Shouldn't the BBC be controlled by the people who pay for it?

Question

The British government control the way the BBC is run, appointing the management which is clearly going to be anxious not to displease their masters.
Isn't it time that the licence fee payer was given the right to elect the BBC management and for the BBC to be made totally independent of government?

From many of the answers I get the impression that some people are anti-democracy, for my part I wish we did have the option to elect people to positions of authority such as judges, they would then be more responsive to the need of the people. And to who anyone seriously believes that the BBC is not a puppet of the government please seek medical advice, you are seriously deluded.

Answer 1

the point of the BBC is that the poor gullible people pay for the rich people's TV, most of these people don't even watch it.

Answer 2

The BBC operates under a charter, which states that it must be fair and balanced, educational and informative, accurate in its reporting of world events and national news and, hopefully entertaining.

That is something which the Board of Governers have tried to respect: not always successfully.

The BBC is FAR MORE than TV, and began as RADIO, so the idea of "popular culture" and giving people what they want, is not really valid.

The traditions of Radios 2, 3 & 4 continue to produce high quality broadcasts, which inconjunction with the World Service, represent the best of British to the wider-world audience.

The BBC is not only a broadcaster, but a major producer of drama, documentary, educational programmes and quality music, with several very expensive orchestras to run.

So the BBC is definitely at the quality end of the market, unlike SKY which is not.

Because the BBC operates by charter, there is no political interference on comments or political reporting, even though politicians have tried to influence things from time to time......always unsuccessfully.

Answer 3

Apparently now the BBC have appointed a new Board of Governors who say they are going to take in consideration what the British public has to say in regards to Radio and TV. There will be various open meetings where the public can attend and voice their opinion and be listened too.
Personally i think it's all blah blah because there are still Governors from the previous term who have been appointed again and i feel like nothing much is going to change.

I'm actually upset that the BEEB never has anything interesting on at Christmas! (nor do the other stations).
Hopefully when it all goes digital the BBC will straighten their backs up and act like they have some competition for once.

Answer 4

No.
Democracy, as an idea, is based on faith: the general public does not elect army generals, they don't elect leading policy makers, they elect REPRESENTATIVES, whose judgement they trust to pursue policies and promote agendas.
The general public, as a rule of thumb, is moronic.
Not necessarily individuals (though many are, indeed, moronic), but the public as an entity. So pleasing the public, as a whole, will always mean dumbing down and giving up on complexities.

I don't want to elect BBC management, and I sure as hell don't want other uninformed people (e.g. the majority of the public) making such choices. This is not a popularity competition, nor should it be.

Answer 5

No - that's why we elect a government - to run these things for us.

If the BBC were run for the whim of the general public, we'd have wall-to-wall soaps and game shows. The fact that it doesn't have to survive on advertising revenue and product placement means that it can look to quality programmes and not ratings.

Isn't there enough moron fodder on TV without you wanting more? Just look at American TV - brain dead all. And remember we in UK only get to see the best of it!

Answer 6

Shouldn't this be in the joke section?

The BBC is a multi, and i mean multi!, million pound business.
The government will not allow that amount of money to be controlled by the people who pay their wages and actually fund the BBC.

If that happened there is a possibilty of quality programming and value for money!

Answer 7

Hey yo, it's just another bombtrack
And suckas be thinkin' that they can fade this
But I'm gonna drop it at a higher level
'Cause I'm inclined to stoop down
Hand out some beat-downs
Cold runna train on punk ho's that
Think they run the game

But I learned to burn that bridge and delete
Those who compete...at a level that's obsolete
Instead I warm my hands upon the flames of the flag
As I recall our downfall
And the business that burned us all
See through the news and the views that twist reality

Enough
I call the bluff
**** Manifest destiny

Landlords and power whores
On my people they took turns
Dispute the suits I ignite
And then watch 'em burn

With the thoughts from a militant mind
Hardline, hardline after hardline

Landlords and power whores
On my people they took turns
Dispute the suits I ignite
And then watch 'em burn

Answer 8

You are asking a Government agency to relinquish control over, arguably, the finest propaganda machine since Adolf Hitler's Germany.

If you are try to achieve this little trick, I wish you the Best Luck imaginable.

Answer 9

ah ! glad you mentioned the government there - an elected government . well I do not pay for a licience my self ( my wife does lol ) i think that the beeb is a good organisation and not puppet like so many other countries broadcasters so if you want a more slanted view of the news try cnn or al'jazeera or theres a new one starting called 'inward looking'

Answer 10

BBC is state run propaganda TV for brainwashing the masses