In fact, a lot of those American shows actually are coproduced by the BBC (Band of Brothers etc). HBO relies on the BBC more than you think.

The public service broadcasters (BBC and C4) regularly get nominated for the best miniseries Emmy (as our series are so short compared to theirs).

Public service broadcasting in this country *is* the envy of the world. Compare programs like Newsnight, Louis Theroux, Unreported World with their ITV/C5 counterparts – the public ones are thoughtful and educational, the private ones are sensationalist at best and libel at worst.

John Reith founded the BBC when it was the only broadcaster in the country. The public service argument worked when people were forced to watch or listen to a documentary on Byzantine history for lack of available alternative, but not when they have the choice (and more often than not, the inclination) to switch over to Hotter than my Daughter. As it stands, the BBC merely duplicates programmes made in the private sector, and uses the surplus it gains from such an advantageous monopoly position to subsidise the viewing and listening habits of a minority of individuals.

The BBC at present is a self-serving institution; it is restrictive, regressive, moralising and anti-competitive(only the BBC, at its peak, could have afforded to pay Jonathan Ross £12m),. Programmes akin to Blue Planet and newsnight ARE produced in the commercial sector: the only difference is that people have a choice as to whether they pay to watch them or not. If the BBC is the envy of the World, then why is it that the best drama of recent years has been produced by HBO, a subscription television channel?

The argument for forcing every TV watcher in the country to pay a license fee is no-more convincing than that of a forced national museum subscription. Even if the museums began to offer free beer (or sweets) to get people through the doors and claim everyone got value from their subscription, the high art viewed by those who went for the cultural value would not justify a forced nationwide subscription.

The truth is that museums offer a useful template for the provision of that minority of BBC programming such as Radio 4 and the World Service which would not be offered by the private sector – a mixture of donations, lottery and if necessary, government funding will be enough to ensure that our output is the envy of the world, whilst retaining a much fairer system for the average TV viewer.

that i forgot, hence please ignore my mail above, not that there will be any reasoned reader out there by the looks of it.

If the BBC is allowed to dwindle away into insignificance it will be a fucking tragedy.

OH MY GOD, I always wandered why people treat the BBC like a water (basics of life) providing company. (water charge £4.00 per week with no obligation – the BBC charge £5.50 per week with obligation, with out the government funded part)

I congratulate the BBC for its PR ability (thanks to the 8 billion) to manipulate (make them think like they need it like water)but I also wish I was an animal, rather than having to engage with such littlens.

If the BBC is allowed to dwindle away into insignificance it will be a fucking tragedy.