Balanced Question Time panel tonight - of course not! Vol 3

[SpeckledJim]

Graveworm said:

Oilchange said:

There is no logical argument for keeping this draconian tax. The licence needs to go and the beeb fund itself. I’m sure it would survive although not in this socialist form.

There is a logical argument, it may not persuade you, me or anyone it exists though. The logical argument is that it uniquely produces a ringfenced budget which cannot be re-allocated or leveraged. This increases the chance of it funding an independent broadcaster which is not reliant on commercial imperatives, external funding influences or even government budget allocation. So it can be impartial and produce some shows for educational & minority interests without needing to show a financial return.

No other model, I have seen, allows for that. If it fails it's a practical issue around fallibility not a logical one.

This is a good point.

But an institution in receipt of such a budget, under such terms, has very little motivation to return value for money, or to do what it should, over what it wants.

It becomes a ‘trust fund kid’. And how often are they impressive?

[markyb_lcy]

SpeckledJim said:

This is a good point.

But an institution in receipt of such a budget, under such terms, has very little motivation to return value for money, or to do what it should, over what it wants.

It becomes a ‘trust fund kid’. And how often are they impressive?

Almost like a proper government department

[Halb]

The BBC has been impressive for decades, much more than most government departments anyway.

[markyb_lcy]

Halb said:

The BBC has been impressive for decades, much more than most government departments anyway.

I would agree with that generally, just couldn’t help myself re:above. If anything it was more a comment on govt depts than it was on the BBC.

[PushedDover]

Cobnapint said:

tobinen said:

I wonder if the BBC opened up to a subscription service for the ROW, it could bring in enough money so UK viewers no longer have to pay.

Fine in theory, but the ROW could just use a VPN to pick a UK IP and watch it for nowt. In the same way that I do when I'm over seas and want to catch up on stuff.

What does a VPN cost these days?

[markyb_lcy]

PushedDover said:

Cobnapint said:

tobinen said:

I wonder if the BBC opened up to a subscription service for the ROW, it could bring in enough money so UK viewers no longer have to pay.

Fine in theory, but the ROW could just use a VPN to pick a UK IP and watch it for nowt. In the same way that I do when I'm over seas and want to catch up on stuff.

What does a VPN cost these days?

Couple of pounds a month.

The bbc should give everyone with a paid for license a login and then restrict the access to iPlayer to logged in accounts only. All the technology already exists for that.

They could then also monetise the content for people in the ROW.

[PushedDover]

Penny will drop in a mo

[markyb_lcy]

PushedDover said:

Penny will drop in a mo

It dropped first time!

Those of us who are uk residents pay the license fee shouldn’t also need to buy a vpn service to watch the bbc from other countries.

Similarly those abroad shouldn’t be able to access the bbc content by simply paying some other company a few quid a month.

It’s unlikely that most of those who have a vpn service use it solely for one thing.

[Halb]

markyb_lcy said:

I would agree with that generally, just couldn’t help myself re:above. If anything it was more a comment on govt depts than it was on the BBC.

Well, yeah, it's actually a pretty good comparison.

[TPSA7514]

Big-Bo-Beep said:

one must wonder the number of ph posters who watch qt and actually have a current tv licence, probably just me, paying for all you deadbeats and hippies.

I get my access from the BBC ambassador guy on here

[pingu393]

PushedDover said:

Cobnapint said:

tobinen said:

I wonder if the BBC opened up to a subscription service for the ROW, it could bring in enough money so UK viewers no longer have to pay.

Fine in theory, but the ROW could just use a VPN to pick a UK IP and watch it for nowt. In the same way that I do when I'm over seas and want to catch up on stuff.

What does a VPN cost these days?

I get 10Gb a month fo free with Windscribe. I've never exceeded the 10Gb limit, but I only used it to watch a couple of Champions League matches.

Most channels have a free trial for 7 days

[Cobnapint]

PushedDover said:

Cobnapint said:

tobinen said:

I wonder if the BBC opened up to a subscription service for the ROW, it could bring in enough money so UK viewers no longer have to pay.

Fine in theory, but the ROW could just use a VPN to pick a UK IP and watch it for nowt. In the same way that I do when I'm over seas and want to catch up on stuff.

What does a VPN cost these days?

Zero pence/month.
There are loads of free ones on the Google Play Store.

[TPSA7514]

On the panel: Thursday 27th

Edward Argar MP, health minister, Conservative;
Jon Ashworth MP, shadow health secretary, Labour;
John Bird, founder of The Big Issue and crossbench peer;
Alison Phillips, editor of the Daily Mirror newspaper;
Ayesha Vardag, celebrity divorce lawyer known for strengthening the status of prenuptial agreements in English law.

[markyb_lcy]

Cobnapint said:

PushedDover said:

Cobnapint said:

tobinen said:

I wonder if the BBC opened up to a subscription service for the ROW, it could bring in enough money so UK viewers no longer have to pay.

Fine in theory, but the ROW could just use a VPN to pick a UK IP and watch it for nowt. In the same way that I do when I'm over seas and want to catch up on stuff.

What does a VPN cost these days?

Zero pence/month.
There are loads of free ones on the Google Play Store.

I would be wary of any “free” ones. They’re probably tracking and monetising your browsing.

Nothing good comes for free.

[markyb_lcy]

TPSA7514 said:

On the panel: Thursday 27th

Edward Argar MP, health minister, Conservative;
Jon Ashworth MP, shadow health secretary, Labour;
John Bird, founder of The Big Issue and crossbench peer;
Alison Phillips, editor of the Daily Mirror newspaper;
Ayesha Vardag, celebrity divorce lawyer known for strengthening the status of prenuptial agreements in English law.

What a terribly weak panel that is.

[TPSA7514]

!!!!!!!!! PANEL CHANGE !!!!!!!!

Conservative Member change

Edward Argar MP, health minister, Conservative; OUT
Nadhim Zahawi Conservative Business Minister IN

Health minister rumoured to have contracted corbynvirus after touching door handle in house of commons
Revised panel picture

[markyb_lcy]

Zahawi.... AGAIN?! Between him and Cleverly, that must be about 75% of all Tory representation on QT over the past year. Maybe a slight exaggeration on my part but it is getting boring.

Ashworth is too much of a regular too.

[Halb]

markyb_lcy said:

Zahawi.... AGAIN?! Between him and Cleverly, that must be about 75% of all Tory representation on QT over the past year. Maybe a slight exaggeration on my part but it is getting boring.

Ashworth is too much of a regular too.

Yeah, same ole faces. But they've got the melons to show up, a lot run scared.

[markyb_lcy]

Halb said:

Yeah, same ole faces. But they've got the melons to show up, a lot run scared.

I’m interested in the selection process for the two main parties’ appearances. As in ... are they approached as individuals or do they apply to be on it, and to what degree are party leadership and in the case of the ruling party no10 involved in deciding who gets wheeled out.

[Ridgemont]

Gosh. Dull as ditchwater. Skip I think.