Bbc In Generous Mood

[Jack from Laxey]

From Manx Radio News

Following discussions with Manx Radio and the Communications Commission, the BBC has announced it could set up a Manx news page on its website.

 

It would mean people could log onto 'bbc.co.uk' to find out information about the Isle of Man.

 

In a statement the BBC adds its document, 'Building Public Value', details significant enhancements of its local services for licence fee payers.

 

Talks were set up after former Chief Minister, Richard Corkill, doubted whether the licence fees paid by Isle of Man residents represented value for money for the services they received.

 

These high level talks with our erstwhile CM have resulted in something then, although there is a certain irony here.

[Declan]

Curiously I was thinking about this very issue five minutes ago.

 

It has always annoyed me that they charge us the same for the licence fee but get less of a service. The webpage in particular has always struck me as taking the xxxx. For example if you go to the "Where I Live" section and input a Manx post code you get sent to Lancashire.

 

I've sent e-mails in the past to complain, and was thinking about doing so again today.

[Rog]

Curiously I was thinking about this very issue five minutes ago.

 

It has always annoyed me that they charge us the same for the licence fee but get less of a service. The webpage in particular has always struck me as taking the xxxx. For example if you go to the "Where I Live" section and input a Manx post code you get sent to Lancashire.

 

I've sent e-mails in the past to complain, and was thinking about doing so again today.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The population of the Island is less than some council estates here on the Mainland. Does anyone seriously expect that the BBC should provide special news or feature broadcasts for them?

 

Let’s at least TRY to keep the Isle on Man in some form of perspective with the rest of the British Isles. With a population of roughly 0.1% (yes, one tenth of one percent) of the Mainland the Island could be said to be doing very well even having the transmitter coverage that it has.

[Declan]

With respect Rog a council estate in England would be covered by the services the BBC provides to its region and county. The Isle of Man isn't.

 

The Isle of Man makes up a simillar proportion of the BBC's catchment area as Jersey and Guernsey and the Scottish Islands. Here is what the Where I live throws up for the various Islands -

 

Jersey

 

Guernsey

 

Isle of Man

 

Coll

 

Mull

 

Since you are using population proportions to make a point I give you one - Coll's population is 0.2% of the Isle of Man's yet it has a greater pressence on the BBC site.

[Ean]

The population of the Island is less than some council estates here on the Mainland. Does anyone seriously expect that the BBC should provide special news or feature broadcasts for them?

 

Let’s at least TRY to keep the Isle on Man in some form of perspective with the rest of the British Isles. With a population of roughly 0.1% (yes, one tenth of one percent) of the Mainland the Island could be said to be doing very well even having the transmitter coverage that it has.

 

Thats rubbish, we pay the license fee we should get the standard service. Those council estates still recieve news and information that is relevant to them when they put in a postcode. What is happening in Lancashire is of no relevance to me so why should i accept that from the website and not complain. Regions aren't decided on numbers, The Isle of Man is a region in it's own right because we are surrounded by water.

 

The Isle of Wight gets it's own regional information on the website why not recognise us, we pay exactly the same license fee as them, The Channel Islands get their own coverage as well.

 

And to say that we should be happy we have transmitter coverage for the majority of the island is a silly thing to say. We don't have freeview coverage yet, and considering we are going to be switching off our analogue transmission in 2 years time (supposedly) thats a bit unfair. We also can't get channel 5 through a normal aerial.

 

We do get a sub-standard service here and it is finally our chance to air our views to the BBC. I just hope we don't meet attitudes like your's Rog.

[Rog]

Much of which I can appreciate but not agree with.

 

Don't forget the amount of tax payers money, and that includes the tax payers of Coll and Mull, that goes to the BBC in addition to the licence fees.

 

I suspect that in the cae of the Channel Isles the BBC is providing a targetted programming to counter the ITV Channel Isles service.

 

Maybe it's a twist on an old battkle cry and a casee of "No representation without taxation!"

 

Pay your licence fees and see the programs. Pay a tax contribution and get considered.

[Hugs]

So how do you think the licence payers feel that are not on-line?

 

 

Something I found interesting

How your licence is spent

Each household's colour TV licence cost £9.67 every month in 2003/2004. On average each month, this was how the BBC spent your money:

Average monthly licence fee spend

 

This chart shows that £9.67 was the average monthly cost of each household's licence fee in 2003/2004. It breaks it down visually into components. 

 

    * BBC One £3.37

    * BBC Two £1.45

    * Digital television channels £0.98

    * Transmission and collection costs £0.98

    * BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 and Five Live £0.99

    * Digital radio stations £0.08

    * Nations & English Regions television £0.90

    * Local radio £0.61

    * bbc.co.uk £0.31

      Total £9.67

http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/licencefee/#spent

[Jack from Laxey]

Some interesting and well thought out argument being put forward here.

