We previously mentioned that the NAO were less than impressed with the BBC. It seems they have yet to see an improvement.
Look these endless bureaucractic reviews will achieve very little. The answer is very simple; just dont buy a TV Licence. The problems will quickly resolve themselves.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Interruption to Service
Incidentally Nomad will be celebrating Freedom Day by going skiing. Normal service will be disrupted for at least a week.
Monday, 22 February 2010
Freedom Day
Freedom Day in this house is the first of March, the day after Nomad's last TV Licence expired. A year on, it is worth reviewing how things have gone.
Despite a letter from TV Licensing (the BBC) every month threatening me with increasingly severe punishments, I have yet to be hauled before the magistrates. No one has even knocked on my door.
On the whole the year has been a success from a technical viewpoint. The KISS1600 media player, while more or less obsolete, has more than earned its money. Similarily Miro and TVersity have proven to be great products. There are bugs and these can be an irritant; hopefully further development will resolve them.
Politically the status quo has held as there have been no moves to change the law. With an election on the way, Labour have now run out of time to change things. It is still unclear what the Conservatives plan to do but it is apparent that they are not well disposed to the BBC. There remains a danger that they may trade a cap on the licence fee (say) for an extension of the licence to cover the internet.
The major disappointment of the past year has been that the availability of media has not grown as fast as might have been expected. In particular the failure of Hulu to get itself up and running in the UK has probably delayed more widespread adoption of video on demand. Internet video remains a young medium. Looking at the most popular podcasts on PodcastDirectory.com, for example, 9 out of the top 20 are pornographic and 2 are techie. We seem to recall that last time we looked there was an even higher proportion of porn. For some reason the porn industry are always early adopters. From betamax onwards they have been at the front. The prevalence of porn indicates that the medium has not yet become mainstream. We still think that this is going to happen. When it does the BBC will be in trouble.
Despite a letter from TV Licensing (the BBC) every month threatening me with increasingly severe punishments, I have yet to be hauled before the magistrates. No one has even knocked on my door.
On the whole the year has been a success from a technical viewpoint. The KISS1600 media player, while more or less obsolete, has more than earned its money. Similarily Miro and TVersity have proven to be great products. There are bugs and these can be an irritant; hopefully further development will resolve them.
Politically the status quo has held as there have been no moves to change the law. With an election on the way, Labour have now run out of time to change things. It is still unclear what the Conservatives plan to do but it is apparent that they are not well disposed to the BBC. There remains a danger that they may trade a cap on the licence fee (say) for an extension of the licence to cover the internet.
The major disappointment of the past year has been that the availability of media has not grown as fast as might have been expected. In particular the failure of Hulu to get itself up and running in the UK has probably delayed more widespread adoption of video on demand. Internet video remains a young medium. Looking at the most popular podcasts on PodcastDirectory.com, for example, 9 out of the top 20 are pornographic and 2 are techie. We seem to recall that last time we looked there was an even higher proportion of porn. For some reason the porn industry are always early adopters. From betamax onwards they have been at the front. The prevalence of porn indicates that the medium has not yet become mainstream. We still think that this is going to happen. When it does the BBC will be in trouble.
Trust!
The BBC was not spending your money in a very responsible way and so the BBC Trust was set up to keep an eye on them. Now the BBC Trust has been spending your money. Perhaps someone should be keeping an eye on them? Ipso Custodiet Custodian.
Well no, that would be complete nonsense obviously, the BBC needs to be privatised so that the viewers can decide for themselves. Then we would not need the unnecessary expense of the BBC Trust.
It should also be pointed out that the Trust has shown a lamentable lack of independence from the BBC. The cost associated with the windowdressing that purports to demonstrate an entirely spurious independence is probably money wasted.
Well no, that would be complete nonsense obviously, the BBC needs to be privatised so that the viewers can decide for themselves. Then we would not need the unnecessary expense of the BBC Trust.
