Comments on: BBC One – The One To Go? http://www.mattdeegan.com/2009/08/30/bbc-one-the-one-to-go/ Matt Deegan's home on the web Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:32:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Matt http://www.mattdeegan.com/2009/08/30/bbc-one-the-one-to-go/comment-page-1/#comment-80201 Matt Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:29:06 +0000 http://www.mattdeegan.com/?p=439#comment-80201 Bandwidth will not run out. Sachsgate did not create anymore regulation - just some self-regulation. We do indeed own the public spectrum and when it was the only way to broadcast the govt could prescribe PSB that licensee's had to provide. Nowdays there are enough ways to broadcast that do not use scarce spectrum hence no way to force PSB. With these proposals the BBC could continue to provide any of the shows that you suggest. Shutting down Radio 1 would save £40m - that's not an amount that's going to 'save' the BBC. I'd like the BBC to continue in roughly the same form as it does now. However I think the best way to ensure this is by the Beeb taking the bull by the horns and redesigning itself so it has to rely on other people (specifically government and the licence fee)much less. It should save itself by self-funding, quickly. Removing BBC1 would be the quickest way it could do this. Bandwidth will not run out. Sachsgate did not create anymore regulation – just some self-regulation. We do indeed own the public spectrum and when it was the only way to broadcast the govt could prescribe PSB that licensee’s had to provide. Nowdays there are enough ways to broadcast that do not use scarce spectrum hence no way to force PSB.

With these proposals the BBC could continue to provide any of the shows that you suggest.

Shutting down Radio 1 would save £40m – that’s not an amount that’s going to ’save’ the BBC. I’d like the BBC to continue in roughly the same form as it does now. However I think the best way to ensure this is by the Beeb taking the bull by the horns and redesigning itself so it has to rely on other people (specifically government and the licence fee)much less. It should save itself by self-funding, quickly. Removing BBC1 would be the quickest way it could do this.

]]> By: Lucio Buffone http://www.mattdeegan.com/2009/08/30/bbc-one-the-one-to-go/comment-page-1/#comment-80200 Lucio Buffone Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:18:58 +0000 http://www.mattdeegan.com/?p=439#comment-80200 I don't buy this internet argument, bandwidth is about to run out, so we need to start asking how will we ration it in the future? With regards to regulation, the competition scams and 'sachgate' led to more regulation, so why not regulate for quality in the future. Whether digital or analogue, 'we the people' own the broadcast means, exercised through our elected representatives in Westminster, (illegal pronography is still illegal online), so why not regulate for quality. If you look at wildlife programmes alone, BBC 1 provides (in association with Discovery) the best in the world. Your argument's 2 blogs back against privatising Radio 1 apply more so to BBC 1. I don’t buy this internet argument, bandwidth is about to run out, so we need to start asking how will we ration it in the future? With regards to regulation, the competition scams and ’sachgate’ led to more regulation, so why not regulate for quality in the future. Whether digital or analogue, ‘we the people’ own the broadcast means, exercised through our elected representatives in Westminster, (illegal pronography is still illegal online), so why not regulate for quality. If you look at wildlife programmes alone, BBC 1 provides (in association with Discovery) the best in the world. Your argument’s 2 blogs back against privatising Radio 1 apply more so to BBC 1.

]]> By: Matt http://www.mattdeegan.com/2009/08/30/bbc-one-the-one-to-go/comment-page-1/#comment-80199 Matt Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:19:54 +0000 http://www.mattdeegan.com/?p=439#comment-80199 Lucio - with regards to 'agreeing' - I was referring to the idea of the BBC being too big and regulation being too high, not the news remarks. I think the idea that any broadcast platform will get 'more' regulation is unlikley to ever happen. The internet's development as an unregulated content distributor means that broadcast will only see further de-regulation - that genie is out of that bottle. All - the BBC One suggestion is to protect the BBC. If it carries on with an increasing licence fee I believe the chance for it to be broken up by a regulator/government increases that's unless they do some serious work to change its model itself. Lucio – with regards to ‘agreeing’ – I was referring to the idea of the BBC being too big and regulation being too high, not the news remarks. I think the idea that any broadcast platform will get ‘more’ regulation is unlikley to ever happen. The internet’s development as an unregulated content distributor means that broadcast will only see further de-regulation – that genie is out of that bottle.

