The BBC's lack of impartiality does suck, although sort of like you say next to standard American outlets it looks like friggin' ZNet. A decent independent hard news site is The NewStandard.

Anyway, I'm glad to see you share my distain for monarchy. Any monarchy, of any sort, anywhere, makes me sick to my 200-goddamn-years-after-the-Enlightenment stomach. Fuck those fucking useless fucking fucks!

 

We had that exchange on BBC over at my place, but I think your last paragraph hits my point.

I was saying that in relation to the US run Genghis Kahn(VOA), Mao(Radio free Europe), or Stalin(Radio Marti),

Your Jack the Ripper(BBC) is better.

 

come on man your talking pish!

The BBC is so anti British it's un funny, granted it doesn't want to upset the government, but thats the point it supports more of the political correct sillyness rather than get to the heart of a subject.

We could go on for years, but you name me an credible impartial media service and I'll eat my hat.

There isn't one.

I'll have a politics light please

 

seeing as the scotsman is buying

 

there isn't one but the BBC is not anti-british. being critical of britain does not make someone 'anti-british'. it just means that they might think the british state is doing something that they find worthy of criticism.

on balance therefore, the bbc is far less critical of the british government than it could be.

its the whole binding the nation together shit that anoys me. it is not now and never has been a unified nation. my interests are not the same as BP. someone who lives in shetland does not have the same interests as someone who lives in kensington. the bbc is their to try and make people believe that they do. that much is even in their original broadcasting remit.

 

Ah, so anti-british is the term that get thrown around over there when you think someone isn't towing the line. In the United States, we are usually accused of “hating America”.
This falls right in with my effective strategy for winning arguments. It's like a straw man, a red herring and an ad hominem all wrapped up into the same package. Why do we always take the bait when the bait is so sour?

Why don't we just say “F* you don't change the subject!”

Also, how in Christ's name did the right wingers ever become so damn adept at manipulating our language?

 

So adept in fact, that I cannot even name my political bent in English speaking circles.

 

in all truth that is the first time i have heard the phrase 'anti-british' used.

 

Your right I didn't have my thinking head on lastnight.

The BBC is a critic, and like all the various media outlets picks and chooses which particular angle it wants to go for and goes for it. What is unfortunate is that like the Brit Gov it is statistics that are important to them. Meeting targets, meeting viewing figure targets etc.. When faced against commercial outlets rather than raising the bar they lower themselves. The News has become more tabloid, using terms such as Nanny State for an increase in regulation.

As for the united people, you are right it's bullshit. I have no wish to understand what is effecting scousers as much as I couldn't give a flying fuck over what is pissing off some mega rich fat cat in Kensington. A Personal beef over local news lastnight.

I would rather the BBC any day over other media outlets abroad, but the state funded impartial institution like you say do not go hand in hand. The increased dumming down of mainstream British Society has taken it's toll in all forms of media.

The Monarchy, hhmm touchy subject there, don't like them don't like paying for them. Don't like being preached too on subjects from people so out of touch it's unfunny. Do they bring money into the economy with tourism? I think even if the queen wasn't there the tourists would come. I don't subscribe to this it's what makes us British, the eccentric mantra bollocks doesn't wash with me. However we have them, short of a bloody rebellion and turning us into a republic we will remain with them. It is time that they shrank further from public life and the media should allow them to do so. However with Bonny Prince Charlie getting on his high horse once a month it isn't going to happen.

 

commercial media tends to be worse. e.g. fox and sky and cnn and so on.

the bbc still does some good programmes like nature documentaries and stuff like that.
one of their journalists said this recently "investigative journalism at the bbc is not dead but investigative journalism into politics is dead"

also, i just got sent this....

"Being British is about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a
Belgian beer, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. And the most British thing of all? Suspicion of anything foreign".

 

oh and you're right. charlie should shut the f*ck up. and his dad.

some of the sycophants always go on about what a hard life they have in the public eye and all that. how to solve the problem? relieve them of the job and the problem is gone. easy.

 

Don't have anything insightful to add about the Beeb, but I love the Milligan-esque 'fallen soldier'...