Oct 2008 29

Everyone else has had something to say about it…13

…so here’s a taxpayer point of view on the Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross/Manuel from Fawlty Towers saga. Let’s be honest: this is a ridiculous situation. The economy’s in crisis, Government borrowing is going through the roof, violent crime is 22% higher than previously admitted and the Congo is exploding again but Gordon Brown and David Cameron are busy talking about prank phone calls. It’s absurd, and it’s down to the fundamental unaccountability of the system.

At the core of this "story", no-one can really be sure if listeners care about Brand and Ross’s behaviour at all – the fact that only two people complained initially, and 10,000 later came out of the woodwork after newspaper reports suggest that the listener base for Brand’s show simply weren’t bothered about what happened.

Due to the way the BBC is set up, though, we simply can’t be sure if there is a real problem at all. If this was another broadcaster, their sponsors and advertisers would be furious because outraged listeners would be abandoning the show in protest. The management of the company would be angry because their profits would fall and their share price would follow.

With the BBC, though, listeners can’t remove their custom. We’re in the odd situation where if a presenter does something offensive to listeners, and the listeners were to withdraw their custom then they could end up in court. The idea is supposed to be that the BBC has a compulsory licence fee in order to provide programming that people might not otherwise buy. Is Russell Brand’s show really what Auntie’s creators had in mind?

Instead of the natural market-based feedback system other broadcasters have, with the BBC we have to rely on a bizarre impersonation of accountability by which complaints pile up, senior BBC managers release video apologies and the BBC News shows its contrition by running critical stories about themselves. If complaints result in a fine, then it is the complainers themselves – and other licence fee holders – who pay for it, not the presenter or producer responsible. It’s bonkers, and it means big problems are never corrected whilst storms in a teacup like this are over-egged. At the end of the day, we all have to pay up regardless of the quality of the service.

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Mark is a writer and political campaigner, ardent libertarian and eurosceptic.



  • Andy

    If this puts the obscene payments made to BBC performers and managers under the spotlight then the story is very worthwhile.
    Furthermore, the method of funding the BBC of taxation by licence-fee is rightly being brought into the discussion

  • Adam Wissen

    What nonsense!
    We can’t let a mere celebrity ‘scandal’ undermine the fine instituation that is Comrade Beeb, sorry the British Broadcasting Corporation.
    May she live on long after this story has hit the recycling bin to keep the right wingers gnashing their teeth for many years to come.
    On an economic note, just think of all the private dentistry practices that would go bust as a result!

  • Hardeep Singh

    The public outrage is not just focused upon this incident but the grwoing disrespect which is openly exhibited by so called celebs. Throw the BBC into the mix with it’s unaccountable almost patronising defence and you have something that really offends people. If the situation was in reverse and a self appointed undercover reporter from the BBC had found something not to their liking in the ‘outside’ world then they’d be hounding them day and night to change or call for their heads.
    Mark Thompson’s response is very hesitant it he seems to indicate through his actions that he’s not in complete control of his organisation with much bigger guns deeper within the BBC that could make his life a misery if he doesn’t protect the gravy train.
    The BBC is now being caught in almost regular and all too frequent lapses of standards. Simply because as Mark pointed out nothing comes out of their pocket and no one can be disciplined neither.
    Shame on the nation’s broadcaster.

  • Adam Wissen

    ‘The BBC is now being caught in almost regular and all too frequent lapses of standards.’
    Such as?
    ‘The public outrage is not just focused upon this incident.’
    And there was me thinking ‘Manuelgate’ was just a one off witchunt against two polarising public figures who took their trademark edgy humour too far.
    But hey if we can pin ‘Broken Britain’ on them and their tax funded employer and therefore by proxy all tax payer funded institutions let’s go for it!
    Fox News UK here we come!