All – the BBC One suggestion is to protect the BBC. If it carries on with an increasing licence fee I believe the chance for it to be broken up by a regulator/government increases that’s unless they do some serious work to change its model itself.

]]> By: Steve Green http://www.mattdeegan.com/2009/08/30/bbc-one-the-one-to-go/comment-page-1/#comment-80198 Steve Green Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:44:33 +0000 http://www.mattdeegan.com/?p=439#comment-80198 What you're suggesting would inevitably lead to the end of the licence fee itself - not that I'm against that, though. BBC1 is by far the most-watched BBC TV channel, so if that were removed from the BBC's viewing figures the percentage of people who watch BBC TV would fall dramatically, which would make it impossible to defend the licence fee from its critics - because the defence for having the licence fee tax (it is now classified as a tax) has always been that a very high percentage of people do actually watch BBC TV, but that would no longer be the case. What you’re suggesting would inevitably lead to the end of the licence fee itself – not that I’m against that, though.

BBC1 is by far the most-watched BBC TV channel, so if that were removed from the BBC’s viewing figures the percentage of people who watch BBC TV would fall dramatically, which would make it impossible to defend the licence fee from its critics – because the defence for having the licence fee tax (it is now classified as a tax) has always been that a very high percentage of people do actually watch BBC TV, but that would no longer be the case.

]]> By: Lucio Buffone http://www.mattdeegan.com/2009/08/30/bbc-one-the-one-to-go/comment-page-1/#comment-80197 Lucio Buffone Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:11:23 +0000 http://www.mattdeegan.com/?p=439#comment-80197 Hi Matt, I disagree that 'people generally agreed with his two main themes.' Peter Fincham ITV director of Television said it was possible to agree violently with half of it and disagree with the other half. Will Hutton says James Murdoch's economics 'are out of date'. Robert Peston had a blazing row with Murdoch Jr. That is hardly consensus. The BBC proves that public ownership can provide better public services than the private sector. And credit to it. Daddy Murdoch is just peeved that with the BBC providing free news online, his plans to charge for online news content are doomed. All that privatising parts of the BBC will do is saddle the private sector with more debt, divide limited advertising revenues further and result in cheaper, poorer quality programming. The solution is a smaller commercial sector, with increased advertising revenues which can spend more on programming and gain more audience. We need more regulation NOT less. Hi Matt, I disagree that ‘people generally agreed with his two main themes.’ Peter Fincham ITV director of Television said it was possible to agree violently with half of it and disagree with the other half. Will Hutton says James Murdoch’s economics ‘are out of date’. Robert Peston had a blazing row with Murdoch Jr. That is hardly consensus. The BBC proves that public ownership can provide better public services than the private sector. And credit to it. Daddy Murdoch is just peeved that with the BBC providing free news online, his plans to charge for online news content are doomed. All that privatising parts of the BBC will do is saddle the private sector with more debt, divide limited advertising revenues further and result in cheaper, poorer quality programming. The solution is a smaller commercial sector, with increased advertising revenues which can spend more on programming and gain more audience. We need more regulation NOT less.

]]> By: Martin Steers http://www.mattdeegan.com/2009/08/30/bbc-one-the-one-to-go/comment-page-1/#comment-80196 Martin Steers Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:55:26 +0000 http://www.mattdeegan.com/?p=439#comment-80196 I understand what you are saying, but surely it wouldnt continue to be called 'BBC 1' in which point it just because another channel in the plethora of the tv spectrum.. Also do the public fully understand what PSB is all about, and is that what they want from the BBC? Surely the BBC showing shows such as 'Cash in the... Bargain... etc' is just catering for the masses, would it not be better for them to sell off products and shows once they have a following,. I do agree about the BBC world, with the amount of products that the bbc produce in all different formats they should try and commercialise as much as possible out side of the UK, and maybe even within the UK, with dealings with other channels. I understand what you are saying, but surely it wouldnt continue to be called ‘BBC 1′ in which point it just because another channel in the plethora of the tv spectrum..

Also do the public fully understand what PSB is all about, and is that what they want from the BBC? Surely the BBC showing shows such as ‘Cash in the… Bargain… etc’ is just catering for the masses, would it not be better for them to sell off products and shows once they have a following,.

I do agree about the BBC world, with the amount of products that the bbc produce in all different formats they should try and commercialise as much as possible out side of the UK, and maybe even within the UK, with dealings with other channels.

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