Time to light the blue touch paper....
To assume or suggest the BBC is just about the popularity of the TV it produces is almost wilfully ignorant and to compare it to Netflix or Apple is comparing apples to subwoofers. The BBC is nothing whatsoever like Netflix or Apple and as a result is absolutely unique in the breadth and depth of the service it provides.
In some ways I look at the BBC in the same way I look at the NHS (though that is only a comparison in concept not in value or worth of course). It's paid through a "tax" we pay for its collective benefit. We all pay taxes for things we might not personally benefit from in the interests of the greater good. It's annoying, draining and in some cases unfair (I promise you I pay more tax into the system than I or my family will *EVER* get out of the system as I'm sure many here do) but it's either that or we all suffer either directly or indirectly.
I don't need or want the BBC to be another Netflix or Apple or God forbid another Channel 4 or ITV. It provides a huge amount of stuff that no commercial station would or could provide and much of it targetted locally. There are a million things it does wrong but likewise there are a million things it does right that no commercial model could or would ever be able to support.
This gives you a good oversight.
What do I need to know about the BBC?
The BBC is a large organisation. This guide will help you understand its structure, purposes and origins.www.bbc.com
I can't see Netflix or Apple (or any commercial station for that matter) having learning, creativity and diversity as the core drivers for their entire existence. For them the only thing that matters is profit and as such they just focus on popularity to drive subs and to hell with anything else. Losing that diversity of content and focus in the drive for profits is not really a society I want to live in and if you had it, I suspect it isn't one any of us would want to live in.
G
But the difference is you are not paying for ITV.....its a wholly commercial operation. With the BBC we are paying for something we don't want!Agree with most of that. Unfortunately as with the heavy bias to leave for Brexit on this forum, it is the same with the anti BBC members so you'll likely find for more bashing the BBC than supporting it.
BBC does some great programming across the whole spectrum. I hate ITV with a passion, hardly ever watch anything on it. But I do enjoy the BBC. They have some good programmes on BBC4 too.
Couldn’t have put it better!Can't stand BBC and they try to put you in jail if you do not pay for them ??. Very politically motivated on morning news and like a great party of chatting regulars. Programming becoming more and more politically correct which makes it even worse and unrealistic for any dramas. Even period pieces like war of the worlds was politically correct which i attempted to watch and turned off. Even my old mum at 93 does not want it and now she has to pay them a licence ! Anyway I guess indeed the licence days are numbered, let's hope sooner than later and then people can actually have a choice
But the difference is you are not paying for ITV.....its a wholly commercial operation. With the BBC we are paying for something I don't want!
Here’s come context....
Amazon prime £79 per year
Netflix £96 per year
BBC £157.50 per year
where’s the value here?
Agree with most of that. Unfortunately as with the heavy bias to leave for Brexit on this forum, it is the same with the anti BBC members so you'll likely find for more bashing the BBC than supporting it.
BBC does some great programming across the whole spectrum. I hate ITV with a passion, hardly ever watch anything on it. But I do enjoy the BBC. They have some good programmes on BBC4 too.
But the difference is you are not paying for ITV.....its a wholly commercial operation. With the BBC we are paying for something we don't want!
Here’s come context....
Amazon prime £79 per year
Netflix £96 per year
BBC £157.50 per year
where’s the value here?
As I said in my original post...there are a few things the BBC do well but mostly its rehashed old crap....Strictly Come Dancing, The Voice, Eastenders to name a few. Live sport is non existent bar the FA cup, Wimbledon, a bit of Snooker. They can’t compete with the big names like Sky, Netflix etc with blockbuster movies anymore. Christmas programming used to be something to look forward too but now it’s a turn off.As I said in my post , if you're equating the "value" of the BBC against Netflix or Prime you're just being wilfully ignorant or a troll. Show me the regional programming Prime or Netflix do or the educational programming or equivalent of Bitesize, or Good Food, or the radio stations they produce/broadcast, or the news they deliver the list just goes on and on.
If you must compare then I'd suggest that it's the value of Netflix that is questionable at £96 a year when they don't even come close to providing the breadth and locally focussed content that the BBC do.
G
I am not trying to say that it is all terrible but it is not fit for purpose, ie to receive a free donation from the public anymore. This was for the days when you needed a public broadcasting service and there were limited options and someone had to pay for it. Now people should have the choice. If they want to pay for it like netflix etc that's fine but using the criminal system to make people pay is really very odd in our modern world. I understand that they want to maintain the licence because going fully commercial is very scary for them, but hey this is the modern worldAgree with most of that. Unfortunately as with the heavy bias to leave for Brexit on this forum, it is the same with the anti BBC members so you'll likely find for more bashing the BBC than supporting it.
BBC does some great programming across the whole spectrum. I hate ITV with a passion, hardly ever watch anything on it. But I do enjoy the BBC. They have some good programmes on BBC4 too.
I'm not paying for BBC either!But the difference is you are not paying for ITV....
I have to say that I think Netflix is the best value, a lot of new stuff coming up. Amazon has good stuff but not as much. Sky probably best for variety but at a pretty serious cost comparatively. Not tried Apple, not sure if i can get it in the UK or notAs I said in my original post...there are a few things the BBC do well but mostly its rehashed old crap....Strictly Come Dancing, The Voice, Eastenders to name a few. Live sport is non existent bar the FA cup, Wimbledon, a bit of Snooker. They can’t compete with the big names like Sky, Netflix etc with blockbuster movies anymore. Christmas programming used to be something to look forward too but now it’s a turn off.
I’d also like to say that I am neither ‘wilfully ignorant’ nor a troll....I simply do not see the value that you see in the BBC. We can have different opinions. You stick to your BBC programmes and I’ll stick to Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV and Sky thanks.
Cool, thanks for the info. Never tried NowTVApple TV+ and iTunes movies are available on sticks and TV apps as is the upcoming Disney+
NowTv has the good stuff that you might find on Sky but at a reasonable price and available in HD.
Despite the quantity I dont find Netflix compelling esp. at £11.99.
Above all streaming services are optional and their content isnt becoming more and more a reflection of the views of the staff and executives of an organisation.
If you have bought an Apple product recently you can get Apple TV completely free for a year in the UK. I did.Cool, thanks for the info. Never tried NowTV
Strange so far nobody has mentioned Sky
whats the cost of Sky?
For balance you would also need to add a proportion of the cost of your broadband or Data provider
as the BBC is mainly over the air unless built into the TV add the cost of a separate streaming device for the alternatives