BBC Cuts

[Bob The Skutter]

So the results of the "Delivering Quality First" review are in at the BBC and the cuts have been announced. 2000 jobs to go and cuts across the board on almost all services...

Various things are on the cards, BBC Two cutting original programming in daytime, BBC One cutting the children's strand in the afternoon. BBC HD becoming a simulcast of BBC 2 in HD, etc etc.

I don't know about anyone else but this doesn't seem to me like it'll "deliver quality". But they're currently running a public consultation on it here if anyone wants to take part.

 

[Lonemagpie]

"All new daytime progs will go to BBC1 while BBC2 replaces its daytime output with news and repeats." Um, looking at the schedule right now, the only new daytime show on BBC2 is The Daily Politics, which is news and so presumably will continue, and everything else is repeats of Diagnosis Murder, old films, and TV for toddlers... So what exactly are they going to stop making?

But, overall...

Job cuts, cutting kids TV and HD = Very bad.

Putting the money into making more drama and comedy, and less chat shows and panel shows = Fucking great!

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I think Children's isn't really getting much of a cut, they're getting rid of the afternoon strand on BBC One and moving it to CBBC, they're ringfencing the children's drama and comedy budget apparently from what I've read.

Changing BBC HD in to BBC 2HD seems a bad move if for half of the day BBC 2 is going to be full of repeats, how are we now to see any BBC 3 and 4 programming in HD now? Also was shocked to see the budget on Radio 4 and CBBC are both higher than BBC 3 and 4.

 

[MacLeod]

Don't think the BBC will go for my idea, a minimum of a 20% reduction in the number of Eastenders episodes.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^I'd think they'd be better reducing BBC One's budget 10% and not cutting the other TV Channels at all. Cut the number of Eastenders episodes. Scrap "The Voice" before they even start it and various other things. Shouldn't be that hard to clear £100m from that lot.

 

[Jax]

I am not fussed by BBC 2 repeats in midday, nor do I mind kids being just on CBBC/CBeebeis since they will be available to everyone under the current analogue to digital move. I still wouldn't mind if BBC 3 and 4 merged to be honest though the BBC HD channel should remain as it is. I am also not fussed by the BBC red button features, they aren't that good anyway. I don't like 24/7 news in general but of course if Sky is doing it then you need a rival so better thr BBC rather than ITV or someone else. The only radio channels I care about is Radio 1 & Five Live BUT do we need 1 extra and Five extra? In general the BBC probably has too many radio channels.

Any jobs being loss is sad of course, I would prefer to see BBC save more money by cutting wages for the actors/presenters of the shows & news etc who are on a healthy living already.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^There would be no point in a BBC Three/Four merge, they serve totally different audiences who would want to see different things in prime time. BBC One and Three will be working closer together and BBC Two and Four though in order to serve the respective audiences better, with BBC Three serving as a "Programming nursery" for BBC One with shows, writers and talent moving from Three to One.

I don't understand why the radio stations budgets are so high, Radio 1 could easily be a commercial station with 1 xtra and 6 serving as stations for breaking new acts.

 

[Lonemagpie]

I think Children's isn't really getting much of a cut, they're getting rid of the afternoon strand on BBC One and moving it to CBBC, they're ringfencing the children's drama and comedy budget apparently from what I've read.

Changing BBC HD in to BBC 2HD seems a bad move if for half of the day BBC 2 is going to be full of repeats, how are we now to see any BBC 3 and 4 programming in HD now? Also was shocked to see the budget on Radio 4 and CBBC are both higher than BBC 3 and 4.

AIUI the repeats are going to be of prime time shows (doubtless edited for an earlier showing) from all four channels, so there'll be BBC3 and 4 shows mixed in, instead of it being reruns of CBeebies shows and US imports like Diagnosis Murder.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^That'd be no good for stuff like Fades, Being Human, etc. But I believe repeats are of Science and arts shows opposed to drama and comedy.

 

[sojourner]

As long as this doesn't affect the quality of Top Gear, then I'm happy.

 

[Starkers]

Ok folks, let's all just keep buying Dalek action figures and things will be fine...

I'm torn on this. I agree the BBC needs to trim down, and these days it's hard to justify any public body not needing to make cuts. I just hope it doesn't go too much further.