It should also be pointed out that the Trust has shown a lamentable lack of independence from the BBC. The cost associated with the windowdressing that purports to demonstrate an entirely spurious independence is probably money wasted.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
iStitchUp
In a previous post we commented that the BBC and Apple appear to have the same business plan (control the platform and you can charge what you like for content). Interesting to see then that the BBC is providing its services on the iPhone.
Presumably you will need a licence to watch live streaming TV on the iPhone, we wonder how the BBC plans to enforce this. Supposing someone watches TV on thier iPhone while at work, who is liable? Is it the employer or the employee?
The BBC is not short of new initiatives. We wonder if they ever think through whether these are actually in thier own interests, let alone anyone elses.
Presumably you will need a licence to watch live streaming TV on the iPhone, we wonder how the BBC plans to enforce this. Supposing someone watches TV on thier iPhone while at work, who is liable? Is it the employer or the employee?
The BBC is not short of new initiatives. We wonder if they ever think through whether these are actually in thier own interests, let alone anyone elses.
Pay more to see less
According to the Mail the BBC has deployed a larger team in Vancouver than our actual Olympic squad. Not that these people actually have to film any sport because that is all taken care of by the host nation.
So what does the BBC team do, it justifies the airfares involved by filming endless discussion and comment pieces. The viewers thus get to see less sport because there are too many talking heads. Cutting the budget is the only answer to this endless waste.
So what does the BBC team do, it justifies the airfares involved by filming endless discussion and comment pieces. The viewers thus get to see less sport because there are too many talking heads. Cutting the budget is the only answer to this endless waste.
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Beyond Parody!
On the one hand Nomad often thinks that his opposition to the BBC is a lonely and pointless crusade, entirely at odds with what 'normal' people think. On the other hand you could not possibly make up a story like this one.
If drama has been subverted by left wing thought, what hope is there for current affairs?
If drama has been subverted by left wing thought, what hope is there for current affairs?
Saturday, 13 February 2010
100K is 705 Licence Fees
The BBC may claim that things have changed. However it seems that rather a lot of them earn a great deal of money. See this story. Since the licence payers have to fork out this largesse you would think that they were entitled to know where the money goes. It seems not.
Even worse is that the National Audit Office has no power to investigate the BBC. Is the BBC some critical defence project so secret that its financial dealings must be restricted to a single line item in the budget? No it is a media organisation, its journalists spend thier lives poking their noses into other peoples business and adopt a tone of moral outrage when people try to stop them. Practice what you preach.
Obviously Nomad does not pay for a licence (that is the central premise of this blog) but if he did he would be writing to the BBC to ask them how his money is spent.
Even worse is that the National Audit Office has no power to investigate the BBC. Is the BBC some critical defence project so secret that its financial dealings must be restricted to a single line item in the budget? No it is a media organisation, its journalists spend thier lives poking their noses into other peoples business and adopt a tone of moral outrage when people try to stop them. Practice what you preach.
Obviously Nomad does not pay for a licence (that is the central premise of this blog) but if he did he would be writing to the BBC to ask them how his money is spent.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Robbing Jonathan to pay Mark
Despite all those protestations coming from the BBC about how they intend to pay the talent less, it would be niave to assume that the money will be returned to the license payers. No, the money will be spent on the executives instead. They are already ramping up thier expenses claims to compensate.
The BBC is rather like one of those Soviet tractor factories that measured success by the amount of input rather than the amount (or quality) of output. Just dont buy a TV Licence from them. Painful it may be, but a budgetectomy is the only cure.
The BBC is rather like one of those Soviet tractor factories that measured success by the amount of input rather than the amount (or quality) of output. Just dont buy a TV Licence from them. Painful it may be, but a budgetectomy is the only cure.
Go Douglas
As noted on this blog the other day, Douglas Carswell is not someone to mince his words. "The BBC are like the duckhouse gang" he alleged today in a commons commitee.
Cant really argue with that.
Cant really argue with that.
