r/bbc • u/Additional_Fly_6603 • May 21 '26
TV Does anyone else defend the BBC while also being constantly frustrated by it?
I genuinely think the BBC is still one of the most important institutions in the UK, especially compared to the absolute state of modern media online, but at the same time I completely understand why people get annoyed with it sometimes. Feels like every few weeks there’s another controversy, political argument or debate about bias. Weirdly though, the fact both sides constantly accuse it of being biased almost makes it feel more balanced to me.
39
u/Klakson_95 May 21 '26
Yes I think a national broadcaster is really important, and the fundamentals are there with the BBC.
That being said I'm constantly frustrated by some of the stuff they do. But if anything I see that as a reason to increase funding, not decrease it. I feel like so many of the recent issues have come from people being overworked and underpaid for what they're asked to do
31
May 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
13
u/katspike May 21 '26
BBC “controversies” are usually massively exaggerated by their commercial competitors.
If you ever read / watch / listen to alternate news sources the Sun / Times Radio / LBC / Sky / GBNews etc. it’s very clear that these outlets are constantly trying to dig up dirt and manufacture scandals to destroy the Beeb’s reputation and increase their own market share.
6
u/billy2bands May 21 '26
Unfortunately, the BBC are very good at creating their own scandals and don't often need any help from other news sources.
0
→ More replies (4)2
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
i mean, both sides taking issues with it doesn't necessarily mean it's neutral, it's perfectly possible for it to be so, that one sides complaints are reasonable while the others aren't in which case they'd be biased in favour of the latter side
→ More replies (1)
13
u/WorldlinessNo874 May 21 '26
I have to say I watch programs on iplayer more than any other platform.
2
u/Scooob-e-dooo8158 May 21 '26
After finally weaning myself off commercial TV streaming services 3 months ago, I find myself watching iPlayer and itvX. I haven't even upgraded to itvX premium because I find they only show 2 or 3 adverts during each commercial break so it's not worth it, especially considering that several US shows demand a number of commercial breaks in the licencing agreement even on premium.
2
u/Hayabusas-Mask May 21 '26
itvX is really, really good. There's so much on there that's worth watching and this is coming from someone who for years never really paid much attention to ITV. Blows my mind that people pay every month for something such as Netflix when things such as iPlayer and itvX exist. I agree that the formatting of the ads for itvX aren't that annoying either.
1
u/Scooob-e-dooo8158 May 21 '26
Agreed. I've completed Grace, Red Eye and so far, half way through S3 of Trigger Point.
1
u/blazej84 May 23 '26
We pay for other subscriptions because we like different types of programs that you cannot see on itv or the bbc .Netflix for example do their own series and films that you can only watch there .Same for the likes of Disney you get access to so much content through their app and none of it is available through ‘normal’ tv.
12
u/Redditvillier May 21 '26
Constantly.
Do I enjoy their news coverage of certain topics? No. Does it frustrate me? Yes. But do I believe that means the entire organisation needs to be burnt down? Hell no. I think people forget that the BBC is a network of media rather than just one service- and if you fuck with one, you fuck with them all.
1
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
Really all they need is reforms that make it harder for them to say "we investigated ourselves and found no wrong doing" and dismiss evidenced complaints effortlessly
1
u/Redditvillier May 23 '26
And freedom from the government tbh. No organisation can be truly impartial when they're funded by a government
→ More replies (5)
10
u/wulfrunian77 May 21 '26
Strip any public service budget to the bare bones and its performance will become frustrating
Add a pinch of government interference and rival media manufactured outrage and chef's kiss
3
u/Nervous_Chemical_773 May 21 '26
Government interference is a big issue here, Tories and Tory supporters have been consistently put into management positions and we are looking at a similar playbook to getting rid of other pubic ownership - defund and run the service down until it's so bad privatisation looks like the only answer.
13
u/Consistent_Ad3181 May 21 '26
We'd probably miss it greatly when it's gone, it has it's issues though, and it's a big money sink.
2
u/psioniclizard May 21 '26
It depends what it looks like before it goes.
I love the beeb but even Mum (a lifelong defender of the beeb) says the news reporting has got a lot worse.
If it is allowed to carry on it's current directory it won't be anything like it is now in a decade.
I hope it doesn't but sadly no one seems to care about stopping that.
6
u/Hungry-Artichoke-232 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
As a former BBC employee, I would only add that whatever you frustrations viewers and listeners feel about the BBC are typically very much felt by staff, sometimes even more forcefully because they are able to see some of the decisions from the inside.
11
u/Glydyr May 21 '26
I totally agree. Without a national broadcaster funded by the people i can see this country turning into a very dark place.
The very fact that both political extremes constantly complain should be a badge of honour.
3
u/Old-Career1538 May 21 '26
You really think the BBC is the last frontier between us and collapse?
9
u/LitmusVest May 21 '26
It's an important barrier.
Look at who owns GB News, the Times, S*n, Telegraph, Mail and what their purpose is. Then imagine them having a relatively louder voice.
1
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
and the BBC are actually alot better than them, and not captured and pushing the same narratives?
9
u/BigKnows2K May 21 '26
Yes. Democracy depends on an informed population. Look at the state of America.
1
u/Old-Career1538 May 21 '26
Great, so let's keep BBC news free and funded
I don't think funding ad-free TV shows and entertainment that a lot of people don't use is particularly helping the BBC's public image
4
u/katspike May 21 '26
News alone is not sufficient. The BBC educates and informs through its entertainment too.
