DV
Dan Walker ....
Sport.
Nice Stripey Suit, but oh dear, it doesn't like being televised, Patterning all over the place.
Shame.
Sport.
Nice Stripey Suit, but oh dear, it doesn't like being televised, Patterning all over the place.
Shame.
SK
Media Guardian:
Axe BBC News 24, BBC Told
BBC Vision executives have hit back at calls for BBC3 or BBC4 to be axed, saying those within the corporation who are publicly suggesting the move are abusing their position.
In a sign of the mounting tension within the BBC over proposed budget cuts following the lower than expected licence fee settlement, BBC Vision executives have said that if a digital channel is to be axed it should be BBC News 24.
A string of high-profile news and current affairs personalities, including Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman, Today frontman John Humphrys and Panorama reporter John Sweeney, have publicly called for their departments to be saved from cuts.
Both Humphrys and Sweeney have called for BBC3 or BBC4 to be axed instead.
However, BBC Vision executives have told MediaGuardian.co.uk of their anger at the lobbying by news and current affairs, saying their colleagues are abusing their public profiles and platforms to push their own agenda.
BBC Vision, headed by Jana Bennett, is responsible for all the BBC's TV channels and in-house programme production.
"We would prefer to keep our dirty linen within the BBC and keep it as an internal debate, but some journalists are using their positions to create their own arguments," one senior BBC Vision executive said.
"Is that a good use of airtime or the public platform the BBC gives them? If you make drama or comedy you don't have access to that platform," the insider added.
Paxman criticised plans to cut Newsnight's budget in his MacTaggart speech at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival at the end of last month.
Sweeney also used the festival to voice concerns about the depth of cuts faced by the BBC TV current affairs department and called for BBC3 or BBC4 to be closed instead.
Humphrys made the same plea against BBC3 and BBC4 in an interview published in the Independent on Monday.
BBC Vision insiders dismissed calls for BBC3 or BBC4 to be axed, saying that News 24 should be put on the chopping block instead.
"If people in news want to play the game of saying BBC3 or BBC4 should be axed, let's look at their services as well," the source said.
"There are many providers of 24-hour rolling news in the market place, why do we need the BBC to do it? Why are we doing something that Sky is doing already?," the insider added.
"If we are going to look at the potential axing of a digital channel, News 24 should be in the firing line as well. Lets open up the debate and look at all the digital services.
"There are not many providers of quality drama and comedy in the market place, which is what BBC3 does. It invests £93 million a year in new talent in comedy, drama and factual.
"It is serving a young audience which the BBC has an obligation to serve. It is not being served with quality programmes elsewhere, particularly not in the commercial market. We should just get rid of News 24."
Other senior BBC Vision executives have said that whenever market research is done asking licence fee payers what they value most about the corporation's output, respondents always put entertainment first - ahead of news.
BBC director general Mark Thompson is due to put forward proposals for budget cuts to the BBC Trust on September 19, in a bid to make up an expected £2bn funding shortfall over the next six years.
Sir Michael Lyons, the BBC Trust chairman, has refused to rule out the closure of entire channels or services.
BBC Vision executives have hit back at calls for BBC3 or BBC4 to be axed, saying those within the corporation who are publicly suggesting the move are abusing their position.
In a sign of the mounting tension within the BBC over proposed budget cuts following the lower than expected licence fee settlement, BBC Vision executives have said that if a digital channel is to be axed it should be BBC News 24.
A string of high-profile news and current affairs personalities, including Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman, Today frontman John Humphrys and Panorama reporter John Sweeney, have publicly called for their departments to be saved from cuts.
Both Humphrys and Sweeney have called for BBC3 or BBC4 to be axed instead.
However, BBC Vision executives have told MediaGuardian.co.uk of their anger at the lobbying by news and current affairs, saying their colleagues are abusing their public profiles and platforms to push their own agenda.
BBC Vision, headed by Jana Bennett, is responsible for all the BBC's TV channels and in-house programme production.
"We would prefer to keep our dirty linen within the BBC and keep it as an internal debate, but some journalists are using their positions to create their own arguments," one senior BBC Vision executive said.
"Is that a good use of airtime or the public platform the BBC gives them? If you make drama or comedy you don't have access to that platform," the insider added.
Paxman criticised plans to cut Newsnight's budget in his MacTaggart speech at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival at the end of last month.
Sweeney also used the festival to voice concerns about the depth of cuts faced by the BBC TV current affairs department and called for BBC3 or BBC4 to be closed instead.
Humphrys made the same plea against BBC3 and BBC4 in an interview published in the Independent on Monday.
BBC Vision insiders dismissed calls for BBC3 or BBC4 to be axed, saying that News 24 should be put on the chopping block instead.
"If people in news want to play the game of saying BBC3 or BBC4 should be axed, let's look at their services as well," the source said.
"There are many providers of 24-hour rolling news in the market place, why do we need the BBC to do it? Why are we doing something that Sky is doing already?," the insider added.
"If we are going to look at the potential axing of a digital channel, News 24 should be in the firing line as well. Lets open up the debate and look at all the digital services.
"There are not many providers of quality drama and comedy in the market place, which is what BBC3 does. It invests £93 million a year in new talent in comedy, drama and factual.
"It is serving a young audience which the BBC has an obligation to serve. It is not being served with quality programmes elsewhere, particularly not in the commercial market. We should just get rid of News 24."
Other senior BBC Vision executives have said that whenever market research is done asking licence fee payers what they value most about the corporation's output, respondents always put entertainment first - ahead of news.
BBC director general Mark Thompson is due to put forward proposals for budget cuts to the BBC Trust on September 19, in a bid to make up an expected £2bn funding shortfall over the next six years.
Sir Michael Lyons, the BBC Trust chairman, has refused to rule out the closure of entire channels or services.
:-(
They should get the public to phone in and decide.....
I feel that getting rid of BBC Parliament would be ideal, and put more parliament coverage on News 24.
I feel that getting rid of BBC Parliament would be ideal, and put more parliament coverage on News 24.
BB
Parliament costs virtually nothing to run though, and the BBC is under mandate to operate it since the collapse of the commercially funded Parliamentary Channel.
onetrickpony posted:
They should get the public to phone in and decide.....
I feel that getting rid of BBC Parliament would be ideal, and put more parliament coverage on News 24.
I feel that getting rid of BBC Parliament would be ideal, and put more parliament coverage on News 24.
Parliament costs virtually nothing to run though, and the BBC is under mandate to operate it since the collapse of the commercially funded Parliamentary Channel.
:-(
Parliament costs virtually nothing to run though, and the BBC is under mandate to operate it since the collapse of the commercially funded Parliamentary Channel.
Oh right, how much does BBC News 24 cost?
BBC LDN posted:
onetrickpony posted:
They should get the public to phone in and decide.....
I feel that getting rid of BBC Parliament would be ideal, and put more parliament coverage on News 24.
I feel that getting rid of BBC Parliament would be ideal, and put more parliament coverage on News 24.
Parliament costs virtually nothing to run though, and the BBC is under mandate to operate it since the collapse of the commercially funded Parliamentary Channel.
Oh right, how much does BBC News 24 cost?
M
M@
Founding member
Yeah, I agree. BBC Three has been a waste of space from the beginning. How many times has Cast Away (a bloody brilliant film) been on now? Two Pints and Little Britain on endless repeat, boring and often disgusting programmes about c*cks, tits and various disorders and bodily issues, rubbish films. It's an embarrassment!