The Newsroom

BBC NEWS CUTS

Cuts reactivated - P43 onwards (January 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
TR
trevormon
Rolling News posted:
cmthwtv posted:
BBC to go ahead with over-75 licence fee changes

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53347021

So they're going to be making more money but still go ahead with the pointless cuts? Ridiculous.


No, the BBC have to pick up the £250m, or so, cost of providing the remaining free licences from their existing budget. Something that was previously paid for by the government. To that you can add on an extra £80m lost for the delay in implementing the charges for the reminder of over-75s who don't qualify for the free licence.
AN
another_beauty
Markymark posted:
another_beauty posted:
Markymark posted:

They've just said on the 1pm news the BBC have also lost 120 million quid because of Covid. I'm not clear how or why?


People not paying the license fee, lots of productions have been stopped, the BBC has had to pay out to do things to deal with Covid. This could possibly include money they would have made but now will not. All the sports rights although i'm not sure if they get a refund!


People suddenly not paying the licence fee, I wonder how many?


I would not know how to obtain such figures. But some people pay the license fee weekly. Yes and it will be sudden if people are short of money. Another factor is that the BBC cannot chase non payment as it normally does.
MA
Markymark
another_beauty posted:
Markymark posted:
another_beauty posted:

People not paying the license fee, lots of productions have been stopped, the BBC has had to pay out to do things to deal with Covid. This could possibly include money they would have made but now will not. All the sports rights although i'm not sure if they get a refund!


People suddenly not paying the licence fee, I wonder how many?


I would not know how to obtain such figures. .


The Beeb should tell us, we're all 'shareholders'
TR
trevormon
Markymark posted:
another_beauty posted:
Markymark posted:

People suddenly not paying the licence fee, I wonder how many?


I would not know how to obtain such figures. .


The Beeb should tell us, we're all 'shareholders'


The figures aren't secret and were recently published for everyone to see.

Even before the over-75 licence changes there has been a large drop in licences bought by the rest of the population. The most recent figures showed a drop of 82,000 licences in 5 months which equates to 200,000 a year. Not long ago the number of licences was increasing due to population growth and better enforcement.
Last edited by trevormon on 9 July 2020 4:22pm
MA
Markymark
trevormon posted:

Even before the over-75 licence changes there has been a large drop in licences bought by the rest of the population. The most recent figures showed a drop of 82,000 licences in 5 months which equates to 200,000 a year. Not long ago the number of licences was increasing due to population growth and better enforcement.


OK, (a URL would be useful ?)
RA
radiolistener
Andrew posted:
Cardiffian posted:
Let's not forget why these cuts are happening, which is for the most part because the government refuses to fund universal free TV licenses for the over 75s, but still insists that the BBC provides them! So this is a massive cut to the BBC by stealth, for which the government wants to blame the BBC itself.

The BBC might just survive until the mid-2020s but if the Conservatives get into government again in 2024 I think that might be the end.

The BBC are the ones choosing what to cut though, and time and time again it’s always stuff that nobody else does, whilst ringfencing populist mainstream output that everyone does


To inform, to educate, to entertain.

Drama is as important to a cultural organisation as the BBC as political reporting. Good drama can educate as well as inform. How many knew about Rosa Parks before Doctor Who?
Night Thoughts and Brekkie gave kudos
MF
Matthew_Fieldhouse
radiolistener posted:
Andrew posted:
Cardiffian posted:
Let's not forget why these cuts are happening, which is for the most part because the government refuses to fund universal free TV licenses for the over 75s, but still insists that the BBC provides them! So this is a massive cut to the BBC by stealth, for which the government wants to blame the BBC itself.

The BBC might just survive until the mid-2020s but if the Conservatives get into government again in 2024 I think that might be the end.

The BBC are the ones choosing what to cut though, and time and time again it’s always stuff that nobody else does, whilst ringfencing populist mainstream output that everyone does


To inform, to educate, to entertain.

Drama is as important to a cultural organisation as the BBC as political reporting. Good drama can educate as well as inform. How many knew about Rosa Parks before Doctor Who?

Vast majority
CI
cityprod
MatthewF posted:
radiolistener posted:
Andrew posted:
The BBC are the ones choosing what to cut though, and time and time again it’s always stuff that nobody else does, whilst ringfencing populist mainstream output that everyone does


To inform, to educate, to entertain.

Drama is as important to a cultural organisation as the BBC as political reporting. Good drama can educate as well as inform. How many knew about Rosa Parks before Doctor Who?

Vast majority


I don't think that's the case in the UK at all. Maybe in America, but in the UK, this event did not have the cultural resonance that it had in the US. Just because we know something, doesn't mean everybody or even the vast majority does.
LV
LondonViewer
Free TV licence for over 75s has only been around since 2000. At least the BBC are offering free licences for those on those on pension credit - which is very fair. Not sure why a millionaire 76 year old shouldn’t have to contribute.
BR
Brekkie
cityprod posted:
MatthewF posted:
radiolistener posted:

To inform, to educate, to entertain.

Drama is as important to a cultural organisation as the BBC as political reporting. Good drama can educate as well as inform. How many knew about Rosa Parks before Doctor Who?

Vast majority


I don't think that's the case in the UK at all. Maybe in America, but in the UK, this event did not have the cultural resonance that it had in the US. Just because we know something, doesn't mean everybody or even the vast majority does.

Did you not go to school? If there are two names you should remember from being taught about the civil rights movement it would be Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks?

That said the point still stands - drama can be a very effective way of reaching an audience factual programmes wouldn't and informing an audience who may not be aware of the story of someone like Rosa Parks of her story. And beyond the content, filming across the UK can literally bring money to the regions too - not just from money spent during filming but also in future tourism.
MA
Markymark
Brekkie posted:
cityprod posted:
MatthewF posted:
Vast majority


I don't think that's the case in the UK at all. Maybe in America, but in the UK, this event did not have the cultural resonance that it had in the US. Just because we know something, doesn't mean everybody or even the vast majority does.

Did you not go to school? If there are two names you should remember from being taught about the civil rights movement it would be Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks?
.


I was at school in the 70s, I don't recall being taught anything about civil rights etc, such things were kept brushed under the carpet
LL
London Lite Founding member
I'd heard of Rosa Parks, but that was because I was interested in the racial segregation issues of the Deep South states after watching Mississippi Burning when I was much younger, but for other people, seeing the story being played out on Doctor Who played a very important PSB requirement of educating viewers who aren't as interested in historical racial issues using drama as an outlet to show history.

EastEnders and Holby City are also very important PSB educational tools, despite being mass market soaps.

Newer posts