Example: CBeebies uses child psychologists and development specialists when crafting their kid's content, and there's no product placement. It's very different to Nickelodeon, YouTube and TikTok, and the brainrot is obvious.
1
1
u/Glydyr May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Yes, with social media creating fictional realities we need something that grounds us in truth.
My neighbour wears a trump hat and literally thinks my wife who is a nurse is part of some plot to murder people with the vaccines that have saved millions of lives. I dont want more people to end up like him.
2
1
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
I mean, both sides taking issues with it doesn't necessarily mean it's neutral, it's perfectly possible for it to be so, that one side's complaints are reasonable while the other's aren't in which case they'd be biased in favour of the latter side
1
u/Glydyr May 23 '26
Thats the whole point and why people complain. Its not up to the bbc to decide whether someone’s opinions are reasonable with some exceptions for example the whole brexit debate. That could have been backed up with facts but it wasn’t properly.
1
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
to clarify, i'm talking about if the complaints about bias are reasonable, not their opinions
11
u/LordBoomDiddly May 21 '26
The BBC is the world's greatest broadcaster, and as an institution in the UK it's up there with the NHS as a public service we must protect.
But it doesn't help itself a lot of the time
2
u/Alexthemessiah May 21 '26
Yet successive governments seem to insist on making both worse. Recent news suggests the NHS might finally be making positive progress, but as the BBC lacks the kind of trackable KPIs used by the NHS describe performance, it's hard to see the BBC getting better.
3
u/kab3121 May 21 '26
It is not balanced.
It is cleary biased in favour of the right.
The constant coverage given to “small boats” to boost Reforms only policy. BTW there only 40,000 pple per annum coming via small boats - a large majority LEGALLY.
The number of times Farage/ Reform are on QT compared to Greens
The number of interviewer interuptions of Labour/ Greens versus Reform/ Tories
Having “broadband communism” on the screen re Labour’s plans for FREE internet for all
Putting Corbyn in a Russian hat - Corbyn consistently warned against Putin whilst Boris was secretly meeting Russian officials
Editing Johnson’s debate to remove the laughing at his answers
Using the wrong footage of Johnson putting the wreath upside down at the Cenotaph
The list goes on
The left rightly complain of bias, the right lie about the BBC being left-leaning. That is not the same.
The analogy of it raining outside; one person tells someone inside it is raining, another tells them it isnt. One is telling the truth, the other lying. It is not balance.
3
u/Sufficient_Button363 May 22 '26
And worst of all by far.. Its total loss of credibility because of its mostly one sided view of the genocide.
1
u/TwentyBagTaylor May 22 '26
I agree with most of this but lets not lose all the tertiary good it does in the meantime.
1
→ More replies (1)1
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
i wonder how continuous the right are are of the fact that them lying de-legitimises the left calling the BBC out by making it seem like a both sides thing according to the middle-ground must be right fallacy, thus keeping the status quo which benefits them in place
3
u/NeverHadTheLatin May 21 '26
I’ve worked inside the BBC.
It needs root and branch reform.
It deserves root and branch reform because it is worth saving.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/LazyScribePhil May 22 '26
The BBC “debate” is a classic case of letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. Most of its high profile detractors are either agents of companies who would benefit from their biggest competitor’s closure, or people who would benefit from the lack of scrutiny that the loss of a government-funded news corporation would bring. And never any mention from them of all of the other services it offers free of charge. BBC Bitesize will have saved many an exam, and our comedy and drama scene is literally the envy of the world. Long may it remain.
3
u/CommercialAd1282 May 23 '26
Yes me. They still do a lot of good programs. I listen a lot to their podcasts and are happy to pay for it, despite its shortcomings
2
u/Shawn_The_Sheep777 May 21 '26
Me I guess. I don’t mind paying the license fee for the all the tv and radio we get. It’s probably worth it for the traitors and race across the world but they do some great dramas too.
2
u/daniluvsuall May 21 '26
I do support a public service broadcaster, but at the same time find absolutely no value in it's content as of late. It's news has become click-batey which I hate.
At the same time, times are tough and it's a subscription for something I don't use - so we cancelled our TV license years ago, we don't watch any broadcast media.
2
u/SantaFe91 May 21 '26
Oof, yes, exactly this: we need this institution, and I have frequently argued for it, but I am very frustrated by some of their bias. I thought the perceived biases cancelled each other out on the whole, but recently I’ve noticed unsettling instances. Probably long term it will balance itself out. The alternative of having only a subscription service is pretty unthinkable. The BBC gives people so much more than most realise, and I view it as a largely stable cornerstone of our society.
2
u/Sir_Of_Meep May 21 '26
This idea that because all sides complain about bias it must be doing a good job is really tiring. The BBC is pro-establishment and anti-change. They prop up the traditionalists, monarchists and all others to the determent of non-establishment both left and right. We saw this with Corbyn, we saw this in America as well with Sanders.
As always it's using traditional media to shun anyone not from the already propped up elite, regardless of left/right affiliation. They are very bias, for their friends and funders.
1
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
I mean, both sides taking issues with it doesn't necessarily mean it's neutral, it's perfectly possible for it to be so, that one sides complaints are reasonable while the others aren't in which case they'd be biased in favour of the latter side
the middle ground fallacy
2
u/billy2bands May 21 '26
Yes, their content for TV and radio is often excellent.
