Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Monday 15th September 2008 How Long Will We Just Sit Back and Accept The Arrogance of the As an upcoming journalist struggling to break into this almost impenetrable industry why do I despise the only public service broadcaster? When flicking through the Guardian’s collection of media jobs the very mention of those three little letters instantly cause me to give up all hope of applying for the prospective position. Why? Because I could never work for an organization I don’t believe in. I’m not incinuating that Auntie’s breaking down my door to work for her, but what I am saying that such an organization sums up what is wrong with British journalism. Let’s cut past the obvious, we know it’s publically owned and it unfairly squeezes £139 and rising every year out of us to fund its “no expense” programming. That in itself is enough to be infuriated in a fast-paced modern world where paying for the ’luxury’ of having no advertising and supposed programming for the general public. Noel Edmonds of course should be saluted for his courage. But this is only the tip of a very large iceberg– let’s have some points. - The BBC’s coverage last week of the highly fictional Mercury Music Prize gave absolutely no insight into it and was largely pointless. A further musical probing of comeback kids New Kids on the Block featured over 8 questions to a member of the band– ONE was about the album. Is this music journalism? - Astonomical Olympic coverage all revolving around Team GB. Did we need All HD coverage when hardly anyone has full HD capability at home? Did we need 3800 hours of footage and a specialist team for every sport but no highlights of the recent England games? - Their cutting of programmes I think underlines the core arrogance. Anyone who watches Match of the Day on a Saturday will be fully aware of this. Have you ever seen the programme start ontime? Last week it was listed as 22:35 after The Proms. It began at no less than 23:06, surely an event like The Proms will be fairly easy to predict how long it will run for. It finishes late yet they still show the News which still shows the football results they are about to show highlights of with an audio of the scores! Red button to hear the report? - Last week the BBC ran a programme which is obtained by their status as public service broadcaster– a show that shows the inner workings of... A council housing planning committee. Oh yes. One hour of fascinating planning decisions and penpushers explaining that although the existing row of houses is architecturally flawed with windows reaching the eaves, a new house has to bring down its raised roof to fit in. That and the story of the bloke whose business will go under because he had to install a fan under EU regulations but didn’t realize he needed planning permission (which as we know takes quite awhile). Hilarious, I’m sure. Just some points that highlight the arrogance displayed daily. I’m not saying everyone should take Edmonds’ stance (with his wealth and all) but if more people did then maybe they wouldn’t be so arrogant. Text Box: Links and affiliates Contact Me Text Box: Archive