davyK wrote:

We keep hearing the population is getting older. So is it that big a deal to be serving that?

The thing is 'future old people' won't necessarily be interested in what the old people of right now are watching, which is why freeview and whatever's currently on it is dying at the same rate as the viewers.

Old people in the future will be watching stuff on streaming services, like their younger selves are now, because that's easily the most convenient way to get what they want. Maybe 'static' media will become less dominant relative to games and similar dynamic experiences.

Watching some nice Rick Stein on bbc2 atm, nice to unwind to after work.

Funkstain wrote:

And you’re arguing about linear vs streaming and actual content. Both of these seem irrelevant to the argument of whether license fee is good thing or not.

Content can evolve and change and chances can be taken as has happened every time with the BBC over the years and decades. It’s more difficult to take risks as a commercial broadcaster.

Linear vs streaming is irrelevant to the question of funding because both require funding

Exactly this.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that the BBC remains the most trusted news brand, by quite some distance, by everyone in the country regardless of age, and it still remains an important source of news even for young people.

61% seems pretty low to me.

GurtTractor wrote:

Funkstain wrote:

And you’re arguing about linear vs streaming and actual content. Both of these seem irrelevant to the argument of whether license fee is good thing or not.

I started talking about streaming in regards to your point about the license fee helping to fund infrastructure, as I'm pretty sure Freeview has already peaked and will die in the coming decade or two I don't know how valid this point is any more as an argument for the fee. It seems like it would make more sense for the BBC to focus on software infrastructure and innovation, new platforms or something perhaps, but it's hard to see how they can compete on a technical level now.

It was my point, and that was in relation to my earlier point about how you don’t have to pay the TV license if you aren’t watching live TV.

If you are watching live TV, but not the BBC, the license fee does still help pay for getting the live TV you watch on to your screens.

GurtTractor wrote:

Funkstain wrote:

And you’re arguing about linear vs streaming and actual content. Both of these seem irrelevant to the argument of whether license fee is good thing or not.

I started talking about streaming in regards to your point about the license fee helping to fund infrastructure, as I'm pretty sure Freeview has already peaked and will die in the coming decade or two I don't know how valid this point is any more as an argument for the fee. It seems like it would make more sense for the BBC to focus on software infrastructure and innovation, new platforms or something perhaps, but it's hard to see how they can compete on a technical level now.

Right but then iPlayer then

And digital telly lasted for about twenty years so far and probably has another decade or so left so that’s a whole generation benefit. You can’t say “pah old fashioned architecture why is that argument”, it happened at the time and it was vital

poprock wrote:

Also surely I don't need to say this in here but advertising is the literal work of the devil, one of the roots of human evil, and anything that preserves any content without it needs cherishing

Right lads, I’ve been busy crushing souls in the devil’s industry this afternoon, but I’m back to drop a straight-up FACT for you. In 2021, across all demographics and audiences in the UK, actual broadcast television still accounted for 61% of all entertainment viewed. Traditional TV still has more than double the audience of all other forms of entertainment combined. Yes, that does include streaming, YouTube, gaming, etc. Broadcast TV is still the king, by far. Don’t fuck with the king. (Stat from Ofcom, btw.)

And if you scroll down to the next page from that on here - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/222890/media-nations-report-2021.pdf

Overall, the average time spent viewing broadcast TV in 2020 was 3 hours 12 minutes per person. This was nine minutes (5%) higher than the average time spent in 2019, and reversed the declining trend seen over the last decade. However, this increase was entirely driven by those aged over 45, with the pandemic not shifting broadcast TV viewing levels for those under 45, who watched less broadcast TV than in 2019. 1 Overall, the net effect was a fall in broadcast TV’s share of total viewing during 2020, from 67% in 2019 to 61% in 2020.

Regarding the quality of the Beebs output now compared to yesteryear, I don't have the figures to hand but I'd be interested to see the amount of funding the beeb was receiving at the end of the terrestrial TV era when it was running BBC1, 2, local news and it's radio stations compared to the amount it receives today against the services it now provides.

I feel as though up to the mid/late 90s there was probably more cash per service available, concentrated across fewer channels and radio stations, compared to whatever increase in funding they get now compared to the services now being offered and maintained?

Funkstain wrote:

GurtTractor wrote:

Funkstain wrote:

And you’re arguing about linear vs streaming and actual content. Both of these seem irrelevant to the argument of whether license fee is good thing or not.

I started talking about streaming in regards to your point about the license fee helping to fund infrastructure, as I'm pretty sure Freeview has already peaked and will die in the coming decade or two I don't know how valid this point is any more as an argument for the fee. It seems like it would make more sense for the BBC to focus on software infrastructure and innovation, new platforms or something perhaps, but it's hard to see how they can compete on a technical level now.

Right but then iPlayer then And digital telly lasted for about twenty years so far and probably has another decade or so left so that’s a whole generation benefit. You can’t say “pah old fashioned architecture why is that argument”, it happened at the time and it was vital

Yes it was vital then, but are the BBC doing something vital now? Genuine question.

Yeah that's probably their strongest part still.

Are they trying to do anything really new though? Technologically especially.

One in 16 people worldwide use BBC news one way or another.

Had the snooker masters the last week, plus MOTD.

It's true Only Connect is loved the world over, I'm sure.

Bare Line of Duty spoilers on Mastermind now btw

acemuzzy wrote:

ANYWAY ... Cummings going for the kill: https://twitter.com/Dominic2306/status/1483129651975315459?t=sx1mmRPY2EIiwheWMuueHA&s=19

Rigby claims to have a corroborating source.

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1483156617021509636