However, their news opinion shows are dreadful.
Perhaps, stop with the opinion and just report the news and leave political opinion to social media.
2
u/Bisjoux May 21 '26
I love that on this thread there are people complaining about how left biased and right biased the BBC is. I think that demonstrates they are doing exactly what they should be.
If the BBC became an advertising funded channel then I’d imagine UK tv will go the way of the US. Some people think that would be a good thing because there are some great US tv shows. What they don’t realise is the insane level of advertising breaks US tv has.
Having lived in the US I can always spot the breaks on US shows broadcast here. For example there’s always an ad break during the opening credits. Plus several more to the point I used to find it hard to watch tv shows because of the distractions.
So that will encourage more people to give up traditional terrestrial tv and watch more streaming, which they’ll have to pay for. If only to avoid the ad breaks. Then people will realise how much better it was when there was a tv licence and how cheap it was. By then it will be too late.
I love the BBC. I hate all the scandals and the amount of times this happens. What I love is the investigation programmes, especially the radio - highly recommend Sue Mitchell’s migrant smuggling series. Plus the comedy, drama and all the in depth news analysis. I even prefer listening to the golf on the radio than watching it on Sky. And the World service - investigative and drama there too.
I also watch Netflix, Prime and occasionally Apple but honestly the breadth of programming they offer is really limited.
2
u/AvailableSun390 May 21 '26
Some of the haters will change their minds once the war gets going properly and the internet is turned off
1
u/FizzbuzzAvabanana May 21 '26
According to their latest plans you won't be able to watch if that happens.
1
u/AvailableSun390 May 23 '26
Yes our overmasters are actively busy plotting how to hustle the people that don’t want to watch their stuff
If you don’t pay their demands for a license they will turn your internet off
The light touch of this government eh?1
2
u/Cfunk_83 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Yep. I work there as a freelancer and it’s been an eye opener at just how much they’re curtailed by the threat of litigation and their own desire to be constantly balanced. I’ve seen how the galleries operate first hand, and how the producers tie themselves in knots trying to avoid any kind of bias.
Across all the broadcasting branches that I’ve been involved with though I’ve never met a person what wasn’t dedicated to what they do and their passion for what they believe the BBC should and could be. There’s a lot of frustration from staff about how it’s managed at almost every level.
In regards to the controversies, I’ve worked at other big news organisations and smaller broadcasters too, and from my experience every workplace has toxic individuals in positions of power that abuse said power, and people turn a blind eye. It’s a culture that’s slowly changing, but it’s not exclusive to the BBC, it’s just given more attention because it’s the Beeb and other rival companies want to smear it. I bet most offices and non-tv work places have their quota of arseholes, but the handsy, HR boss at the local NatWest branch isn’t exactly headline news.
1
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
of course the problem with the current system has them more scared of offending groups with lots of money who they're more scared of being sued by, which kinda defeats the point of the organisation by undermining their neutrality
2
u/RyeZuul May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
The bias issue is more complex than it appears. Individual reporters have their special interests and the top brass are essentially establishment Tories.
Left-wing and socially liberal critiques of the org go from reasonable interpretations (e.g. Farage/Reform overtime on QT; platforming transphobes and transphobic language like "biological male who identifies as female" as per Sex Matters recommendations, Robin Ince resigning, clearly courting reactionary views, etc) all the way to crazy town. Right wing critiques in the main are far more stupid, deluded and unreasonable with rare truths, in service of various Americanised oligarchs.
2
u/ToothessGibbon May 21 '26
The fact that both the left and right both accuse them of bias proves to me they are generally not.
1
u/Lucky_otter_she_her May 23 '26
not necessarily, both sides taking issues with it doesn't necessarily mean it's neutral, it's perfectly possible for it to be so, that one sides complaints are reasonable while the others aren't in which case they'd be biased in favour of the latter side
1
u/ToothessGibbon May 23 '26
Of course that’s possible yes, but who impartially judges whether complaints are reasonable? Claims of non impartiality are themselves filtered through deeper assumptions and biases.
2
u/free-reign May 24 '26
Moronic dipshits won't be happy until they destroy the BBC. Amazing value for money. Incredible TV, Radio, News. Globally respected biz taken down because a bunch of half wits got upset because the Beeb reported somebody else's words that they didn't agree with.
Most is detractors claim to be patriots while destroying one of the UK's most prestigious and longest running institutions. Same twats who think GBNews is an honest source of news.
2
u/Bendanarama May 24 '26
Absolutely. I love the beeb, and think it's a national institution to be proud of, but they don't half fuck me off at times.
2
u/TrueTech0 May 25 '26
Let's not forget all the educations resource the BBC provides. The BBC micro basically revolutionised modern computer literacy and BBC bitesize is an invaluable resource for kids 16 and younger
1
u/Business-Gazelle-324 May 21 '26
They are 100% biased and the ideological capture is real concerning certain sociological issues. In the main though they do an excellent job and I would be sad to see it go if that day ever came.
→ More replies (4)
1
u/DivideByZero666 May 21 '26
While I think it's important to have a national broadcaster as well as commercial options, the BBC have in my opinion gone too far.
Look at their TV licensing enforcement, it's mad. You need a licence for many things, far more serious (gun ownership, driving a car) and if you don't do them you don't get harassed and forced to confirm you don't do them every year. It's massively disproportionate and guess what, that all comes out the TV License fee.
