TV License

For a while now I started to notice something odd about the BBC's news site. Often they have a story with links to related stories at the bottom. These "from other news sites" are often different news outlets reports on the same story. They are often local news organisations close to where the story took place. Increasingly it's showing the same thing word for word on each link. Why?

Football like all other sports illicit strong emotions in those who love and follow it. Any two people who see the same incident can interpret it in different ways, that can be an intentional or subconscious thing. We have interviews with the managers of each team and a few key players shortly after the match is finished who are still pulsing with adrenalin and under rules stating that they can't comment of some things like criticising the referee, but why does that not apply to the pundits?

Today the BBC announced it was to freeze the cost of the TV licence for a year. The reason they gave for this was to help licence payers in the current economic climate. They want to send the message that they understand the concerns about vast amounts of money being wasted by an organisation which is totally detached from the world around them. There's a flaw in the plan however.

An article from the BBC on fuel poverty today got me wondering. An increasing number of people are now in fuel poverty, sitting in cold homes because they can't afford to turn the heating up, or having to eat less food so they can heat their homes. when money is tight, people have to cut back on non-essentials to pay for the essentials.

Earlier tonight I caught a BBC iPlayer advert which made me think. I've searched the streaming sites for it to either embed or link to but can't find it, so I'll have to describe it instead. Remember the BBC are funded as a "public service broadcaster" in the UK.