Today's show 07/03/12

You will remember that my complaints about your programme are subject to the BBC's draconian "expedited complaints handling procedure", and it was back in January that I was invited to appeal against this decision. Yesterday I finally received the response to my appeal to the BBC Trust Unit, which consisted of an 11-page PDF file sent by email. I mentioned double standards a few days ago, and this only confirms what I said then: That I was required to send a printed and posted paper letter within a set deadline, yet the BBC can reply when they wish and using whatever media they wish. The full correspondence can be read here: http://lunchtimeloather.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-appeal-letter-to-bbc-trust.html

You will see that vast swathes of text have been lifted almost word-for-word from my letter and copied in to the response, but with a few significant omissions that either change the meaning to the BBC's advantage or miss the point that I made - sometimes both! Editting by omission must be part of the BBC's current culture as very often I read, see or hear BBC news reports that completely omit significant information that is provided by other news outlets.

I have been invited to appeal again, and which I will do, and at the moment I am still digesting the BBC's response and considering what to put in my next letter. But rest assured, I have not finished with this yet!

This video was brought to my attention yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tigtmmccFwE
It is an interesting review of the requirement to purchase a TV Licence, the BBC's threatening tactics used to extract money with menaces from the UK population, and what to do should any of us be unhappy with that situation. I say again that I consider this to be suitable topic for discussion on your programme, and perhaps you could get Noel Edmonds (featured in the video) to take part in the discussion. However, I know that in your own particular BBC-sponsored version of reality such nastiness would never occur, so I will have to make do with those same pigs preparing for take-off again. However, you would do well to remember that News International or any other part of the Murdoch news empire has ever sent a threatening letter to a member of the public demanding they pay money for their broadcast services with a threat of legal action. If you don't pay your Sky subsciption they just cut off the signal!

And in more BBC news:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2110743/BBC-arm-twisted-save-YOUR-money-say-MPs.html

'Unambitious' BBC had to have its arm twisted to save YOUR money, say MPs on the Public Accounts Committee

MPs today accuse the BBC of being ‘unambitious’ about saving money and criticise the Corporation’s lack of ‘openness’. It was only when the BBC was put under pressure to reach a licence fee settlement that it was forced into annual efficiencies of £560million, the Public Accounts Committee says. It adds that by underestimating the ‘scope for efficiency improvements’, the BBC risked undermining public trust in its financial management, openness and ability to deliver value for money.


The BBC? Openness? If the Public Accounts Committee had to use their might to put the BBC under pressure, what chance have the rest of us got to obtain information? I can submit as many Freedom of Information requests as I like, but until the BBC's freedom to keep secrets is removed not much information is ever forthcoming.


And I thank valued blog reader Gill for this one:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2111325/BBC-hit-Humper-ding-dong-swamped-complaints-UK-s-Eurovision-entry.html
BBC hit by a Humper ding-dong as it's swamped with complaints over UK’s Eurovision entry

The BBC has been swamped with complaints after picking Engelbert Humperdinck to sing Britain’s entry at the Eurovision Song Contest.
A BBC spokesman said the choice of Humperdinck ‘has been the subject of much heated debate’, but added: ‘We are delighted by the overwhelming and largely positive response.’

Ah yes, that will be the BBC looking what it has done, and being happy with its own decision - as usual. Gill adds: "Personally i would prefer Jimmy Young!!". Jimmy Young ... whatever happened to him? He did a good radio show too as he ACTUALLY USED TO GET THINGS CHANGED!

11:45, and no web page update yet. It has been updated promptly for the last few weeks, so well done for that, but what has gone wrong today? I have been told by the BBC that updates to your web page will be done when convenient to you (and not me, the potential listener) so I will just have to wait as the administrative leviathan that is your web page updater manages to type four titles, a few sentences and hit "Post"...

11:55 ... perhaps you have been watching Northern Ireland Questions on BBC Parliament?

12:00 and still nothing. I remember from your chat with Ken that you are talking about the deaths of the soldiers in Afghanistan and the death of a man killed while working on the railway network. My sympathies go out to the family and friends concerned, and also to those of the innocent people who have and will be killed on Britain's roads today. There was also something about Brazil's economy, and something else.

I'll come back later and update this page for completeness.

The Jimmy Young Show - it has not been as good since that other chap took over

UPDATE:
19:16 ... and apparently they could not be bothered to update the web page at all today. Your BBC, working for you.


UPDATE 2:
The following had appeared by 10:20am today:
Jeremy discusses soldiers dying in action, Brazil overtaking Britain as the 6th biggest world economy, amputations and the young woman who married at 26 and was widowed at 27.

WIDOWED - Finally, a young woman who fell in love and married at 26 tells us what it’s like to be widowed at 27.

KILLED IN ACTION - 6 British soldiers are believed to have been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan. We hear the latest, and speak to a mother who tells us about how the pain of hearing the news is unbearable.

BRAZIL - Brazil has overtaken Britain to become the 6th biggest economy in the world. We speak to a Brazilian who tells us why Brazil is booming.