I pay the license fee despite the increasing deterioration in programming quality. What is available is JUST adequate. Have enjoyed (radio) GQT, Ramblings, radio Newcastle, occasionally radio 4. (T.V.) Gardeners World, wildlife programs particularly those featuring Chris Packham. There is little comedy or drama worth watching. We don't have the depth of writing talent anymore. Gone fishing for its gentle humour (though it has run its course) and Wolf Hall but that was some time ago.
Our local news progam, Look North was hit hard by cutbacks which really showed in its limited coverage of storm Arwen. On Tyneside where we were the noise through the night was terrific, three walls in the backlane came down. On TV the quality of the 'on the ground' coverage of this massive event was underwhelming. A reporter in a community hall, and later one standing outside talking to camera. There seemed to be very little on the scene coverage of the damage until days after. The BBC national news barely noticed it. Yet on the radio we listened through the night as reports came through, how Rothbury was cut off by fallen trees, power cuts were hitting widespread areas throughout the region in freezing weather. Days later we heard how badly hit the Kielder Northumbrian forest was hit by the storm. If serious weather event such as this had happen in the south of England or abroad we would have had round the clock coverage, helicopters the lot. Contributors to a local online Tyneside messageboard who live out of the area in the UK and abroad were under the impression that it had hit Scotland and missed us.
On the positive side I did more reading over the Christmas. Perhaps that's the future. The BBC should be a treasure. I can't believe it is all incompetence. It seems to have been deliberately run down for political reasons. Expensive mediocre, Freeview much the same but with adverts and from what I hear of Sky are no better.