  • M. Stevens

    I am glad this incident has brought to light the absolutley obscene amount of money Ross is paid.
    He is crued, arrogant and attention seeking. His ” Humour” is so child like. Sure he has a talent as a film reviewer.
    He is certaintly not worth 6 million pound, who the hell is? As for Brand good ridence to him. It is about time the idiots who waste our money on these so called stars are brought to account.

  • Christian Braun

    I never really got the avid support for the BBC, media paid for by taxes make no sense in this age of more media than anybody can possible consume. The US has lots of dreadful TV, but it also has better nature programmes (National Geographic, Discovery Channel) and even Parliament TV – all run commercially, just to give some examples what is possible.
    Let’s sell off the BBC and get rid of the Licensing Tax now!

  • Barry

    I agree with Christian – sell it. The BBC is in hock to the EU (it owes UKP 120m to the European Central Bank with strings to support the EU) so is biased on its news reporting. It normally advertises primarily in the Guardian for staff to ensure it gets the quote correct unquote left of centre slant. Until it is sold off simply do not pay your licence fee. I ignored their threatening letters for a year and I know others who have not paid for 6 years. The threatened up to a UKP 1,000 fine is often not pursued in court and if it is usually little more than the licence in reality. Just keep writing to the Trustees repeating how they are in breach of their Royal Charter (see above) and they are reluctant to give you time in court – especially after this latest fiasco!

  • Adam Wissen

    Here we go again with the ‘BBC left wing bias’ thing.
    Where has it, in anyway favoured the EU?

  • http://profile.typekey.com/Barrycoltc2/ Barrymx5

    The left wing bias thing is fact and cannot be dismissed lightly – a typical BBC tactic.
    Research in 2007 by the conservativehome. com website showed that 1,340 staff put themselves in the “liberal” or “very liberal” category, compared with just 120 who were “conservative” or “very conservative”. Some 340 regard themselves as “moderate”.
    BBC employees went Facebook mad earlier this year, with thousands signing up to log their profiles.
    A total of 10,580 are registered on the site, but not all have declared their political views.
    Because the website was created in the U.S., there is no choice of “Labour”, “Conservative” or “Liberal Democrat”.
    But separate research revealed that nearly 80 per cent of those who describe themselves as “liberal” on Facebook either vote Lib- Dem (49.9 per cent) or Labour (38.5 per cent).
    Just 3.9 per cent in the liberal category said they vote Tory. The research was carried out by Samuel Coates, the deputy editor of conservativehome.
    As for the pro EU bias, the Home Secretary admitted in a PQ that the European Investment Bank had lent UKP 120 million to the BBC. ALL EIB loans require the debtor to support the EU concept – so no objectivity is allowed on that subject!

  • Adam Wissen

    I was really looking for examples of specific left wing and pro-EU bias in programmes and features but found that an interesting read Barrymx5.
    Maybe the BBC could do more to recruit conservative voters, members and people who generally think that way by doing recruitment drives at Conservative and UKIP conferences and events.
    However I feel a certain right wing pressure group may object to this as a ludicrous waste of licence fee payers money.
    To be fair I’d agree with them on that one ;)

  • http://profile.typekey.com/Barrycoltc2/ Barrymx5

    Typical lefty approach Adam which as ever involves spending someone else’s money! No need for such recruitment drives – simply advertise BBC jobs in D. Telegraph and Mail!

  • http://profile.typekey.com/Barrycoltc2/ Barrymx5

    I have just located another site which could be of interest to readers of this thread.
    http://tpuc.org/stoppayingtvlicencefees
    The desire to stop supporting the corrupt BBC is gaining strength. This website gives chapter and verse of what to do.

  • Adam Wissen

    ‘Typical lefty approach Adam which as ever involves spending someone else’s money! No need for such recruitment drives – simply advertise BBC jobs in D. Telegraph and Mail!’
    Apologies Barry, I had no idea such publications would lower their high moral standards to promote employment in such a ‘corrupt’ and publicly funded organisation.