Rupert versus The Beeb
p2p news / p2pnet: A senior executive with one of, if not the, largest digital empires is accusing the BBC, "of using taxpayers’ money to build a ‘digital empire’ that would compete with commercial rivals," says the Associated Press, going on:
"The BBC, which receives about 3 billion pounds ($5.3 billion) a year in public funding, has announced plans to relaunch its Web site to incorporate more user-generated content such as blogs and video, as well as developing new broadband portals in areas including sports, music, health and science."
But James MacManus, an executive director of Rupert Murdoch’s News International, says the Beeb has, "blatantly commercial ambitions" and is seeking to, "create a digital empire."
Also See:
Associated Press – BBC is criticized over web site plans, April 26, 2006
April 27th, 2006 at 9:26 pm
And why not? The BBC is meant to be for the people as people pay for it.
Just get over it, I am from the UK and think time we got rid of TV licence (Tax). Here my plan first make all broadcasters in UK (TV/Radio) be charged an Tax on income from Ad’s/ Product placement/ Premium Rate phone numbers/Sales items/ Subscription/ PPV. So TV/Radio broadcasters are tax for there income which pay for BBC.
Way cool, just love to see Sky (aka News International) pay billions a year to BBC, ha ha!
What is more interesting is the likes of Google, Yahoo an co have made no such comment!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/licencefee/
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/
http://www.tvlicensing.biz/
April 27th, 2006 at 9:48 pm
Three cheers for Auntie Beeb, may she live and prosper for ever more. With all their radio stations, tv stations, and websites they are worth every penny and more than we pay already!
As for Rupe, he is ‘running’ one of the two most dispensable companys ever known to mankind! The other of course being Mr. Gate’s Mob.
April 28th, 2006 at 12:21 am
Well if nobody is going to keep Murdoch’s own digital empire in check, I guess the taxpayers will just have to build their own to compete.
I kinda like the idea of having a small stake in a community owned media outlet, even if the community is an entire country.
May 3rd, 2006 at 8:13 am
Sigh. Well they would say that, wouldn’t they.
The BBC sets the bar in terms of quality. Certainly for the UK and, I suspect, for outside as well.
What would your media be like without the BBC?
What would your on-line experience be like without the BBC?
If you say “no different” I believe you ought to examine the chain of references/influences that creates ‘your’ content and see how much points back to the Beeb, small-world-networking or no.
Yup, I’m British. Yup, I pay the licence fee. No, I don’t mind it as a ‘media tax’ because I feel I’m getting value for money particularly since my licence fee is a *lot* cheaper than cable/satellite subscription for much better quality (speak up Murdoch, what was that muttering). And no, I don’t mind if non-uk areas benefit ‘downstream’ from the content I pay for.