Radio WM

[brian green]

I must confess that I have never heard the station.  My local radio channels gush about how wonderful the people are standing in the snow all night at Sandringham to see the royal family go in a church, the invasion of ragweed and immigrant farm labour swamping the housing market. It is clear that radio stations set out to "build an audience" by being deliberately offensive. They provoke a reaction. It is nothing to do with informing or entertaining the public any more. The broadcasters are as aware of their responsibilities as people who go to a zoo and poke the animals with sticks through the bars.

[AV82EC]

I must confess that I have never heard the station.  My local radio channels gush about how wonderful the people are standing in the snow all night at Sandringham to see the royal family go in a church, the invasion of ragweed and immigrant farm labour swamping the housing market. It is clear that radio stations set out to "build an audience" by being deliberately offensive. They provoke a reaction. It is nothing to do with informing or entertaining the public any more. The broadcasters are as aware of their responsibilities as people who go to a zoo and poke the animals with sticks through the bars.

The BBC have never needed our support as much and this is what we get. 12 million of you in the Midlands ignored so they can centralise production in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff and Bristol. Armando Ianucci can spout all the worthy bollocks he likes about the BBC and the critical role it plays in our media industry but they don't help themselves.

The fact the BBC has never managed to create a dedicated TV or Radio sport channel in their existence despite all the advantages they had for decades I find staggering in the extreme.

To paraphrase Keith Burkinshaw the ex Spurs boss "there used to be a world class broadcasting organisation over there".

[Villafirst]

I wonder how much criticism the baggies will get on tonight's show? If that was Villa fielding a 2nd string team in the cup can you imagine Franksy's reaction?

[oldhill_avfc]

I must confess that I have never heard the station.  My local radio channels gush about how wonderful the people are standing in the snow all night at Sandringham to see the royal family go in a church, the invasion of ragweed and immigrant farm labour swamping the housing market. It is clear that radio stations set out to "build an audience" by being deliberately offensive. They provoke a reaction. It is nothing to do with informing or entertaining the public any more. The broadcasters are as aware of their responsibilities as people who go to a zoo and poke the animals with sticks through the bars.

The BBC have never needed our support as much and this is what we get. 12 million of you in the Midlands ignored so they can centralise production in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff and Bristol. Armando Ianucci can spout all the worthy bollocks he likes about the BBC and the critical role it plays in our media industry but they don't help themselves.

The fact the BBC has never managed to create a dedicated TV or Radio sport channel in their existence despite all the advantages they had for decades I find staggering in the extreme.

To paraphrase Keith Burkinshaw the ex Spurs boss "there used to be a world class broadcasting organisation over there".

I'm not sure what Birmingham or the wider West Midlands has to offer over Manchester as a base, so I can't see there's any criticism due on that account.

As for a sports channel, I'm sure only having two tv channels and four radio channels serving a wider public service remit operating at the time of something of a monopoly probably had something to do with it. 

[papa lazarou]

As we remain the only WM side now left in the Capital One Cup, we can unquestionably rely on their resolute, undisputed and indefatigable support for the remainder of the competition.
 

[old man villa fan]

They

As we remain the only WM side now left in the Capital One Cup, we can unquestionably rely on their resolute, undisputed and indefatigable support for the remainder of the competition.
 

They will still want to see us knocked out so that they can have a go.  They then realise there is no WM club left in to report on - D'oh!

[Percy McCarthy]

I must confess that I have never heard the station.  My local radio channels gush about how wonderful the people are standing in the snow all night at Sandringham to see the royal family go in a church, the invasion of ragweed and immigrant farm labour swamping the housing market. It is clear that radio stations set out to "build an audience" by being deliberately offensive. They provoke a reaction. It is nothing to do with informing or entertaining the public any more. The broadcasters are as aware of their responsibilities as people who go to a zoo and poke the animals with sticks through the bars.

The BBC have never needed our support as much and this is what we get. 12 million of you in the Midlands ignored so they can centralise production in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff and Bristol. Armando Ianucci can spout all the worthy bollocks he likes about the BBC and the critical role it plays in our media industry but they don't help themselves.

The fact the BBC has never managed to create a dedicated TV or Radio sport channel in their existence despite all the advantages they had for decades I find staggering in the extreme.

To paraphrase Keith Burkinshaw the ex Spurs boss "there used to be a world class broadcasting organisation over there".

I'm not sure what Birmingham or the wider West Midlands has to offer over Manchester as a base, so I can't see there's any criticism due on that account.

I'm sorry if this was a joke that I don't get but assuming it's serious I'll respond in kind.

The BBC collects £942m a year from the Midlands (about a quarter of TV licence revenue) and reinvests £80m in the region.

Birmingham was until relatively recently quite a large base for the BBC until nearly all of it was packed off to M********* and Bristol. I'm not sure what M********* has to offer over Birmingham as a base, apart from a lucrative stitch-up between the developers of Media City and Michael Grade, but evidently that's enough.

A couple out of dozens of articles highlighting this issue:

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/business-news/outrage-91-midland-bbc-licence-8721958

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/creative/asian-network-staff-strike-over-9844346

[damon loves JT]

Media City isn't even really in Manchester. The Coronation Street set was built on the other side of the Ship Canal, and they are very proud that they are *still* in Manchester but the rest of us ITV scum are working in the City of Salford.

[oldhill_avfc]

I must confess that I have never heard the station.  My local radio channels gush about how wonderful the people are standing in the snow all night at Sandringham to see the royal family go in a church, the invasion of ragweed and immigrant farm labour swamping the housing market. It is clear that radio stations set out to "build an audience" by being deliberately offensive. They provoke a reaction. It is nothing to do with informing or entertaining the public any more. The broadcasters are as aware of their responsibilities as people who go to a zoo and poke the animals with sticks through the bars.

