The BBC

[Dougie Do'ins]

Meant to post this at the time but I see the cash strapped BBC handed out massive 30% pay rises to some of its bosses. This was around the same time they were complaining that cutbacks would have to be made if the free licence for over 75s was to be maintained.

 

BBC chiefs are getting bumper pay rises - but the free TV licences for the often vulnerable and isolated pensioners is under threat

 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/gordon-brown-launches-mirror-campaign-13743127

  

[Strontium]

According to that article,  the bosses' pay rises add up to about £200,000 a year, while the free TV licences for oldies costs £745 million a year. How very tabloid to imply that there is some kind of equivalence there.

[Dougie Do'ins]

21 minutes ago, Strontium Dog said:

According to that article,  the bosses' pay rises add up to about £200,000 a year, while the free TV licences for oldies costs £745 million a year. How very tabloid to imply that there is some kind of equivalence there.

So did they or didn't they get the pay rises ?

[Strontium]

Not remotely my point. I was disagreeing with the implication that we could give free telly licences to all those Brexit voters if only we didn't hand pay rises to fat cat execs. The mathematics shows that to be ludicrous.

[Dougie Do'ins]

2 minutes ago, Strontium Dog said:

Not remotely my point. I was disagreeing with the implication that we could give free telly licences to all those Brexit voters if only we didn't hand pay rises to fat cat execs. The mathematics shows that to be ludicrous.

The point being made was, it's a bit fucking galling bemoaning a lack of funds while giving out 30% pay rises. But then you knew that.

[Strontium]

Not sure why it's galling when as I have demonstrated, those things have no relation to each other.

 

But yeah, let's not hand out any pay rises. Just another £744,800,000 to find.

[Captain Howdy]

32 minutes ago, Strontium Dog said:

Not sure why it's galling when as I have demonstrated, those things have no relation to each other.

 

But yeah, let's not hand out any pay rises. Just another £744,800,000 to find.

Dougies point stands though, no good screaming poverty when you’re handing out more hundreds of thousands to fat cats regardless of the mathematics, funny how the rest of the public sector has had to eat shit for the past decade. Auntie really is becoming an embarrassment.

[Section_31]

3 minutes ago, Captain Howdy said:

Dougies point stands though, no good screaming poverty when you’re handing out more hundreds of thousands to fat cats regardless of the mathematics, funny how the rest of the public sector has had to eat shit for the past decade. Auntie really is becoming an embarrassment.

The rank and file don't get paid especially well though and their employment contracts are horrendous, usually three month contracts for years and then after a few years they might be made permanent, they're like gold dust those contracts though.

 

Like with most places, the back slappers at the top do okay but everyone else is keeping their heads down and trying to avoid the chop.

[magicrat]

2 hours ago, Dougie Do'ins said:

Meant to post this at the time but I see the cash strapped BBC handed out massive 30% pay rises to some of its bosses. This was around the same time they were complaining that cutbacks would have to be made if the free licence for over 75s was to be maintained.

 

BBC chiefs are getting bumper pay rises - but the free TV licences for the often vulnerable and isolated pensioners is under threat

 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/gordon-brown-launches-mirror-campaign-13743127

  

Rewards for towing the Government Brexit line 

[Captain Howdy]

26 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

The rank and file don't get paid especially well though and their employment contracts are horrendous, usually three month contracts for years and then after a few years they might be made permanent, they're like gold dust those contracts though.

 

Like with most places, the back slappers at the top do okay but everyone else is keeping their heads down and trying to avoid the chop.

Point taken but I don’t know of any other public body handing out fat cat rewards to its “talent” since the Conservatives  took office ( although I’ll probably be corrected ) “all in it together”  is how I understood it.

[Numero Veinticinco]

I paid full price for two episodes of that Attenborough thing. Great value. 

[Champ]

1 hour ago, Captain Howdy said:

Point taken but I don’t know of any other public body handing out fat cat rewards to its “talent” since the Conservatives  took office ( although I’ll probably be corrected ) “all in it together”  is how I understood it.

Oh, Captain Howdy, you have a lot to learn

[Section_31]

I've always thought that, regardless of private or public sector, once you reach a certain level you're pretty much untouchable no matter how shit you are.

 

We had some proper clowns at my old place, I mean really really laughably shit at their roles, and whenever they left 'to pursue other projects' they'd end up in another senior role at a rival company. If any of their mates or underlings also got fucked off they'd roll out the safety net for them and they'd end up working for them again.

 

They were never out of work, never skint, never forced to take a job that they felt was below them just to earn a crust and pay the bills.

[VladimirIlyich]

43 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

I've always thought that, regardless of private or public sector, once you reach a certain level you're pretty much untouchable no matter how shit you are.

