Re: well, there goes the BBC, too
- From: Paul Burke <paul@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 09:22:58 +0100
Reg Edwards wrote:
The BBC's 'opinion' is under the strict control of the British Government. Which means at present it is pro-America...
It IS controlled to some extent, but not directly. The main means of control at the momet is veiled threat. The BBC's charter is due for periodic renewal, and they are also negociating over the level of the licence fee. The government makes vague noises like proposing to award part of the licence fee to other broadcasters who agree to show public- interest programs, or to cut the fee (in real terms; it would probably still be politically damaging to attack the BBC too directly).
The government on the other hand is in hock to News International, who not only control most of the satellite broadcasting capability, but also a number of significant newspapers, and so can dictate to some extent the public mood concerning broadcasting. Blair has never dared to offend Murdoch.
The new owners no longer beam BBC radio transmissions to the USA. Programs are now receivable via the Internet and can be more easily monitored and controlled.
They do transmit direct. BBC America is on cable and satellite. I doubt if many people would have continued to listen to the old shortwave broadcasts anyway. they don't own the satellites, but imagine the row if they tried to have one launched. And if the government control the BBC, why do they need to monitor its internet broadcasts?
The real problem for the BBC is its lose-lose situation with regard to the Murdoch empire. If they become too populist, they are accused of dumbing down and misusing the licence money to undercut commercial broadcasters; if they aim for high quality, intelligent programming they are accused of elitism and irrelevancy. And as I said, the government believes that Murdoch can swing a lot of votes.
Paul Burke .
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