Government considering dismantling BBC

[NewJerseyDem]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1537&ncid=1537&e=3&u=/afp/20040215/wl_uk_afp/britain_politics_media_040215090138

LONDON (AFP) - The government is considering a plan to break up the BBC and remove its independent status in the wake of a bitter row with the state-funded broadcaster over the Iraq (news - web sites) war, a report said.

Government papers detailing possible changes to the BBC's structure proposed breaking it into separate regional entities for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, The Sunday Times said.

The documents, which the newspaper said had been drawn up by "senior civil servants", also suggested that the job of ensuring the BBC's impartiality could be taken away from the corporation's board of governors.

The BBC, which is independently run despite being financed by public money through a compulsory television licence, is currently facing perhaps the worst breakdown in relations with the government in its 82-year history.

[Homer12]

1. How disgusting

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Ah how you turn an independent media into a compliant

and subsersive media.

SICKENING

I guess Blair looked across the pond and liked what he saw

I also think Churchill is doing summersaults in his grave right about now.

[WillyT]

3. They Would Be Utter Fools To Do This !!!

I doubt the British public would stand for this. And it would put ole Poodle Boy right back in the dog house!!!

Christ...

[Taeger]

4. Keep your friends close ...

Keep your enemies closer.

They currently have some sway over these journalists. If they break up the BBC, these folks will scatter to the wind and will be "at large".

I'm betting that the BBC will stay intact under "tighter scrutiny".

[minkyboodle]

5. depressing

Downloading BBC Progs online is about the only independent news and journalism I get (PBS sometimes as well). I hope this doesn't happen.
Scott

[damnraddem]

6. One of the few things the British government does right, ...

of course they're thinking of getting rid of it.

Just as Thatcher undermined the National Health Service.

[mrdmk]

7. Tony Blair needs to do something to protect his job

His party lost big time in the last elections.

[w4rma]

8. Blair is a neo-liberal. Not a liberal. (n/t)

[KDLarsen]

9. According to BBC World..

... the Beeb will remain independent of the government. The whole Hutton deal is only a minor episode, so I doubt that the Beeb is any close danger.

Which is great, as I've just got cable and BBC World and CNN - quite funny to watch the two stations approaches to news :D

[Hamlette]

10. The brits will dump Blair before they let this happen

I mentioned this to my mom yesterday. She lived in Great Britain for 5 years. She shook her head and said: "This will be the end of Blair. There is no way the Brits will let anything happen to the BBC. It is their pride and joy. Too bad, too, because Blair had so much promise but he's been a terrible PM." She is completely convinced nothing will happen to the BBC.

[Voltaire99]

11. Sad

The BBC is rather tepid, compared to the Guardian or The Independent.

Still, what a pity to see this institution, what has survived so much, brought low by Blair. What a foolish little man!

[WingNOT]

12. Subject: I'm sorry Voltaire99 but you obviously have never seen Newsnight!

Jeremy Paxman on BBC2's in-depth current affairs programme is a sight to behold when in full flow. He utterly savaged Michael Howard, the current Tory leader, when he was Home Secretary. He asked the same question umpteen times - DEMANDING an answer.

How often do you see that in your SCLM ?

:-)

[Screaming Lord Byron]

15. DUers should know about Paxman. Best political interviewer ever.

[truthspeaker]

13. chilling

This is their punishment for telling the truth about the sexed-up dossier.

Lesson to British media: report the facts accurately, lose your job.

[Oggy]

14. Murdoch and the BBC

Rupert Murdoch ( News International ) and other media Barons have been chipping away at the BBC for some time now. IMO the Hutton report is just a part of this process ( from the inside of Govt that is). They hate the way the BBC can not be bought out, and the prominent position it has in the world. They see it as competition, and because Bliar is in the pocket of corporate greed ( and especially the pocket of Rupert Murdoch ) , he doesn't realise there is more to life than the "Market Economy" when it comes to public services.

As a Brit I'll be doing my bit if they try and destroy the BBC.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

16. Blair would be a damned fool to lay one hand on the BBC

If given a choice between a tarnished, desperate Prime Minister and the world's best broadcaster, I think I know which one the British people will choose.

[Nihil]

17. Yes but you have a brain ...

Wait until after the campaign has been running for a while (it has
already started). The mindless morons who read the tabloids, watch
Survivor, vote for Pop Idol and believe everything that Blair's
buddies put out will soon swallow "BBC=Bad Boring Cashgrabbers",
just as Murdoch & co have planned.

Nihil

[Oggy]

20. Too true

they already push out the message that the BBC costs too much money. They don't point out that Sky costs twice the amount to subscribe to compared to BBC licence costs which benefit everyone not just shareholders.

[Matilda]

18. You got it one, Oggy.

And what Rupert wants, he usually gets.

[Jack Rabbit]

19. Blair's government should be dismantled

. . . soon.