Scrapping local TV news ‘makes no sense at all’
Friday 13th May 2011, 2:29PM BST.
ENDING the BBC’s local TV news bulletins would be a ‘dereliction of duty’, according to a former political editor of BBC South.
Guernseyman Bruce Parker (pictured) was speaking following the announcement that the organisation is considering cutting the Channel Islands service.
It is understood that the proposal is one of many being considered in an effort to make multi-million-pound savings across the organisation and that it could be months before any firm decision is made.
Mr Parker said that to talk about stopping the TV bulletins made no sense at all.
‘They are among the most viewed regional bulletins, given the size of the population, in the whole of the British Isles,’ he said.
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Guernsey should scrap the licence fee anyway,the BBC local output on TV is poor compared to Channel TV,and the BBC local text is not a patch on the service Channel used to provide.We have Island FM for those who want local radio.People who want the BBC should pay a subscription for it,I pay for Sky and support Radio Caroline,why should anybody be forced to support a poor service that they dont want anyway?
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I think more people watch Channel News, there really isn’t a need for the BBC chennel news….
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I have to say I never really got my head around all the congratulations and back slapping when folk come up with the statistic that BBC/Channel TV is the most watched/listened to station in the British Isles, per head of population. Surely the smaller the population the more likely it is that a higher percentage will tune in.
If Island Fantasy had a population of seven people and six tuned in regularily would it beat Guernsey in the ratings?
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While I value the BBC’s radio services in the Channel Islands, I think their TV output is poor. The bulletins are short and hardly ever contain original/exclusive stories. You could even go as far as saying that the TV output at 6.30pm is just BBC Guernsey & Jersey’s radio shows with pictures – and people who listen have been hearing those stories all day. If the BBC needs to save money in the Channel Islands, I would suggest cutting the TV side of things is a good place to start.
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Yes and those adverts on Island FM are awesome. Guernsey Radio is a great source of community for lots of people. BBC website is probably the best and largest website. Quality and impartiality of news is good. You don’t watch BBC channels on Sky then and if you do you’d be happy for advertisement revenue instead (and that model won’t last long with timelapse and digital services – already have program sponsors working around that situation)?
If all BBC content (Freesat, Web, Radio and all TV stations and BBC productions) was content protected I would almost certainly pay the licence. I think you take it for granted.
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Island FM is 100% local,Radio Guernsey broadcast national content too and plans are to only have 2 local progs., a day.The BBC should become a subscription service for TV and scale down the number of channels it runs,they keep asking for more and more money,trying to hold on to their little empire.The big player now is Sky and the BBC should stop trying to hold on to the past.
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The Licence Fee is pretty much the only ‘tax’ where you know what you are getting for your money and represents fair value.
I pay for Sky and I pay for the BBC – and the BBC delivers far more original British content than any of the subscription services that I’m aware of.
That said, the whole broadcasting model will look very different in 10 years time as we gradually move to online services and pay per view content.
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I would not miss the TV local news! Radio wins hands down.
Would be nice if Radio Guernsey/Jersey shared a bit of input from both islands so we can keep up with one another etc. Years ago this was shared (afternoons, Murray Norton?)
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I wonder how many islanders would favour scrapping BBC local broadcasting totally in return for the cancellation of the licence fee?
We could still watch national BBC broadcasts like Match of the Day and David Attenborough – all we’d be missing is Radio Guernsey and local news.
I certainly wouldn’t mind saving £145.50 every year and getting my local news from the Internet and commercial stations, and I certainly wouldn’t miss Radio Guernsey that much. Small price to pay in my opinion.
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”
Paul Le Page
| May 15, 2011 at 3:54 pm
I wonder how many islanders would favour scrapping BBC local broadcasting totally in return for the cancellation of the licence fee?
We could still watch national BBC broadcasts like Match of the Day and David Attenborough – all we’d be missing is Radio Guernsey and local news.”
How does that work then ? you don’t want to pay for it, but you still to get to watch !! when it is something you like.
Can I live in your world please.
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Sorry, Mike – only room for one in my little world :-). To clarify though – my comment was meant as a question to provoke discussion rather than a clear statement – for future reference the secret’s in the question mark.
