Posts Tagged ‘investment’
A BBC Preservation Order
TAKE NOTICE
This noble institution should be preserved.
It is not perfect but it is better than any alternative.
It contributes enormously to the culture of the nation.
It is our BBC
This notice should be nailed to the door of Broadcasting House and all BBC premises. Damaging or cutting off parts or branches of the institution is not allowed. Adequate space must be given to the institution’s roots which must not be interfered with. Severe penalties will be applied to anyone who knowingly or recklessly damages the institution in any way.
Then David Cameron, Nick Clegg and a heavyweight team need to take Mark Thompson aside and give him a good talking to. We want to preserve the BBC and its unique qualities but we need a hard pruning of dead wood and unproductive growth. Preserving the roots and fundamental strength are the most important objectives. Cutbacks in the right places will stimulate stronger new growth elsewhere.
I agree that Sky should contribute towards those commercial channels that it broadcasts free-to-air. It ties viewers into its subscription packages because they are comprehensive. This is gives it an unfair advantage throughout the market, as does its coverage and bandwidth.
Sky is a parasite on traditional TV companies. Its unfair advantages have enabled it to develop the best user interface and experience in the market. Even so, it is expensive and has a reputation for appalling customer service. Its relationship with Newscorp means it is part of a monstrous media empire which requires much more regulation in the interests of consumers and the community at large. It should be required to invest more in original programming and production. If necessary, a new media tax should be introduced to enforce appropriate investment and safeguards.
The BBC’s biggest mistake is the level of executive pay. There is no justification at all for anyone in the BBC to earn more than the Prime Minister. It is public money. Anyone unhappy with this should resign today. No one is indispensable. The BBC has always been the best in its business at bringing on new talent.
The Licence Fee should remain unchanged. It is fantastic value for money and shows just how expensive Sky is. The BBC Trust should be strengthened in its primary role as regulator and it should enforce cost savings, efficiencies and executive pay. It should also ensure that the BBC becomes more responsive and closer to its audience. Its complaints and feedback system is fundamental to this. It needs to be brought back in house and given real priority. See here.
Britain adores its BBC. Let’s ensure we preserve it and allow it to flourish.
Banker Robbers Bonus Blackmail
We’re told that the banks have to pay big bonuses in order to retain and attract the right staff. We’re told that unless we shell out millions to these mysterious unnamed individuals, these “masters of the universe”, that we can kiss goodbye to the money we’ve already put in. We’ll be damaging our own investment.
Twaddle! Rubbish! Bulls**t! Bollo**s!
These people aren’t doctors or scientists or lawyers or architects – or even plumbers or electricians. They’re blaggers. Nothing more, nothing less. All they’re doing with these ridiculous claims is trying to blag us all over again. Their job is little different from that of an advertising salesman who sits on the phone all day and maybe makes £1000 or £2000 a week. In fact, many salesman have much wider knowledge, better people skills and sharper brains than these wide boys in the city that have nerve, greed and little else to offer.
This is just an attempt to blackmail us. There are tens of thousands of bright, keen, hungry people out there who could do these bankers’ jobs with very little difficulty. In fact, fresh new blood that hasn’t been corrupted by the past would be a much better idea. We could recruit from the world of advertising, from market traders flogging fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and “knock off”. Why not just pick a few MBA graduates at random or take the top banking graduates from last year and give them the big jobs?
None of these people could do any worse than the sharks who got us into this trouble in the first place. Those, like Stephen Hester of RBS, who have taken over recently are no better. They’re still infected with the same ways as before. After Chief Thief Goodwin has had his turn in the trough they’re just elbowing through for their own go.
There is no special expertise or skill required to be a banker. Don’t let these charlatans and sons of charlatans tell you any different.
Don’t wait for the RBS directors’ resignations. Sack them now for having the audacity to try and pull the wool over our eyes once again.