 

It seems reasonable thought will skirt around what is, in my opinion the "real" reasons. The clue is in the first letter of BBC. The British establishment will not promote an independent tax haven within its geographical midst. But also, and unbelievably the most significant reason as I see it, is because of our supposedly hostile laws against homosexuality. We took a few years to conform with UK on this one. (Some would say too long and some would say we were right not too lurch right into line with the motherland)

 

I note that whilst running a news item on 3G mobile phones and the Isle of Man a couple of years back, the good old BBC website took its chance to revel in highlighting the Isle of Man's 'antiquated' social laws on this subject.

 

Dare I say . . the bitch factor, for which Auntie Beeb is well steeped, has a long, long memory.

 

 

 

Edit: typo

[Rog]

It’s all a case of ‘Rearranging Deckchairs on the Titanic’ any way.

 

There should BE NO TV licence fee.

[Ean]

he clue is in the first letter of BBC. The British establishment will not promote an independent tax haven within its geographical midst

 

But we are in the British Isles. We are British and the BBC is meant to be an independent body, not connected to the official "establishment" (i.e. Government).

 

There should BE NO TV licence fee.

Why not? It would be very detrimental to the whole of the british broadcasters and to the audience if the limited advertising revenue that can be made had to be split between 5 main channels. We'd either get several advert breaks in one show (a la America) or the quality of what is produced would suffer. It would probably result in one of the 5 collapsing (possibly 2) which can't be a good thing for the audience, they lose out on choice.

Another thing with scrapping the License fee would mean the BBC could end up becoming biased to keep advertisers happy etc. We would lose impartiality from the BBC (and despite what Blair et al think, the BBC is impartial)

[sam_iom]

Just for the record

 

The BBC has invested over £1 million in Jersey this year on a new broadcast centre. Jersey’s population is not much more than here. They employ about 30 staff on Jersey producing output for Radio Jersey, Channel Islands Spotlight TV, and a dedicated website.

 

We pay £3 million to the BBC each year.

[Grumble]

Damn right Sam... I think we should get at least £1m a year back from the BBC as a rebate to fund Manx radio...which looking at the breakdown above from Hugs gets less than a third of the funding of a BBC local station to start off with!

 

This BBC licence fee is a farce. IF we get the same service, we should pay the same fee - if not it should be reduced proportionately. Based on current service levels, £50 a year is too much!

[ans]

So how do you think the licence payers feel that are not on-line?

 

It bugs me that such comprehensive service is available to non licence payers. I know a ton of Americans who use BBC as a definitive news site without paying a penny towards it.

[simon]

It bugs me that such comprehensive service is available to non licence payers. I know a ton of Americans who use BBC as a definitive news site without paying a penny towards it.

On the other hand - maybe there is a point to helping to fund a web news service which people in other countries see as being definitive. I think that it is a good thing that we are helping to fund an independent, and sometimes dissident, perspective which is respected and believed.

 

My belief is that the site would no longer be so definite if it was not available to all. Personally I'm happy to support the service. Maybe the job is to convince people why the messages we fund are valuable to our perception in the world. It's important that the site reflects a non governmental British perspective.

 

Meanwhile - I also support the licence fee funding of BBC radio and TV productions. I believe that the BBC offers a fantastic service. Also worth pointing out that many people in British and Irish commercial TV and film and radio production, learned their stuff working for the licence fee funded BBC. Which is why the industry also supports the licence fee. It's a great training scheme. Even Manx Radio has benefited from that.

 

I believe british isles broadcasting would suffer if the BBC were no longer funded by the licence fee. I believe that the BBC sets a great standard. It isn't perfect. And I never watch BBC1. I like BBC Four and Radios 3 and 4. BBC World Service radio is funded by the Foreign Office but does not always represent the UK government. I don't listen to Radio 1 anymore. But wasn't John Peel important?

 

I don't expect to pay only for what I want. And Sky doesn't offer me that option either. There is no a la carte system of channel subscription.

 

Incidentally - the UK TV advertising market could probably not support additional commercial channels. IMO. The independent channels, the only national indpendent broadcaster (Sky) and the advertising industry all support the continuation of the licence fee.

 

I wouldn't currently support licence fee funding for Manx Radio. I don't believe that the station has a clear direction or purpose. I would, however, support licence fee funding of an independent local news and arts broadcasting service. I don't currently see any good reason why that money should go to Manx Radio. Others might do it better. If the system was to be changed then others should be allowed to bid.

 

EDIT: If licence fee money were to be made available for local Manx broadcasting - then there is no definitive reason why Manx Radio should automatically get that money. Others might be able to put together a better package.

 

Meantime - I would withdraw all IOM government funding from Manx Radio.

 

Perhaps Manx Radio should be closed down but should exist as a news and local arts production company. With the local broadcasting licence holders forced, by charter and regulation, to support and broadcast the public service and local news output.

[Hugs]

It bugs me that such comprehensive service is available to non licence payers. I know a ton of Americans who use BBC as a definitive news site without paying a penny towards it.

 

Same as BBC World Service. Who pays for that?