[cma-l] Murdoch and the tea party to come

Sat Jan 1 20:36:46 GMT 2011

Mark you have a point or even two -  I'n not a card carrying member of any political party - I would describe myself as a hardcore small L fluffy liberal - to quote a song "never put your trust in politicians or landlords they'll always let you down" it never did get released.

On my now ex station -the legendary Sound Radio, which didn't quite kill me - in pursuit of my fluffy ideals I probably disagreed with about 85% of the speech content - but defended almost to the death the rights of those to express their views. Now heavens forbid Mark that you should be one of those blighters, rather like the BBC at it's worst who claim balance but all is ultimately mediated by their own/generally "Educated" Western sensibilities, or the Fox stance which is - we don't ever discuss balance we
 are just right.

What I did get out of the Sound Radio experience, aside from the opportunity to be cogniscant of the finer legal points of personal debt, was a tremendous view of the world assisted by all the communities and individuals broadly unfettered by mainstream sensibility. Who can forget studio guest Sheik Omar Bakri on our Jewish World Today programme or the live interview with Yasser Arafat whilst under house arrest, with our roving Columbian reporter, the kidnap victims released following our "Voices of the kidnapped" programmes, the afro centric programming detailing the evil deficiencies of the white man (which I listened to with some degree of sympathy and ironic good humour  whilst trying to scrape up some money to keep the station going) hey ho happy days. 

On the comedian front - 
I do recall being surrounded by all your favourite comedians (inc. Jeremy Hardy) at a friends wake (the wonderful Linda Smith) most of whom, to be fair,
 came from a political or politicised background so why wouldn't they approach their humour in any other way. Good luck to them if the Beeb gives them a living. Personally I'm a bit more of a Frankie Boyle fan, where pretty much anyone or anything is fair game - even when it's not really funny. The funny thing of course is historically a lot of comedians were really rather right wing - when the entertainment regime embraced it of course - survivors tend to change with public (or media managers) taste. It is a business that is predicated on taking a position whether Sun friendly or Guardian friendly. Ask Jimmy Tarbuck, Bruce Forsthye, Ronnie Corbett et al - and have a word with Charlie Williams if you get a chance

On the switch off front
You're quite right Sound Radio had the most confrontational disclamier possible, almost  imploring listeners of a sensitive disposition to switch off - if they were likely to be offended by ideas, language or
 artforms - and giving them the right to reply on air - guess what no one ever took me up on the offer. And yes some people were listening I'm almost certain.

On the BBC front
1/ Going on the assumption you're being a good boy and paying it - you need as a Brit to have something to moan about. And more importantly we could yet still make a case for taking some of it off them for us (not personally -though i guess if it was enough  perhaps you get the home of your dreams as a backdated bonus).

2/ Well yes -  fair enough - the BBC are greedy (space for adjective) frequency (plural rude word) < I will be moderated if I haven't been already>. We had to demonstrably agree at some point.

On that note of agreement I leave the ongoing love fest that is Community Media debate until next I am forced to be in my office on a Saturday night. But don't cry for me - there is a party downstairs and they're serving some splendid South Indian Kerrala grub.  

--- On Sat, 1/1/11, mark polden <markianpolden at hotmail.com> wrote:

From: mark polden <markianpolden at hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: [cma-l] Murdoch and the tea party to come
To: lolgellor at yahoo.co.uk, "CMA-L" <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>, phil at somersetfilm.com
Date: Saturday, 1 January, 2011, 19:16

Thanks LOL for your as always irreverent comments
Please read this
http://biased-bbc.blogspot.com/
I am not saying that the BBC or conversely murdoch is right, what I am saying is that broadcasting is as you say LOL a broad church and murdoch has every right to own 100% of sky.
As the guru once said, if you dont like it switch it off
What I do however object to is :-
1. The BBC license fee - Why should I be forced to pay for broadcasting  I do not agree with plus also the incessant property ramping that has helped cause a property bubble which means that I will never be able to own a reasonable house
2. The BBC sitting on over 60%
 of frequencies on FM which means my station is stuck on MW because it was all we could get
Mark PoldenFlame CCR
Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2011 18:47:34 +0000
From: lolgellor at yahoo.co.uk
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Murdoch and the tea party to come
To: markianpolden at hotmail.com
CC: cma-l at commedia.org.uk

