Post by Teddy Bear on Sept 7, 2015 18:52:37 GMT
As this story shows, the BBC hegemonic agenda is primary in their goal. They see nothing wrong in reducing service to licence fee payers to fund it, and even pretend it will benefit us. Like encouraging more migrants and refugees to come here, regardless of the increased strain already put on our society. So long as we go along with the way Hall puts it, than we are not being some kind of 'phobe'.
Lord Hall also said that the BBC World expansion to 'promote British values' worldwide
That's rich, as the BBC doesn't even promote those values here.
Lord Hall also said that the BBC World expansion to 'promote British values' worldwide
That's rich, as the BBC doesn't even promote those values here.
'Let me stress, this is not an expansionist BBC' says Director General Tony Hall as he reveals plans to ‘expand’ into Middle East, Russia, Africa, North Korea and India… and guess who will pay for it
By Martin Robinson for MailOnline
BBC chief Tony Hall today denied the corporation was 'expansionist' despite announcing plans for a new TV channel for Russia and a daily radio show for North Korea.
The Director General also revealed proposals for more Arabic services and extra coverage in the Middle East, India and Africa while admitting UK channels will have to be closed and services cut.
Lord Hall also said that the BBC World expansion to 'promote British values' worldwide may have to be at least part-funded by the Government because of a lack of funds.
Spending: This is how much the BBC costs the licence fee payer and Lord Hall said today they will have to raise more money because of propsed cuts
Meanwhile BBC Four could be shut to save the corporation up to £50million a year, although Mr Hall said he would not reveal where the axe would fall until Christmas at the earliest.
He was speaking at the launch of his 'vision' for the BBC over the next ten years at the Science Museum today, and promised to deliver 'excellence without arrogance'.
Outlining the BBC's tough choices he said: 'Let me stress: this is not an expansionist BBC'.
But moments later he said of the BBC World Service: 'This is a service we want to strengthen and expand through new proposals we are also publishing today.
'My own strong view is that this is one area where this country's voice could be much stronger - especially in the Middle East, India and Russia and the states that used to make up the Soviet Union'.
Mr Hall is said to want to expand the BBC's output into non-democratic countries as rivals to channels like Russia Today and Al Jazeera, who also broadcast in the UK.
He said the plans would allow them to 'reach 500million people (worldwide), building on the unique power and brand of the World Service – one of our country's greatest assets abroad'.
Growth: Despite insisting that the BBC is not expansionist Mr Hall spoke of his desire to increase services in Vladimir Putin's Russia, Kim Jong Un's North Korea and also in Africa and the Middle East
According to the BBC's report released in conjunction with Lord Hall's speech, BBC World would like to invest in the following areas:
But critics are concerned that this expansion will come as other services in the UK may be cut.
Katie North write: 'If Russia and North Korea want the BBC let them pay and not us!'
David Wall tweeted: 'As a licence payer i do not want my money funding services to Saudi Arabia Russia or North Korea
One BBC Three fan against plans to move the channel online said: 'My little prediction: The BBC wants to go global to survive and 'empire build'. Watch in coming years as it semi-detaches from UK'.
Fans are also using the hashtag #saveBBC4 amid fears the TV channel may be axed.
David Head tweeted: 'BBC4 is also the BBC TV channel with the greatest coherence. The others are just a mish-mash'.
Helen Gordon wrote: 'BBC4 is a treasure and home to some fantastic drama over the years. Shutting it down would be terrible'.
Expansion: Lord Hall has argued that expansing BBC World can help promote British values in non-democratic or far-flung parts of the world
Part of iPlayer could be made pay-per-view
Expansion: Lord Hall has argued that expansing BBC World can help promote British values in non-democratic or far-flung parts of the world - and may make part of iPlayer pay-per-view
Boost: Lord Hall said more money would go into dramas like Poldark and they may also set up a streaming service to rival Apple Radio or Spotify
In a speech to journalists and BBC stars and management he admitted the 'tough' settlement from Government means the must find cuts of 20 per cent in the coming years.
In the face of dropping revenues and proposed cuts he said: 'The BBC faces a very tough financial challenge. So we will have to manage our resources ever more carefully and prioritise what we believe the BBC should offer. We will inevitably have to either close or reduce some services'.
