I feel a bit odd writing this: partly because so many others have written much better on recent events (mad musings of me: does it matter? and various posts on wherever you are stand out for me as some of the best on the web) and partly because I’ve had a long week and the thought of stringing words together intelligably seems a bit of a tall order. Then again, I didn’t not want to say anything either. So here goes.
I love the BBC. I grew up on the BBC. The BBC is still very much part of my life but most times I hardly notice it. If we lost it I think it would be a National tragedy in so many ways.
I don’t think my parents particularly pushed BBC over ITV when I was growing up. I don’t remember being particularly restricted to any one channel. All my favourite shows were on BBC though. Remember the broom cupboard with Philip Scofield and Gordon the Gopher? Making things out of sticky backed plastic with Blue Peter? The round window on Playschool? Watching the Challenger disaster on Newsround?
Then as I got older I was soon hiding behind the sofa everytime the daleks came on in Doctor Who and older still laughing at the antics of Blackadder and Red Dwarf. Spending Sunday afternoon lying on the floor in the bathroom (the only decent radio reception in the house) with my radio/cassette deck recording that week’s Top 40 off Radio 1.
Even as an adult, although I hardly watch television these days, all my most memorable British programmes have originated on BBC: Walking With Dinosaurs, Pride and Prejudice to name but two that I’ve rewatched recently. It never ceases to amaze me just how much content the BBC provide. I’ve become addicted to Radio 4 in the mornings and would probably use the Listen Again feature more often if a) I was more organised and b) we ever get broadband in this godforsaken backwater! The BBC News website is still the easiest to navigate news provider online despite their recent redesign that made it less useable. Their online language learning content is amazing. Cbeebies (the preschool channel) is, quite frankly, a godsend. Its main rival (NickJr) irritates the hell out of me with five minutes of adverts after every ten minute show and the general poor broadcast quality (constantly having programmes “freeze”, channel shut down coming too early before the end of their bedtime song, etc).
They are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. There have been a couple of times I’ve got annoyed by inaccurate and biased news reporting on the Beeb. Mainly because I have come to expect sensationalism from other news organisations but not the BBC – it stands out more. However, I’m impressed that throughout the flak the BBC have always been prepared to report the less flattering stories about themselves as well.
I agree 100% with Gert that the BBC would never be formed today – it is unique in its funding. Without it we would have far less broad content, there would be far few broadcasting corporations taking risks with programming. I too, feel like I “own” the BBC and that it’s something that I feel Britain should take pride in.
If it started being the government’s lapdog, if it allowed itself to be bullied into being insipid and dumbed down with charter renewal hanging over its head, if it started being afraid of speaking out then it would be a travesty of epic proportions. Leave my BBC alone.
In short: Long Live the BBC, Hutton Take A Hike, Bring Back Greg Dyke, and Fuck Off Alastair Campbell.
Oh, and go read everyone else’s essays over at I Believe In The BBC because they said it so much better.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Jag // 31st Jan 2004 at 10:54 pm
Couldn’t agree more Pew. I was born and brought up on Radio 4′s Today programme (amongst many of the other things that you so well describe). Quite ironic that it seems to have provided the seed for the recent troubles in a way. In my view – the Today programme (like much output from the BBC) *makes* the news and sets the standards for public service broadcasting – and recent events have served to do nothing but emphasise this fact. I, too, feel that I “own” a part of the BBC and it gives me great pride (despite some dumbing down and ratings-chasing in recent years) to feel that this most greatest of institutions still churns out news, entertainment, drama and documentary content of a quality that leaves a hell of a lot to be desired from the other channels. I have Sky – and therefore a myriad of channels – and I have to admit that there’s only a handful of channels that I always depend upon – and always wish my kids to respect – and they are almost invariably the BBC ones – BBC1, BBC2, BBC4, BBC News 24, CBeebies etc. Long live the BBC – it’s our greatest export to the world and I am very happy to pay my licence fee in the name of helping educate and inform the world a little.
2 Jag // 31st Jan 2004 at 11:02 pm
I have just read Gert’s posting – and I am somewhat shocked (and embarrassed) that I have used similar words and phrases of sentiment! Despite some of the “failings” of the BBC (stimulated by the challenges of commercial vs. public service broadcasting) the BBC, in my experience of having observed much of the English-speaking world’s TV – is by far the best!
3 Paula // 1st Feb 2004 at 8:18 pm
Well said Pewari, which other channel would have the commitment to make a programme like “Child Of Our Time” which I have found informative, entertaining and comforting (as a parent.) Like you I also hate other children’s channels endless adverts in favour of Cbeebies where I don’t feel the hobbits are being brainwashed into consumerism!
BBC was always favoured when I was growing up, Bagpuss, Wombles, Ivor the Engine!!!
Campbell makes my skin crawl, then again so do many of the Thatcherite New “Labour” government, aka Tory lite!
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