We've just tried to send the PM newsletter
because we're nothing if not optimistic people. In the hugely unlikely event that it doesn't arrive (see laughter on previous postings) here's what it says.
Day five without a newsletter in the PM house.
We're all shouting at each other. There's a huge amount of yelling. And it's all over a stock cube. Or the licence fee settlement. I don't know. As is so often the case, I forgot what caused the original argument.
The newsletter is bgrd. The blog was bgrd yesterday but thankfully the 大象传媒 is not taking millions from Radio 4 to pour into new media.
Where was I? Yes stock cubes. Well, they're wet in this weather. We'll do something on Iraq, the July 21st trial and stock cubes. There'll be something on young Olympians too.
By the way, in the unlikely event that this reaches you before the 大象传媒 is shut down, please let us know if you have a view about the Licence Fee deal just announced by Mrs Jowell: " The 大象传媒 licence fee will rise by 3% to 拢135.50 from April under a six-year funding deal announced by the Government today. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said the settlement would allow 3% increases for the first two years, 2% in the next three and up to 2% in year six. The licence will rise from its current level of 拢131.50 to up to 拢151.50 in 2012, she told Mps."
What, in your view, should the 大象传媒 cut?
Eric Shetty
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大象传媒 Cut Nominations:
Ross Noble's hair.
Trailers in the middle of perfectly good programmes.
Free biscuits for visitors.
Newsletters.
THE NEWSLETTER HAS ARRIVED!
(How on earth did THAT happen?)
I'm not bothered about the licence fee because we no longer need one for the radio. Cut 大象传媒 1, 2, 3 & 4 if you want, just leave radios 2 & 4. Oh and 大象传媒 7, because I can't do without my weekly Navy Lark.
Left hand down a bit, Eddie.
Received at 13:01 - to be fair it had no chance before then as my email client wasn't running...
Very impressed.
No doubt it was scared in case it was budget-cut.
I don't want to worry you, Eddie, but the newsletter arrived, only 12 minutes after you sent it, apparently!
As for cuts, Can I add Russell Brands' hair (or just the man himself!)?
btw, I would like to hear someone ask a minister, possibly Ms Jowell herself, how much money the exchequer received from the sale of digital spectrum licences, and why that money can't be used towards the switchover costs. Will the other existing terrestrial analogue broadcasters have to pay towards the switchover? No. So why does the 大象传媒 have to pay for it while also receiving a less than inflation increase in the licence fee. I guess they're also expecting Auntie Beeb to bid for sports rights as well...
Coming from an angle of a non-TV watcher:-
Licence Fee:
- I still do not understand this necessity to invest millions of pounds into digital television. What was wrong with analogue? Why must it be switched off within the next ten years? If the 大象传媒 had invested more money in today's programming for today's audience rather than tomorrow's, then people would be more willing to give 大象传媒 money which won't disappear into a digital black-hole. Surely it is cheaper to competantly run two TV channels than the 10+ that the 大象传媒 are currently trying to manage. Once you have deleted all the reality TV show and repeats, there is enough space on the schedules of terrestrial channels to put on the best of each of these new channels and even gain a wider audience for the new 'talent'.
- Jonathon Ross. I need not elaborate. I would cut anyone at the 大象传媒 who earns more than 拢500,000 in a year, including the on-air 'talent' and the off-air directors/governors etc. This measure does not include Eddie.
- Stop outsourcing everything - even this blog! - to different companies. At the same time, scale down all the middle-management in the company. When you have far more people working away from a TV/radio studio than on it, then something has gone wrong. How much was spent on those graphics for 大象传媒1 again?
Cut the TV output. I don't watch it
Uh-oh, just heard Stephens on WatO saying the 大象传媒 has got to take news more seriously.
I do hope that wasn't an attack on presenters who are able to balance a serious approach with a touch of levity .... Mentioning no names, of course.
大象传媒 Cut Nominations:
ANY talk about a rival channels' big bother, especially on Radio 4.
Hippos swimming in a circle between programmes.
& never mind Ross Noble's hair, how about the Geordie fella who seems to be everywhere at the moment and I can't remember his name. He was on the front of the RT this week.....must be getting old....no, it's gone. Never mind.
Newletter received.
Some thoughts on the licence fee ...
fixing the fee increases for 5 years (with the 6th year variable but capped) at least lets the 大象传媒 know how much money there will be (subject to the number of people that pay the fee over that period of course). Having it linked to some measure of inflation must have made it harder to plan in the past.
I think that there should be a clause that allows for review if the inflation rate is more than X (e.g. 1% point above the licence fee increase).
How efficient is the collection of the fee? I know that there are a small number of people who legitimately do not pay the fee but is the number of illegitimate non-payers increasing? If it is - then that might be a useful extra source of income to fill a perceived funding gap.
They should cut everything that contains either or both of the words 'makeover' and 'property'.
