The disgraceful BBC

[Pontius Navigator]

What ever it is, it's too much.

The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-profit event, mostly financed by: contributions from the Participating Broadcasters (the so-called participation fee), adding up to €6.2 million combined.
https://eurovision.tv

[Boac]

That does not explain the choice of entry.

Why does

the buck stop with the BBC?

Should the BBC stop funding it? Who selects our entry?

[Ibbie]

Should the BBC stop funding it? Who selects our entry?

Yes they should.

The BBC select the song and singer these days. In the old days at least there was a contest, in various guises, for singer and/or song, where joe public could vote.

So with the participation fee quoted above you are probably nearer €10 million in total for this joke.

[Woody]

Why does everyone seem to take it so seriously, just get a couple of bottles of wine, some nibbles and a WhatsApp phone to contact friends in other locations .

[Ibbie]

Rain with sand is now falling.

[TheGreenGoblin]

My two favourite Eurovision winners....





Serious stuff...

[Boac]

To be fair to the BBC (did I REALLY say that??!!), if they were 'selecting' the UK entry, do we know the size of the pool of choice?

[tango15]

Some years ago, I worked briefly with a bloke who had worked for the BBC on a short-term contract. He was openly gay, which was fine, and he said the highlight of his time with them was doing Eurovision, which if memory serves was in Dublin that particular year. He went over, basically as some sort of gofer and he said there were about 100 people from the BBC in attendance. He reckoned that there was a lot of behind the scenes horse-trading as to who was going to vote for whom before the contest even started. Everyone knew that the Turks would not vote for Greece or Cyprus and vice-versa, the Scandihooligans would all vote for each other, as would the Balkan countries. The BBC, being British, would not get involved in any of this and were largely ignored by the other contestants. He said that for many in the BBC, right up to the top, it was the highlight of their year. An all-expenses-paid trip abroad, with no accountability whether we won or lost - what's not to like? The BBC's gay credentials are writ large for all to see, current examples being the RuPaul Drag Race and the Make-up Challenge, both of which are currently being promoted ad nauseum.. They even had a gay Indian doctor in a tartan suit on Mastermind Celebrities last night, who could not manage even double figures!

The fact of the matter is, that wherever you go in the world, with a few exceptions, British bands and solo artists can be heard on the radio, in bars, etc., so our music can't be all that bad. I can't remember the last time I heard concertina music outside of France or oompah music outside of Germany, and has anyone ever heard a song sung in Serbo-Croat outside of the countries where it is spoken? Almost without exception, the songs and artists who win Eurovision are never heard of again and I, for one, would be happy to see us do a Brexit on this travesty of a contest, but the BBC would be horrified at such a thought. The idea of commissioning an entertaining drama on BBC1 on Eurovision night would be a total anathema to them.

[TheGreenGoblin]

Father Ted had Eurovision bang to rights....

[ian16th]

I used to enjoy Terry Wogan.

[Pontius Navigator]

Like the six nations we should enter 4 teams not one. We would get at least some points that way.

[G-CPTN]

There are several covers of 'My lovely horse' on the interweb!

[tango15]

Father Ted had Eurovision bang to rights....

Yes, but that was the Irish entry, TGG and they won it a number of times Understand the sentiment, though! One misses Father Ted - more truth than humour in that programme, my Irish friends used to tell me

[llondel]

I thought it was the goal of the BBC to not win so they didn't have to foot the bill for next year's contest. I agree with TGG: ABBA and Lordi - fancy letting an actual good song through to the final...

[OFSO]

Thru an agency, the BBC is advertising for a trainee production management assistant at £17,810 pa. "The position is only open to black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates." (Today's MoS).

[Boac]

Technically, doesn't "ethnically diverse" include white Caucasian? Is not the whole world so?

[tango15]

Wall to wall Wimbledon this week on the BBC. Not just on BBC1, but BBC2 are running it concurrently all day. Now I know it's very much a personal opinion, but tennis is probably the most boring sport I can imagine, though I recognise that lots of people do enjoy it. The BBC has always had a close relationship with Wimbledon - you can guarantee there will be a tennis-related question on every quiz show. I imagine the free tickets must flutter around Broadcasting House like confetti.

I see the NR takeover of the BBC is well in place. Having taken retirement from Mastermind, John Humphries is to be replaced by Clive Myrie. A new series of 'Weakest Link' has also been commissioned, with Romesh Ranganathan, who is rarely off the screen these days, replacing the formidable Anne Robinson. I wonder if the sub-text in this is to convince us that there are NRS who can ask questions on quiz shows, even if they can't answer them?

I have this vision of the 2025 version of Pointless being hosted by Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling.

[Ibbie]

Thru an agency, the BBC is advertising for a trainee production management assistant at £17,810 pa. "The position is only open to black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates." (Today's MoS).

Isn't that illegal? Similar to being ageist and sex specific in adverts?

[Ibbie]

I have this vision of the 2025 version of Pointless being hosted by Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling

Simply won't happen as by then it will be Lord Rashford of Moss Side and Sir Raheem Sterling.

[Pontius Navigator]

Well the Apprentice then.