In article
,
Ian

wrote:
Perhaps you don't know history, but ITV started in the mid 1950s.
Called by one of its owners, 'A licence to print money' And the
competition also kicked the BBC into making better programmes.

Oh, I know history, and count the launch of ITV as the point of
infection.

Would that be in Little England, given many countries only had commercial
broadcasting?


Of course in the early days it was good, as with the internet
the money from advertising helped produce some real gems (cf. google
earth), and as you say the competition was beneficial. But eventually
the greed takes over from the well-intentioned, and they're now on the
way to being as bad as American TV - a constant stream of adverts
interrupted by brief segments of programme (with overlay adverts just to
get an extra few cents...).

The greed came from the UK goverment. Allowing more TV channels to
increase their income from TV. And, of course, the mantra that competition
always brings a better service for the customer. Which surely can't be
wrong?

And now the BBC seems to be competing to be as /bad/ as ITV...

But a free for all approach is exactly what the majority on here want?
Never mind the quality - feel the width.

--
*We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.