From: jlloyd@cc.uow.edu.au (Jonathan Lloyd)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.uk
Subject: Re: BBC Select - what a total rip-off !!!!!!
Date: 14 Apr 92 22:27:39 GMT
Organization: University Of Wollongong

kevinh@hslrswi.hasler.ascom.ch (kevinh) writes:


>In article <1992Apr13.110212.1413@and.csc.liv.ac.uk>, rkl@and.csc.liv.ac.uk writes:
>|> I recorded a one-minute promo for "BBC Select" on Friday (just before Thunder-
>|> birds on BBC 2) and I had to play it back several times - I couldn't believe
>|> it !!!! Here's the synopsis:
>|> 
>|> The BBC currently broadcasts between 6.00am and about 1.00am (earlier on
>|> weekdays) the next day - leaving several hours inbetween where the station
>|> is off the air. From what I can tell (though the promo wasn't explicit about
>|> this), the BBC plans to use this spare time to broadcast SCRAMBLED programmes !
>|> They want people to buy a decoder (the size of a VHS VCR - huge in other words,
>|> unless it was a prototype they'd rigged up) and subscribe on a regular basis
>|> to the service.
>|> 
>|> I FIND THIS UTTERLY OUTRAGEOUS ! We Brits pay a licence fee to ENTIRELY fund
>|> the BBC (it has no ads) and why should we be expected to pay even more to watch
>|> programmes on the BBC ? Anyone else care to comment ?

>Sounds reasonble to me! Depends on what programmes they're intending to put
>out on this service - many people are quite happy subscribing to BSkyB for
>the additional services they provide. Do you really think that the Beeb's
>licence fee would cover the cost of the film rights for all these films
>etc.? Besides, it's not compulsory is it :-)

>kevinh@hasler.ascom.ch

British viewers are used to getting most of their TV for "free".
People are'nt too happy about much of the sport etc going onto subscription
only services. The Cricket world cup is good example.

On the other hand both BBC and ITV show mostly old movies (>5years)
and people use their VCRs heaps. 
Most people do not have BSkyB even though it looks quite cheap compared to
comparable services elsewhere.
Here in Aussie the TV screens quite recent movies on 3 of the 5 channels
4 nights out of 7, (i.e. about 12-15 late movies a week!). And we don't have 
to pay a licence fee even.
The only thing is that these movies are interrupted by too many ads.
Still I think it's a better way to go than the seemingly expensive 
subscription services that are being introduced.

The trouble is it is the "thin end of the wedge". First we pay extra for 
sports, then movies, then news then all we willbe left with is B movies and
crappy soaps. In the end the result will be socially devisive excluding
those with low incomes from todays most powerful media.

********************************************************************
** These views are my own and do not reflect upon the policy *******
** or views of the University of Wollongong, only of a young *******
** welshman in a land down under ---Cymru am Byth ******************
********************************************************************
Phone +61 42 213018     Fax +61 42 213112       Email J.Lloyd@uow.edu.au
From: crd@otter.hpl.hp.com (Chris Dalton)
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 11:25:17 GMT
Subject: Re: The Hitch Hiker's guide to the Galaxy
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol, UK.