it would appear to be on the other side with Labour using percentages from the old 'softer'inspection regime to justfiy their claim. Worth remembering that neither Labour or the Guardian should be seen as bywords for accuracy or honesty when commenting on government policies they oppose. Although the Labour view on free schools is somewhat multi-faceted these days.
Of course there is no fiddle, just the usual Labour lies and smears that useful idiots like Smithson are happy to propagate as it suits their ideological dogma.
Any other ways to achieve (relatively) cheap travel to / from the UK?
You can get cheap flights on the likes of easyJet and RyanAir from most major European cities to the UK, so don't just think about Dublin, unless you want to spend some time there.
Telegraph - Minister's TV licence fee threat 'The BBC could lose its exclusive right to the licence fee if it does not tackle a “culture” of secrecy, waste and unbalanced reporting, a senior Cabinet minister warns.'
If they can pluck up the courage to cut what the BBC gets the answer is to CUT the Licence Fee - ie do not design some fancy system whereby everyone else bids to get their hands on taxpayers money.
Keep it simple - CUT the Licence Fee - let the public keep as much of their own money as possible.
Telegraph - Minister's TV licence fee threat 'The BBC could lose its exclusive right to the licence fee if it does not tackle a “culture” of secrecy, waste and unbalanced reporting, a senior Cabinet minister
Excellent, forget Ed and his opportunistic, ridiculous energy price freeze, this is the best way to put an extra £145 into each household every year
Nothing will happen. Depressingly nobody really has the courage to reform the BBC and privatise it.
The BBC is like the Royal Mail. The market is dying as technology changes. Neither will exist in a decade so now is the last moment to sell and get any value. Yet the public have a sepia-tinged nostalgia for a golden age that never was.
The BBC is unreformable. Labour will never tackle the inherent leftist bias because they broadly benefit from it. The Conservatives are too scared of the backlash from the broadcaster. They don't realise that they're already at the wrong end of hopelessly one-sided journalism and it can't get much worse even with redoubled effort.
Telegraph - Minister's TV licence fee threat 'The BBC could lose its exclusive right to the licence fee if it does not tackle a “culture” of secrecy, waste and unbalanced reporting, a senior Cabinet minister warns.'
" Last week, this newspaper highlighted questions over a bulletin by Mark Easton, the BBC’s home editor, on a European Commission report about benefits for migrants. It appeared to draw inaccurate conclusions and fail to present the Government’s position fairly.
Mr Shapps said the item was “wrong” and added that there had been problems with other items by Mr Easton, including one on the Government’s austerity measures, which Mr Shapps described as prophesying “Armageddon, rubbish on the streets and people unburied”.
Although the minister stopped short of an accusation of “institutional bias” he said: “I do think there is, possibly with the particular journalist, but also there is an editorial question for the BBC about applying fairness in both directions. That also is a question of credibility for the organisation.”
He highlighted an opinion poll two weeks ago that concluded that the public were content with the outcome of the spending cuts so far, which the BBC downplayed.
“When they were proved categorically wrong, and people gave the wrong answer and said their services were improved, their response was to bury the story,” he said."
Telegraph - Minister's TV licence fee threat 'The BBC could lose its exclusive right to the licence fee if it does not tackle a “culture” of secrecy, waste and unbalanced reporting, a senior Cabinet minister warns.'
If they can pluck up the courage to cut what the BBC gets the answer is to CUT the Licence Fee - ie do not design some fancy system whereby everyone else bids to get their hands on taxpayers money.
Keep it simple - CUT the Licence Fee - let the public keep as much of their own money as possible.
In the internet age, combined with the decline in standards at the BBC, a regressive tax to fund a creaking self-serving beaurocracy seems absurd. The obvious solution is to test the market - let the BBC compete for money as a subscription alternative to Sky. I'm sure Guardian readers would be keen to pay up - and that should just about cover say Newsnight costs:)
Sounds grim outside already. I hope the winds aren't too bad here.
You think you've got it bad - we've had freeze warning for the last 2 nights - this far south in October! But I was always told it's grim up north.
Speaking of which, I'm reseaching air fares for my trip to the UK next summer for the Tour de France finish in Harrogate, and going past my boyhood home in Addingham the next day.
I was told it's cheaper to fly to / from Dublin than mainland UK, and it is - about $300 round trip. Even factoring in ferry / train packages it's still about $250 less.
Atlanta to Dublin, changing planes in Paris Charles de Gaulle $750 round trip. Atlanta to CDG, on the same flight same day -$1050. It's $300 cheaper to fly via CDG to Dublin and back than to fly to CDG. There is no rhyme or reason to these fares!