Possibly 'bargain' too!
and Johnathan Ross' salary.
and most of daytime TV.
and most controversially of all, Veg Talk and Woman's Hour.
Oh and Just a MInute. And Quote Unquote.
also I will undertake to write all scripts for The Archers for 50% of what is curerntly paid.
Out of interest: Has any research been done on comparing the standard amount of money that the viewing/listening audience are forced to dole out to the 大象传媒, against the variable and limitless amount of money that the audience go out and willingly spend as a direct result of advertising on the rival channels?
Look at what the wind has just blown into my inbox - the PM Newsletter!
Unfortunately a lot of other rubbish blew in with it.
O blow!
btw it's a bit gusty outside.
As the 大象传媒 keep pointing out, "what we do" is take risks on programmes that other people won't for fear of ratings falure, and on programmes that, though in demand, the demand isn't great enough to interest commercial broadcasters.
Why then is the 大象传媒 working on such enterprises as a web search engine, reality talent shows and televising sport -- things that loads of other companies are doing, often more successfully. And what difference does it make the viewer what channel Jonathan Ross is on, and why is that difference worth so much money?
I noticed yesterday that 大象传媒 Four and UKTV History both aired repeats of the same episode of Planet Earth. Making a fantastic series like Planet Earth is something the 大象传媒 alone can do, but airing repeats of it is not.
Cut all makeover shows - of people, cars, houses, gardens - to one a week.
Serious answers I take it?
All 大象传媒 national radio apart from Radios 1 thru' 5.
大象传媒 3 & 4 TV stations and the dross on them.
The move to Salford. Who, living in London, wants to move to the North-West? People move from the North-West down to London to escape the place. If they were proposing to move to Devon or Cornwall I can see that there would be many takers. But Manchester? And I live there!
The below-inflation increases will have to mean some cuts in services & staff, or below inflation pay-deals (like the staff will stand for that!). The swarm of flies in the ointment are the digital switchover and the Salford move.
To expect Auntie to dip into her pocket to fund a Government-determined change to Dicital terrestrial TV, whilst simultaneously accepting a decline in real-term income is akin to the pensioner who faces inflation-busting rises in utility bills and Council tax whilst seeing no corresponding increase in their Pension.
The Government should have either granted a lump sum to finance the enforced digital switch, or allowed above-inflation rises in the licence fee for that purpose, at least for the period during which the switch takes place. But Gordon won't allow that, since it will be seen as a Government-imposed tax on the general population.
One might expect that the Salford move should be self-financing, since the Beeb expects to make cost savings annually on the back of the move. How this is possible I'm not sure, since unless you cut numbers or salary levels there is no saving to be made on staff costs, which are the largest single cost for an organisation like the 大象传媒.
Perhaps they expect that a goodly number of the staff will reject the move and vote with their feet, thus cutting posts and costs as natural wastage. You don't even need to offer a redundancy package, since anyone who is offered a suitable post in Salford but rejects it effectively gives in their notice anyway. British companies have indulged in this kind of practise for many years.
Si.
also I will undertake to write all scripts for The Archers for 50% of what is curerntly paid.,/i>
Ooohhrrr nooorr!
If you end up writing the Archers, do me a favour and kill of Ruth will you?
The 大象传媒 should cut all funding for the future supply of free Set Top Boxes for the digital switch over. Why should I, through the 大象传媒, pay for those people who are too lazy or stingy to go out and get their own Set Top Boxes? If the TV companies want to keep their customer base let them ALL contribute - the commercial channels can afford it - I see no real argument that explains why it should be the 大象传媒's job to do this.
In a cost-cutting excercise, Whisht's contributions will now be outsourced to a cheaper, more relaible off-shore resource.
This resource has all the necessary information to ensure that comments are just as useful as the original Whisht's output.
In fact, we will conduct the first tranche of postings at no cost yet expect the output to actually improve in quality.
This operation can also run 24/7 and has the capability to upgrade to a higher level where operators have insights into the US political system and traffic congestion initiatives across the world.
If you have any complaints about this service please contact our onshore representative.
Thankyou
keeping our eye on the bottom line - its what we do
You know how they say there's always somebody who causes trouble ......
Sorry to report but newsletter hasn't made it to Sussex yet.
Belinda: I still do not understand this necessity to invest millions of pounds into digital television. What was wrong with analogue? Why must it be switched off within the next ten years?
The public face of this is that Digital TV is *much* better than analogue TV. Because it is interactive and offers so many more channels. Feel the quality AND the (band)width.
But, little snags, like satellite digital is prey to the weather in a far worse way than ghosting on an old TV set. And like so many areas not having terrestrial digital (Freeview) until they can turn off the analogue transmissions. Those of us in hilly areas currently unable to receive Freeview have to take on trust that the signal will come through. As Channel 5 never made it, I am not optimistic.
