Forum Topic

Who do they think they are?

Why on earth do we have to pay the Licence Fee to an organisation such as the BBC?They are more to the left than the Labour Party, instead of which they shoud have unbiased reporting on news broadcasting, or in their programming.Question Time is a joke, filled with those who are obvious supporters of the left. David Dimbleby seems to give more airtime to those who are obvious supporters of the left.Now they are delighting in reporting on all those who are demonstrating against Margaret Thatcher.It is high time the Licence Fee was reviewed. Whether or not one watches the BBC there is no choice but to pay this fee.I think th BBC is a total disgrace.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4736d25 Comments

Re  manages to keeps to Riethian principles.                          xxxxxxxxxxxxxx    I dion't think so. They promoted multi-culturalism for years and when realised the country doesn't want it, they changed their tune to multi-ethnicity. When the AOL message boards existed, a poster  who was a BBC employee said the outside broadcasters were instructed to pick out persons of dark skin pigmentation ( can you remember the crowds lining the streets at the Queen Mother's funeral procession and there was one lone non white family, and the BBC chose to interview them alone! ) and even now  you may well notice non whites are still interviewed first and we come second. The lefties of the B B C are no friends to the indigenous folk of this country. They even back/promote  the EU, and receive money from there.  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tony Price ● 4735d

Presenters should do just that - keep their own political views to themselves.I neither want the BBC or any other media to present itself as too left wing or right wing. Just an unbiased presentation and leave it to the public to make up their own minds.We are not interested in the personal views of the presenter.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4735d

Well said, Gerry.

Susan Kelly ● 4735d

The answer to that is there are some presenters and commentators who have the right style and unbiased agenda and some who haven't.The ones who haven't are invariably left wing.

Keith Iddon ● 4735d

Re  couldn't care less what others think.          xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  typical champagne socialists, spend spend spend, as long as it is someone else's money

Tony Price ● 4735d

Ever since I can remember, people have variously said that the BBC is either right-wing biased and/or has left-wing leanings. The BEEB can't win.  It is neither too reactionary or influenced and  overpopulated by Oxbridge pinkos - imo, it manages to hold and maintain an acceptable balance. I've been listening to the BBC since BEFORE WWII and still manages to keeps to Riethian principles.

Gerry Tan ● 4735d

As long as the BBC pander to the left they couldn't care less what others think.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4735d

I'm sure the BBC would be really chuffed with that appraisal,they like them from all IQ levels not just the brightest.

Tony Wood ● 4735d

Re  back to reporting the news,not making it.          xxxxxxxxxxxxxx well said. Sick overpaid non competitive  leftie organisation with biased  reporting

Tony Price ● 4735d

I am aware of this Benjamin, that is fine for some.The point is that the BBC should ensure that the TV Licence money is not simply squandered by that organisation.Quite a high percentage of their programmes are repeats for instance. The viewing public should get better value and quality programmes.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4736d

Fact - if you only watch tv through the iPlayer or other online means, after it has been shown on TV, you do  not need to pay a licence fee. My suggestion is you stop watching BBC on TV and switch viewing to iplayer only. Legally you are exempt from the fee.

Benjamin Dennehy ● 4736d

I also think that the BBC squanders the Licence Fee!They spent a fortune moving staff up to Salford (what for?) when most of the people working for the BBC qwould have preferred to remain in London. Many did and simply left.They spend money sending staff and some guests to Salford from London by TAXI. Gary Linneker is one of them.They sold the BBC TV Centre (Aerial House) and are apparently now renting it back at a cost of £3 million per year.The BBC once had a load of properties in and around London, most of them now sold including the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Why waste more money by moving people to Salford?Their new Head of BBC has been gagged whilst he is working for the organisation and for 2 years after.Would this be anything to do with the cover-up in the case of Jimmy Saville which went on for years? They knew all about it yet nothing was done.I agree that once the BBC was an organisation to be proud of but now?

Jean F Fernandez ● 4736d

I think the beeb has let itself down over the last 20 years or so in that where it used to be more balanced.You do get right/left opinions expresses but not in anywhere equal measure.The liberals have taken over everything,including the main parties really...the mark of good journalism is to be unbiased but I usually feel that many of the presenters,particularly the younger ones, can't help but betray their own prejudices and opinions,often just by implication.

Keith Iddon ● 4736d

You only have to watch this week's Newswatch, as I did not an hour ago, to see how foolish such allegations are. They started off with a woman moaning that the BBC was being disrespectful to Lady Thatcher in its coverage, followed immediately by another woman moaning they they were being too respectful and should give other viewpoints.QED.As for no one saying that the BBC is right-wing, I've often heard it referred to as the voice of the Establishment, which means the same thing frankly.

Susan Kelly ● 4736d

Like most institutions and people the BBC isn't perfect - but overall and through the years, its been(and still is) a good organisation and a constant asset to the nation. I mean where else could one get and rely on Test Match Special, Dr Who, The Archers and The BBC News! Not to mention David Attenborough and Delia Smith. Therefore, I disagree with Jean when she claims: "I think th BBC is a total disgrace."Very occasionally,the BBC lets itself down but usually its a force for good and reliability and is mmuch respected round the world.

Gerry Tan ● 4736d

Does the left accuse the BBC of being right wing?If they do it's the first I've heard of it...>  Of course they must report the anti-Thatcher faction as well as the pro.Of course.To do so is only right and proper, but I don't think that is what is really being referred to here.  It goes deeper than that.

Tony Colliver ● 4736d

The BBC is an establishment organisation that feels obliged to reflect all points of view. Considering how Maggie Thatcher used to bully the BBC i think they are quite fair. The "left wing" is a myth. There are blairite types in the BBC who Oxbridge educated do not want to mix with the real working class (or what is left of it). I would say they are right wing at heart but want to appear as nice fluffy touchy feely liberals. The fuss over protests is surprising. The Thatcher era for anyone that remembers was incredibly divisive and for me I would have prefered the specials with "Ghost town" to Judy Garland as i feel that tune reflected things more. I prefer Channel 4 News myself as BBC generally only touches the surface of stories. I voted for Thatcher when she first got in, however the change that was brought had no real vision. That was the same with Bliar. To me the current coalition is the best government this country has had for a very long time (but that is say the best of a poor bunch). We should act with dignity but not gloss over the suffering caused.

Peter Chadburn ● 4736d

Thank you Jean.I have never heard the beeb described as right wing by anyone.BBC radio is much better than tv,imo.Radio 4 is better for news and discussion.

Keith Iddon ● 4736d

Given that that BBC is condemned by the Right as left-wing and by the Left as right-wing, I think they've got it about right. Of course they must report the anti-Thatcher faction as well as the pro.

Susan Kelly ● 4736d

Well said Keith.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4736d

It's strange how the moral high ground is ceded by some to an organisation that has seemingly harboured chronic paedophiles,alleged sexual predators and some employees who seem to think that paying tax is optional.They should go back to reporting the news,not making it.

Keith Iddon ● 4736d

That's good,it's people like yourselves being angry that reasures me that they've probably got neutrality about right. 

Tony Wood ● 4736d

For a long time (years) I resisted yielding to this analysis but in recent months I regret to have to admit that I now agree - there is a definite left-wing bias at the Beeb.

Tony Colliver ● 4736d

I am not alone in thinking that the BBC is more left than Labour.Friends used to call them Blair's Broadcasting Corporation.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4736d

I think Jean should get the post of unbiased BBC censor,she seems to have all the Right neutral qualifications.

Tony Wood ● 4736d