Kevin Spacey - Tells It Like It Is at the BBC

[girofan]

The Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey has called into question the link between London musical theatre impresarios and the BBC.
He says that series such as 'I'll Do Anything' and 'The Search for a new Maria, for The Sound of Music', are nothing more than 13 week promotional series for the likes of Andrew Lloyd-Weber and other West End theatre promoters!
He claims that shows such as these on Saturday evening peak viewing times, are not within the remit of a public service broadcaster, and it results in a "dumbing-down" of television standards. He also says that the BBC should be producing quality drama as they did with 'Play for Today' in the past.
This has been one of my rants in the last two years. Do you agree?

 

[Andy in Sig]

100%

A knighthood for Mr Spacey methinks.

 

[redcogs]

Here hear!

 

[cisamcgu]

I was saying this to Mrs cisamcgu on Saturday as she sat watching the latest version ("Oliver" I think). She agreed whole heartedly with me, then proceeded to watch the dumb programme anyway

 

[toontra]

I've always wondered why the BBC were subsidising ALW's business empire (as if it needed it!), so it's good to here someone prominent voicing their concern.

However, coming from Spacey it's in danger of sounding like sour grapes. He's not comparing like for like. I doubt there would be massive viewing figures if they tried to choose a Beckett character on prime-time.

Basically I don't think the BBC should be doing this kind of thing. Surely it shouldn't be in their remit to give huge amounts of free publicity to an entirely commercial existing business. They will become addicted, as Channel 4 has with Big Brother, to high viewing figures, whatever the means.

BTW, I find it exploitative c**p of the worst order, so I'm obviously not the target audience!

 

[Fnaar]

It's very cynical.. "I'd do anything" (to get on TV), but clearly the public like it (poor fools!)...

 

[k-dog]

I've always wondered about some of the stuff on the BBC - funded as it is.

I am a big fan of it and some of the stuff is great - and like he says decent drama is a good use of the money.

Eastenders on the other hand isn't. They should sell that to ITV and Daz and their other advertising cronies can pay for it.

There must be other examples.

 

[girofan]

It's very cynical.. "I'd do anything" (to get on TV), but clearly the public like it (poor fools!)...

Without being too snobish, the rest of us pay our licence fee also, how about broadcasting something a little more worthy at peak times for the rest of the BBC's audience?

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Cheap TV in every sense of the word

 

[Melvil]

The commercial stations have a duty to maximise their revenue and they will show programmes that are ratings winners at the expense of 'improving' and educational TV.

However, the BBC gets its funds from everyone who buys a TV and shouldn't need to worry about that stuff.

The fact it does and produces unspeakably childish, guffish talent shows at prime hours speaks volumes about a) its commissioning editors its high level executives.

In fact, nearly across the board, the BBC has been dumbing down its output - whilst also setting up essentially ghetto-like channels and stations (BBC 1extra, anyone) that I for one see as extremely patronising tokens to ethnic minorities.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Simon, I don't hate the BBC with a passion but it's a crying shame that something which has the potential to be so (and do much) good blunts its edge with ill-thought out ideas.