On 20/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: >Selling advertising is what media does today. That is all they are interested >in. Long gone are the days when they were interested in helping their readers. >Except, of course, Public Radio and Television which are only interested in >providing a media for their producers
My point exactly. Except that the BBC is more than just Public Television, as I understand the term as used in north America. The BBC is there to provide a service of information and, overseen by 12 governors who stand between it and the government of the day. It is funded by a mandatory payment to anyone in the UK who owns or uses a television: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/purpose/> 'The BBC is financed by a TV licence paid by households. It does not have to serve the interests of advertisers, or produce a return for shareholders. This means it can concentrate on providing high quality programmes and services for everyone, many of which would not otherwise be supported by subscription or advertising.' The article about digital cameras was not what I would call a high quality service, and as a license payer, I have the right to complain to the BBC. If enough people complain, then things do get changed. I doubt that article will, but the general policy is useful and does work. Dumbing down of the Beeb is an ongoing saga, and even as an employee of 'the opposition' (ITV), I still hold the BBC in very high regard and wince when it falters. I'd dearly love to work for the BBC but I couldn't stomach the drop in pay ;-) Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=====| www.macads.co.uk/snaps _____________________________ Free UK Mac Ads www.macads.co.uk