 

[Rosalind]

I hope BBC iPlayer global will be successful, I had a quick look through the content, which is absolutely fabulous, and at AU$9.49 it's pretty good value. I'll most likely pay for subscription soon.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The BBC 24-hour news channel has always seemed superfluous to me, but it looks to be chump change compared to BBC 1 & 2. Of course, I expect that sales of programmes to overseas broadcasters offset the costs somewhat, but I don't know to what extent or whether income should be offset against all of the sevices, or just those from which the content derives. It would seem silly to cut areas that might bring in revenue. I've never been convinced that the BBC is exploiting the value of what it produces to the fullest possible extent. I'm pleased to hear about the globalisation of the iPlayer, as long as the BBC get the marketing right and set the appropriate price point for each territory to maximize the potential income.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Im not really bothered about this, i can count on one hand the TV shows the BBC make that im intrested in over a year, Hustle(last season next year),Anything with Brooker, Who, HIGNFU......thats about it. If only i were intrested in soaps, watching the same news 24 hours a day, or selling my old junk, watching other people selling their old junk, refurbishing my home, selling my home, buying my home.....then i might be watching the BBC more. LOL

 

[Starkers]

Well for me in the last year...

Who
Torchwood
Sarah Jane Adventures
Hustle
Spooks
Waking the Dead
Silent Witness
The Shadowline
Outcasts
The Body Farm
Page 8
Question Time
This Week

Not to mention breakfast telly and News 24, and there's probably stuff I've forgotten that I watch as well, so I have no problem with the licence fee for myself, but I do think the Beeb's become a bit bloated. If they can trim down whilst remaining good that's fine. It's if they cut programming quality at the expense of retaining senior staff that'll be a problem.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

The BBC 24-hour news channel has always seemed superfluous to me, but it looks to be chump change compared to BBC 1 & 2. Of course, I expect that sales of programmes to overseas broadcasters offset the costs somewhat, but I don't know to what extent or whether income should be offset against all of the sevices, or just those from which the content derives. It would seem silly to cut areas that might bring in revenue. I've never been convinced that the BBC is exploiting the value of what it produces to the fullest possible extent. I'm pleased to hear about the globalisation of the iPlayer, as long as the BBC get the marketing right and set the appropriate price point for each territory to maximize the potential income.

BBC Worldwide earn around £1.2bn a year I believe, but only a few hundred million is returned in profits to BBC, the rest is operating costs. Though that's rising all the time, so depending on how quickly that rises they may be able to off set some cuts with the rise in income.

Im not really bothered about this, i can count on one hand the TV shows the BBC make that im intrested in over a year, Hustle(last season next year),Anything with Brooker, Who, HIGNFU......thats about it. If only i were intrested in soaps, watching the same news 24 hours a day, or selling my old junk, watching other people selling their old junk, refurbishing my home, selling my home, buying my home.....then i might be watching the BBC more. LOL

You talk like that's all that's on there. Just this year there's been many excellent dramas and documentaries. The BBC are making good shows even if you're not watching them.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Well for me in the last year...

Who
Torchwood
Sarah Jane Adventures
Hustle
Spooks
Waking the Dead
Silent Witness
The Shadowline
Outcasts
The Body Farm
Page 8
Question Time
This Week

Not to mention breakfast telly and News 24, and there's probably stuff I've forgotten that I watch as well, so I have no problem with the licence fee for myself, but I do think the Beeb's become a bit bloated. If they can trim down whilst remaining good that's fine. It's if they cut programming quality at the expense of retaining senior staff that'll be a problem.

Being Human
The Fades
The Hour
Him & Her
The Trip
Psychoville
The Proms
Hidden (though I've not watched yet)
Horizon
Merlin
Wonders
Planet Dinosaur
and numerous BBC Four documentaries
All those off the top of my head. And that's without the likes of QI, Mock The Week, Russell Howard's Goodnews, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, etc.

 

[Starkers]

God I can't believe I forgot Merlin and the Fades given they're on now! And Russell Howard as well!!

Oh yeah and Strictly as well!

 

[Bob The Skutter]

God I can't believe I forgot Merlin and the Fades given they're on now! And Russell Howard as well!!

Oh yeah and Strictly as well!

I'm not sure there's ever been a time when I've watched more BBC than now. No doubt with the cuts there'll be worse times ahead though.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

I agree, the BBC has a lot of good stuff in its schedules. I no longer bemoan the stuff that doesn't interest me.