Any other ways to achieve (relatively) cheap travel to / from the UK?
Hi Tim. Not sure if it matters to you or even applies since I assume you are a US citizen, but Ireland is often preferred for departing to the US since you can clear US immigration in Ireland before you fly rather than enduring the long waits once you land on the other side of the Pond.
Totally agree. Oh the irony if the BBC had to report a Tory Government was cutting or getting rid of the TV licence fee to help ease the cost of living burden for hard pressed taxpayers.
Telegraph - Minister's TV licence fee threat 'The BBC could lose its exclusive right to the licence fee if it does not tackle a “culture” of secrecy, waste and unbalanced reporting, a senior Cabinet minister warns.'
If they can pluck up the courage to cut what the BBC gets the answer is to CUT the Licence Fee - ie do not design some fancy system whereby everyone else bids to get their hands on taxpayers money.
Keep it simple - CUT the Licence Fee - let the public keep as much of their own money as possible.
"Totally agree. Oh the irony if the BBC had to report a Tory Government was cutting or getting rid of the TV licence fee to help ease the cost of living burden for hard pressed taxpayers."
Then you switch the radio on and you just get crackle.
It's cheap at twice the price for the radio alone let alone BBC4 which is just outstanding value whatever it costs.
You remind me of the Economist Ad. "I Dont Read The Economist" (junior filing clerk aged 53)
I have the best of both worlds: I can use my US Passport to get through the (usually short) lineups at the US citizen passport control in Atlanta, and my UK passport for arrival in Europe.
John Lilburne -
It doesn't seem to matter which city in Europe I fly to - Paris, London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels - they all cost pretty much the same, and Dublin is always $300 or so cheaper. The fees and taxes for to /from the UK are eye wateringy high.
It's cheap at twice the price for the radio alone let alone BBC4 which is just outstanding value whatever it costs.
If it's such outstanding value then why not adopt the public service model used here in the US.
The Public Broadcasting Service is funded by its viewers, although this was not always the case.
For example, Georga Public Broadcasting has radio and TV studios etc provided by the state of Georgia, in return for which it is expected to produce travel and history programs to encourage folks to visit the state. The best known of these is probably "Augusta's Master Plan", detailing the history of Augusta from Sherman's decision to bypass it to the development of The Masters.
Programming on PBS is funded by its viewers. 3 times a year it's 'pledge time', for about 10 days or until the target is reached. The stations ask for funds around and during programming. The most popular programming - in other words generating the most pledges - is noted. It's quite simple - you simply call the number on your screen with a credit card.
If certain programing has outstanding value to you, you can pledge to support it.
Look at the Tea Party PB Tories go re the BBC Replace people who hate British institutions with immigrants
One of your more idiotic posts, admittedly in a strong field.
The Tea Party is an American phenomenon and thus included within the term immigrants if they are in this country.
Your second comment reminds me of the wackier 'race replacement' comments on the Telegraph site, but also of the old saw 'sack the electorate and get a new one.'
"Totally agree. Oh the irony if the BBC had to report a Tory Government was cutting or getting rid of the TV licence fee to help ease the cost of living burden for hard pressed taxpayers."
Then you switch the radio on and you just get crackle.
It's cheap at twice the price for the radio alone let alone BBC4 which is just outstanding value whatever it costs.
You remind me of the Economist Ad. "I Dont Read The Economist" (junior filing clerk aged 53)
Utter bollocks of course.
Stations like Absolute and Talksport manage to provide a decent service and survive, it would be good to see the BBC do the same. What are they frightened of?
GeoffM The Royal Mail still has a growing parcels business, there will always be a place for the BBC in terms of major cultural, sporting events and royal and state occasions etc
Sounds grim outside already. I hope the winds aren't too bad here.
You think you've got it bad - we've had freeze warning for the last 2 nights - this far south in October! But I was always told it's grim up north.
Speaking of which, I'm reseaching air fares for my trip to the UK next summer for the Tour de France finish in Harrogate, and going past my boyhood home in Addingham the next day.
I was told it's cheaper to fly to / from Dublin than mainland UK, and it is - about $300 round trip. Even factoring in ferry / train packages it's still about $250 less.
Atlanta to Dublin, changing planes in Paris Charles de Gaulle $750 round trip. Atlanta to CDG, on the same flight same day -$1050. It's $300 cheaper to fly via CDG to Dublin and back than to fly to CDG. There is no rhyme or reason to these fares!
Any other ways to achieve (relatively) cheap travel to / from the UK?
Comments
'The BBC could lose its exclusive right to the licence fee if it does not tackle a “culture” of secrecy, waste and unbalanced reporting, a senior Cabinet minister warns.'
