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Slr Paticks Letter

MrEd

By MrEd
in Star Parties & Astro Events

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Grant

Grant

Posted
Posted

Genius!

It really is sad the state of programming on the bbc at the moment :icon_jokercolor: They need to ditch one of the BBC N channels (BBC3?) and turn it into a science & documentary channel - the bbc has made some fantastic documentaries over the years so would be a great way to watch stuff you've missed... could also do themed days and coincide it with events - e.g. a shuttle special on the next launch. Combine it with interactive internet features and a really cool channel could surface..

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Ant

Ant

Posted
Posted

I agree I would love to watch Sky at Night more but being employed and having to get up in the morning - these early morning transmissions are not conducive with work!

Even Sky+ has trouble...

One thing though, is it wise to post up Sir Patricks telephone and fax number?

Ant

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Grant

Grant

Posted
Posted

I wonder if the BBC have been feeling under threat from other channels and the Internet so they are moving towards 'safe' programming - that is cheap and guaranteed to have a reasonable audience rather than taking the gutsy route and putting on quality original content that might only appeal to select audiences.

Whatever the opposite of 'dumbing down' is - the BBC need to do it! We don't need any more tv fast food....

Perhaps within SGL we need to sort out a letter to send the BBC and all send it in separately. Or make sure that we post up all of the Sky at Nights times and when the program goes on the website so people don't miss it!

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barkis

barkis

Posted
Posted

I suppoose for all sir Patricks understandable ire at the Beebs programming scheduler, there would be no thought from him about moving away from the BBC, having spent all those years there. He would no doubt remain loyal to them, irrespective of the shoddy way they have treated the Sky at Night programme.

I am sure Channel 4 would give him the respect he deserves, and although they may not be as polished as the BBC, they seem to have a healthy respect for science programmes.

Ron.

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Whippy

Whippy

Posted
Posted

SPM has every right to send that letter. How dare they treat a legend (and I don't use that word often, believe me) in the way that they do. I'd love to see them treat Sir David Attenborough like it.

Of course Grant is talking complete sense, but when has sense make any difference... The BBC has literally years' worth of quality programming in it's archives and while BBC4 does it's best, I'd happily lose BBC3 (I don't think I've ever watched it) and have BBC Science instead.

Tony..

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Ant

Ant

Posted
Posted

If anyone posts their private details in the open I always warn them - then it's up to them!

The BBC is funded totally differently from commercial channels, and therefore doesn't need to rely on ratings for funding - this alone should mean that they are able to broadcast programms that are a little more specialist.

Long live Sky at Night.

I'm up for sending a letter or two - I wonder what would happen if 1500 people all sent letters at the same time - would they care?

Ant

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centroid

centroid

Posted
Posted

Have just read Sir Patrick's letter, and am left with the feeling that he is less than impressed with the Status Quo at the BBC, or am I mistaken?, :icon_jokercolor:

Good for him for expressing his feelings, directly to 'the man at the top', albeit its likely to get filed in the 'bin', unfortunately.

Dave

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Neon

Neon

Posted
Posted

"If you really put your mind to it, surely you can find us a slot at, say, 5 am following a film about incest or drug addiction? "

That part made me laugh.

I've posted the letter in a couple of other forums that I'm a member of since I think it's both witty and a good talking point. When do we see proper science and discovery on TV these days? Occasionally the news might report a medical breakthrough ("Cheap viagra!") but that's about it.

Besides, I thought the BBC was supposed to represent the viewing habits of the nation, not just the lowest common denominators, which is sadly what I think it does these days.

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Kaptain Klevtsov

Kaptain Klevtsov

Posted
Posted

I wonder if any of them have read this in the BBC Royal Charter http://tinyurl.com/24s3qr

The Public Purposes

The Public Purposes of the BBC are as follows—

(a)

sustaining citizenship and civil society;

(:icon_jokercolor:

promoting education and learning;

©

stimulating creativity and cultural excellence;

(d)

representing the UK, its nations, regions and communities;

(e)

bringing the UK to the world and the world to the UK;

(f ) in promoting its other purposes, helping to deliver to the public the benefit of emerging communications technologies and services and, in addition, taking a leading role in the switchover to digital television.

Kaptain Klevtsov

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  • 2 weeks later...
Merlin

Merlin

Posted
Posted

It's a sad fact that the majority of the population prefers to be fed on (telly) pap. [removed word] propaganda chief, Joseph Goebbels, was well aware of this when he said to give the population plenty of light entertainment ( with particular reference to the cinema) to keep them "happy".

The Beeb is face with intense competition these days, illustrating the destructive effect that competition can have on quality.

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MartinB

MartinB

Posted
Posted

Actually I'm not sure it's the Beebs fault, more related to the national Zeitgeist. So - a publicly funded broadcasting service can avoid being a slave to the ratings, this frees it up to provide high quality, less commercial programs. But this is now seen as a rather elitist thing to be doing and the BBC gets accused of being out of touch and it's charter comes under threat. Case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. As always - look to the polititians.

So, we have a crisis in our educational system. No one is doing science anymore, I mean pure science, thats physics, chemistry and biology. Biology teachers are teaching physics in a lot of schools. It's seen as geeky and irrelevant. And the government knows about this problem.

If ever there was a need to look at a publicly funded broadcasting company actually serving the needs of the nation rather than serving up pap it is here - a massively respected programme which aims to make an exciting but complex area of science understandable to adults and young alike.

So don't write to the BBC, contact your constituency MP and ask him for his views on the licence fee and the state of science education in our schools and universities.

The future for S@N lies in it being translated into Chinese

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  • 3 weeks later...
Sam

Sam

Posted
Posted

The letter is very good but it is an absolute shame it had to be written. Surely if the BBC don't want to let UK audiences enjoy it then they could at least sell it to SKY or Discovery or someone who appreciates the value of such a great series.

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