The reality is that the government want to sell the great lump of the broadcast spectrum to people who will do Great Things with it and are willing to pay handsomely for it. Although who they are and what they will do seems a little vague but, what the hell, the 大象传媒 and the viewer is footing the costs.
I would like to point out that I resisted the urge to suggest the government had "sexed up" the Digital switch in view of the multitude of channels of dubious morality which accompany the change. Even I can pun too far.
Eddie, I'm a big fan of yours, but I have to say you did the impossible yesterday, and actually made me sympathetic towards Peter Hain.
I though it a little ungracious of you to criticise him for discussing 'Big Brother' when there were other important topics of political debate. I thought this was unfair as it was the topic you invited him to discuss, and although reality tv is trivial, it is as someone said, holding up a mirror to society. And if that mirror is allegedly displaying racism, then that is an important subject for debate. At least as important as, say, the 'escaped suspects' as it is likely to affect more people's lives, and in some cases the consequences can be just as serious.
Of course, one can argue that 'Big Brother' is an artificial environment with people under stress at close quarters - but no more so than the working environment for many ethnic minorities.
That said, the rest of the programme is fantastic.
As far as I am concerned my licence fee goes to radio 4 and nothing else. Does that mean I wouldn't mind if everything else got cut? maybe, but then I guess the radio would get watered down to please all those people deprived of the TV they rely on so much...
How different would the country be with no 大象传媒 TV?
Cuts? Stop making all those expensive 大象传媒 1 logo things with people flying hippos in the shape of an 'o' and go back to the test card.
Newsletter has arrived. Thank you.
I must admit I watch very little television now, I either listen to 大象传媒 Radio or use the 大象传媒 News website instead.
All I care about is that these services continue to be properly financed and that their present high quality output is maintained.
pretty sure veg talk was axed (plowed? harvested?) a while ago - quite rightly too
i'd get rid of all radio 4 comedy - i mean, have you heard that new *it's going to be hilarious* laura solon show?
and anything with marcus *i'm turning into one of those bbc faces* brigstock. Oh and mel perkins - what is she for exactly?
And get rid of newsnight review. instead, just broadcast some footage from an actor's bar somewhere - they're all poncing on about the same things for no apparent reason whatsover.
I could go on and on, but my cheese on toast is ready.
Can I suggest that any interviews with Des Brown can easily be cut? He really puts the "dour" into Scottish, he always avoids the question and he's a crashing bore. I don't know how Eddie manages to keep his cool with such a dull evasive man.
Long Live the 大象传媒, 大象传媒 PM, and all of my fellow froggers. Cut off Reality TV and Commercial TV. The reason is not only Shilpa. The other reason was that a commercial radio station KDND and its programme "The Morning Rave" had a Water Drinking Contest in which the winner died after overhydration. The Show's Host were indifferent and laughed as the woman was dying. Here is my blog and the article from CNN:
Hi Eddie,
Just want to say that thank goodness we haven't got T.V. we live in a barn on the Quantock hills bad reception, so we live very happily without television (there are many other things to do)as for the licence we could never afford it as we are both retired seniors, I think the increases are totally out of order, how do these pensioners on a very low income manage when they need the company of T.V, (good viewing or not) I must add that my partner and I love your programme, and adore your newsletters great fun. from an avid fan Christine Cook Somerset
Cut the cr*p, obviously...
Cut all news which actually ends up promoting other channels programming.
Cut subsidising the change over to digital broadcasting - the government wants it done, they should pay for it!
And on a bright note - YAY Newsletter!
Cuts? Hah!
Here I am in the heart of Scotland, 50-60 miles from both Glasgow and Edinburgh and
1. Freeview doesn't work;
2. There is no Channel 5 reception;
3. DAB radio does not operate consistently.
So, what would I like to see cut?
How about the time until some or all of these are available fully to everyone.
I was joking about Ross Noble's hair. After all, it would cost Auntie more to cut it than to let it grow. And I'm all for sexual equality, anyway ....
And I'd be very hesitant about suggesting anything serious for cuts. After all, the Beeb has been pretty innovative over the years, which has been the result of its ability to think out of the box and be creative. You need funds to do this, not handcuffs.
I've lived in other countries without Public Service Broadcasting (or, in the case of the US, where it is extremely limited) and have seen the resultant rubbish. We have in this country a service which is head and shoulders above these, largely driven by the high standards set by the Beeb and which stop the commercial channels becoming swamped with dross. The flourishing export market in British TV productions, to English and non-English speaking countries, speaks for itself. By way of illustration, when did you last see a Spanish, Italian, or French production on our screens? Conversely, British programmes feature regularly in these countries.
I don't think the licence fee is exorbitant given it does provide us with a stations not reliant upon advertising and, thereby, in the pockets of Big Business.
Things the 大象传媒 should cut...
* Sports "personality" of the year award
* Casualty or Holby City. How many hospital dramas can you need.
* Chris Moyles' lunch expense account.
* Jonathan Ross
* Any services for foreigners who don't pay for them.