 

We had some proper clowns at my old place, I mean really really laughably shit at their roles, and whenever they left 'to pursue other projects' they'd end up in another senior role at a rival company. If any of their mates or underlings also got fucked off they'd roll out the safety net for them and they'd end up working for them again.

 

They were never out of work, never skint, never forced to take a job that they felt was below them just to earn a crust and pay the bills.

The story of British business culture in a nutshell.

[Section_31]

30 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

The story of British business culture in a nutshell.

I think it depends on the structure. Interestingly, a couple of these fellas were poached by a rival that was run by one man, it was his company that he'd built up from scratch, and they were both booted out pretty quick as he could smell their bullshit. 

 

In most companies or organisations though you're only essential answerable to yourself and your mates (at that level) and you can be shit in the shadows for a long time.

[Jairzinho]

5 hours ago, VladimirIlyich said:

The story of British business culture in a nutshell.

Not just British, or in fact just business. The story of all fairly sizeable organisations.

[Mike D]

 

[Dougie Do'ins]

Did anyone see this ? I watched part of the first QT hosted by Bruce and thought she did OK. Didn't see the episode in question though.

 

Diane Abbott rejects BBC's response to Question Time claims

 

Diane Abbott has rejected the BBC's response to claims she was poorly treated on Question Time.

The Labour Party lodged a formal complaint with the BBC after she reported she had "never had such a horrible experience" on the show.

The shadow home secretary accused presenter Fiona Bruce of "decidedly unfair" handling and claimed she was wrongly corrected over polling figures.

The BBC said it "firmly" rejects claims any of the panel was treated unfairly.

Ms Abbott said that during Thursday's programme, she was interrupted more than double the number of times Tory MP Rory Stewart was, and was not allowed to respond to a "blatantly abusive remark" from the audience.

She claimed she had also been told that the TV studio audience had been "wound up" against her ahead of broadcast.

Ms Abbott said Ms Bruce did "not appear well briefed" after getting polling figures wrong for Labour standings compared to those of the Conservatives.

A Labour source told the BBC: "The way she was treated on Question Time was unacceptable and fed the hostility towards her.

"We expect the programme to correct inaccuracies, provide a full explanation of what happened during the show's production and to apologise to Diane."

A BBC spokesperson said: "We have received Labour's comments and will respond in due in course."

 

In a statement on Friday the BBC said: "We are sorry to hear Diane Abbott's concerns over Thursday's edition of Question Time and we have contacted her team to reassure them that reports circulating on social media are inaccurate and misleading.

"Diane is a regular and important contributor to the programme.

"As we said earlier, we firmly reject claims that any of the panel was treated unfairly either before or during the recording."

The BBC also said it reviewed the polling figures used in the programme, and that while a YouGov poll on the day of the programme put the Conservatives ahead, Ms Abbott was "right to say other polls suggested Labour was either ahead or tied".

The BBC added: "We should have made that clear."

Ms Abbott said on Twitter on Monday: "This is not an apology and does not address all of the issues that have been raised."

"Fiona Bruce was clearly repeating Tory propaganda that Labour were behind in the polls. If she had said behind in one poll, that would have been (a) different matter," she added.

 

Thursday's Question Time was Fiona Bruce's second time presenting the show since the departure of veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby.

Viewers had reacted warmly to Ms Bruce's first edition of QT the previous week.

Ms Abbott said it "would be wrong to blame Fiona Bruce for all this. Question Time has had a new editor for some time, and seems more interested in entertainment than politics.

"In the current abusive political climate, TV production teams need to reflect before they wind up live audiences against particular politicians.

"It may result in 'good television', but it can easily turn ugly."

Ms Abbott said she is not asking for "special treatment, only fair treatment".

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46943667

[Mook]

I stopped watching Question Time a good while back, it's blatant tory propaganda these days as well as being a voice for scum like Nigel Farage.

[Tj hooker]

I don't watch it for the same reasons Mook gave but have seen a few clips on Twitter and as far as I can tell she was unfairly treated 

[Dougie Do'ins]

8 minutes ago, Tj hooker said:

I don't watch it for the same reasons Mook gave but have seen a few clips on Twitter and as far as I can tell she was unfairly treated 

I gave up on it last year. Only watched it the other week to see how FB got on. Don't think I'll be watching again.

[Mook]

Can't find the Question Time thread but John Barnes is on it tonight.

[Sugar Ape]

18 minutes ago, Mook said:

Can't find the Question Time thread but John Barnes is on it tonight.

 

He pulled out earlier today, Gina Miller is on in his place. 

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

2 hours ago, Sugar Ape said:

 

He pulled out earlier today, Gina Miller is on in his place. 

Or have they done an AC Milan and mistaken her for John Barnes? 

[Anubis]

Interesting take on the state of UK journalism. You’ll need to click and read the whole thread.