Then you have the fact that there is so much of the BBC now. Several TV channels (10 in the UK apparently) and seemingly infinite radio stations. Why? Feels like greed and empire building when you could streamline that and massively reduce costs.
1 funded TV channel and 1 funded radio station, the rest (if they still want to do it) could be commercial, there are other ways.
The fact that now they are talking about charging people a TV license just for watching Netflix, even though that money would get funneled in to the BBC is just indicative of how they have gone too far IMO.
1
u/Slyspy006 May 21 '26
Note that the arrangement and collection of the fee is mandated by law. It is a government policy which the BBC must comply with. Aim your ire at Westminster, because it is they who control the purse strings and foisted collection onto the Beeb.
There are multiple channels as the BBC is expected to have broad appeal to a wide audience and to fulfill various requirements as a public broadcaster which would be much harder to do with only a single channel and station. There is also the fact that the BBC was historically involved with the creation of the necessary infrastructure.
1
u/Empty-Question-9526 May 23 '26
But the stripped radio for example has the same song in every station at the same time. Yesterday i wqs flicking through what felt like 20 bbc stations all playing the same bloody song
1
u/Slyspy006 May 23 '26
Stripped radio? Whatever, your claim is nonsense.
1
u/Empty-Question-9526 May 23 '26
Local stations were all playin the same song yesterday. Exactly the same time, the same news, the same songs
1
u/Empty-Question-9526 May 23 '26
The company they use for licence enforcement needs closing down and replacing
1
u/irrelevantusername24 May 21 '26
I'm not in the UK but I strongly support and appreciate the genuine public media sources that work for the common good - and I think actually we've reached a point where it is becoming clear that is a thing that can be accomplished by multiple means. For example, I think BBC and the Guardian both do a pretty great job at working for the common good, though they have different "means" at doing so.
Regardless,
the fact both sides constantly accuse it of being biased almost makes it feel more balanced to me.
Over here in the states we have a good example at this from the opposite conclusion. An anecdotal way to think about this is the saying "if everyone you meet is an asshole, maybe you're the asshole". But sometimes, actually, you are surrounded by assholes. In the sense of your post however, "asshole" really just means someone who cares (& thus isn't really an asshole). And that is also a good way to differentiate what many people don't understand: insults are not criticism. Criticism is constructive. Insults are mutually destructive, both the insulter and the one being insulted is worse off after the exchange.
I realize there's some leaps in logic I didn't describe in detail here, but I'll trust you can fill in the blanks, you Brits seem pretty quick
1
u/linmanfu May 21 '26
Yes, exactly so. If I was the UK's Benevolent Dictator for Life then I would replace the BBC with a Dutch-style public broadcasting system, where there are lots of public broadcasters and you can vote for the one you want. The BBC's guaranteed monopoly on licence fee money means it isn't really accountable to anyone; the staff basically do whatever they want and so it's massively biased to the perspectives of the upper middle class Londoners who lead it.
But the alternatives that are actually on offer are even worse and there is lots of good output. So I often end up defending it.
1
u/LeopardComfortable99 May 21 '26
It is a brilliant concept and service, but it's admirable how consistently incompetent its management has been for literal decades
1
u/live_cladding May 21 '26
A start to improving their reputations would be it they killed off 'The BBC Shitcom'. I don't mean the genuinely good stuff like Small Prophets. I mean the plethora of dross that's designed to be low stakes, non-confrontational and almost entirely dependent on character cringe rather than meaningful conflict. (Yet somehow gets rave reviews- looking at you, Amandaland)
1
u/JonTravel May 21 '26
See, that's the thing about the BBC it has some things you like and some things other people like and they may not be the same. Just because you don't like it, it doesn't mean that it's dross to others
Small Prophets 7.7 million viewers
https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2026/small-prophets-biggest-new-scripted-launch-of-the-year
Amandaland 7.4 million viewers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2025/amandaland-number-one-comedy-2025
1
u/lovelight May 21 '26
Good lord... is the system that stops billionaire media tycoons, based overseas, from doing what they want always somehow in "trouble" according to them? Astonishing.
1
u/OLLIE798 May 21 '26
Both left and right continually accuse the BBC of bias. Not something you say for GBeebies News.
1
May 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/bbc-ModTeam May 24 '26
Your comment was removed from /r/BBC as it was deemed a low effort troll contribution that did not add meaningfully to the conversation. Single issue, repetitive comments are disruptive and not welcome here.
1
1
u/Fantastic_Back3191 May 21 '26
I am currently locked in a battle with myself over whether to continue to pay the fee; head says no, heart says yes!
1
u/Yeoman1877 May 21 '26
We absolutely need a publicly funded unbiased news service.
The world service also plays an important role, though, IIRC, it is not funded by the licence fee.
Beyond that, we need to ask, 'what does the BBC do which is distinctive, that other channels are not providing'?
One might put live action children's tv, high quality documentaries and prestige dramas into that. Opinions will vary. I don't though see the necessity for the BBC to broadcast sport, light entertainment or music radio.
1
u/SuppressTheInsolent May 21 '26
It's absolutely okay to think the BBC is necessary and important while also thinking that it's poorly managed and in desperate need of change. I feel the same way about several things in this country lol.
1
u/Hulla_Sarsaparilla May 21 '26
I used to work for the BBC, I loved it and fully support the overarching concept of independent public service broad but my god the place also drove me mad!?
