Why are people so anti the BBC?

I don’t know what I’d do without the BBC. I am worried about them not making any new BBC4 programmes though, as that is the channel I watch most of the time. Plus there is R6 and my latest discovery BBC Sounds. I don’t like their news and current affairs programmes because I do feel that they don’t challenge the government enough. Having said that I’m more than happy with what I get for my licence fee.

The BBC has driven me mad on some subjects lately but I recognise it's worth and know it would be a massive loss if it went.

Did anyone see David Mitchell on HIGNFY ? He said that people love the BBC not for the “ruddy news” but for the excellent drama comedy and documentaries. He’s absolutely right.
He also reckons this government will use the Bashir scandal as an excuse to get rid of the BBC. Bashir is still being paid by the way....

I can now see through their agenda and am horrified that a channel I used to assume gave honest news has descended so low. Even their documentaries no longer give a balanced view.

If you can’t see it you are being brainwashed.

Because they have a very liberal agenda, concentrating on one topic ad nauseum, doing that removes any balance by excluding other events in the time frame.

I listen to bbc R4 which covers 24 hours a day. The all night World Service begins just before 1am. Must say my heart sinks if I am still awake at 1 when Sailing By and the National anthem are played (insomnia) but all through the night are interesting programmes international news views discussion and debate until 6 am when Today begins. It’s a great promotion for the UK. Millions worldwide listen , and that’s how and why the BBC is known and respected throughout the world,
I would be very disappointed if this changed.

I would pay my licence fee just to watch David Attenborough. The BBC produce some incredible nature/natural history programmes. However, I think that some of their recent documentaries/dramas have failed to demonstrate a balanced viewpoint. Whilst I agree there is far more to the BBC than its news coverage I would prefer that coverage to be factual minus the (usually) left wing spin.

I do like a lot of the programmes on various BBC channels and I m afraid I believe all the political news and other hot subjects are used in a bias way one way or another by ALL. the media I try and avoid a lot of news on all sides as it’s got way too depressing and repetitive Going on and on churning the same stuff out
I listen to a lot on World Radio but I suppose that’s wrong too

The World Service is available 24 hours a day. I listen a lot of the time, and all through the night till I decide to change back to R4 or my local station.
The World Service is what it says, covers most of the worls, not just the UK, and far more people should listen to widen their horizons

Did anyone see David Mitchell on HIGNFY last night.

His comments about the BBC, were superb and summed it up so succinctly for me.

Esspee

I can now see through their agenda and am horrified that a channel I used to assume gave honest news has descended so low. Even their documentaries no longer give a balanced view.

If you can’t see it you are being brainwashed.

Quite agree Esspee. Even their choice of programmes does not reflect their majority viewers. The younger viewers they yearn after don’t pay the licence fee as they don’t watch television programmes as such but prefer streaming channels such as Netflix.

The BBC is like the curate's egg, good in parts. Some really excellent natural history programmes and dramas. Unfortunately their news and documentaries are so biased it's unbelievable at times. They need to lose their sense of entitlement and "old boys" attitude.

I find the BBC News has deteriorated over the last few years. In efforts to project "balance" they give equal airtime to views that are just inaccurate - the climate change debate is a great example. The standard of journalism has gone downhill, I complained to them once when I heard a reporter tell an actual lie. Nothing was done. I knew it was a lie, and the reporter owned up to it on screen a couple of years later.

The reporting of the pandemic has been salacious.

That said, it's the closest thing to an independent broadcaster we've got, and I do enjoy many of the programs they make; TV, radio and streaming. Looking forward to seeing HIGNFY on catch up.

That's interesting sodapop. I think they try too hard for balance and you think they're biased!

Horses for courses, I guess. How are they biased, do you think?

The government's agenda is to undermine the BBC and farm it out to independent channels. Unfortunately the Bashir debacle is grist to their mill and they will milk it for all its worth.

I love the BBC - Radio 3 is my constant companion - the breadth and scope of their programmes is second to none. I do not want it farmed out so that it becomes a channel with adverts - we have Classic FM for that. Both make their own valuable contributions, but the absence of ads on R3 is a joy.

I have mixed feelings. While I certainly appreciate a lot of it, esp. R4, a lot of BBC2 and 4, and the World Service, I do think the upper echelons of the Beeb have long been a very cosy, well paid*, largely metrocentric club, very comfortably and somewhat smugly assured of its own right thinking-ness.
As has sadly been displayed all too recently.

But would hate to see it turned into just another commercial enterprise though - we have plenty of those - or a subscription-only service.

*much as there is often moaning about how much more they could get elsewhere....

Once the government concentrates its energy on getting rid of the BBC, expect to see the MSM pushing out the agenda for all their worth and watch people gradually changing their minds towards accepting the “truth” that the BBC does not give value for money, is biased etc etc.

This thread made me think about what I watch on the BBC. I realise that I rarely watch BBC 1 but watch mainly BBC2 and 4. Last night The ‘Inside Culture’ programme with Mary Beard, who is a great presenter, was brilliant and then Springwatch. Prior to that the Bob Dylan cover songs. A good night so can’t complain! I avoid the political stuff like Panorama.

Alegrias1

That's interesting sodapop. I think they try too hard for balance and you think they're biased!

Horses for courses, I guess. How are they biased, do you think?

Do you really think their Scottish coverage is balanced Alegrias1?

I agree with David Mitchell and would hate to think we could lose the BBC. Some people think it's too left of centre whilst others think it's too right wing. To my mind, that probably means they've got it about right overall.

Worldwide it has a reputation that's second to none.

For Heaven's sake let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater!

Esspee

Alegrias1

That's interesting sodapop. I think they try too hard for balance and you think they're biased!

Horses for courses, I guess. How are they biased, do you think?

Do you really think their Scottish coverage is balanced Alegrias1?

No not at all Esspee. Maybe I didn't express myself well. They have on "experts" from either side of a debate even though one of the "experts" is no expert at all but only has a different view. I see it most in the discussions about climate change but it is getting better.

You won't be surprised to learn that the thing I complained about was said in the context of the Scottish Independence debate!

Yes there is something in that, so if they were having a discussion on the fact the world is round it wouldnt surprise me if they gave a platform to flat earther.

If the BBC has a left wing bias how come Farage was on Question Time so many times?

MayBee70

If the BBC has a left wing bias how come Farage was on Question Time so many times?

And the “plants” in the audience saying the “right” things?