Monday, 8 February 2010
Take a pay cut to join the BBC
Obviously the BBC was planning a gentle tactical withdrawal to safer ground. All along the front line soldiers are abandoning heavily fortified positions. This now seems to be turning in to a rout though. The Trust seems not to be co-ordinating things with thier friends in the BBC itself.
The latest upset is that the Trust thinks people should accept a pay cut to work at the BBC. Whatever happened to paying the market rate? Pretty soon there will be no one working at the BBC and no programmes getting made at all. Errm, might have been sarcastic that last sentence.
The latest upset is that the Trust thinks people should accept a pay cut to work at the BBC. Whatever happened to paying the market rate? Pretty soon there will be no one working at the BBC and no programmes getting made at all. Errm, might have been sarcastic that last sentence.
BBC Pension Fund faces Climategate
It turns out that pushing the climate change agenda is not merely an editorial stance at the BBC. The pension fund has also been using its purchasing power to promote green policies. Presumably this means that they have been buying shares in green companies, shares that might not turn out to be quite as lucrative if it transpires that the threat of global warming has been grossly overplayed. Ooops!
Still the good thing about being protected by a government enforced monopoly is that you can easily fund the deficit in your pension fund by spending less on making programmes. The public still have to pay, do they not?
Still the good thing about being protected by a government enforced monopoly is that you can easily fund the deficit in your pension fund by spending less on making programmes. The public still have to pay, do they not?
Saturday, 6 February 2010
LG BD550 Blu-Ray Player
Look there is only a month left till Nomads birthday. In a previous post he may have said that he wanted a LG BD390. Is it too late to change that? An LG BD550 would be much better.
So far LG seem to be the only people making a Blu-ray player with DLNA support. It is a no brainer that this is what is needed.
So far LG seem to be the only people making a Blu-ray player with DLNA support. It is a no brainer that this is what is needed.
Cheaper in prison!
Darren Seago found that he was being overcharged at £52 a year to watch television (link to story). So he complained to the people who run his digs (HMP Liverpool) and got a refund. Well done Darren.
In an even more outrageous scam the taxpayers of Britain are fleeced for £142 a year to watch television. Its not so surprising that guests of Her Majesty have a rather restricted choice of viewing and payment options. It is a scandal that those on the outside do not have more choice.
In an even more outrageous scam the taxpayers of Britain are fleeced for £142 a year to watch television. Its not so surprising that guests of Her Majesty have a rather restricted choice of viewing and payment options. It is a scandal that those on the outside do not have more choice.
Friday, 5 February 2010
Douglas' Blog
There are a few blogs that you really need to read (aside from this one obviously). Douglas Carswell's observations on life are required reading for anyone with a brain who actually cares about the UK. If slightly less rounded and literary than his friend Hannan; Douglas is often sharper and more incisive.
His blog on a recent example of BBC bias is a pointed example of the sort of partiality which has led me not to watch any BBC current affairs programme for over 3 years now.
Janet Daley may not quite match Hannan and Carswell. This piece on the BBC Trust does hit the target very squarely though.
His blog on a recent example of BBC bias is a pointed example of the sort of partiality which has led me not to watch any BBC current affairs programme for over 3 years now.
Janet Daley may not quite match Hannan and Carswell. This piece on the BBC Trust does hit the target very squarely though.
Be afraid, be very afraid ....
Be afraid, for the inspector cometh riding in his glorious detector van. He knows where you live, you vile criminal, and when he catches you he will torture you at length before gouging out your eyes (the punishment must fit the crime after all). You will then be locked in the stocks under a sign saying "Guilty of disrespecting the BBC" and the honest licence paying citizens of your parish will throw box sets of Eastenders repeats at you.
Or something like that, a rather free paraphrase obviously. On the other hand it is now 11 months since Nomads last TV Licence expired. If they were really interested in collecting the money you would image that they would have got round to paying him a visit by now.
There is a letter like this every month and mostly it goes straight in the bin. The comparison with Septembers missive is interesting though as it shows that not much has changed.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)