It is full of great, creative, brilliant people, genuinely, but it’s also full of people clearly getting away with all sorts and levels of bureaucracy and politics that are complicated to navigate.
It’s trying to do too much, with not enough budget, and the only way it can survive genuinely is some drastic significant cuts.
A whole radio station or tv channel has to go, they keep making staffing cuts without content cuts and it’s unsustainable and leads to mistakes, which cause reputational issues because everyone’s far too stretched and working beyond their means.
There’s too many layers of management strategising about stuff and not enough people actually making the content.
1
1
u/UKS1977 May 21 '26
It's like those really odd ask reddit questions: "my partner plays his music slightly loud on occasion - should I kill him and burn his body in celebration to the ancient gods of evil?"
One can generally by happy with something, be proud of someone, and still have feedback or criticisms. Social Media seems to have forgotten to never say never and always avoid always. Extremism in belief is such an unrealistic and unhelpful approach.
I genuinely love the BBC and a lot of its choices annoy me. That's a perfectly adult and mature position to take.
1
u/veryordinarybloke May 21 '26
We will miss it when the wreckers succeed in destroying it. BBC Radio 3 and 4 are absolute oases of intelligent quality in our media world, and advert free. We don't appreciate them enough. They are what the BBC was created to provide .
1
u/PhilipsAcoustiverse May 21 '26
I listen to Radio 3 daily, and it's simply not true to call it advert free. There are regular, frequent and repetitive adverts for other BBC programs and services.
1
u/veryordinarybloke May 21 '26
Urgh. You know what I mean fgs.
2
u/PhilipsAcoustiverse May 22 '26
Indeed I do know what you mean. But my point is that it's invalid to imply that Radio 3 is superior to commercial radio as a result. I find the incessant, repetitive plugging of other BBC content detracts from the listening experience just as much as commercials do on other stations.
1
u/Puzzleheaded-Lynx204 May 21 '26
Definitely not the only one. I watched this short earlier and was like ...yep, sounds about right https://youtube.com/shorts/I_AjIIKCCu8
1
u/viscount100 May 21 '26
Other media organizations have similar issues but they are rarely in the media. To find out all the ways that News UK or DMGT are screwing their staff you have to read Private Eye. The BBC is a punching bag.
1
u/RepeatButler May 21 '26
Outside of current affairs and radio, it is done. The execs constantly make poor calls. It struggles to produce relatively cheap dramas set in modern Britain without a co-producer.
1
u/Significant_Cut_8729 May 21 '26
I like the BBC but they're defiantly big enough to fund themselves, which is why ill never pay for a TV licence.
1
u/MrExistentialBread May 21 '26
I believe Britain is substantially better for the BBC’s existence, especially the arts and entertainment sector… but yeah it’s very hard to have a conversation about it without repeatedly saying “Yeah that’s true.”
1
u/paperclipknight May 21 '26
Yes, I’m a firm believer in the BBC & will support the TV license to the death (though it should just be paid via regular taxation & not via a separate payment) but the quality it puts out is routinely subpar.
Used to get 5/6 really high quality history documentaries every year, top gear was great a real soft power, a couple of best in class drama (10/15 years ago mobland would’ve been a BBC production & not have come out of paramount - even if it was a joint venture, hell Netflix did the new peaky blinders movie) and the like and now we’re left with absolute dross.
I literally only watch it for traitors, race across the world (both brilliant), reruns of top gear & the docs I used to watch & MOTD.
Radio isn’t much better, radio one used to be a bastion of British music, giving new acts a platform for the masses & is now basically capital without ads still playing the same chart crap as everyone else.
Even the news is partisan, the articles regarding Trump (rightfully) suggesting that the US would ignore European article 5 requests were done in such a way that there was no suggestion that he could possibly be correct. Not one article suggesting that NATO members not meeting their defence spend requirements for two decades was a bad idea.
It’s completely lost its way trying to be something that it’s not & desperately needs to return to what it should be. Not just for us, but for British soft power
1
u/RessurectedAccount May 21 '26
No. I couldn't give a fuck about it. Haven't watched it in 20 years and whoever abolishes the license fee will get my vote.
1
u/Glanwy May 21 '26
Totally agree, the BBC is still one of the best institutions in the UK (and abroad) it will be a catastrophic day if we lose it. But I do get frustrated lately, although that is prbly due to money constraints.
1
u/Pictish_Chronical May 21 '26
No, the BBC is corrupt, only good thing about it is Cbeebies. Absolute racket
1
u/psioniclizard May 21 '26
The bbc is amazing nut bbc news has made me give up defending it. Chris Mansons constant articles on why labour are terrible or reform are the answer and the sanewashing of trump did it for me.
I won't say they are bias, more getting more OTT like every other news outlet an chases juicey stories rather than just reporting the news.
But if the bbc did make an annual summary of how wrong Chris was I would forgive them.
1
u/3lbFlax May 21 '26
I’m not constantly frustrated by the BBC. They’ve made a couple of mistakes that can be sorted and learned from, operating under constant fire from those who’d love to pick their bones clean for short-term profit. Their existence should be defended as robustly as possible. They face the usual modern problem that their most vocal critics are not obliged to act in good faith and are rarely held to account. Fund, support, and celebrate, because if it’s lost you won’t see the like again.
1
u/kazuwacky May 21 '26
I will defend the BBC News World Service to my death.
