https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/02/bbc-cancels-popular-wildlife-show-autumnwatch-after-17-years-18212225/?ito=article.mweb.share.top.link
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
Basically if the TV Licence has been frozen for 5 years and then any increase of the TV Licence in recent years well below the increase of inflation. It’s not just wildlife programme being cut, it’s been every thing on BBC TV and Radio. I would say the BBC is not to blame. Even if all of us love wildlife on the BBC TV/series not to be cut I don’t want any wildlife programmes to be cut. But it’s fact the BBC is now very much less well off financially than it was. Anyone can comment how anything costs. But the BBC is not just a little less well financially off, it is now a lot poorer financially. How much I’m not sure! But everyone has their own interests and there will be some that have own interests and not wildlife. And while I’m sad that Autumnwatch is no more and Winterwatch will be much shorter. There have been huge cuts in lots of other subjects as well as in other parts of the BBC over the last 10 +years. And if the licence fee is being cut as it is. Wildlife TV series/programmes can’t be immune from cuts. Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch main hour long programmes have mainly being unaffected. What has being affected over recent years have being the live wildlife webcams. At one time the live wildlife webcams of every every series and the number of individual webcams being much larger at any one time. In recent years the hours of those live webcams have been cuts along with the number of individual live webcams being broadcast at one time. But actually these 3 main annual series lasting one hour on BBC 2, 4 evenings a weeks have being largely unaffected, but cuts have happened. So I would say Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch are very lucky to have been unaffected for so long as a number of others interesting subjects on BBC and Radio started having cuts long before any wildlife series. And there will be more cuts to come. You can’t produce more new programmes or even the same number of new programmes and there will be more repeats or even broadcast less hours and even the possibility of more BBC TV/ BBC Radio channels being closed and I would say in my opinion it’s not the BBC’s fault. I like listening to the regular live classical music concerts on BBC Radio 3. Not much publicity about that. Not many will probably listen to those live evening classical music concerts. But cuts happened to the number of evening live concerts on BBC Radio 3 about 2 years ago. Less popular than some subject. But cuts where made, but no publicity. BBC TV/Radio have lost a number of sports events. BBC National Radio lost the rights to the lower divisions of the football league to a well known National commercial channel. So some football has already being lost from BBC national Radio. Lots of BBC difficult decisions have had to be made and again over the next few years it will get worse, not better!
Regards,
Ian.
I fear there is a lot more to come from the BBC from a cost perspective, and if I'm not mistaken, a previous PM and cabinet had more or less told Aunty Beeb that's your lot, if you want more, source it elsewhere.
I don't listen to the radio much online, these days it tends to be when driving and that is for background noise and travel reports, but my two radio go-to progs will/can not play any BBC stations!
They direct you to the appropriate BBC link, which requires a login, not something I'm impressed with. Digressing deliberately, I accept for adult content a login is required for age purposes, but I have no interest in adult content, just music and general news.
I've just checked my wife's smartphone (with her permission), and the same there.
The same is creeping in with BBC News pages online, and again, I'm not interested in adult content, just the current news, so I don't see the need for a login, except, from a subscription perspective.
Apologies for that digression, though I do feel the problem isn't just Autumn Watch, but a lot wider.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
www.countryfile.com/.../ Details about the new series Wild Isles starting in March 2023 with David Attenbrough broadcasting on BBC TV in 5 episodes. Full details here about each of the 5 episodes. Confirmed for March 2023 towards the end of the series Winterwatch 2023. Originally scheduled to be broadcast from November 2022, but was delayed until 2023.
Unknown said:Did i say that? I didn't! But just because you don't like the series or the ratings are dropping! That is not what the BBC is about! Or do you think differently?
The ratings are dropping which means the general public don't like it any more. The BBC owe a duty to the fee payers to provide programs that they like. Seems pretty clear cut to me and nothing to do with me not liking the show - there are plenty more programs on BBC with much healthier ratings that I don't like.
The BBC in the charter are not to work in that way. As the BBC as a public service are supposed to broadcast programmes that are not popular and are popular. I will try and find that link.
www.bbc.co/.../charter_agreement_html One more thing there are lots of BBC channels and programmmes that don’t get anywhere near the number of viewers of BBC Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch. Should I suggest BBC Parliament, a lot of the live concerts that BBC Radio 3 brooadcast(not just the proms) I could name lots of BBC programmes that have far less viewers. And that’s why there is a BBC. Or maybe you don’t support the BBC as there are a lot more programmes on both BBC TV and BBC Radio that have far less viewers. That is what a public service is meant for. Not just popular programmes! Yes I would be willing to pay a much higher licence fee than at present! But I know that wont happen for the time being. So further cuts will happen at the BBC!