He also revealed today that BBC iPlayer could become part pay-per-view like online rivals Netflix and Amazon.
Some content would remain free to licence fee payers but also new series made by the corporation or rivals, or classic BBC shows from the archive could be offered to viewers for a fee.
He said: 'At its heart would be a free offer, with BBC content funded from the licence fee. We would also aim to make it possible to buy and keep programmes, as we're doing with BBC Store.
'One possible route is to use iPlayer, which we will put at the service of the sector, using its brand, technology and reach. But there are other ideas too, all of which we want to discuss and agree with partners'.
He also announced plans for longer series, some US shows can stretch to 22 episodes per season, and that the BBC will trial releasing all the episodes for a programme onto iPlayer in one go.
This will allow viewers to 'binge watch' several at once, following the model popularised by services such as Netflix which employ this technique, he said.
The BBC may also offer a streaming audio service rival to Apple Radio or Spotify, Mr Hall revealed.
Last night it emerged that BBC Four could be axed as the corporation tries to boost its drama budget to compete with online rivals such as Amazon and Netflix.
It has been reported that the closure could free up £50million a year to spend on shows such as Poldark, Wolf Hall, Sherlock and Line of Duty but BBC sources said this figure is speculative at best.
BBC Four is a highbrow arts and culture channel that has been the home to hits such as The Thick of It, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mad Men and crime drama The Killing.
It also airs programmes that have been dubbed 'slow TV' such as All Aboard! The Canal Trip, a two-hour, real-time canal boat journey down the Kennet and Avon Canal.
It was launched in 2002 to replace BBC Knowledge and has a weekly audience of around seven million, less than the number who watched BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday evening.
While the BBC has refused to confirm or deny whether the channel could shut down in the foreseeable future, if it does, it will be on the heels of the decision to axe the youth-oriented BBC Three as a traditional TV channel.
Again, this was spun as both a cost cutting measure but also a way to divert £30million extra into the drama budget.
Lord Hall also used his speech the opportunity to lay out a 'positive' case for the BBC in response to the government's recent green paper on charter review that painted a picture of a smaller corporation.
His speech at the Science Museum in London comes after Culture Secretary John Whittingdale announced consultations on the future of licence fee funding for the BBC, questioning whether the corporation should be 'all things to all people' or have a more 'precisely targeted' mission.
Lord Hall said: 'For the next 10 years, we will need to ride two horses - serving those who have adopted the internet and mobile media, while at the same time making sure that those who want to carry on watching and listening to traditional channels continue to be properly served too.
'This is where the idea of an open BBC for the internet age comes from.'
The director general said that the internet had made it easier to find information but harder to know whether to trust it.
He added: 'In the internet age our mission is simple: great British programmes and a trusted guide for every one of us.
'We want to take all the opportunities the internet creates to inform, educate and entertain in new ways.
'And to that traditional mission we would add a fourth imperative - to enable others to do that too.
'We want to open the BBC to be Britain's creative partner, to become a platform - a catalyst for this country's incredible talent.
'We intend to put our technology and digital capabilities at the service of our partners and the wider industry - bringing us closer together for the good of the country - to deliver the very best to audiences.'
When asked if he had a 'good deal' from the Chancellor George Osborne he refused to say yes.
Lord Hall said that the July Budget had left the BBC facing 'some very difficult choices ahead' and that some services would have to be closed or reduced.
In a settlement reached ahead of the Budget, the corporation agreed to help finance spending cuts by shouldering the cost of free television licences for people aged over 75.
It will cost the BBC an estimated £750 million by 2020, almost a fifth of the corporation's current annual income.
Lord Hall said that it meant the BBC would have to save 20% of its income over the next five years at a time when its share of TV revenues was likely to fall.
Spending: The latest figures show that the highest earners have been reduced but overal more managers are earning more than £100,000 a year
Another proposal outlined during the speech was the introduction of an 'ideas service' as a 'core part' of the vision for an 'open BBC'.
Lord Hall said the service would host content not only from the broadcaster, but also from the country's cultural institutions, from the British Museum and the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Edinburgh Festivals.
Other plans will see changes to the iPlayer that will allow rival shows to be seen on the catch-up service.
'I want to experiment with the BBC issuing bigger and bolder series all at once on iPlayer, so viewers have the option of 'binge-watching',' said Lord Hall.
