Help save the BBC!

[snot]

At the suggestion of Peacepatriot, I am reposting this with a few changes and a more attention-getting title. You can find the original thread at: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=375060#375482 .

Pending changes at the BBC would, among other things, replace the BBC's governing board in charge of assessing BBC "performance" with a group of trustees selected by Tony Blair. I hope we all understand how crucial the BBC has been in bringing to light David Kelly's allegations, the Downing St. memo, etc. etc., and how much Tony Blair might like to suppress such reporting. Also pending are cuts of 3,800 - 4,000 jobs and privatization of parts of BBC operations. It appears to me that the pending changes have the potential to destroy the BBC as we know it. More details are set out below.

I'm not sure what we can do about this, but I think it's extremely important that folks the world over who care about news should at least understand the implications of what's happening and raise an outcry.

My review of the attack on the BBC has been superficial, but still better than what I've seen in any reports. I looked at the BBC "Green Paper", the most detailed description I've found on the 'net of government plans for job cutbacks (3,800 - 4,000) and privatization of portions of BBC operations. The Green Paper can be downloaded here: http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk/have_your_say/green_paper/greenpaper_home.html#1 .

I noted a number of features that raise troubling questions for me:

1. The BBC's current governing body is to be replaced by a Trust. The trust members are to be recommended by the Prime Minister. The reason given for establishing the Trust as the BBC's governing body is supposedly that the old Board was both the management and the body in charge of assessing BBC performance, and that this involved a conflict of interest.

This sounds reasonable, until you consider that the Prime Minister has been in direct conflict with the BBC over its reporting on him; so putting him in charge of selecting its trustees would seem merely to be replacing one conflict of interest with another one of much more serious import.

2. The Trust is supposed to be made more responsive to the desires of the public. (Nevermind that 3/4 of the public were perfectly happy with the BBC sans any of these changes.) The public's wishes are to be assessed through research. The paper doesn't address who does the research or how.

3. The justification for the staff cutbacks is that funds are needed in order for the BBC to take the lead in bringing about a "digital switch-over" accessible to "have-nots" as well as "haves". I'm no geek, but off-hand, it seems arguable that this means cutting back on news staffing in order to ensure future HDTV sales, or something like that. But someone who knows better than I can perhaps explain.

4. More programming is to be privatized. C.f. the U.S. use of private contractors in Iraq, or in electronic election technology--by no means perfectly similar, but illustrates the dangers. To me, looks like maybe they don't trust BBC staff to make programs that suit them, so by outsourcing to their buddies, they can both enrich them and ensure coverage that's more favorable, conservative, or at least innocuous to them. (Would some reporter pls look at how many new little production companies are being formed in the U.K. right now and by whom?)

I simply don't have the time or expertise to do the kind of analysis that needs to be done, but I am truly horrified that no one else seems to be noticing what's going on. (The unions affected by the job cuts have been striking, but last time I checked their sites, perhaps understandably, the focus was entirely on those cuts--whether they're justified, how remaining staff will be stretched, etc.)

You can express your objection to the changes at the BBC website here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ifs/hi/newsid_4000000/newsid_4000500/4000545.stm .

However, I feel it's important that we try to raise awareness of this issue through other outlets. I've blasted the U.S. media with this info, and also tried sending a general comment to the Noam Chomsky site.

Obviously, the bigger the outcry, the better. Please help spread the word in every way you can think of!

Thanks.

[asjr]

1. The Americanization of British Press and Television. It has

become wider than we thought.

[Peace Patriot]

2. This is very important! Thanks for re-posting! Write to BBC News NOW!

It's the last url provided above (http://news.bbc.co.uk./newswatch...etc.). Takes you right to their webform.

Express your support! Say how valuable it's been especially to Americans (with our Bush propaganda machine news monopolies here that DON'T REPORT major stories like Iraq WMD lies, the Downing St. Memo, and massive US corp thievery in Iraq). BBC also of vital importance to people around the world, and to help us learn about each other.

Save BBC news! Don't corporatize it! Don't privatize it! Keep it as is--the most responsible and reliable major news service in the world!

Also, support the BBC journalists who are trying to raise awareness by strategic strikes. Oppose the huge layoffs that the new "corporatizing" board is trying to implement. This is only the beginning of the destruction of BBC News.

[snot]

6. Thanks! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

3. Here's my letter to the BBC, which I just posted at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ifs/hi/newsid_4000000/newsid_4000500/4000545.stm

Dear BBC News:

I am an American, and I get BBC News through XM satellite radio in rural California, and on the internet. It is extremely important to me that the BBC News service continue with its comprehensive and objective reporting of the news worldwide. BBC News is the most responsible and reliable major news service in the world. It is especially vital to Americans, due to the wretched "Iron Curtain" that we in the U.S. are living behind, in which the big private news monopolies are using our public airwaves to propagandize for the Bush regime and its illegal and horrendous war in Iraq, and are FAILING TO REPORT major stories, such as the lies we were told by the Bush regime about WMDs in Iraq, the Downing Street memo, and the the fraudulent election in 2004.