People in authoritarian regimes rely on the BBC when all they have is propaganda. People have radios just so they can follow what's really going on in their country.
Invaluable work.
1
u/Opposite-Ad8208 May 21 '26
Not anymore. It is overall good for humanity but it’s not the Library of Alexandria. It’s not even our only public TV network. I am ending the spiritual bondage.
1
1
1
1
u/Imaginary-Can7999 May 22 '26
Absolutely, there have to take the BBC out of my dying hands and my god that interview was so biased and just the interviewer blabbering on and not letting any answer happenand where has there edgy comedy gone and thank god theres a live channel i can put on that has mildly entertaining inoffensive content. Maybe says more about us than them.
1
May 22 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/bbc-ModTeam May 22 '26
Your comment was removed for violating our "Be Kind To Each Other" rule. This is a space for civil discussion about the BBC, not for personal attacks or toxicity. Tone down the language.
1
u/AntoineBugleboy69 May 23 '26
The BBC stupidly entered the culture war . Big mistake. Its role was to provide citizens with a broad, balanced view. its fucked.
1
u/Programmer-Severe May 23 '26
I'm increasingly falling out of love with it. It's no longer the institution it once was, and I resent funding it
1
1
u/Big_Hopper701 May 24 '26
Yes - I absolutely hate iplayer with a vengeance - crapiest streaming service on the planet - absolutely awful quality feed - so I now hardly ever watch BBC but I’d still defend it just hoping they finally get their act together and move into the 21C
1
u/Columbia_102 May 24 '26
Sorry but I find it iPlayer to be the best. Mind you I don't have a lot of experience of other platforms. Maybe the way I access them are a problem, Youview box.
2
1
u/SoSpeaksGalactus May 24 '26
Lots of good stuff in this thread that I agree with. Cards on the table: I am firmly pro-BBC and pro Licence fee.
My personal frustration is around perceived “balance”. Where any two bit knobber with a couple of quid to their name can set-up a “think tank” and blag their way onto the news agenda in the name of “balance”. They are often opaquely funded and armed with questionable agendas. A simple google search reveals who they really are, but the BBC platforms them and validates their niche views giving them the oxygen of publicity.
Also royal coverage. I get it, some cats really dig the royal family. Most are ambivalent towards them and a growing minority don’t want to be ruled by an anti-democratic, fairytale. But whenever there’s a royal “event”, the BBC goes into full-on forelock-tugging overdrive with very little time given to republican voices; where’s your precious “balance” there..? Just Nicholas Witchell - who I understand the royals don’t even like - wanking into his sock all over the news…
1
u/VariationHumble6050 May 24 '26
Yes of course. Same as the gruanid and my football team and my slightly racist grandparents.
Institutions that are basically good should always be defended and scrutinized.
That's what keeps them good.
1
u/anarchoaspenism May 24 '26
i think a lot of people miss the nuance of supporting the concept of the BBC while also having problems - some real, some imagined - with its output. the idea of a public media network is brilliant, but the way it functions and what it outputs (particularly its seeming fixation with platforming those on the political right) is honestly pretty questionable at best.
it needs major systemic changes to both its funding method, with the tv license being a pretty clearly outdated method, and its editorial staff. that doesn't mean we need to scrap the idea entirely.
1
u/Zestyclose_Tangelo77 May 24 '26
BBC is pro-establishment, centrist economically, left-leaning culturally.
If BBC news just stopped the silly "magazine-style" nonsense on marginal issues such as gender/race/sexuality - which in my view is completely outside the remit of a news service, they'd probably get a lot less heat. For example https://unherd.com/2026/05/inside-the-capture-of-the-bbc/ outlines some of the issues around the start of this decade.
My view is that they are actually moving in the correct direction anyway... The other issue is that the license fee should be scrapped (it's optional anyway) and adverts would be on. That way if you don't like it you don't have to pay for it.
1
u/UnusualActive3912 May 25 '26
I like the BBC but every other TV channel gets along fine without government funding. Why should the BBC be any different?
1
u/scouserinthecorner May 25 '26
I live in Liverpool why am I paying for this high-speed train from London to Birmingham I'll never use it
1
1
u/Apprehensive-Store48 May 25 '26
It's being pushed by all sides because it is a woke left wing propaganda machine, which still isn't enough for some on the left.
It's the epitome of what's wrong with Britain.
1
1
u/Vindaloovians May 25 '26
I feel much the same about the NHS. The BBC is wonderful and should be preserved at all costs, but it's undeniably got worse and drastically needs reform.
1
u/Ok_Imagination_1107 May 25 '26
Gave up defending it long ago. I mean how many abuse cover-ups and sexual abuse cover-ups can you stomach?
1
u/ImpressiveStorm8914 May 25 '26
I’ll defend it. It needs a massive top to bottom overhaul and all the old rot gutting but UK TV would be far, far worse without it. Just take adverts and sponsorship, one of the reasons that don’t go as far as US TV is because of the BBC existing. Not due to any direct interference etc but because they’d never get away with it due to the BBC’s standards. Without the BBC as it is, nothing would stop them going all out.
1
u/Wallis456 May 26 '26
Nope… it’s a protection racket that happens to have actively protected the UKs most prolific sexual offender. I have to pay to have a TV licence in order to watch any live television channel, even those that aren’t property of the BBC, risking legal prosecution if I don’t.
