Above is a photograph of the Somerset Hospital in Cape Town. On the roof of the building you can see part of the BBC's World Cup studio.
Will it surprise you that the structure in the red casing, on the outside of the building, is a new lift the BBC are building on the side of the hospital for their star presenters to access their presentation suite? Thought not.
The hospital was happy to let presenters such as Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Alan Hansen and Lee Dixon use the stairs but the BBC is understood to have been concerned about the hospital's reputation as a leading centre for the treatment of gun crime and other violent attacks. The building has several internal lifts but they only reach the fourth floor. By building a new lift to the roof, the BBC has ensured that its staff will be separated at all times from the public.
The cost of the new lift is tens of thousands of pounds and the pentagon-shaped glass studio on the roof is said to have cost £1 million. It is to be flat-packed and removed after the tournament ends.
The BBC is sending 295 staff - double that of ITV - to the tournament and has shipped over an open-topped bus to use outside for broadcasts. Also it has a block booking for 45 key staff at Cape Town's Mandela Rhodes Place hotel, where rooms cost up to £500 a night.
Why did I think the BBC would curtail their expenditure after the embarrassing costs of the Beijing Olympics? A leopard never changes its spots. Although I'm against privatisation in many cases, is it time for the public to demand the privatisation of the BBC?
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18 comments:
35 years ago I thought they were great. Now I loathe them. Their 'news reporting', with one or two brave exceptions, is now quite despicable.
Their 'documentaries' are now presented almost entirely by 'celebrities' or raving enthusiasts who tell you mostly how astounding this is or how breathtaking that is or how they feel or how amazing it to be here.
It's been a steady change, year by year. Nothing sudden.
They need a disruption to their cash flow to focus minds and wallets. Could be coming soon now that the economy has gone bang
The BBC is sending 295 staff - double that of ITV - to the tournament and has shipped over an open-topped bus to use outside for broadcasts. Also it has a block booking for 45 key staff at Cape Town's Mandela Rhodes Place hotel, where rooms cost up to £500 a night.
And why not? After all, money is no object.
Now I'm off to pay my licence online...wonder how they'll spend MY money??? Bastards!
Privatising is often good. I'm old enough to remember ordering my phone from the Post Office. A 6 month wait for installation - in London. BT is a vast improvement over the old public sector PO.
The BBC should commission only. It should not provide any services itself. World Cup? Get the best quote and let someone else provide the coverage. I assume the cameras will all be provided by the locals anyway. The rest is just editing and talk talk talk ...
"By building a new lift to the roof, the BBC has ensured that its staff will be separated at all times from the public."
The locals will no doubt wait for the presenters to step outside before holding them up.
Jim I so seldom watch sport on TV I can't really comment on any of them. What I can comment on is how the BBC waste the licence fee.
How I hope so Dram and I'd like David Cameron to hold up waste such as this as an example.
I wish I had the courage to refuse to pay until they spend wisely BigYin.
That's where the luvvies make their millions though Michael. The talk talk talk.
Joe, many a true thing spoken in jest. :)
Rosie, leave the lads alone. You can't expect them to rub shoulders with drug dealers, gunmen and BLACK people. The WC should have been in a nice white, crime fre place like Germany.
Germany crime free DL? I don't know about that.
is it time for the public to demand the privatisation of the BBC?
No.
BBC= Bastards Burning Currency!!
Pull the license fee Dave, pull it NOW!!!
I see you have a firm opinion William. :)
I'd agree with that suggestion Indyan.
To expand. I hope you don't mind a bit of censored profanity on your comments, SR, but in the words of my great friend and mentor, Bill Hicks - "stop putting the **** dollar sign on every **** thing on this planet." Amen, brother.
Censored is fine Billy.
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