Not joining the Beeb bashers

As the BBC (that’s us I guess) cops for a walloping £150,000 fine from ofcom (isn’t that also us?) in the latest piece of fallout from the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand Andrew Sachs debacle, it could well be time for those Auntie Beeb debates to be dusted down again. The long-in-the-tooth question about the need for a state media operation and how relevant it remains in this age of a zillion free access media channels, will doubtless get plenty more airings.

The fact that the BBC has survived this long is testament to either the quality of output or indicates that us British subjects just do as we are told and pay up when demanded to do so. Because we can get our TV entertainment, our radio debate and our up-to-the minute on-line news from so many different sources - without dipping into our pockets - how come we are still made to pay for it?

It does seem a little perverse and I wonder which way a national referendum would go on the subject - I think I know!

However, despite all of this, and the not inconsiderable attraction of saving £142.50 every year, I think I would still find myself casting my vote in favour of the Beeb.

From where I’m sitting the news output of the BBC is still unmatched. I know we will always get the frequent claims of bias, one way or another, but I actually trust the BBC. I certainly trust it much more than any of the other commercial-dependent operations, and I genuinely believe that there are sufficient people in positions of power, who believe in the sanctity of independent broadcasting to ensure the BBC continues to work.

What’s more I feel the BBC has so far responded to the challenges and opportunities of the internet very well indeed. BBC News is my homepage of choice and iPlayer is simply stunning, so from me, despite the recent hiccups, it’s ‘Carry on Beeb!’