Blogger shall speak peace unto blogger
In an interview with the Times a few years ago, Jonathan Dimbleby took something of a risk by saying of his employers: “The BBC produces wonderful programmes; it also produces a load of old rubbish”. He went on: “Until it gets rid of the rubbish, the pressure will always be there for people to ask, “Why pay this poll tax?”. Why indeed.
Former Carlton TV man David Cameron sought to shake up those BBC gravy trainers this week, by announcing that an incoming Tory government will freeze the licence fee – a deceleration that prompted a frisson of “just off the telex” excitement in Guido Fawkes, never the corporation’s greatest supporter.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson felt that he had sent a clear message to the Beeb that “your days of expansion are at an end,” to the rest of the media that “we know that you’re suffering and that you’re angry at what you see as unfair competition from the BBC,” and to the public sector that “nothing should be taken for granted”.
Blogging for the Telegraph, Dan Hannan (who opposes the licence fee on principle) wrote that the BBC should be grateful for such a tempered proposal. Less inclined to niceties, this enthusiastic libertarian and cynical optimist was distinctly unimpressed – and in an expletive strewn rant, argued that:
“It is anachronistic and egregiously illiberal to force people, on pain of imprisonment, to pay the licence tax, especially when it pays for such rubbish programming.”
Paleo-socialist David Lindsay had his tuppence worth: proposing that the license fee be made optional and that trustees be elected from amongst those who do pay. Lindsay’s radical and very specific demands continue, urging us to: “re-regionalise ITV under a combination of municipal and mutual ownership. And to apply that same model (but with central government replacing local government, subject to very strict parliamentary scrutiny) to Channel Four”. Given the quality of scrutiny offered by ministers in relation to Channel 4 output in recent years, this might not be the best idea.
On the Social Affairs Unit blog, Exeter University’s Prof Black argued that substantially reducing the license fee could amount to an effective fiscal stimulus. He believes not only that such a cut would help reduce household burden, but that it “would increase the sense that cuts and hardship are widespread and, therefore, a collective experience”.
Readers who have paid for their TV licences are advised to tune into the BBC’s Daily Politics next Thursday, when Derek Draper and Paul Staines will be going head-to-head. I’m drooling onto my keyboard already.
What have we learned this week?
Good news – the UK Parliamentary Football Club prevailed 5-0 in its tussle with the US Embassy team. Read a match report on Kerron Cross‘s blog.
Around the World
The Foreign Policy blog noted the fast-moving and confused reports from Madagascar in the lead-up to President Ravalomanana’s resignation. Meanwhile, in Antaninarenina in the South of the country, Barijaona Ramaholimihaso recently blogged on the Mandarin character sported on the armour of “un rien Darth Vador de nos défendeurs de la République”.
Video of the Week
Fans of Eastenders will be aware that election fever that has gripped the voters of Walford East this week. NS guest editor, Alastair Campbell, offered independent candidate Peggy Mitchell some words of advice – for which she thanked him – and invited him to pop into the Queen Vic…
Quote of the Week
“It certainly seems that the Corporation has been going out of its way to endear itself to the Conservatives of late, as it recognises that the party is more than likely to be in government and deciding its future before too long. Indeed, to use Eric Pickles’s terminology, it could be said that the Beeb has been “love-bombing” the Conservative Party.”
The BBC is increasingly pre-occupied by courting the Conservatives, reckon Tim Montgomerie and Jonathan Isaby.
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