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Tuesday, 5 April 2022
So Farewell Then Channel 4
Seemingly determined to outdo even the most vindictive behaviour of Mrs T., the Tories, under the less than competent leadership of alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, have delved into history, seen how the Thatcher Government emasculated the BBC, abolished the IBA and ensured Thames Television was suitably punished for doubting The Blessed Margaret, and decided to go one step further.
Thus it was that our new Culture Secretary (yes, it’s her again) Nadine Dorries declared that Channel 4 was to be sold off. This is, of course, nothing to do with the broadcaster being rather more ready to hold Bozo and his coterie of ineptitude to account than the Beeb, oh no. And nothing to do with Ms Dorries having previously been shown up for claiming dishonestly that Channel 4 was publicly subsidised, which it is not.
Predictably, the Bozo boosters have declared this action to be A Very Good Thing, with the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog telling their readers “in the words of the government, Channel 4 is currently performing well, they believe state ownership is holding it back in comparison to its privatised competition, such as Netflix”. Thus the official line from the Provisional Wing of CCHQ.
Elsewhere, those who actually know what they are talking about have passed severely adverse comment on The Fragrant Nadine and her proposals. After she told “I have come to the conclusion that government ownership is holding Channel 4 back from competing against streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon” there were few supportive voices.
Paul Bernal put her straight. “Apart from anything else, why on Earth would Channel 4 be competing with Netflix and Amazon? They occupy - very successfully - and very different niche. All4 is already a successful streaming service. Either you don’t know this *and should* or this is just dishonest”. And why sell it off? Rob Barnes had that one covered.
“Just a reminder - this all started because Channel 4 News ran an item about Boris Johnson’s dad that he didn’t like, and because they replaced him with a block of ice when he didn’t turn up at their election debate. Not because anyone else wants it”. And Adil Ray had a reminder of what Channel 4 has produced during its first 40 years.
“C4 has been the lifeblood of UK diversity. Skins, It’s A Sin, Ackley Bridge, Desmond’s, Undateables, Paralympics, This Is England, Britz, Eastern Eye, Black on Black, The Word, Brookside, Dispatches, Bandung File, Queer As Folk, My Beautiful Laundrette..we owe them everything”. Also Countdown, A Place In The Sun, Location Location Location etc.
Moreover, not all Tories were on board, as Steven Swinford pointed out. “C4 privatisation backlash from Tories in full swing: Tom Tugendhat says he's 'pretty doubtful’. Damian Green says it's 'very unconservative’. Jeremy Hunt says it risks public service broadcasting. Ruth Davidson says it's the 'opposite of levelling up’”.
And after Jonathan Lis asserted “This isn’t about innovation or the arts or creative potential. A government of thin-skinned vandals is taking revenge on a critic by destroying it”, we didn’t have to wait long for the proof. Hello Arron Banks. “Ch4 news is an extension of the guardian newsroom … It needs a bullet in the back of the head pronto!” That’s the mindset that is driving the sale. Philistine and vindictive. So no surprise there, then.
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5 comments:
Where's the problem?
It's what tories do, it's what people voted for, whether blue, red or yellow. Censorship by second hand sales. Theft by "privatisation". Overseen by a mediocre gobshite whose only "talent" - like all of her type - is cringeworthy subservience.
You can bet too that relocation of C4 outside the M25 thieves den was one of the catalysts. Oddly coincident with the disappearance of "liberal" Snow and De Pear.
"Competition"?....Philosopher Bertrand Russell pointed out a century ago that the purpose of competition is to, er, eliminate competition.
Dorries?....A far right tory spiv with the mentality of a corner shop gossip.
Those who voted for or tolerate this gang of kleptocrats and their apologists deserve every iota of deliberately inflicted misery they are about to receive.
"Privatisation" of C4 is the least of it. Just wait until the decks are clear of the pandemic.
Can't imagine a more appropriate fate for Arron Banks than the Lubyanka Cellar neck shot. Alternatively a Novichok enema
To 15:38.
Or maybe the torture chamber at Guantanamo Bay, or any of the others at "black sites", or maybe the School Of The Americas, or Abu Ghraib, maybe even Belmarsh, or a bayonet up the arse a la Gaddafi, or strung up like Saddam Hussein. Or, at a pinch, a village like My Lai, or an "experiment" with Agent Orange. Come to think of it.....any of the US public executioners or mass shooting loonies. Might as well go the whole hog.
After all, what's sauce for the West goose....
Synonyms & Antonyms for fragrant
Synonyms
ambrosial, aromatic, perfumed, redolent, savory (also savoury), scented, sweet
Antonyms
fetid, foul, malodorous, noisome, putrid, rancid, rank, reeking, reeky, skunky, smelly, stenchful, stenchy, stinking, stinky, strong
Armando Iannucci was interviewed on the matter by TV's Cathy Newman last night and made the point that Netflix' major product at the moment is not programming but debt, noting that they may not be around in five years' time if they don’t, y'know, start turning a profit. He also requested that La Newman raise this point the next time she interviews Mad Nad. Delivering well-deserved verbal shoeings to government ministers is clearly one of Ms N's pleasures in life, to judge from the smile that this request produced.
The real question, though, is “What kind of an idiot thought an ignorant windbag like Nadine Dorries was a suitable person for a high-profile ministerial position?”
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