The BBC have never needed our support as much and this is what we get. 12 million of you in the Midlands ignored so they can centralise production in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff and Bristol. Armando Ianucci can spout all the worthy bollocks he likes about the BBC and the critical role it plays in our media industry but they don't help themselves.

The fact the BBC has never managed to create a dedicated TV or Radio sport channel in their existence despite all the advantages they had for decades I find staggering in the extreme.

To paraphrase Keith Burkinshaw the ex Spurs boss "there used to be a world class broadcasting organisation over there".

I'm not sure what Birmingham or the wider West Midlands has to offer over Manchester as a base, so I can't see there's any criticism due on that account.

I'm sorry if this was a joke that I don't get but assuming it's serious I'll respond in kind.

The BBC collects £942m a year from the Midlands (about a quarter of TV licence revenue) and reinvests £80m in the region.

Birmingham was until relatively recently quite a large base for the BBC until nearly all of it was packed off to M********* and Bristol. I'm not sure what M********* has to offer over Birmingham as a base, apart from a lucrative stitch-up between the developers of Media City and Michael Grade, but evidently that's enough.

A couple out of dozens of articles highlighting this issue:

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/business-news/outrage-91-midland-bbc-licence-8721958

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/creative/asian-network-staff-strike-over-9844346

No joke.   

My point was simply that both Manchester and Birmingham are culturally, socially, economically, artistically about the same so there's no compelling case either way.

Both of the articles you quote argue about inequities in spend in the region compared with license fee income.  If the BBC had focussed on Birmingham as a major centre, then the imbalance would have presumably switched around, i.e. the north west having the underspend.  Given that much of the spend is the spend would appear to be on producing non-regional programmes such as the Hairy Bikers and Coast mentioned in the second article, then I can't see that the people of either region are either being over rewarded or short changed.

In terms of offering a base, it seems like Birmingham couldn't offer a better business case (or as you allege - arrange a financial stitch up) and Manchester could.  The winner gets the spoils, chest la vie.

[Percy McCarthy]

So there's nothing wrong with the tax-payers of the Midlands subsidising Manchester, with the added bonus of appearing a cultural wasteland compared to the veritable oasis we are actually paying for, even though we are culturally, socially, economically and artistically about the same?

It's supposed to be the British Broadcasting Corporation, and should be even-handed in every way to all parts of Britain. In fact, as proven by the first article, it is fairly even-handed to every region - except London where there is an overspend, and Birmingham where there is a huge underspend. If that was Manchester or anywhere else I wouldn't consider that fair enough either BTW.

[Villafirst]

FFS, already the 'flavour' replays of last night's calls all focus on how great Blues were and how shit Villa were!! Pathetic Radio station!

[oldhill_avfc]

So there's nothing wrong with the tax-payers of the Midlands subsidising Manchester, with the added bonus of appearing a cultural wasteland compared to the veritable oasis we are actually paying for, even though we are culturally, socially, economically and artistically about the same?

It's supposed to be the British Broadcasting Corporation, and should be even-handed in every way to all parts of Britain. In fact, as proven by the first article, it is fairly even-handed to every region - except London where there is an overspend, and Birmingham where there is a huge underspend. If that was Manchester or anywhere else I wouldn't consider that fair enough either BTW.

The article is muddled.  It mixes up money spent in a region, e.g. on production costs (including those for everyone), with money spent on programmes either about or for the people of a given area.

Therefore the people of Birmingham aren't subsidising Manchester, they are paying their share of the costs of producing programmes that happen to be made in Manchester, but are general in nature and don't have a regional focus.

[Percy McCarthy]

So there's nothing wrong with the tax-payers of the Midlands subsidising Manchester, with the added bonus of appearing a cultural wasteland compared to the veritable oasis we are actually paying for, even though we are culturally, socially, economically and artistically about the same?

It's supposed to be the British Broadcasting Corporation, and should be even-handed in every way to all parts of Britain. In fact, as proven by the first article, it is fairly even-handed to every region - except London where there is an overspend, and Birmingham where there is a huge underspend. If that was Manchester or anywhere else I wouldn't consider that fair enough either BTW.

The article is muddled.  It mixes up money spent in a region, e.g. on production costs (including those for everyone), with money spent on programmes either about or for the people of a given area.

Therefore the people of Birmingham aren't subsidising Manchester, they are paying their share of the costs of producing programmes that happen to be made in Manchester, but are general in nature and don't have a regional focus.

The article is not muddled, you're over-complicating it. Whether the programmes are general or local interest, our money is being taken from our region to subsidise another, economically similar, region, to make TV that could be made just as easily and well here, as it has been in the past. We may consume the 'general' programmes, but we derive no economic benefit from them in terms of jobs, skills or investment.

In addition, production of a general nature bleeds into the cultural argument too. 6 Music is supposed to be a general music station, but doubles as a non-stop advert for Manchester.

[Percy McCarthy]

FFS, already the 'flavour' replays of last night's calls all focus on how great Blues were and how shit Villa were!! Pathetic Radio station!

Local media is painting a picture of the region as 'one big club and a load of plucky underdogs'. Suits me.

[villadelph]

FFS, already the 'flavour' replays of last night's calls all focus on how great Blues were and how shit Villa were!! Pathetic Radio station!

Local media is painting a picture of the region as 'one big club and a load of plucky underdogs'. Suits me.

Eh, fuck em. We're through and they'll be scrapping for the playoffs. I know what position I'd rather been in.