Dear BBC

As there is another Royal Event looming this post seems particularly apposite

From Facebook archives

15 April 2021 at 16:15

I've just submitted this to the BBC Complaints page - sorry it's a bit long.

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I have just witnessed the BBC's excuse for an apology on the excess coverage of Prince Philip's death.

It could have been boiled down to 

"We are the national broadcaster and we know best, it was big, all people were worried about was missing their favourite soap or competition, some of them were too old and decrepit to use alternative streaming services."

My complaint was not about missing a specific programme; it was about streaming exactly the same thing on all BBC channels. It was about lack of choice; or rather Hobson's choice. When there was only BBC One (yes I'm that old) this blanket coverage might have been accepted. Now the BBC has several channels it is not. Forcing licence payers to watch what 'the establishment' thinks is fit for them is no longer acceptable or justifiable.

Something the programmers apparently did not take into consideration in their pontifications on protocol was the affect putting the same thing on all channels would have on the disabled and elderly.

I have two autistic sons, one of whom is particularly rigid when it comes to timetables and schedules. We have had outbursts to deal with every time Pointless has been shifted to make way for one of the Prime Minister's Covid communiques.  Now this!  

The parents and carers of autistic children and adults all over the country will have had to deal with meltdowns as anxiety boiled over.

My Mother (God rest her soul) had Alzheimer’s. Changing channels to find the same programme would have caused her bewilderment and distress.  I'm sure many other people in the early stages of dementia suffered this, and their carers would have some distress in having to explain the situation, probably over and over again.

I've been convinced for some time that BBC management hold viewers in contempt and this apology has done nothing to change my mind.

We shall not be watching the funeral, and I trust the BBC will not be putting it on all channels...Those what want it will find it.

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Madame Fifi  Totally agree with you Ben.  Of course I understand that many would want to watch every bit of coverage but having it on every channel was over the top.   

It's also the BBC taking for granted that every licence payer is a royalist.  

On news today they were talking about the funeral and a person said "the whole country is in mourning".  Really? I didn't know it was compulsory.

I understand the difficulties you describe for some people and how they are affected by changes.  Easy for me as I could just change channels but not everyone can do that.

Ms Delune  I felt so sorry for my son’s teaching assistant who lost her mum a day or so before, talk about having no escape!

Bentonbag  Also gone to the Guardian and Radio Times (don't expect to see it printed though)

Mrs Quilt  Absolutely agree. One Channel could have been dedicated to it (If it was thought to be of ultimate National importance) and the general programming shared out between the other BBC Channels. They've done it before e.g. when Wimbledon has over-run.

Squireen  Totally agree Ben.  Some of the content may have been interesting but to have no choice as BBC broadcast on all channels and ITV broadcast on their channel too.  

I thought multiple channels were to give viewers a choice.  Apparently not.

Bentonbag  And the BBC's response

"Thank you for registering a complaint.

The passing of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was a significant event which generated a lot of interest both nationally and internationally.

We acknowledge your complaint about the level of coverage, particularly in relation to the BBC News Special simultaneously broadcasting on BBC One and Two on Friday 9 April.  We do not make such changes to billed schedules without careful consideration.

The decisions made reflect the role the BBC plays as the national broadcaster, during moments of national significance.

We are grateful for your feedback, and we always listen to the response from our audiences."

Mr Tramdriver  Exactly the same as mine , probably a template letter , add name of deceased in space provided , press send .

Bentonbag  So basically "How we are seen to act is more important than providing a service and choice to all our audience."  They listen but they take no notice.

Miss Doozer  I am starting to think that tin ears are an essential pre-requisite for certain roles in marketing, media and government.  Maybe you get a free set with your Oxbridge PPE degree parchment.

Bentonbag  I suspect they get fitted before they leave public school.

Mrs Quilt  They go to Public School to have their sense of entitlement reinforced.