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Sky Digital BSkyB, Freesat & Saorsat support forum
Sky & Freesat fringe reception
Correspondence with BBC and Campaign ideas
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<blockquote data-quote="jimscrivener" data-source="post: 21580"><p>I thought I might try and interest the newspapers - so I tried this letter to the Guardian Weekly first (I don't expect it will be published) as it's a paper specifically aimed at overseas listeners. I encourage anyone else to annoy as many letters page editors as possible.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Dear Guardian Weekly,</p><p></p><p>Radio silence</p><p></p><p>The EU constitution may be exercising the minds of European politicians, but for thousands of others across Europe another major change has already happened - with a huge impact on daily life. </p><p></p><p>On Thursday 29th May the BBC suddenly ceased broadcasting its radio stations on the Astra 2A satellite, moving them to a transponder with a much tighter focus around the UK (linked to the similar move made by BBC TV - also in an effort to prevent anyone outside the UK receiving its broadcasts). At one fell swoop this move deprives much of Europe of the chance to hear quality English language broadcasting. Although radio stations are broadcast on the internet, for many this is unlikely to be a viable alternative for years to come.</p><p></p><p>The BBC has a quality product. There is massive demand across Europe to receive its TV and radio; large numbers (by no means only expat) would willingly pay subscriptions. The technical facilities are all there already. </p><p></p><p>I can think of no comparable business case where a massive consumer base is asking for a product that already exists but the supplier seems to show no interest in supplying. The denying factor is always quoted as copyright agreements (Hollywood films, sport etc) - but surely it's clear that the old country-by-country system agreements are no longer logical or fair; some pan-European arrangement must be possible based not on country boundaries but on numbers of subscribers. The fact that a Budapest TV station has a copyright agreement to show a film (in Hungarian) seems a ludicrous reason to prevent me being able to pay for anyone else to broadcast it to me in my language.</p><p></p><p>Many European citizens now live and work in other countries across Europe -yet (if they are British) may only receive their national broadcaster if they reside in their homeland. Thousands of non-British listeners who regularly tuned into the BBC have now lost that contact - and the long-term impact will be deep, if unmeasurable.</p><p></p><p>English language rado in Europe has gone silent. We shall really miss Radio 4, BBC 7 etc. This change feels extraordinarily unkind and unnecessary.</p><p></p><p>Jim Scrivener</p><p>Budapest</p><p></p><p><a href="mailto:noemijim@axelero.hu">noemijim@axelero.hu</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jimscrivener, post: 21580"] I thought I might try and interest the newspapers - so I tried this letter to the Guardian Weekly first (I don't expect it will be published) as it's a paper specifically aimed at overseas listeners. I encourage anyone else to annoy as many letters page editors as possible. Dear Guardian Weekly, Radio silence The EU constitution may be exercising the minds of European politicians, but for thousands of others across Europe another major change has already happened - with a huge impact on daily life. On Thursday 29th May the BBC suddenly ceased broadcasting its radio stations on the Astra 2A satellite, moving them to a transponder with a much tighter focus around the UK (linked to the similar move made by BBC TV - also in an effort to prevent anyone outside the UK receiving its broadcasts). At one fell swoop this move deprives much of Europe of the chance to hear quality English language broadcasting. Although radio stations are broadcast on the internet, for many this is unlikely to be a viable alternative for years to come. The BBC has a quality product. There is massive demand across Europe to receive its TV and radio; large numbers (by no means only expat) would willingly pay subscriptions. The technical facilities are all there already. I can think of no comparable business case where a massive consumer base is asking for a product that already exists but the supplier seems to show no interest in supplying. The denying factor is always quoted as copyright agreements (Hollywood films, sport etc) - but surely it's clear that the old country-by-country system agreements are no longer logical or fair; some pan-European arrangement must be possible based not on country boundaries but on numbers of subscribers. The fact that a Budapest TV station has a copyright agreement to show a film (in Hungarian) seems a ludicrous reason to prevent me being able to pay for anyone else to broadcast it to me in my language. Many European citizens now live and work in other countries across Europe -yet (if they are British) may only receive their national broadcaster if they reside in their homeland. Thousands of non-British listeners who regularly tuned into the BBC have now lost that contact - and the long-term impact will be deep, if unmeasurable. English language rado in Europe has gone silent. We shall really miss Radio 4, BBC 7 etc. This change feels extraordinarily unkind and unnecessary. Jim Scrivener Budapest [email]noemijim@axelero.hu[/email] [/QUOTE]
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Sky Digital BSkyB, Freesat & Saorsat support forum
Sky & Freesat fringe reception
Correspondence with BBC and Campaign ideas
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