Comments on: No Free Ride http://pdberger.com/no-free-ride/ A British freelance writer living in New York Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:48:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Nick http://pdberger.com/no-free-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-9333 Nick Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:44:15 +0000 http://pdberger.com/?p=787#comment-9333 A point of interest: BBC World Service is not exactly the same thing as the BBC. While the BBC is funded by the license fee and is independant of the UK government, the World Service is paid for by regular taxes and is run directly by the Foreign Office. Consequently, it pursues government policy, which is why it recently closed down a bunch of stations in Eastern Europe and are increasing their presence in the Middle East. The BBC is biased, of course, but who isn't. And as much as I love the BBC, the license fee is a problem. Oh, and Rob, maybe the reason English people were so rude to you is because you keep CAPITALISING and are incredibly smug. A point of interest: BBC World Service is not exactly the same thing as the BBC. While the BBC is funded by the license fee and is independant of the UK government, the World Service is paid for by regular taxes and is run directly by the Foreign Office. Consequently, it pursues government policy, which is why it recently closed down a bunch of stations in Eastern Europe and are increasing their presence in the Middle East.

The BBC is biased, of course, but who isn’t. And as much as I love the BBC, the license fee is a problem.

Oh, and Rob, maybe the reason English people were so rude to you is because you keep CAPITALISING and are incredibly smug.

]]> By: pdberger http://pdberger.com/no-free-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-9327 pdberger Wed, 15 Mar 2006 20:07:37 +0000 http://pdberger.com/?p=787#comment-9327 Erm, Rob, the license fee pays for a lot more than news. It pays for the BBC which broadcasts a wide range of television and radio programs. But you probably already knew that. Fox News doesn't have to charge viewers because it gets its revenue from something called advertising. This advertising has to be broadcast regularly and is done so by interrupting the programs people are watching. In the US many channels feel the need to do this every five to ten minutes. This could be why since moving to America, and not wishing to pay $60 a month for cable, I have stopped watching television. Much as I like certain Fox programs and much as I disagree with certain BBC content, on the whole I think the BBC does a much better job than Fox in the very few fields that Fox competes with the BBC. If you want to find a true competitor to the BBC, Murdoch's Sky News is more watchable than BBC News 24. Erm, Rob, the license fee pays for a lot more than news. It pays for the BBC which broadcasts a wide range of television and radio programs. But you probably already knew that.

Fox News doesn’t have to charge viewers because it gets its revenue from something called advertising.

This advertising has to be broadcast regularly and is done so by interrupting the programs people are watching. In the US many channels feel the need to do this every five to ten minutes.

This could be why since moving to America, and not wishing to pay $60 a month for cable, I have stopped watching television.

Much as I like certain Fox programs and much as I disagree with certain BBC content, on the whole I think the BBC does a much better job than Fox in the very few fields that Fox competes with the BBC.

If you want to find a true competitor to the BBC, Murdoch’s Sky News is more watchable than BBC News 24.

]]> By: Rob http://pdberger.com/no-free-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-9324 Rob Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:31:16 +0000 http://pdberger.com/?p=787#comment-9324 Hey...here's idea....how about paying for what you want rather than having a tax imposed on you for biased propaganda you do not want. You don't see Fox News threatening citizens with jail and a $2000 fine in THIS country, do you? Hey…here’s idea….how about paying for what you want rather than having a tax imposed on you for biased propaganda you do not want. You don’t see Fox News threatening citizens with jail and a $2000 fine in THIS country, do you?

]]> By: pdberger http://pdberger.com/no-free-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-9307 pdberger Wed, 15 Mar 2006 14:09:51 +0000 http://pdberger.com/?p=787#comment-9307 I have no idea. I can't imagine them charging for streaming programmes but I could imagine them charging for podcasts--get it live (free) or subscribe (paid). I have no idea. I can’t imagine them charging for streaming programmes but I could imagine them charging for podcasts–get it live (free) or subscribe (paid).

]]> By: Dezik http://pdberger.com/no-free-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-9301 Dezik Wed, 15 Mar 2006 09:59:45 +0000 http://pdberger.com/?p=787#comment-9301 My quality of life will be considerably dented without my daily doses of the World Service and Radio 4, but surely radio won't be charged for, will it? I mean, it's radio. And that's the point of the World Service, surely, to be international. I could, of course, still listen to it on the wireless, but I like the compactness of everything being in one machine - internet, radio, e-mail, work etc. I know many think the BBC is part of an alternative axis of evil (along with the NHS and Sweden), but I can't help tu(r)ning to them in times of trouble, I have to say. My quality of life will be considerably dented without my daily doses of the World Service and Radio 4, but surely radio won’t be charged for, will it? I mean, it’s radio. And that’s the point of the World Service, surely, to be international. I could, of course, still listen to it on the wireless, but I like the compactness of everything being in one machine – internet, radio, e-mail, work etc. I know many think the BBC is part of an alternative axis of evil (along with the NHS and Sweden), but I can’t help tu(r)ning to them in times of trouble, I have to say.

]]> By: chai anyone http://pdberger.com/no-free-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-9290 chai anyone Wed, 15 Mar 2006 04:32:26 +0000 http://pdberger.com/?p=787#comment-9290 NOOOO. I love BBC. I feel like it's the only unbiased news in the world. :( NOOOO. I love BBC. I feel like it’s the only unbiased news in the world. :(

]]> By: an inside source http://pdberger.com/no-free-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-9280 an inside source Tue, 14 Mar 2006 23:40:03 +0000 http://pdberger.com/?p=787#comment-9280 things have been changing at the BBC for the past year or so...its becoming much more "american" in the way it does things. Becoming much more commercial and less loyal to its employees and audience. It'll be interesting to see what it looks like in another years time. things have been changing at the BBC for the past year or so…its becoming much more “american” in the way it does things. Becoming much more commercial and less loyal to its employees and audience. It’ll be interesting to see what it looks like in another years time.

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