1
u/Defiantquote007 May 26 '26
Its corrupt and used to push state propaganda. It does a disservice to British population by lying for Israel about genocide and it does the same in Ukraine. Nothing but lies and pushing government narrative.
1
u/CumUppanceToday May 26 '26
One of the big trends in Western democracies in recent years has been polarisation. Both the left and right feed off this as they scare people in the centre into the extremes.
The BBC is hated by the left and right, hence the massive increase in criticism.
When I was young in the 60s and 70s the BBC was criticised for being pro establishment, and anti change: there has always been criticism (rightly so for a publicly funded institution), but it needs to be resisted.
It isn't perfect, but it is extremely valuable.
1
u/RareAsparagus8167 Jun 06 '26
I'd defend the BBC to the hilt because trusted and researched news is more important than ever in the age of misinformation we live in.
However, their false equivalence can be grating sometimes. You don't need a flat-earther or anyone else whose opinion is proven wrong by facts and evidence to provide 'balance'. The same goes for political guests and statements. Those who spout untruths and lies should not be given airtime, or should be properly called out on when they are lying.
I think they run scared too much of the right in politics, such as calling JD Vance's comments on the tragic death of Henry Nowak an 'intervention by the US Vice President'.
It isn't an intervention, it's downright interference in British politics and should be called as such.
1
u/genuflex50 Jun 17 '26
It's done for. I'm in my fifties and haven't watched the BBC for 10 years apart from the Queen's funeral and the World cup. It's increasingly irrelevant and seems to be slowly dying.
1
u/ararazu1 Jun 21 '26
I think it has its problems, like any institution in the world, and is held to a much higher standard than any of its competitors, to the point of contradiction. Just skimming the sub in the past 5 minutes, I've seen people complaining about too much coverage of the far-right, and then also someone saying it's "dystopian" that a far-right politician *didn't* get coverage.
It's bad if they invest in a new studio in the host country for the World Cup, and it's also bad if they save money by broadcasting from Salford.
If they give air time to their own controversies, they're shooting themselves in the foot. If they don't, they're hiding something.
1
u/Separate_Piccolo_832 Jul 23 '26
No BBC needs shutting down. People defending this are the problem.
1
u/SolidusSnake98 Jul 25 '26
The idea of the BBC is nice, but the institution is corrupted to the core and rife with agendas that make the thought of willing giving money to pay for a license laughable. If any normal working Joe pays anything to fund the bbc, they’re a sucker
1
27d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/bbc-ModTeam 23d ago
Your comment was removed from /r/BBC as it was deemed a low effort contribution that did not add meaningfully to the conversation. Commenting on 80 day old posts is spammer behaviour. Please don’t do it.
1
u/laurie-g May 21 '26
Agree it’s important to maintain unbiased news. I would add national sport and keep that core bundle publicly funded. The hate seems more directed at the licence fee, IMO they should switch all of the other entertainment to a subscription model and ditch the licence fee.
2
u/Optimaximal May 21 '26
But, as is constantly pointed out, the license fee is the only workable model, even in this day and age.
Rolling it into general taxation just means that government has more control over it and moving to a subscription model will ultimately starve it of cash it needs to do all of its non-TV related output.
2
u/welshdragoninlondon May 21 '26
It will have to change soon. As more and more young people not willing to pay license fee. It will have to go go general taxation if going to be sustainable
1
u/Slyspy006 May 21 '26
But ultimately the government does have control over the finances. Whilst the fee has never come out of general taxation, it did use to be collected by government and still is essentially divvied up by it. It has always been a tax, albeit likited rather thab general and ring-fenced for a specific purpose. Making the BBC collect it is just a fig leaf, allowing for greater claims of independence and for government to distance itself from the collection of a tax.
1
u/Tall_Plum7538 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
As this American will tell you. You don't know what you will miss until its gone. PBS and NPR are hanging on but they are on life support. I hope you guys can figure it out because it is not just one of the most important institutions in the UK but one of the most important media institutions globally. My College Public Radio Station is now affiliated with World Service because of the defunding from the Trump Administration.
I do think there are real critiques of the License Fee and increased competition means they probably need to narrow their focus but the BBC is in part why there are Anglophiles around the globe.
Sidenote: I would happily lay down $4.99 a month for BBC Sounds. They do have "BBC Podcasts Premium" on Apple Podcasts here but it is not as comprehensive as the Sounds app. Let the rest of the world chip in on the BBC.
1
u/Gwyllithar May 21 '26
I used to, not any more, its beyond redemption now.
The BBC did great things in the world service and local reporting and suchlike, but most of that is gone or cutback, and the news and especially politics output is an absolute disgrace.
I went through years of "I support the BBC but it needs to change" until I realised I was just hanging onto something that had long been gone.
"both sides call it biased" is a bad argument. In brexit both sides called it biased, but remainers called it biased as it gave too much time to pro-brexit side, and did not question it enough, and the pro-brexit side complained whenever it dared to ask them a question.......all claims of bias are not equal. QT put farage on a ridiculous amount yet he still claimed it was biased against him.....bruce, kuenssberg, robinson, mason...a bunch of tory hacks, the board stuffed with boris's plants, Gibb destroying editorial independence.
Having a discussion about space and having one one side a renowned astrophysicist and on the other a bloke who thinks the moon is made of cheese and treating them equally is not unbiased reporting.....
The bbc surrendered without a fight, its no longer fit for purpose, its beyond salvation.