* Thought for the Day
* The endless coverage of the licence fee.
* Analogue TV now. When a Freeview box can be had for 拢20, what is the need?
* Farming Today.
Russell (23 currently);
Mel Perkins?
Surely either Mel Giedroyc or Sue Perkins? Or both?
Or is there a Mel Perkins out there I've missed?
Si.
Good afternoon Mr Mair,
Very windy outside isn't it? Thank's for the newsletter by the way.
Have you noticed Gordon Brown's stock answer to anyone questioning the Government's stewardship of the economy 鈥 or policy shortcomings 鈥 is to point to the stability witnessed during the past decade. That Peter Hain chap did it with you on the programme yesterday.
Perhaps The Chancellor has a point though. A key reason New Labour has won three successive General Elections is that the party convinced voters that it would be more economically competent than the Tory "boom or bust" approach.
However, significant rises in interest rates, and now inflation, mean that Mr Brown's defence is no longer credible with those families who are being left compromised by a steep rise in the cost of living. Including the 大象传媒 fee.
Indeed, the ramifications of these increases have become so serious that Mr Brown cannot ignore the issue ahead of this spring's Budget 鈥 a setpiece occasion that he will use to finalise his status as Prime Minister-elect or thereabouts.
For, at a time when company bosses are being urged to impose wage-restraints, ostensibly to help the Government meet its financial targets, their staff are forking out even more money each month on pensions, mortgages, transport, council tax and household utilities. Not on is it?
It is a vicious circle that is causing significant financial misery and hardship to many people. For these are the most obvious examples where the cost of living has increased. They do not include Mr Brown's myriad of invisible "stealth taxes" 鈥 designed to penalise the middle- classes in particular 鈥 that are now used prop up New Labour's finances.
However, the combined effect of Mr Brown's taxation policy, as a whole, means that more families face the prospect of their homes being repossessed 鈥 a return to the dark days of the early 1990s 鈥 because they mortgaged themselves to the hilt following Mr Brown's assurances about a stable economy.
Equally, rises in interest rates and inflation will make it even more difficult for first-time buyers to secure a foothold on the property ladder; a situation now exacerbated by leading banks withdrawing fixed-rate mortgage offers.
Mr Brown has made great political capital out of his economic record. However, it would be ironic in the extreme if his reign as Prime Minister was to be blighted by a return to the Tory days of "boom and bust" that he has so cautioned against.
This is why the decisions that the Chancellor takes this spring could determine the success 鈥 or otherwise 鈥 of his premiership. Many families I think are counting on him to take the right decisions. But will he?
Fifi's top five suggestions for 大象传媒 cuts:
1. The Lottery - the 大象传媒 is currently paying Camelot to show this rubbish!
2. Sport - the 大象传媒 is paying through the nose, and other channels can do it just as well.
3. Whizzy graphics on News bulletins - they add nothing and I like my newscasters to sit still.
4. One anchorperson per News bulletin - two chums finishing each other's sentences is not clever.
5. Channel branding - either bring back the red balloon or bin the lot. They're irritating!
Fifi's top five suggestions for where the 大象传媒 will actually cut:
1. Admin and technical support. Including that needed for newsletters.
2. Longer leases on company cars --- for all but the top brass, natch.
3. More re-re-repeats throughout the schedule instead of new programming.
4. More reality TV programmes, game shows and radio phone-ins --- because you don't have to pay the public to appear in them.
5. Pension cuts --- for all but the top brass.
And if they cut PM's scriptwriting budget, Eddie, you know where I am!
Fifi
(atchooooo!)
My newsletter arrived safe and sound on platform at 13.37........and it made me laugh as well so always a bonus.
btw it is very windy out there, I had to dodge a couple of random wheely bins blown on to the road on my way back to work. Anyway I digress......
Cut -
1. Jonathon Ross's salary
2. Chris Moyles - completely, forever....
3. Eastenders
4. DIY SOS and all other property/makeover shows (leave the property show genre to Channel 4 who do it very well on their own thank you)
5. Strictly Come Dancing
6. Just the Two of Us
Keep, making the wonderful Planet Earth - quite possibly worth the licence fee alone in my opinion, and good quality drama such as Jimmy McGovern's The Street (when's that coming back?)
As a full time working mum to two under 5's I'm pretty much worn out and brain dead by the time I get them to bed so rely on the TV and radio to entertain more than I would like. Therefore I would like to me educated and challenged more. Also keep up the high standard of children's programmes.
Loving "Elephant Diaries" as well at the moment.
Wassup with all the anti JR stuff folkls? Johnathan Ross probably isn't worth his salary in our terms, but it is perfectly reasonable in terms of other entertainers. I have liked him since the days of The Last Resort, and he is a really nice man too, no point telling you exactly how I know that but I do.
