With the resignation of the BBC executives, a well-known right-wing Christian went onto social media, listing all of the reasons as to why the BBC should close. I responded at the time, and this got quite a lot of comments, good and bad. As the BBC seems to remain in the crosshairs of Christian friends, I thought I’d repeat the comments and place them here.
You want to close the BBC. I beg to differ. Rather than list
the negatives, here are my positives:
- I'm grateful for the BBC, for its lack of advertising and
hence, a rare consumerism free zone.
- I'm grateful for their investigative journalism, for the
way they have successfully uncovered the darker side in our nation.
- I'm grateful for family television, for moments that still
bring most of the nation around a TV set to celebrate or mourn the results of
the latest show. I'm grateful for Traitors and the remarkable Claudia.
- I'm grateful for different and intellectual television,
for Planet Earth, for Question Time and for the quirkiness of Desert Island
Discs.
- I'm grateful for BBC Verify, who regularly, successfully
uncover fake news (including from a certain President).
- I'm grateful for the big moments that only the BBC can
pull off - for the London Olympics, for King Charles’ Coronation, for
Remembrance Sunday.
- I'm grateful for BBC Farsi, for the way they are able to
send radio programmes into Iran, giving hope to an oppressed people.
- I'm grateful for BBC World Service, for the reach around
the world, speaking positively to those who have a need of hope.
- I'm grateful for BBC children's television, again for the
lack of advertisements and pressures to conform. I'm grateful for BBC Bitesize,
and for Blue Peter, the longest running children's TV show in the world, with
its positive mix of fun and pastimes.
- I'm grateful for the way that poverty and starvation have
been highlighted and for the results of that - for Children in Need, for the
rescue work around the world.
- I'm grateful for local radio, for all the BBC programmers
and journalists who provide such a needed service to small communities. I'm
grateful for the way that they promote the local hospitals, the child that
needs help, the charities that would otherwise not get a mention.
- I'm grateful for local radio and its football coverage,
for all those that can tune in and listen to their favourite team, who would
otherwise have no opportunity to listen and hence, no community.
- I'm grateful for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Four, for their
remarkable coverage of the arts, promoting and encouraging the best of
creativity.
- I'm grateful for Radio 1 and Radio 2, for DJ's who bring
fun to the day. I'm grateful for Tony Blackburn, still broadcasting well into
his 80s.
- I’m grateful for moments of TV magic over the years, for
Morecambe and Wise, for Doctor Who, for Parkinson. For Live Aid, for Play
School, for The Sky at Night.
- I'm grateful for an institution which has changed and will
continue to change but who promote the best of what it is to be British.
