Bill Smith on media scandals
For the first time, it’s been mentioned. Dan Snow on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show said we must see the BBC scandal in the light of The Leveson Inquiry, and some newspapers’ hostility to that. In plain English! The Guardian, the BBC and the liberal left used the phone-hacking scandal and Leveson to attack Murdoch and Sky, and Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to consolidate what they saw as his excessive power and influence in the media. Then, like a backhand winner in tennis, the right-of-centre press and TV picked up on the Savile scandal to retaliate at the BBC and the Guardian.
The media as a whole are using the scandals to have a go at their philosophical and political enemies. The media are their own worst enemies. For God and the media’s sake, let’s discuss the real issues behind the heinous Savile and phone-hacking scandals: using them as political footballs means child abuse and privacy are not debated or dealt with properly.
The right want the BBC reduced in size. They see it as a Stalinist organisation promoting the views of the London luvvie lefties while controlling more and more of the media landscape. So, on the news, they say ‘cuts’ and not ‘savings’ or ‘reducing debt’. Whilst on entertainment shows such as Have I Got News For You, all the young comics and DJs make incessant swipes at the Government. The BBC, the critics say, uses its monopoly of broadcast radio and increasing online and print positions to act more and more like a Chinese or Russian state TV, while moving more and more into commercial business, using public money to hurt other free enterprises and drive them out of business.
The left meanwhile, portray Sky and the right wing press as trying to use their power to ram what they see as their anti liberal, anti union, anti welfare, anti NHS, anti Muslim and anti immigration agenda down people’s throats.
We need to debate the real issues honestly, rather than use scandals. They are the equivalent of personal insults. You might as well holler ‘Ooh Rupert you’re an Aussie b******’ or ‘Oi Red Ed, you’ve got a funny voice!’
And, personally, the local TV industry that I work in has been affected and we haven’t had the real debate! Originally the idea was to spend £80million of public money over five years on local TV for a truly democratic media landscape, across at least 65 cities, with the remaining majority of funding being commercial – the Channel 4 model. As the government came under pressure over hacking, this was reduced to £25million for transmission, and the BBC may well win that contract. Only £15million will be given to local stations, and the BBC have been given this money to allocate after they have top-sliced a hefty whack. The reality is that the BBC have managed to restrict the freedom and democratic rights of local TV companies. However to mention this is like heresy, or the Emperor’s new clothes, but this is the real issue, so BBC, don’t hold this against me. Let’s debate! All big centralist companies hate grass roots power. That’s life, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s left or right, the real question is: should any media organisation have so much centralised power?
Should the BBC be bigger or smaller, and should it continue to receive public funding especially as BBC Worldwide is such a successful commercial proposition? And what about Channel 4, how should it be funded? Should Sky be allowed to grow? Is there enough plurality in national and local media and in local and national news? I’ve just watched Andrew Neil’s Sunday Politics Show with its absolutely unmissable centralised London bias. Okay, there are token regional inserts, which the BBC are now scattering like crumbs around many of its shows.
“No wonder northerners are not too impressed with London either! Democracy is the key issue”
My personal ‘issues agenda’ is localism and democracy. No wonder Scotland wants independence. No wonder northerners are not too impressed with London, either! Democracy is the key issue. Giving everyone the right to the media in the way that the internet, Facebook and Twitter have done has led to The Huffington Post and citizen journalism. Why the Guardian and Roy Greenslade et al were against local democratic TV was beyond me until I thought this through, and it’s obvious. If you’re pro-BBC you don’t want plurality, do you? Over to you. But let’s debate the real issues!
Bill’s Shorts
Parking Fantastique
I was meeting a woman in a café for a business meeting. Sat by the window, I looked out and saw a car reverse perfectly into a space which had literally six inches to the car in front and behind. It was the most amazing parking I have ever seen.
She waltzed into the café and came up to me and said “Are you Bill?”, I said “Yes… by the way, that’s the best bit of parking I have ever seen”.
She said, “That’s called impressing the boys.”
I gave her the deal!
Le Français Optimistique
The French are a bit wobbly financially. But they’re so optimistic, aren’t they? They have orgasms (well, they are French!) and they
call them ‘la petite mort’. That means ‘the
little death’. So they must therefore think that death is a huuuuuge orgasm (insert my Meg Ryan impression). How much more optimistic can you get than that?!
Weather Realistique
Fire and brimstone: 6 – 10 November. Hurricane and car-flipping: 11 – 25 November. Deep snow, heatwaves and lots of weather:
26 November – 31 May.
Check Meridian TV for full reports…
Self help
Latest Self Help – Don’t you just hate the words of wisdom you see pasted all over Facebook?! People keep posting these! Why? Haven’t they got anyone to hug or have sex with?
I also read this one earlier (they come through every minute or two, it seems!)
“Pain makes you stronger
Heartbreak makes you wiser
So thank the past
For a better future.”
To which I wanted to add –
“Death makes you deader.”
Gratuitous Savile Story
One of my columnists was a bit late with his column this week. He must have been busy catching up on all the SaVILE print.
Bill: “How goes column?”
Columnist: “I’ll send it across first thing in the morning.”
Bill: “Cool. Can I say that these days?”
Columnist: “Ha ha ha… sorry for delay.”
Bill: “Well, it’s way better than the 40-year delay at BBC.”