I was wondering whether it would be an option worth investigating. Allow me to explain further:
1. It must cost the BBC a significant sum of money to keep local broadcasting running – including Radio Guernsey.
2. I presume this cost is offset to one degree or another by the licence fee.
3. I don’t have the figures to hand, but if the cost of providing these services was more than the total licence fees collected locally (or not too different) it might be in the BBC’s interests to consider this as an option. of course if the licence fee revenue is significantly more than the cost of local broadcasting then this option wouldn’t work. I’m certainly not after something for nothing.
4. Considering the payment of the licence fee is in the hands of the States of Guernsey, we are in a position where we can negotiate.
Hope this clears it up.
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For the channels you get ( number, and quality of content ) I think the TV License is quite good value compared to a Sky subscription ….
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Everyone’s habits are different. I get the majority of my local news content from Radio Guernsey and the GP. Usually pick up the 6.30 Spotlight 15 minutes and can genuinely say I can’t think of a time I sat down and watched the whole CTV 6pm report.
On balance and if money is to be saved it’s bye-bye to Spotlight and the retention of local radio.
If the BBC wanted to go further, they could even get rid of the afternoon slots on Radio Guernsey and switch to R2 (or merge as soph says); afternoon on RG has for many years been a space filler.
Just saying. Personal habits, different for other folk.
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Sky wins in terms of quality of content vs the BBC. The BBC does kick out some really good stuff but it can’t compete with the vast majority of content, especially from quality studios such as HBO.
Also the fact that you can obtain all the BBC channels in full HD from Sky is already a winner?
Just scrap the local content from the BBC, its hardly news-worthy at the best of times if we’re really honest. Get the local ‘fix’ from Channel if you must. Use the saved money to produce more quality stuff that used to be the norm.
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Toby what Sky subscription are you talking about?Some channels are free to air and your subscription varies according to what you want,I subscribe to the Movie Channels and that is not even available from the BBC,I also have Sky plus which is another thing the BBC dont provide.For me the BBC is £145 pounds I do not get anything for because I just dont want them!
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I am a huge fan of the BBC but is BBC local news really necessary?? Surely local bloggers and a few local commercial Websites will remove the need for an expensive Licence-Payer-Fee service.
Whenever I tune in to BBC GSY during the afternoon all I hear is a programme innundated with boring lists about old shops and hotels that shut decades ago. Why should I have to pay for this?
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@I. Le Page
I take it you, and everyone else in your household, NEVER watch or listen to any of the 150 free to air tv and radio channels that a licence fee entitles you to ? And only watch the 12 movie channels you subscribe to ( which costs MORE than the TV license ? )
And you CAN buy a Freeview or Freesat PLUS box that will provide the same functionality as Sky Plus …. only unlike Sky you are free to choose which box …..
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But Toby, isnt the TV licence just the BBC? That equates to what – 130 (maybe more/less) odd channels that aren’t related to the BBC and are free?
10 odd channels = not the same value! Scrap the BBC news content.
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@AdaM
The money may go to the BBC ( and some used to go to Channel 4 ) – but it is technically illegal to view free to air television broadcast to the British Isles without paying the license fee.
However that only applies to LIVE tv – so catchup services such as iPlayer, 4OD , ITVPlayer you can access for free.
Scrapping the local TV news would save money on an entire satellite channel for 20 minutes of TV a day though …. although you could level that argument at ITV as well !!!
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This is what’s wrong with the BBC. Stop paying huge amounts to these prima donnas (see link below) and use the money to boost popular community services like BBC Spotlight CI. Also, the Channel Islands news at 6-30 should be expanded to fill the whole half hour. Who on earth in the Channel Islands wants to know (or cares) about the new Okehampton bypass or the closure threat to Treliske Hospital or a demonstration at Devonport dock yard?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13447774
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I have been known to moan about the licence fee, and then I watch ‘Blue Planet’ or something of that qualify and I think, that was was worth the fee on its own.
In this day and age it really should be a subscription fee though. Then all those that don’t want BBC content wouldn’t have to pay.
And when it comes to the news, I get bored of seeing what is happening in Jersey!
However can anyone tell me why we only get a small amount of the ‘free’ channels on Freeview? Who stole ‘Dave’ from us!
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