Forum for former BBC staff

Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> News and Comment >> Reaction to BBC Chairman's remarks http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1016190928 Message started by Forum Admin on Mar 15^th, 2002, 11:16am

Title: Reaction to BBC Chairman's remarks
Post by Forum Admin on Mar 15^th, 2002, 11:16am

Richard Hoggart, the veteran critic, has written a brief but considered rebuttal of Gavyn Davies's comments about "southern, white, middle-class, middle-aged and well educated" people consuming a "disproportionate amount" of BBC services.

In his piece in the Guardian, he describes Mr Davies's comments as "foolishly populist".

You can read it here. Click on "Reply" below to add your views.

Title: Re: Reaction to BBC Chairman's remarks
Post by mediaman on Mar 18^th, 2002, 6:23pm

What IS Richard Hoggart on about. All this about certain programmes aiming "very effectively, though not specifically, at an inadequately educated part of the population (and we do have too many who are in that predicament) but chiefly at the lowest common denominator in taste wherever it is to be found;"
What century is he living in. And who is he to class out certain license fee payers. And what is that bit in brackets all about? Like it or not the UK is not a classless society. So local radio has always served the working class well. Radio 2 the Mail/Express reader and Radio 4 and 3 are more Hoggart's cup of tea. But TV has lagged behind catering for the needs of all so broadening its agenda for all is a good thing. So that the 'inadequately educated (yes they do exist Richard) get something back and, even if they do end up as couch potatoes, get entertained by the BBC for which they also pay. Well done Davies in speaking out.