He added that the ambition is to create a 'platform for Britain's creativity and an even better experience for UK audiences'.
This is not the first time the idea of scrapping BBC Four has been floated. While being asked about whether the BBC could operate with less funding, head of TV Danny Cohen said last year: 'For BBC Four, that means if future funding for the BBC comes under more threat then the likelihood is we would have to take more services along the same route [as BBC Three].'
It was also claimed earlier this year that Lord Hall threatened to shut down BBC2, BBC4 and every local radio station unless Mr Whittingdale backed down over his plan to force the BBC to bear the £750million-a-year cost of providing free TV licences to the over-75s.
While the BBC has now taken on this cost, it is believed to have done so in exchange for concessions such as closing the loop hole that allows people to watch BBC programmes on catch-up through iPlayer without having to pay the TV licence.
- Lord Hall announces plans for Russian TV channel and North Korean radio
- But he admits there will also be closures and cuts to existing services
- BBC iPlayer may become part pay-per-view selling new and classic shows
- Channels like BBC Four may be axed to boost corporation's drama budget
- Expansion of World Service will need extra funding from the Government
By Martin Robinson for MailOnline
BBC chief Tony Hall today denied the corporation was 'expansionist' despite announcing plans for a new TV channel for Russia and a daily radio show for North Korea.
The Director General also revealed proposals for more Arabic services and extra coverage in the Middle East, India and Africa while admitting UK channels will have to be closed and services cut.
Lord Hall also said that the BBC World expansion to 'promote British values' worldwide may have to be at least part-funded by the Government because of a lack of funds.
Spending: This is how much the BBC costs the licence fee payer and Lord Hall said today they will have to raise more money because of propsed cuts
Meanwhile BBC Four could be shut to save the corporation up to £50million a year, although Mr Hall said he would not reveal where the axe would fall until Christmas at the earliest.
He was speaking at the launch of his 'vision' for the BBC over the next ten years at the Science Museum today, and promised to deliver 'excellence without arrogance'.
Outlining the BBC's tough choices he said: 'Let me stress: this is not an expansionist BBC'.
But moments later he said of the BBC World Service: 'This is a service we want to strengthen and expand through new proposals we are also publishing today.
'My own strong view is that this is one area where this country's voice could be much stronger - especially in the Middle East, India and Russia and the states that used to make up the Soviet Union'.
Mr Hall is said to want to expand the BBC's output into non-democratic countries as rivals to channels like Russia Today and Al Jazeera, who also broadcast in the UK.
He said the plans would allow them to 'reach 500million people (worldwide), building on the unique power and brand of the World Service – one of our country's greatest assets abroad'.
Growth: Despite insisting that the BBC is not expansionist Mr Hall spoke of his desire to increase services in Vladimir Putin's Russia, Kim Jong Un's North Korea and also in Africa and the Middle East
According to the BBC's report released in conjunction with Lord Hall's speech, BBC World would like to invest in the following areas:
- In Russia a new digital service on platforms such as YouTube and the Russian equivalent Rutube, together with TV bulletins for neighbouring states.
- They would also consider a satellite TV channel for Russia
- A daily news programme, seven days a week, for North Korea, initially delivered through Short Wave radio
- News for Ethiopia and Eritrea on Medium Wave and Short Wave
- New or extended digital and mobile offers in India and Nigeria More content on the BBC Arabic Service to better serve audiences across the region, and target new audiences, with increased coverage of North Africa and the Gulf
But critics are concerned that this expansion will come as other services in the UK may be cut.
Katie North write: 'If Russia and North Korea want the BBC let them pay and not us!'
David Wall tweeted: 'As a licence payer i do not want my money funding services to Saudi Arabia Russia or North Korea
One BBC Three fan against plans to move the channel online said: 'My little prediction: The BBC wants to go global to survive and 'empire build'. Watch in coming years as it semi-detaches from UK'.
Fans are also using the hashtag #saveBBC4 amid fears the TV channel may be axed.
David Head tweeted: 'BBC4 is also the BBC TV channel with the greatest coherence. The others are just a mish-mash'.
Helen Gordon wrote: 'BBC4 is a treasure and home to some fantastic drama over the years. Shutting it down would be terrible'.