In fact, JR could be another fine pal for you Eddie, a bit more showbizzy than Chris Evans methinks, but he'd get you out of those rugby shirts in a flash... no not in any undressing kind of a way, I mean all that Vivienne Westwood he wears and the natty suits, of course you would need to undress at some point but not in company perhaps! Oh the holes that one digs.
You can't cut the drama, even if it is all independently produced, the 大象传媒 is a precious resource, & those ITV dramas with a name in the lead are just painful. I like all those funny ident things too, and think the 大象传媒's are particularly interesting, so don't go cutting all the creativity please. Oh I don't really want to cut anything!
I must admit I hadn't quite got why the imperative to switch over, it is a government run initiative, so they should pay for it & not the 大象传媒, or at least subsidise it.
Can I just add my agreement to Big Sister's comments (34). Maybe my standards are lower than some (being somewhat brain dead most evenings!) but all in all I think the general standard of television and radio output in this country compared with some (Italy, Spain and France also spring to mind) is far superior. There is, as she says, a lot more British TV productions exported than European imports. There is just an alarming trend towards over reliance on the reality tv show genre - and in particular this over cultivation of the so-called celebrity status by having "celebrity" versions of everything. But all in all I do not personally mind paying the licence fee.
(excuse the typos in my last post - really must read before I submit)
Ian (35): "(Cut) Analogue TV now. When a Freeview box can be had for 拢20, what is the need?"
All well and good if you live in a Freeview area.
I have still yet to be convinced of the advantages of digital television. If I want interactivity I switch on my computer.
I would start by cutting anything which gives Premiership footballers more money. In place of the various Sports Personality etc shows I would plough money into showing minority sports.
For example, we just got a gold medal through Beth Tweddle and almost no one even knew the event was taking place. In Birmingham, of all places. Yet we get full coverage of a few cricket matches on the far side of the planet.
Things will change with the move to Salford as I shall become Director General (so long as I can fit it in with youngest's school hours). Things will change then, I can tell you.
1 Please keep Jonathan Ross, but do cut his salary
2 Cut anything where Celebrities exhibit anything other than the talent that made them famous
3 Cut anything to do with housework, make-overs, property-searches, clearing junk out of cupboards, and so on
4 Cut all Awards programmes
By the way, won't the proposed free Set-Top boxes only go to people like my aged mother who lives on benefits and is so befuddled by technology she can't use her VCR? Paul Smith (19) - she is far from lazy or stingy.
Windy today, isn't it?
No, it's Thursday.
:-)
H.
Since cutting J Ross' salary seems to be a hit with us all and a spontanweous suggestion by many , I wonder if anyone at the 大象传媒 is taking notice. We don't want you to pay that - er -person millions of our pounds. Please don't do it again.
Having just mentally reviewed my TV viewing habits I suspect I could live quite happily without 大象传媒 TV. since all I seem to watch at present is Relocation Relocation. I did of course tune in for bits of Robin Hood but only to ogle R Armitage and the chance to do that for say 10 weeks out of 52 isn't worth a hundred and fifty quid.
sorry Eddie no newsletter here yet.
What's it like where you all are? We have trees falling through houses, motorways closed, airport closing, schools closed early, Runcorn bridge closed and people being hit by debris in the street. Am really looking forward to the drive home later.........
Fifi (38)
Bless you.
H.
Fifi (38ish):
I'm with you on most of that.
1. The lottery: Who actually wants to see anything other than the numbers?
2. Sport: Ugh.
3. & 4. Dump the news graphics and scrap all the presenters apart from the lovely and talented Kate Silverton. Whenever she wants a break, just pipe through Charlotte Green from Radio 4, which showing the old Potter's Wheel or somesuch.
5. Channel Branding: Bring back the spinning globe from the 70's.
My suggestions:
1. Cut Jonathan Ross' salary or better still sell him to ITV.
2. Dump about 2/3s of the Management. Where they need replaced, only employ people who have come up through the ranks on TV/radio. Demote all MBAs to tea-boys/girls and let them work their way up from there.
3. Bring back The Goodies as prime-time telly.
4. Have a maximum of one half-hour of day-time soap and one half-hour of evening soap *per week*. Fill the slots with informative documentaries, *not* those appalling drama-documentaries though.
5. Most important: Don't pander to the lowest common denominator, it really *doesn't* save money.
3. Bring back The Goodies as prime-time telly.
But allow Tim Brooke-Taylor time off to do ISIHAC.
It would also not go amiss if the likes of Ben Elton and Richard Curtis could remember how to write well, and come up with a new FUNNY comedy series between them. Perhaps one with Rowan Atkinson.
However that is more of a fantasy than Jade Goody being made the Prime Minister of India.
GM: V. windy in Sussex. Am about to venture out with my K9 pal, have been putting off all day due to the wind, but can procrastinate no further.
Drive home safely and, in the words of Eddie, Do wrap up!
To Cut?
J Ross and his salary.
