As a Canadian expat, I was actually excited to start paying a license fee when I moved here. I’d grown up on a bunch of BBC dramas and comedies and thought it pretty cool to be able to contribute. I thought the BBC was like our CBC: publicly funded and not controlled by the state.
Then I started living here, and following the BBC coverage of issues I cared about. I was blown away by the amount of propaganda and straight up Tory shilling the BBC does. I cancelled my license fees after a year and didn’t look back.
I’m well aware of the Tory tactic of corrupting a service until the public calls for privatisation, but from where I’m sitting, there’s nothing worth saving anymore. The irresponsible journalism coming out of there is only slightly better than The Sun, but carries more weight due to their hard earned reputation.
I’d rather see it burn than let that reputation be leveraged to burn the rest of us.
killeronthecorner@lemmy.world 10 months ago
And there it is. The classic Tory playbook: intentionally underfund, declare unsustainable, and open up for private interests; in this case, likely advertising and other types of product placement.
Nothing is sacred to these malicious pricks.
NateNate60@lemmy.world 10 months ago
That’s not restricted to the UK. Conservative parties across the world use the same tactic. American conservatives have been trying to sell off the US Postal Service for ages claiming it’s “unprofitable” while strangling it with regulations and dumb rules like forcing it to fund pensions 70 years in advance.
Luvs2Spuj@lemmy.world 10 months ago
The notion that a public service needs to be profitable is so backwards.
killeronthecorner@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Yeah but we’re in a UK community talking about the UK…
Aggravationstation@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Sacred? Ridiculous.
The BBC, this “institution”, has used legal threats to screw the British public out of money to pay for the inane whims of Oxbridge alumni, stirred up hatred and support for the blood sucking elites of this country and shielded sex offenders for the better part of a century.
Then they turn around and sell the fruits of license fee payer funds to other channels internationally, via VHS, DVD and Blu-ray sales then finally to the premium streaming services. You have to pay to see the shows you paid to make!
That’s not to mention the amount of money they get in merchandise sales. Remember the Cyberman Voice Changer Helmet? That was the top toy one Christmas.
Times have changed, the BBC needs to die.
killeronthecorner@lemmy.world 10 months ago
This has literally nothing to do with the tories’ agenda.
Take all the issue with paying a TV license that you want, but don’t for a second act like the Tories won’t have their cake and eat it with privatisation.
You’ll be paying the license fee, watching adverts, and thanking them for it if they can have their way entirely.
Much like the inevitable privitisation of the NHS - should they maintain power - won’t lead to any realized tax cuts.
They hate you and think you’re a piece of shit. Don’t let them distract you from that for a single damn moment.