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http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> News and Comment >> BBC Monitoring http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1477739217 Message started by Administrator on Oct 29^th, 2016, 11:07am

Title: BBC Monitoring
Post by Administrator on Oct 29^th, 2016, 11:07am

The funding of BBC Monitoring was the subject of a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Scope of the inquiry
The Committee will hold a short inquiry to examine the implications for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the BBC's plans to reduce funding for BBC Monitoring from 2017. The Committee is expected to take oral evidence on the afternoon of Tuesday 11 October from witnesses including representatives of the BBC and the National Union of Journalists.

A summary of the report is now available here.

It was a mistake to end Government funding for BBC Monitoring in 2013 and that change should be reversed, say MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Chair's comments:-

Chair of the Committee, Crispin Blunt MP, commented:

"BBC Monitoring is a highly regarded organisation whose work is more important than ever.

These cuts to BBC Monitoring, proposed by the BBC, are simply not in the interest of the UK Government. They will not help the FCO improve its performance in detecting trends and undercurrents overseas that have implications for UK policy – something it notably failed to do in Libya, for instance. Given the vast increase in social media output, this kind of monitoring is more important than ever.

Other countries with similar operations fund them from central Government. The principal benefit of the output of BBC Monitoring is better-informed Government policy, which is why the Government should fund it, not the licence fee payer. It's notable that in the face of these cuts, government departments are in the process of recreating this capability internally. This should not be necessary and we should be bolstering the work of BBC Monitoring, not cutting it."

The Foreign Affairs Committee says BBC Monitoring is vital to the FCO's scrutiny of developing events across the world. Highly valued by the Government, the service translates and analyses news and information from freely available media sources in 100 different languages and covering 150 countries.

The full report may be found here.

Title: Re: BBC Monitoring
Post by JohnW on Oct 29^th, 2016, 1:39pm

Oh, I do like that!!
"The Foreign Affairs Committee says BBC Monitoring is vital to the FCO's scrutiny of developing events across the world."

"Highly valued by the Government" really??? What planet have they been on over the past 18 months??

Unfortunately I simply cannot see Boris Johnson - as our Foreign Secretary - being prepared to pay the BBC anything (not even a compliment!) out of his budget, even if this 'influential' Committee does make it a major outcome of their examination.
And even if he did, I'm sure that Whitless (one of the most damaging people we've ever had "look us over"!) would be on his feet in no time arguing against it. They're all in Murdoch's pocket anyway!

This Government, like almost all of its forerunners, simply don't see the jewel in the British crown that is the BBC.
Almost since Maggie's day have we seen the BBC's prestige being run down.
Birt-ism screwed us over so well that now we don't train the industry as we once did, nor do we innovate (in the technological sense) as we once did. Our 'home-made programmes' rarely entertain the population as they once did, and those that do achieve great ratings are 'stolen' from us by the lure of greater riches. [A little bit of me really hopes that the C4 version really 'tanks', such that others will seriously consider whether they're as prepared to take a severe hit to their finances!]

I think the Committee should suggest that it's not just BBC Monitoring that needs 'bolstering' - although that's the bit (rather like the tip of the iceberg) that they can see and have some 'say' about - but that BBC R&D should be at the forefront of technology in the broadcast industry once again!

Title: Re: BBC Monitoring
Post by Burstner55 on Oct 29^th, 2016, 4:31pm

"Birt-ism screwed us over so well that now we don't train the industry as we once did, nor do we innovate (in the technological sense) as we once did. Our 'home-made programmes' rarely entertain the population as they once did, and those that do achieve great ratings are 'stolen' from us by the lure of greater riches."

Maybe the BBC doesn't see itself as the "jewel in the crown" any more? Is that a significant part of the problem?

Title: Re: BBC Monitoring
Post by Amigo on Oct 30^th, 2016, 1:17pm

May I suggest that the "BBC Monitoring" feed to the FCO should be turned OFF, until they pay for it?

Let's call it 'A Subscription'.

How about £1,000,000 per month....?

Payable in advance, for the duration of the next Licence-fee settlement.

Title: Re: BBC Monitoring
Post by Administrator on Dec 14^th, 2016, 5:15pm

Alex Spence writes in "Politico" web-site, here,

"UK’s eyes and ears on the world under threat", and

"Downsizing the BBC is ‘a short-sighted and stupid thing to do,’ says British admiral."