Expansion: Lord Hall has argued that expansing BBC World can help promote British values in non-democratic or far-flung parts of the world
Part of iPlayer could be made pay-per-view
Expansion: Lord Hall has argued that expansing BBC World can help promote British values in non-democratic or far-flung parts of the world - and may make part of iPlayer pay-per-view
Boost: Lord Hall said more money would go into dramas like Poldark and they may also set up a streaming service to rival Apple Radio or Spotify
In a speech to journalists and BBC stars and management he admitted the 'tough' settlement from Government means the must find cuts of 20 per cent in the coming years.
NO MORE £20MILLION SHOWS LIKE THE VOICE, HINTS LORD HALL
Super-expensive shows like the Voice could be a thing of the past, Lord Hall hinted today.
The eye-popping £20million price tag for the talent show has caused significant controversy with many questioning whether the BBC should have spent so much of the licence fee money on one TV show.
The Voice and some other shows are bought in by the BBC from major production companies, making them more expensive.
But an equivalent prime time shows like Strictly Come Dancing are made by the BBC themselves and are cheaper as a result.
Lord Hall said today that they will set up BBC Studios to produce more hits of its own.
Shows like Top Gear have made the BBC huge sums because they have been able to sell the show worldwide.
In his report Lord Hall said: 'Occasionally, we will take international formats and make them into BBC programmes, as we have with University Challenge, The Apprentice, The Voice UK and Dragons’ Den. But we aim to discover the next entertainment format ourselves—and are proposing to remove in-house quotas and set up BBC Studios to make that more likely'.
BBC sources have maintained that the Voice represented good value compared to the X Factor.
One said last year: 'At £650,000 per episode, The Voice costs less than The X Factor’s £1 million-per-episode budget'.
Super-expensive shows like the Voice could be a thing of the past, Lord Hall hinted today.
The eye-popping £20million price tag for the talent show has caused significant controversy with many questioning whether the BBC should have spent so much of the licence fee money on one TV show.
The Voice and some other shows are bought in by the BBC from major production companies, making them more expensive.
But an equivalent prime time shows like Strictly Come Dancing are made by the BBC themselves and are cheaper as a result.
Lord Hall said today that they will set up BBC Studios to produce more hits of its own.
Shows like Top Gear have made the BBC huge sums because they have been able to sell the show worldwide.
In his report Lord Hall said: 'Occasionally, we will take international formats and make them into BBC programmes, as we have with University Challenge, The Apprentice, The Voice UK and Dragons’ Den. But we aim to discover the next entertainment format ourselves—and are proposing to remove in-house quotas and set up BBC Studios to make that more likely'.
BBC sources have maintained that the Voice represented good value compared to the X Factor.
One said last year: 'At £650,000 per episode, The Voice costs less than The X Factor’s £1 million-per-episode budget'.
He also revealed today that BBC iPlayer could become part pay-per-view like online rivals Netflix and Amazon.
Some content would remain free to licence fee payers but also new series made by the corporation or rivals, or classic BBC shows from the archive could be offered to viewers for a fee.
He said: 'At its heart would be a free offer, with BBC content funded from the licence fee. We would also aim to make it possible to buy and keep programmes, as we're doing with BBC Store.
'One possible route is to use iPlayer, which we will put at the service of the sector, using its brand, technology and reach. But there are other ideas too, all of which we want to discuss and agree with partners'.
He also announced plans for longer series, some US shows can stretch to 22 episodes per season, and that the BBC will trial releasing all the episodes for a programme onto iPlayer in one go.
This will allow viewers to 'binge watch' several at once, following the model popularised by services such as Netflix which employ this technique, he said.
The BBC may also offer a streaming audio service rival to Apple Radio or Spotify, Mr Hall revealed.
Last night it emerged that BBC Four could be axed as the corporation tries to boost its drama budget to compete with online rivals such as Amazon and Netflix.
It has been reported that the closure could free up £50million a year to spend on shows such as Poldark, Wolf Hall, Sherlock and Line of Duty but BBC sources said this figure is speculative at best.
BBC Four is a highbrow arts and culture channel that has been the home to hits such as The Thick of It, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mad Men and crime drama The Killing.
It also airs programmes that have been dubbed 'slow TV' such as All Aboard! The Canal Trip, a two-hour, real-time canal boat journey down the Kennet and Avon Canal.