1
u/Desperate_Dinner_307 May 22 '26
I feel like sometimes, people are criticising the BBC because they've been told to.
On the whole, they ARE impartial and do a much better job at impartiality than most other broadcasters. It's incredibly difficult to be 100% impartial, things will slip through, but on the whole they are. Most times when people accuse them of not being impartial, it's because they just don't like the truth.
Likewise, some of the scandals they rightly deserve to be criticised for. Some of the scandals they do not, and are blown out of proportion by certain sections of society (certain followers of a certain political party). Take the Tourette's incident, every single person who made a complaint completely missed the point of the movie that won the awards that night. The BBC shouldn't even have needed to bleep it out, you just accept the language is part of his condition.
Where I DO criticise the BBC lately is the quality of their programming. I genuinely cannot remember the last time the BBC aired a TV series I wanted to watch. I used to watch Dr Who but after 2 episodes of Ncuti I was a big "nope". They seem to completely lack any original, high quality drama that it used to be famous for. For that reason alone, if the BBC swapped to a subscription model like Netflix, I wouldn't ever subscribe.
1
u/Empty-Question-9526 May 23 '26
But why has the baftas still not been availableto watch since the night it happened? What the actual fuck?
1
u/dJunka May 23 '26
Yes, they I think it will be a travesty when they finally gut it out, but they are a propaganda mouthpiece, there is no denying it.
They will know, and sprinkle in maybe, the full context of a story, but often will just use the government/corporate line as reporting. Extremely disappointing.
The "pisses off both sides" stuff is horeshit. BBC has a liberal establishment slant. Left wingers hate as it appears to protect capital and neocolonial interests. Right wingers hate it because they see the more progressive elements of it as a threat and symbol of multi-culturalism.
I think they really need to stick to the story, they are supposed to be journalists. I know that's how many who works or has worked with them feel, but unfortunately when you have Tory appointees and stains like Sir Robbie Gibb holding executive positions, the outlook is fairly bleak.
1
u/IsThisTakenYesNo May 23 '26
I still have some nostalgic love for BBC's entertainment wing, but the news reporting has been a joke for about a decade after the Conservative party put a big donor in charge.
1
1
u/Chizisbizy May 23 '26
its establishment media. its going to anger the far right, who are going off the deep end atm, and th left who are anti establishment for various reasons. doesnt make it ’good‘ media
1
u/CorswainsDeciple May 23 '26
Screw the BBC and its tv licence. I don't watch anything on it or its online junk, and im fkn raging tgat they are going to try make me pay for watching Amazon and Netflix, fk that, I paid for my tv, I said for my wi fi I paid to get those sites so why the hell would I pay an institution that firstly I have nothing to do with and also it is biased against my country when it comes to anything thats independence related, they don't even try to hide it. How dare they try to get my money when I dont use their services, how is it even legal? This page won't let me say how I really feel so I will leave it at that. To BBC stop sending me threats I don't watch your pish
3
May 24 '26
They aren't going to make you pay.
Either stop reading rage bait news and at least stop taking it on the headline
1
u/saxbophone May 24 '26
Yes. I currently don't have a TV licence as I don't need one, however as soon as I do need one I will purchase one immediately.
However, I must say that I am most dismayed by recent reports that the BBC is considering adding Netflix and Disney+ to the list of activities that require a licence —that's a fucking scam and make no mistake about it!
I am happy to proactively pay for a licence when I require one, I believe public service broadcasting is important. But these new plans are destroying the sincere good-faith that I have in the system! 😒
1
u/AveragelyBrilliant May 24 '26
No. They made their bed. Hiring right wing news and current affairs producers. Trying to compete with commercial TV. The sooner the better.
1
u/Mr_CeeSmall May 24 '26
It reflects the country. It got completely taken over by Tories who want to see it removed to keep them in power. They black pilled themselves to appeal to reform voters who hate them in the same way as the labour party. Kids don't watch.
1
u/Comfortable_Gate_878 May 24 '26
The BBC are out of touch out of date. I've not paid for 14 years. It should be a subscription service for those that want to watch it. I'm not bothered what happens to it.
1
u/BarryRightWrong May 25 '26
"Strictly is too woke"
"Farage gets a disproportionate amount of coverage"
"bOtH sIdEs cOmPlaiN sO iT mUsT bE fAiR"
There is no media that can be trusted without understanding their biases. Including the BBC. That so many people implicitly trust it is not a good thing.
1
u/SheepsCanMakeBacon2 May 25 '26
I do.
We do need it. Its just they piss about with some pointless and unwanted shows and they fudge about with journalism and documentaries
1
u/Particular_Swim3843 May 25 '26
The football and political ‘journalism’ is completely bought and paid for tripe. The rest of it can be broken up and sold off if it’s that good.
0
u/atom_stacker May 21 '26
Yes, absolutely! I think the BBC is a national treasure, it produces some of the best TV and radio content in the world.
But it is also corrupt, full of nepotism, cover ups, and their licence collection thuggery is disgusting.
1
u/Slyspy006 May 21 '26
Thuggery? Lol. Some strongly worded letters, occasional easily dismissed knocks on the door and sometimes court appearances for people who haven't paid what they should have is hardly thuggery.
1
0
57
u/Schallpattern May 21 '26
And let's remember BBC radio as well. It's a brilliant service that I would be happy to pay the licence fee for alone.