Is the BBC fit for purpose?

Leaving aside the ability of the weather forecasters to get it wrong on seemingly every call, the thing which really hacks me off the most is their blatant left wing bias. I understand that during this last week there would inevitably be a natural concentration on the Labour Party, but with the exception of Liam Fox, I don't think I have seen a member of the government on the beeb at all. It will be interesting next week to see how they try to balance coverage particularly when the journalists and some of their fellow travellers are talking of walkouts and other industrial action to sabotage coverage of the Conservative Conference.

I expect to have my print media show political bias, it is for many their USP; and for private media companies such as Sky, CNN, Fox, ITV etc to spin according to the dictates of their owners has to be acceptable, but the BBC is nationally owned and must be politically neutral. I do not want a BBC that is on the right, nor the left; I do not want one that is slavishly pro-government nor vehemently anti-government, what I want a BBC which uses its immense power to hold the government to account, to criticise where appropriate and praise in similar vein. In short I want it to tell me what I need to know not what I need to think. Give me the information and facts, I will do the thinking.

I do not think that the BBC is stuffed to the gills with socialists intent on pursuing a Stalinist agenda although there are a few no doubt who fit into that category. Instead they seem to be forever putting forward the idea that we should all be cocooned by a big warm fluffy state blanket from the harshness of the world beyond. The whole ethos seems to be that of “nanny knows best” when in fact she doesn’t.

I do believe there is a need for a state run politically independent broadcasting service but it should operate as a gatherer and disseminator of facts not opinion.

As for its entertainment output, that has no place in a state run broadcasting operation, I have no wish to pay for Eastenders or Come Dancing, they hold no interest for me so why should I be forced to pay for them? I do however have an interest in history and science and am more than happy to pay for this entertainment through a subscription to Sky TV.