Any other over exposed individual employed by the 大象传媒 on "Footballer salaries"
Please cut all ecotourism (extreme oxymoron) and programmes featuring/romanticising foreign holidays. Sorry Figlover, but your new thingy this afternoon should be strangled at birth.
In fact anything styled 'lifestyle' should go.
mumble mumble....
(and don't think I didn't notice and rejoice at the lack of snow in the Alps - how stupid is it to spend humongous amounts of carbon to drag your butt up a hill only to slide down and cue to blow more fossil energy dragging your butt back up?)
xx
ed
I;m not bothered about the rise for a tv licence
as I've 'come of age' for a free one tee! hee!
I agree with Fiona (38) that the 大象传媒 should NOT cut the Excellent Childrens Programs it does. Perhaps bringing back the test card would save a few bob. Show in place of repeats or in the wee small hours. though I bet its cheaper to feed 大象传媒 news 24 onto 大象传媒 1 after bed time then show the test card :-)
The problem if you cut all the Reality/Celebrity dancing/singing Lottery naff tv what goes in its place?. Other Naff TV or more expensive TV productions or the test card? I think the argument is Ifyou have anaudience to start with (the test card won't bring in much of a one) you are more likley to keep a proportion of it when the Naff TV finishes.
Stewart M: The same probably goes for the Lottery (which I never watch, but then I'd turn on/over for something of quality that might follow it) - sometimes you have to entice people into the better quality stuff.
Now, on another matter. I'm a bit concerned that there's been criticism on the Blog of Eddie's performance on yesterday's programme. I think that's rather sad, not to say impolite, that he has been criticised on his own Blog. How many of us are, in any event, perfect all the time? And doesn't it sound a bit like "If we don't like what you're talking about, we don't like your programme"?
I don't think the Blog is the place for complaints of that kind.
So, that's one of the things I think the Beeb could cut.
BTW, Eddie, I see your wardrobe of rugby shirts is wider than I thought ;0)
I do hope you enjoy Lissa's leaving do tonight, Eddie. But look after those tonsils, won't you?
Is it a bit breezy outside then?
I hadn't really noticed....
[ducks to avoid flying fence panels and greenhouse door]
Fifi
Big Sis (56)
I was one of those who criticised both Eddie and yesterday's programme. Nothing that has been said since had changed my mind.
I just cannot understand why BB has to have such big coverage on the 大象传媒. It's a nonsense programme and shortly will be the equivalent of newspapers as chip wrappers.
This blog is meant to be whatever we make it. The vast number of comments on here compliment the programme and presenter. I'm happy enough to do that and have done several times in the past. But there is no way that we shouldn't be allowed to comment when we think that either has been below par.
I still think that Eddie got it 100% wrong last night. Peter Hain was specifically asked on to comment on the Big Brother issue and then was accused of wasting time by doing this, rather than worrying about other governmental matters.
So, what's the story? Important enough for the 大象传媒 and PM to spend an inordinate time on it but not for politicians to comment on? Bit of a double standard that.
And if Peter Hain hadn鈥檛 appeared? 鈥淲e asked Mr Hain to appear but he was unavailable鈥
No. It was a lousy edition of the programme.
Hello all.
Good to see you've all been behaving recently. Long may that continue.
The Blog Queen (a.k.a. Lissa) has just relinquished her crown, by giving us her farewell speech. Today was her *final* day with us. She was very dignified, eloquent, and - this came as the biggest surprise to us all - sober.
We will genuinely miss her here at work, as I'm sure you all will on the blog. (glad I typed the "L" there...)
She's promised/threatened to blog from Derbyshire, and I'm sure her invitation to visit her there extends as much to each and every one of you as it does to her erstwhile colleagues here.
The place won't be the same without her. It'll be quieter for sure, but certainly not the same.
Belinda (50ish)
Just Tim? Not Graeme Garden as well?
Please cut all ecotourism (extreme oxymoron) and programmes featuring/romanticising foreign holidays. Sorry Figlover, but your new thingy this afternoon should be strangled at birth.
In fact anything styled 'lifestyle' should go.
mumble mumble....
(and don't think I didn't notice and rejoice at the lack of snow in the Alps - how stupid is it to spend humongous amounts of carbon to drag your butt up a hill only to slide down and cue to blow more fossil energy dragging your butt back up?)
xx
ed
RJD: My comment was deliberately general, and I do, of course, recognise your point about the Blog being what we make it. I didn't want to offend anyone by my comment, and I hope that isn't the case with you.
I don't happen to agree with you in this instance, but I may well be wrong. I'm not sure how the Beeb likes negative feedback to be handled. I guess, though, that I don't feel comfortable with using the Blog this way. My problem, I guess.
Hello New Blog Prince -- or "Marc" (are you Italian then?)
We all miss Lissa already, but I'm sure you'll help us get over it.
Anyway, nice to meet you.
Mine was received at 13.24. Of course it took me until 8pm to pick it up as I was felled by a felled tree on the way home.
