BBC World
- Started
- Last post
- 6 Responses
- moural
Does anybody else watch this comedy act? I started watching this because a) I figured it was the BBC and would be somewhat coherent and intellegent, b) it's one of the few sources of world news in this country, and c) it's on all day on the PBS channels here.
However, this thing has got to be put on by a bunch of untrained chimps. Each and every time the program comes back from break, the talking head is staring at his/her smattering of papers for a good five seconds, before he/she finally looks up with a pleasureful grin. Are the cameras automated? Is there no one in the studio that can say to them that they're actually on air? Is dead air a cultural thing?
Regardless, the program carries on with a bunch of prerecorded interviews where a field reporter stationed in the deepest, darkest jungles of Peru is asked a series of weak questions, followed by the mandatory ten second satellite delay - like they can't edit that crap out? Then, to top it off, last night the "sports reporter" comes on and discusses the Players Championship, which, according to him, is located in Sawgrass, CA. Almost, but +/- 3000 miles is within the bounds of their research I guess - oh wait, he's a sports reporter, so he should probably know where a major golf event is taking place.
Finally, and thankfully, the program goes to break, but resumes by showing preview of upcoming programs, where a messy overlay displays the time in various cities throughout the world (which is totally useless, as the program guide only lists GMT), as well as a chaotic assembly of other trivial information, all of which is totally illegible.
You'd think that with the killing the BBC are making off of silly TV licensces, they could at least put up a program on par with the minutia FOX keeps spitting out, but alas... or maybe the joke's just on us.
Does anyone else have a suggestion for a reputable, world-encompassing television program?
- Engage0
Don't diss the BBC ! Its possibly outrageous!
- kezza_20
I have to say, I ve been travelling the last couple of years and the BBC world is always on, when I have a tv.
But youre right the production values are shocking. they are always fucking up.
Whats more the BBC on every other channel is slick as you like. Dont know what went wrong with the world service.
Maybe because the rest ot you lot are shabby bastards that we have to dumb down so as not to give you inferiority complexes.
- Nairn0
It's not enough that we bother with an extra world edition of our news for all you New Worlders - paid for out of our own pockets?!
heh... the BBC24 news channel was just as bad when it started a few years ago - indeed, the late-night segments (eg. Click) are still loaded with aeons of dead air, amateur-esque editing stumbles and panic-stricken first-time reporters. I, for one, am happy to pay for all this with my yearly subscription.
- vespa0
BBC World is not funded by the TV licence.
Direct your constructive criticism here:
http://www.bbcworld.com/content/…
- moural0
We don't get Aljazeera on TV here, but thanks anyway, kelpie.
I went to the website vespa (sorry to interupt your dinner) linked and it says World is advertising-based, so that makes the production all the more appalling.
But, everyone seems to brag about the BBC, so hopefully it's just temporary and they get things ironed out.