" Last week, this newspaper highlighted questions over a bulletin by Mark Easton, the BBC’s home editor, on a European Commission report about benefits for migrants. It appeared to draw inaccurate conclusions and fail to present the Government’s position fairly.
Mr Shapps said the item was “wrong” and added that there had been problems with other items by Mr Easton, including one on the Government’s austerity measures, which Mr Shapps described as prophesying “Armageddon, rubbish on the streets and people unburied”.
Although the minister stopped short of an accusation of “institutional bias” he said: “I do think there is, possibly with the particular journalist, but also there is an editorial question for the BBC about applying fairness in both directions. That also is a question of credibility for the organisation.”
He highlighted an opinion poll two weeks ago that concluded that the public were content with the outcome of the spending cuts so far, which the BBC downplayed.
“When they were proved categorically wrong, and people gave the wrong answer and said their services were improved, their response was to bury the story,” he said."
Speaking of which, I'm reseaching air fares for my trip to the UK next summer for the Tour de France finish in Harrogate, and going past my boyhood home in Addingham the next day.
I was told it's cheaper to fly to / from Dublin than mainland UK, and it is - about $300 round trip. Even factoring in ferry / train packages it's still about $250 less.
Atlanta to Dublin, changing planes in Paris Charles de Gaulle $750 round trip. Atlanta to CDG, on the same flight same day -$1050. It's $300 cheaper to fly via CDG to Dublin and back than to fly to CDG. There is no rhyme or reason to these fares!
Any other ways to achieve (relatively) cheap travel to / from the UK?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24684683
Dan Hodges @DPJHodges 8m
BBC respond to threat to licence fee by criticising "political pressure". Isn't that actually a reason for scrapping the licence fee?
Keep it simple - CUT the Licence Fee - let the public keep as much of their own money as possible.
The BBC is like the Royal Mail. The market is dying as technology changes. Neither will exist in a decade so now is the last moment to sell and get any value. Yet the public have a sepia-tinged nostalgia for a golden age that never was.
The BBC is unreformable. Labour will never tackle the inherent leftist bias because they broadly benefit from it. The Conservatives are too scared of the backlash from the broadcaster. They don't realise that they're already at the wrong end of hopelessly one-sided journalism and it can't get much worse even with redoubled effort.
Look at the debate on energy prices where we've got all the green levies being added to bills.
The public wants to GET THE COST DOWN - no ifs, so buts, no fancy committees, no mucking about - just do it.
The last thing we need is a new system whereby the public has to start funding other broadcasters on top of the BBC.
"Totally agree. Oh the irony if the BBC had to report a Tory Government was cutting or getting rid of the TV licence fee to help ease the cost of living burden for hard pressed taxpayers."
Then you switch the radio on and you just get crackle.
It's cheap at twice the price for the radio alone let alone BBC4 which is just outstanding value whatever it costs.
You remind me of the Economist Ad. "I Dont Read The Economist" (junior filing clerk aged 53)
It's rather a stupid advert, really. Was it one of yours?
I have the best of both worlds: I can use my US Passport to get through the (usually short) lineups at the US citizen passport control in Atlanta, and my UK passport for arrival in Europe.
John Lilburne -
It doesn't seem to matter which city in Europe I fly to - Paris, London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels - they all cost pretty much the same, and Dublin is always $300 or so cheaper. The fees and taxes for to /from the UK are eye wateringy high.
Thanks to both for your comments.
The Public Broadcasting Service is funded by its viewers, although this was not always the case.
For example, Georga Public Broadcasting has radio and TV studios etc provided by the state of Georgia, in return for which it is expected to produce travel and history programs to encourage folks to visit the state. The best known of these is probably "Augusta's Master Plan", detailing the history of Augusta from Sherman's decision to bypass it to the development of The Masters.
Programming on PBS is funded by its viewers. 3 times a year it's 'pledge time', for about 10 days or until the target is reached. The stations ask for funds around and during programming. The most popular programming - in other words generating the most pledges - is noted. It's quite simple - you simply call the number on your screen with a credit card.
If certain programing has outstanding value to you, you can pledge to support it.
The Tea Party is an American phenomenon and thus included within the term immigrants if they are in this country.
Your second comment reminds me of the wackier 'race replacement' comments on the Telegraph site, but also of the old saw 'sack the electorate and get a new one.'
Stations like Absolute and Talksport manage to provide a decent service and survive, it would be good to see the BBC do the same. What are they frightened of?
suggests you're not alone here. Amsterdam could be as good as anywhere, its a hop, skip and a jump from the UK, much like Dublin but an extra 30 minutes in the air.
Edit: If you're doing that, perhaps we could arrange a PB meet up for the day.