SSC (61), Well ok, Graeme can have time off as well. For good behaviour.
My newsletter arrived at 12.30, but it's taken me this long to get round to posting. This was partly due to the surprise of discovering a 35ft conifer lying across my lawn shortly after lunch. It is mine, but it was definately vertical this morning. Lucky it didn't fall the other way, where it would have successfully squished the neighbour's conservatory.
Anyway, apart from large, dangerous trees, here are some of the things I suggest the 大象传媒 cut:
1. Any programme with only-just-or nearly-not-anymore-celebrities in it
2. Repeats of programmes that were rubbish the first time round
3. Anthea Turner
4. Midweek. Sorry. Just don't like it.
5. The National Lottery coverage - with you all the way Fifi
6. Programmes that are deemed to be good television because they make the watching public feel smug about how good they are at parenting/decorating/living with the person they are married to/driving/running a business/anything else that normal people do
That will do for now, I think. There's lot's of potential, isn't there? Let's have more of the fantastic drama and comedy that the 大象传媒 is capable of producing and less of the mediocre rubbish that we can get perfectly easily elsewhere should we want to.
Big Sis - I'm not offended in the least and I know no offence was ever intended. That's not your style.
Similarly, no offence to Eddie or the programme was intended. I just think that on this rare occasion they got it wrong.
If we restrict ourselves to only positive comment then such comment becomes meaningless.
I think the 大象传媒 could make up the shortfal very easily by simple being more intelligent about how to generate money from it greatest assest. That is of course the 50+ years of great TV and Radio content.
Basically put this content on line and start charging a subscription for it. Like many ex-pats I would gladly pay $50/month to access 大象传媒 output on line. I currently do buy DVDs when they come available in the US and watch the odd show on 大象传媒 America.
I do realiase there are DRM issues that have to be sorted out but this is such a great resource that could be put to better use to make money.
Big Sis (63) don't you think it'd be a bit of a shame if we felt we couldn't be critical from time to time? I know I've not always been complimentary! Should I retire ungracefully??!
Surely they wouldn't want us only to make positive comments, as that wouldn't be expressing our real views. They must know that we like the programme or we wouldn't continue listening/frogging/sending in photos & cards etc etc.
I see we're all subscribing to the view that some things will have to be cut at this level of funding then?... Has anyone considered the possibilty that this is (perish the thought) 大象传媒 spin???
I'm not sure that all Senior citizens over 75 want 'boxes' or whatever they are to 'go digital'-my 94 year old relative says she will pay not to-is alarmed to say the least at the prospect of such a gift.
Could we cut down on those footballer type people who sit so awkwardly in their expensive(I assume) suits between 'halves" and gossip so inanely.
Expensively coiffed ladies why claim to make perfectly decent people look better at huge expense . In my opinion they usually fail anyway and their "improvements" are so temporary.
Mollyxx
New Blog Prince (60) Thank you for your kind(?)
words about Lissa. I send you a ripple of applause and a ''Hear!Hear!'' All together now.....''For she's a jolly good frogger, For she's a jolly good......''
I think they should cut down 大象传媒 One to Four down to three channels - there just doesn't seem to be enough quality television to sustain all four channels.
大象传媒 One should continue as is, as an all round family channel.
大象传媒 Two has no identity anymore. 大象传媒 Three has some good stuff but not enough, 大象传媒 Four has some good stuff but not enough.
Answer...
a new 大象传媒 Two that is the home for the high quality factual, documentary and serious drama programming that is currently broadcast on the existing 大象传媒 Two and 大象传媒 Four, and to a certain extent on 大象传媒 Three.
a new 大象传媒 Three that is the home for the high quality comedy, music and light drama that is currently shown on the existing 大象传媒 Two and 大象传媒 Three and to a certain extent on 大象传媒 Four.
No need for a fourth channel.
Big Sis (63) and others: I personally think there is no problem is saying that a particular episode or segment is not up to the usual standard on this forum. The frog isn't designed as a fan's love-fest (although, you know, it is...) but a sensible discussion of various topics. If one of these topics is PM itself, then that is all to the good, as long as it doesn't become a slanging match between posters or trolling against Eddie himself - both of which are unacceptable.
It can be advantageous to the powers at PM as well (if they listen), as they get direct feedback as to whether a certain direction in stories is working or not, or whether new formats are liked. The whole of frogging is about communication between listeners and between listeners and PM, and we should use that to our mutual advantage.
Cuts?
Many good suggestions have already been made on this blog. As I have previously mentioned on the blog and to the 大象传媒 "Information" department, get rid of background music during commentary in documentaries and news programmes.
Stop sending numerous reporters to the same place, e.g. for TV and radio; don't send Mr. Naughty to the US for the Presidential Elections, for example.
And WHO actually decided on the digital switchover? They should pick up the bill.
BTW, didn't they have a swathe of cuts a few years ago, when PM stopped having 2 presenters?