Our news monopolies are also miserable at giving Americans any news about the outside world and at connecting us with, and informing us about, people in other countries--two additional things the BBC does superbly well.

I can't tell you how dismayed I am at the schemes to "corporatize" and "privatize" the BBC. I think it is a political assault--to shut you up. I completely oppose the mass layoffs that are being planned, and support the workers' strikes to stop such actions.

Americans are turning more and more to the BBC to get accurate and objective news, and a broader range of opinion. This, too, is a reason that you are under attack. The news monopolies and the war profiteers don't want this increasingly popular competition.

Fight, fight, fight to save the BBC! We beg you! You are one of the chief pillars of Anglo-American democracy right now. Please know how important your news service is and act to preserve it! Thank you for all your good work!

XXXXXX

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Here's a snail mail address for the BBC:

By post
BBC News website
Room 7540
BBC Television Centre
Wood Lane
London
W12 7RJ

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I'm going to search for contact info for the BBC journalists union that has been conducting strikes to protest the draconion layoffs. I will post it here.

[snot]

7. There's something called BECTU

at http://www.bectubbc.org.uk/

I e-mailed them as soon as I found out about the strike, must be 2 weeks ago, begging them to send info about what was going on and even mentioning that I'd be happy to post it here. No reply. But I did not follow up.

Even if they're primarily focused on saving jobs, coordinating could be helpful to all.

[Peace Patriot]

4. National Union of Journalists in Britain and Ireland!

One of the best ways to insure continuance of high quality BBC news is to support the workers who provide it!

National Union of Journalists in Britain and Ireland
Web site: http://www.nuj.org.uk/
(Lots of info there about the strikes and impacts on BBC news quality.)
Direct contact info below.

Current story on the NUJ web site:

"BBC embraces call for further talks

"In what BBC staff unions are regarding as a positive move, Director General Mark Thompson has said he will be 'very happy to meet with the full time officials of the joint unions on Wednesday (8/6/05)'.

"Mr Thompson wrote to the NUJ, Bectu and Amicus, on 2nd June, agreeing to their request for more meaningful dialogue and acknowledging the need for 'mitigating net job losses'.

"Mr Thompson told the unions: 'We have a shared interest in resolving the dispute promptly and working together to build a strong and independent BBC.'

"Welcoming the response, NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear, said: 'We are pleased to hear that Mr Thompson is willing to get round the table again. We hope that this will result in some real negotiations about the scale and impact of any cuts.

"'We are certain that savings can easily be made without compulsory redundancies and we look forward to achieving such an outcome.'"

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Main office of National Union of Journalists (NUJ)

Headland House
308-312 Gray's Inn Road
London
WC1X 8DP

tel: [phone]
fax: [phone]
email: [e-mail]

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Irish Office
Liberty Hall
Dublin 1

Phone 00 353 (0)1 8053258
Fax 00 353 (0)1 8749250
e-mail: [e-mail]

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Scotland office:

Scottish Organiser: Paul Holleran, [e-mail]
Assistant Organiser: Angela Austin, [e-mail]
Secretary: Alice McCarney, 0141 248 6648/7748, [e-mail]

3rd Floor, 114 Union St, Glasgow G1 3QQ

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Manchester office:

Organiser: Miles Barter
Tel: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Secretary: Sue Orton
Tel: [phone]
E-mail:[e-mail]

Assistant Organiser: Jenny Lennox
With responsibility for online journalism sector and for North Wales.
Tel: [phone]
E-mail:[e-mail]

Postal address:
NUJ, 5th Floor, Arthur House, Chorlton Street, Manchester M1 3FH

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Chief officials of the union:

General Secretary
JEREMY DEAR
020-7843 3709, fax [phone]
Mobile [phone]
Email [e-mail]

Deputy General Secretary
JOHN FRAY
020-7843 3746
Mobile [phone]
Email [e-mail]

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Write to them! Thank them! Support them!

[snot]

8. Yee hah Peace Patriot! (n/t)

[Peace Patriot]

5. We need one more recommendation for Greatest Page! Please...

...recommend! This needs to be spread far and wide.

The two greatest perils faced by American democracy right now are, a) our fraudulent election system, and b) our fraudulent news. And of course the two are intimately related.

Support BBC News workers! Support BBC's independence!!!

It is quite telling that the cutback of jobs is hitting the news rooms the hardest! I was appalled when I learned that. The entertainment and the fluff can go on, but they have to severely cut the finest major news service in the world??! Nonsense!