Melusina has a great post about toilets that illustrates this perfectly. American toilets could be better, but we're so used to the bog standard.
I think cultural blindness is in play when it comes to the British Broadcasting Corporation. The good old BBC has been telling the Brits for such a long time that they have the best television in the world. And you know, they've believed it. (And maybe it was true in 1952 or something, I don't know)
They've also been told that the reason they have such great tv (there was whole ad campaign based on this) is because of "the unique way that the BBC is funded".
How is the BBC funded? Through a special punitive tax called the license fee. This year it costs £123 to operate a television in your home. If you don't pay the license fee (maybe because you don't own a tv) you get a series of threatening letters from the BBC. They send round special "television detecting vans", issue with fines of thousands of pounds and get the bailiffs [repo men] out after you if you still don't pay.
Not only is this tax regressive and stupid, but if you're among the poor or the financially illiterate you can buy weekly license stamps at exhorbitantly higher prices. Some people have gone to jail because of the license fee. Not only that, but I heard one story from a former colleague that a friend of his didn't pay the license fee and when fee collectors came around (tip: they don't have the full power of the law, you don't have to let them in - so don't) they happened to be out, but the babysitter was in and they slapped her with the thousand pound fine.
And another thing that gets up my nose is how they'll pay millions outbidding rival free-to-air commercial channels for soccer or buy up American shows and then not show them, or show them at really weird hours.
But today the BBC is requesting further above-inflation increases to the license fee (I was aghast at the £123 price, since the Vol-in-Law usually deals with the day-to-day finances, I hadn't seen the bill in years - I really take a role in our household more like that of an audit committee)
On the BBC website, in a 'have your say section' they want to know if the license fee should be increased:
My answer: NO NO NO NO NO
And that was the answer of many readers, but some said:
I'm quite happy with the licence fee, and the only channels I watch are BBC ones as I just cannot be doing with adverts.
Nell, Tring, Herts
It is very difficult to imagine how one could get better value for three pounds a week. The people who complain about the licence fee should feel lucky that the BBC channels have not been sold off to a private company - which will charge a subscription and fill the screen with mindless advertising.
John, Stockport, UK
Has anyone actually seen TV abroad where there is no licence fee? I am happy (for once) with what I pay for. Most people who complain about the licence fee are happy to pay for Sky. Sorry to break this to you, there is no such thing as free TV.
Zach Rathore, Manchester
If it keeps the BBC doing the excellent work they do then I'll cheerfully pay up.
LouisC, Sandwich, UK
The only excuse that I can make for these people is cultural blindness.
But I'm not so sure about this guy:
The BBC is fantastic value. I only wish our PBS (public broadcasting service) offered the same quality and price as does your BBC.
Charles, USA
6 comments:
Haha, oh the irony.
I made a post sometime back about our national television here in Greece (which is paid for in the same manner as the BBC) and we were all commenting how crappy the Greek national television is and how we wish we could get BBC shows, or at least have our networks produce shows that are like BBC shows.
Just goes to show, for each complaint, there is one lower. Haha!
I actually flipped through the channels today on Sky, and damn if every one wasn't showing American crap. Shows like Cybill and stuff that's been off for years.
I actually prefer British television, when I can find it amongst all the yanks.
I didn't move 5000 miles just to watch Desperate Housewives, damn it!
I like my American tv shows. There are some good British ones, but I think they're few and far between.
Actually, I think I enjoyed British tv MORE when I was in America, all those detective shows seemed so charming and engaging. Now I just fall asleep on the sofa.
We are all entitled to our opinions, but I think you are way off the mark when you accused me of cultural blindness. Firstly, my comment to the BBC website was edited, therefore you have not seen ALL what I have said.
Having seen much appalling TV from around the world (especially in the USA), I am proud of the BBCs output, whether on TV, radio or on it’s website. However, there can be some programs or genres that just do not do it for me. Then I change channel. Or read a book.
Secondly, the money from the licence fee pays for the BBCs excellent website, from which you stole my comment. It would not surprise me if you did not ask them to copy onto your blog……
Anyhow, that is my opinion.
I can’t be too hard on you though, as you are a fellow cat lover :)
Two things, Zach
I can use material from another source for "review or critique" without violating copyright. That's what I did. I don't need permission to do so. I was even good enough to provide a link.
...and how would you know if it's cultural blindness or not?
oh and a third thing... just because I use some BBC services doesn't mean I like how I'm forced to pay for them or that I think they're value for money. I love Radio 4, for example and I use the BBC website - but I can do without the license fee extortion and I believe that these and other BBC services could be provided through other sources of funding
fourthly, great big yawn. Zzzzzzzzzz.
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