RJD/GM:
I take your points, and understand them fully. But I still feel uncomfortable. But that's MY problem, not yours!
On Molly's point (above) - I'm not sure about your suggestion, for the following reasons: (1) Not everyone yet has access to digital TV, so would miss half of the mix (2) If the channels pursue very specific remits in the way you suggest, it might become very difficult for the viewer to vary their viewing between different genres. and (3) slots would all need to be of equal length, or multiples of length - something which I think the Beeb does try to do, but also reserves the right to vary, though the unit of currency seems to be around the 60 min slot (e.g. 30 + 30, 40 +20, and variations thereof).
Having seen how difficult it is for timetablers to organise a day for a school, I have great sympathy for the schedulers at the 大象传媒 these days! How much easier it would have been in the good old days when there was only one channel .......
Oops, sorry, for Molly read Moz in my last posting .....
Belinda:
Given the vagaries of the Blog, I'm not sure if something I posted earlier this morning will appear or not on this thread, but it was basically a reiteration of my reply to RJD's post on this matter.
Looking back at my original posting, I would revise it inasmuch as I think any criticism should aim to be constructive, whether it's on the Blog or anywhere.
RJD has made the following point:
'I still think that Eddie got it 100% wrong last night. Peter Hain was specifically asked on to comment on the Big Brother issue and then was accused of wasting time by doing this, rather than worrying about other governmental matters.'
That contribution I can understand as a constructive comment and I'm sure Eddie would regard it as helpful feedback.
I think my primary concern was that, within the criticism levelled, there was a general air in some postings (not in all of them, I hasten to add!) of criticism of PM giving airtime to the CBB debate, or of giving as much airtime to the matter. That decision would, in any event, have been taken at editorial level. Such decisions, of course, should be open to challenge, but perhaps we should also have faith in the accuracy of their antennae in this matter at least. Whether or not one watches CBB, it is currently a very hot topic because of the way contestants are behaving and the sensitivities in our society at present about inclusiveness, racial tolerance, etc.
Anyway, freedom of speech is not dead - Long live lively (but friendly) debate!
The criticism of the piece was not only about the length of the item - it was the 'hot-topic' of the day but there were other, equally important, things going on - but also about the way that the interview with Peter Hain was handled. Both of these are valid concerns if it is likely that PM will continue down this line in the future with other stories. I don't want PM to evolve into a single-issue show, any more than I want Eddie to become a John Humphrys clone who asks unreasonable and unfair questions. Both are far better than that, and Eddie is still the best presenter on-air today.
I also think that we absolutely must question the editorial decisions for all shows, not just trust them to make the correct judgements day after day - it's how we show our love after all, by poking them with a stick.
Belinda: I think we are, in fact, in total agreement.
Big Sis (79) & Belinda (80) & GM (70)
I honestly don't think there is much more than a tissue paper between our views on this in reality.
I certainly think that PM is the best programme of its kind on the airwaves and Eddie is probably responsible for a great part of its appeal.
We will always have different views on specific items and their coverage. It would be a bit boring if we were all identical!
RJD: A virtual hug is winging its way :0)
Big Sis, Belinda, RJD,
As I intervened to agree with RJD's views on the Peter Hain interview the other day, but also love Eric (had you noticed?) and agree with Belinda's very sensible comments above, I believe I am also in harmony with you all. Please can I join in the virtual hug?
Thank you,
A, x.
Dear Frog Prince:
I gather I may have touched upon a nerve when I unmasked you a while back. So much so that the Beeb appear to have completely reorganised their video clips and you are now, well, inaccessible.
I hadn't realised you were so sensitive, or I would never have 'revealed' you in that way.
I thought it was rather a nice piece, actually, and cannot understand why the Beeb have now 'hidden' you away. But there you are. It's probably all down to the licence fee.
Also, most of Eddie's little gems have now vanished. What a pity!
Gosh! It really is nice here, isn't it? I don't want to go home.
More big hugs. And cakes, as it's Friday. Just for those of us here and anyone who happens to pop by.
Big Sis (85 when I looked)
Didn't you manage to download a copy for pmblog.co.uk?
Vyle: I haven't cos I wouldn't know what to do (finger stuck in mouth like the dumb blonde I am).
Vyle: I did post an answer, it hasn't appeared yet, so (possibly repetitiously), no I am technically incompetent, I'm afraid, so nothing done of the kind you mention.
Eddie wearing a smart white shirt tonight.
The current UHF system is over 60 years old and it shows as it can not even fully support a channel 5. Therefore just like when Black & White broadcast was turned off because it was out of date so we also have to say goodbye to UHF.
I do think people currently under estimate the problems the switch over will cause. For example the Digital terrestrial television (television through an aerial) system can only go full power and nationwide once UHF is turned off. Somewhat the chicken and the egg.
Are the other channels ITV, C4 and C5 paying for any of this or is it all the going through the 大象传媒?
RJd (82) exactly!