I'd say but then why wouldn't I...
Mark the BBC doesn't do violent - swerving possibly - usually to adroitly avoid suggestions such as your link. I'd say possibly with or without the loan of your sunglasses or Phils allegedly rose tinted specs  the BBC might more appropriately be described as dressing to the left and as a gentleman knows it only takes a moment of suitable encourgament to redeploy.

Murdoch conversely, unlike you or Phil, has no interest in
 anyones but his own interests being served - which is of course his right. 

So what am I saying possibly the same that I have been for years - there is no balance there never was any balance - Community Media and in particular Community Radio should be the opportunity for a range of equally or even more virulently unbalanced opinions to have a platform -why do you think Phil and you and
 me occupy the same space - it could of course be a lack of ability to gain respective career footholds in the mainstream, or it might just be that what the world needs now more than ever is the crazy mix of eccentrics who have a view that comes from a three dimensional view of the world that is otherwise charactersied by a two dimensional mainstream media portrayal. And there's the embedded soothsayer warning for our sector!

Oh Happy new year everyone - may this broadest of churches, and don't get me started on religon, continue the heated and committed debate throughout next year - until common sense emerges and I am finally recognised for my stunning insight and elected life president of the UK. What...what....anythings possible - except possibly a clear policy regarding the future of radio (digital).

all the very best to everyone (well pretty much everyone) 
Lol -the quote "DAB the new 8 track cartridge" was mine- Gellor.  

--- On Fri, 31/12/10, mark polden <markianpolden at hotmail.com> wrote:

From: mark polden <markianpolden at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Murdoch and the tea party to come
To: phil at somersetfilm.com, "CMA-L" <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>
Date: Friday, 31 December, 2010, 22:51

#yiv291311019 #yiv291311019yiv1116218154 .yiv291311019yiv1116218154ExternalClass #yiv291311019yiv1116218154ecxyiv1190092676 .yiv291311019yiv1116218154ecxyiv1190092676hmmessage P
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http://order-order.com/2010/12/31/if-you-want-media-plurality-break-up-the-bbc/

From: markianpolden at hotmail.com
To: phil at somersetfilm.com; cma-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: RE: [cma-l] Murdoch and the tea party to come
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:39:03 +0000

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I have to say Phil that if you think that the bowdlerisation of british media starts with rupert murdoch then I believe you must be wearing rose coloured spectacles.
That started years ago when the BBC started to swerve violently to the left.
This is just a rebalancing of the field
Also on the darkest day the light shines brightest
Yes I would be happy to take anyones money if it came without strings
Mark PoldenFlame CCR

> Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:54:56 +0000
> From: phil at somersetfilm.com
> To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> Subject: [cma-l] Murdoch and the tea party to come
> 
> My concern about the Murdoch issue is not that I object to there being a
> range of opinion out there both left and right - just that the interests
> News International furthers are not about political
 debate but the
> suppression of it through misinformation and scare mongering.  Look at the
> impact of Fox TV in the States, that's not about debate it's about the
> tyranny of the market and the vested interest of a greedy minority.
> 
> Referencing the Ofcom guidelines is an important consideration for
> broadcasters yes but (and I make no apologies for continuing to raise this)
> what about our charter that we all signed up to?  Do you believe that
> allowing Murdoch to proceed with his plans will not impact on our stated aim
> to 'contribute to the democratic process'?  At what point do we stand up for
> anything beyond our immediate interests?  At what point do we intervene and
> say actually this corporation is working to destroy the very diversity and
> tolerance we are here to support?
> 
> It's not just about money surely?  I for one would not be happy to take
 the
> Murdoch shilling to sustain our social enterprise.  Let's hear some other
> opinions on this?
> 
> 
> Phil
>  
> PS Don't forget to sign the petition!
> 
> 
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