Is the BBC too big?

blue_cobaltblue_cobalt Posts: 6,602
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Is the BBC too big? :confused:

This list of BBC services could easily be reduced.

BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News, BBC Parliament, BBC HD, BBC Alba, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC One HD, BBC America, BBC Canada, BBC Kids, BBC Prime, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Knowledge, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 7, BBC Asian Network, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, BBC Radio Shetland, BBC Radio Orkney, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio Foyle, BBC Essex, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Northampton, BBC Radio Suffolk, BBC Three Counties Radio, BBC Radio Derby, BBC Radio Leicester, BBC Radio Nottingham, BBC London 94.9, BBC Tees, BBC Radio Cumbria, BBC Newcastle, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Lancashire, BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Berkshire, BBC Oxford, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Kent, BBC Surrey, BBC Sussex, BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC Radio Devon, BBC Guernsey, BBC Jersey, Radio Bristol, BBC Radio Gloucestershire, BBC Wiltshire, BBC Somerset, BBC Radio Leeds, BBC Radio Sheffield, BBC Radio York, BBC Radio Humberside, BBC Lincolnshire, BBC WM, BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, BBC Hereford and Worcester, BBC Radio Shropshire, BBC Radio Stoke.
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Comments

  • mikwmikw Posts: 48,713
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    So could all broadcasters! In fact we could have nothing but one news channel on 24 hours a day.....
  • NilremNilrem Posts: 6,938
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    I thought the government was all for local TV and radio, and most of that list is local BBC radio stations that I suspect are both fairly cheap to run, share certain programmes, and act as feeders/bases for the national broadcasts (IE they might all have a few "local" reporters, but the local reporters also do work for the national stations).
  • skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,872
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    Is the BBC too big? :confused:


    This list of BBC services could easily be reduced
    snip>>

    They could be reduced, but then it would be offering less localised services and then be attacked for failing in its PSB duties and being too centred in a couple of cities.
  • RussellIanRussellIan Posts: 12,034
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    I don't suppose it needs all the people that it's got in it, no.
  • blue_cobaltblue_cobalt Posts: 6,602
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    Nilrem wrote: »
    I thought the government was all for local TV and radio, and most of that list is local BBC radio stations that I suspect are both fairly cheap to run, share certain programmes, and act as feeders/bases for the national broadcasts (IE they might all have a few "local" reporters, but the local reporters also do work for the national stations).

    But is Scotland and Wales can do with one radio station each, then so can England which has too many local stations.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 8,345
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    Is the BBC too big? :confused:

    This list of BBC services could easily be reduced...

    No. The BBC local radio services are very important, especially at this time of year when they provide essential updates on traffic conditions, school closures etc.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 17,470
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    Big compared to what?
  • CharnhamCharnham Posts: 61,060
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    skp20040 wrote: »
    They could be reduced, but then it would be offering less localised services and then be attacked for failing in its PSB duties and being too centred in a couple of cities.
    this

    BTW OP you missed BBC Peterborough, its a "Breakfast & Drive" only station, but it is funded by the licecne fee.
  • Tall PaulTall Paul Posts: 8,786
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    Never mind big that the bbc are, big for their boots sometimes lol.:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
  • J_PeasmouldJ_Peasmould Posts: 715
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    Is the BBC too big? :confused:

    This list of BBC services could easily be reduced.

    ...BBC America, BBC Canada, , BBC Prime, BBC Knowledge,...

    I think the OP should have done some work before just producing a list of anything with BBC before it. For example BBC Prime and BBC Knowledge no longer exists. BBC America and BBC are not paid for by the licence fee and only broadcast in America and Canada. Any profits from these broadcasts abroad are invested in new shows for us in the UK!
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    I would be happy for the BBC to increase their local output for the nations and regions, especially with other outlets retracting their own output.There are certainly some areas nationally they might think about reducing though.

    I am also happy for them to get involved in more commercial ventures worldwide if they think there is demand.

    However I am not sure if there is an overwhelming need for the World Service as it currently exists, a quarter of a billion pounds a year is a lot of money. At best it should be considerably reduced in my opinion and I have held that view for some time, it has nothing to do with the recent announcment regarding it's funding from the licence fee as tax payers have always funded it anyway. Actually I am surprised there has not been more made of this in the press given the cuts in services. I just don't think a country like ours warrants such a big worldwide presence, maybe there should be a european service instead.

    I am also not sure if the BBC should be involved in providing pay television in the UK even if it does generate income but I suppose that is another discussion.
  • Object ZObject Z Posts: 1,871
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    It's getting smaller all the time.
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    Further to my previous post when I said a European service I mean maybe a service provided jointly by European PSB providers, not a BBC service just for Europe.
  • iainiain Posts: 63,929
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    Is the BBC too big? :confused:

    This list of BBC services could easily be reduced.

    BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News, BBC Parliament, BBC HD, BBC Alba, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC One HD, BBC America, BBC Canada, BBC Kids, BBC Prime, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Knowledge, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 7, BBC Asian Network, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, BBC Radio Shetland, BBC Radio Orkney, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio Foyle, BBC Essex, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Northampton, BBC Radio Suffolk, BBC Three Counties Radio, BBC Radio Derby, BBC Radio Leicester, BBC Radio Nottingham, BBC London 94.9, BBC Tees, BBC Radio Cumbria, BBC Newcastle, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Lancashire, BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Berkshire, BBC Oxford, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Kent, BBC Surrey, BBC Sussex, BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC Radio Devon, BBC Guernsey, BBC Jersey, Radio Bristol, BBC Radio Gloucestershire, BBC Wiltshire, BBC Somerset, BBC Radio Leeds, BBC Radio Sheffield, BBC Radio York, BBC Radio Humberside, BBC Lincolnshire, BBC WM, BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, BBC Hereford and Worcester, BBC Radio Shropshire, BBC Radio Stoke.

    :D

    I love the way you've made that list look so long by listing every individual local radio station.

    Perhaps to begin, you could suggest which local areas could have their local radio station scrapped?

    Iain
  • iainiain Posts: 63,929
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    But is Scotland and Wales can do with one radio station each, then so can England which has too many local stations.

    So Wales gets one radio station for 1m people and England gets one radio station for 50m people?

    Iain
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    iain wrote: »
    So Wales gets one radio station for 1m people and England gets one radio station for 50m people?

    Iain

    I think you will find the population of Wales is nearer to 3 million.

    And they have 2 BBC Radio Stations.
  • iainiain Posts: 63,929
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    mersey70 wrote: »
    I think you will find the population of Wales is nearer to 3 million!

    And they have 2 BBC Radio Stations.

    the point remains the same...

    Iain :p
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    iain wrote: »
    the point remains the same...

    Iain :p

    Not really but I see where you are coming from.
  • TassiumTassium Posts: 31,639
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    I would say it's too centralised and any movement to change that is pure gimmickry.

    Compare the BBC with the whole of commercial TV/Radio, is it "big"? Not really.
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    Tassium wrote: »
    I would say it's too centralised and any movement to change that is pure gimmickry.

    Compare the BBC with the whole of commercial TV/Radio, is it "big"? Not really.

    I think the multi billion pound investment in Salford and the transfer of many previously London based departments cannot really be described as a gimmick.

    I think what concerns some people is the scope of BBC services, not the actual size of it and are concerned they spread themselves too thinly. A lot of people simply think they have their fingers in too many pies, me included. I would rather them invest more in some areas and withdraw or at least retract from others, like the World Service.
  • henderohendero Posts: 11,773
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    It is the self-proclaimed "largest broadcaster in the world", which given the UK's population is only the planet's 22nd largest does make it seem a little out of proportion.
  • markmagmarkmag Posts: 3,122
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    You've missed BBC Radio Solent for Dorset! Cmon let's be through about this!

    You've also missed BBC.co.uk, and randomly included some BBCWW activities and not others.

    I remember The Times did a leader doing exactly the same trick of listing each local station a few months back, someone (The Guardian?) then did a far longer list of news Corp services...
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    hendero wrote: »
    It is the self-proclaimed "largest broadcaster in the world", which given the UK's population is only the planet's 22nd largest does make it seem a little out of proportion.

    I must admit I find it staggering too and is probably one of the reasons why the Murdoch's of this world find it such an easy target.

    Why on earth they have a TV news channel predominantly aimed at Iran is beyond me.

    I do thiink the BBC has a over developed sense of prestige, sometimes I wonder if they have even noticed the Empire has gone, I wish they would mainly concentrate on their domestic product. By all means have commercial ventures around the world but if anyone can tell me why they have BBC Persian I am all ears. It was the BBC that proposed this service too, not the FCO.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,271
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    You asked " Is the BBC too big?"

    Many certainly think so and I agree.

    The BBC themselves claim:
    The BBC is the largest broadcasting organisation in the world.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/purpose/what.shtml

    There is no reason for a public service broadcaster to be such a dominant multi-billion pound eating monster overshadowing not only the UK's broadcasters, but the rest of the worlds broadcasters too.

    In this era of public service cuts, it's time it was cut down to size reflecting the medium-sized country PSB broadcaster it is, despite the delusions of grandeur!
  • jmclaughjmclaugh Posts: 63,985
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    Yes, it should be slimmed down and the TVL cut.
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