Public outraged at plans to slash BBC

The reaction from 38 Degrees members was instant and impressive: our petition, launched on Sunday night, has already grown to 20,000 names in less than days.

This week’s announcement about cuts to the BBC confirmed what everyone already knew: the plans are to make big reductions in valued services across the corporation, including two radio stations (6Music and Asian Network) and slashing the website by around 50 per cent.

The reaction from 38 Degrees members – new and old – was instant and impressive: our petition, launched on Sunday night, has already grown to just under 20,000 names in less than days.

38 Degrees members have already proved their commitment to defending proper public service broadcasting in the UK. In the summer, when topslicing the license fee was on the agenda, thousands took action to oppose the changes and, in the end, the government dropped the proposals. Now, they are offering equally strong opposition to these current cuts.

Members have been posting their comments when they add the support to the petition, reflecting the full spread of reasons why people don’t want the BBC to go ahead with the current plans. Huge numbers are really concerned about losing 6 Music and others feel the same about losing the Asian Network.

One member explains:

“I am 34 years old and grew up listening to John Peel and Steve Lamacq on Radio 1. Their championing of new music and replaying of forgotten classics is very much the spirit that continues with 6 music and it just doesn’t exist with any of the BBC’s other radio stations.”

Another, David, suggests that:

“In this day and age, we need more BBC, not less.”

Joy Johnson explained in her piece for Left Foot Forward just why the BBC giving in so early is a disaster: it’s capitulating to Murdoch’s plans to destroy public broadcasting in the UK without putting up a fight.

But the BBC is a critical part of the media in the UK and nearly 20,000 38 Degrees members agree: it’s time to stand up for the BBC and protect it from the people who would profit from its demise.

3 Responses to “Public outraged at plans to slash BBC”

  1. James Cowley

    RT @leftfootfwd: Public outraged at plans to slash BBC: http://cli.gs/H8RsL

  2. Bill Kristol-Balls

    I’m a member of the public.

    I’m outraged.

    But I’m also hopeful that if the good taste of my fellow publicans (that’s not right is it) can defeat the evil that is Simon Cowell to the Xmas No.1, then we can do over Mark Thompson no bother.

  3. Mr. Sensible

    I am not really a listener to these stations myself; I tend to listen to 5 live and my local BBC Radio Station, but I think the BBC is bowing to pressure from Murdock and the Conservatives, as this blog I think said last week when the story broke.

    They fear a Tory government, even if the shadow culture spokesman has made an about turn on his thoughts on the matter.

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