It was launched in 2002 to replace BBC Knowledge and has a weekly audience of around seven million, less than the number who watched BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday evening.
While the BBC has refused to confirm or deny whether the channel could shut down in the foreseeable future, if it does, it will be on the heels of the decision to axe the youth-oriented BBC Three as a traditional TV channel.
Again, this was spun as both a cost cutting measure but also a way to divert £30million extra into the drama budget.
Lord Hall also used his speech the opportunity to lay out a 'positive' case for the BBC in response to the government's recent green paper on charter review that painted a picture of a smaller corporation.
His speech at the Science Museum in London comes after Culture Secretary John Whittingdale announced consultations on the future of licence fee funding for the BBC, questioning whether the corporation should be 'all things to all people' or have a more 'precisely targeted' mission.
Lord Hall said: 'For the next 10 years, we will need to ride two horses - serving those who have adopted the internet and mobile media, while at the same time making sure that those who want to carry on watching and listening to traditional channels continue to be properly served too.
'This is where the idea of an open BBC for the internet age comes from.'
The director general said that the internet had made it easier to find information but harder to know whether to trust it.
He added: 'In the internet age our mission is simple: great British programmes and a trusted guide for every one of us.
'We want to take all the opportunities the internet creates to inform, educate and entertain in new ways.
'And to that traditional mission we would add a fourth imperative - to enable others to do that too.
'We want to open the BBC to be Britain's creative partner, to become a platform - a catalyst for this country's incredible talent.
'We intend to put our technology and digital capabilities at the service of our partners and the wider industry - bringing us closer together for the good of the country - to deliver the very best to audiences.'
When asked if he had a 'good deal' from the Chancellor George Osborne he refused to say yes.
Lord Hall said that the July Budget had left the BBC facing 'some very difficult choices ahead' and that some services would have to be closed or reduced.
In a settlement reached ahead of the Budget, the corporation agreed to help finance spending cuts by shouldering the cost of free television licences for people aged over 75.
It will cost the BBC an estimated £750 million by 2020, almost a fifth of the corporation's current annual income.
Lord Hall said that it meant the BBC would have to save 20% of its income over the next five years at a time when its share of TV revenues was likely to fall.
Spending: The latest figures show that the highest earners have been reduced but overal more managers are earning more than £100,000 a year
Another proposal outlined during the speech was the introduction of an 'ideas service' as a 'core part' of the vision for an 'open BBC'.
Lord Hall said the service would host content not only from the broadcaster, but also from the country's cultural institutions, from the British Museum and the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Edinburgh Festivals.
Other plans will see changes to the iPlayer that will allow rival shows to be seen on the catch-up service.
BEEB'S OFFER TO LOCAL PAPERS
A network of 100 public service journalists should be set up by the BBC to help sustain local newspapers, its boss will say today.
Director general Tony Hall made the radical offer as he battles against criticism that the BBC's 'imperial' website seriously threatens the health of Britain's news media. Under plans seen by the Daily Mail, the new journalism network would be likely to be funded by the licence fee.
It would produce content for use by both the BBC and commercial news organisations such as local newspapers, websites and even television stations
A network of 100 public service journalists should be set up by the BBC to help sustain local newspapers, its boss will say today.
Director general Tony Hall made the radical offer as he battles against criticism that the BBC's 'imperial' website seriously threatens the health of Britain's news media. Under plans seen by the Daily Mail, the new journalism network would be likely to be funded by the licence fee.
It would produce content for use by both the BBC and commercial news organisations such as local newspapers, websites and even television stations
He added that the ambition is to create a 'platform for Britain's creativity and an even better experience for UK audiences'.
This is not the first time the idea of scrapping BBC Four has been floated. While being asked about whether the BBC could operate with less funding, head of TV Danny Cohen said last year: 'For BBC Four, that means if future funding for the BBC comes under more threat then the likelihood is we would have to take more services along the same route [as BBC Three].'
It was also claimed earlier this year that Lord Hall threatened to shut down BBC2, BBC4 and every local radio station unless Mr Whittingdale backed down over his plan to force the BBC to bear the £750million-a-year cost of providing free TV licences to the over-75s.
While the BBC has now taken on this cost, it is believed to have done so in exchange for concessions such as closing the loop hole that allows people to watch BBC programmes on catch-up through iPlayer without having to pay the TV licence.