Jack’s makes it on time for a change – –

Ah – good old auntie BBC –

I shouldn’t post as much on FaceBook about the BBC. It’s loved around the world for its fair and un-biased news reporting and its great documentaries, dramas and wildlife programs.

But here’s what my American friends may not know –  –

It’s funded through a ‘TV license’ which everyone in the UK who owns a TV must pay, even if they never watch the BBC. Detector vans roam the country checking who has a TV in their house and whether they have a license (see below for George Orwell and 1984).

I think I started to get suspicious of their news coverage during their reporting of the ‘troubles’ in N. Ireland and then the Falklands war, then the two Iraq wars and even the Scottish Independence referendum. Finally their coverage of Brexit, and of the labour party and Jeremy Corbyn was the last nail in the coffin.

Because whatever the UK political party in charge is can determine the amount of the license that folk have to pay, it’s pretty obvious what will happen. Add to that the Government appointing the folk in charge then you get the drift.

When George Orwell was employed by the BBC he discovered room 105 where the vetting of prospective employees took place by MI5 – British secret service. He used that in his novel – 1984. That room was still in use into the 1990s and it’s also very likely that this still goes on.

However, I actually have no problem with the BBC defending the integrity of the United Kingdom or even the priorities of the UK Government. There are many radio and TV organizations around the world doing exactly the same thing for their countries. I even admire how the BBC has managed to hide this down the years.

So what is my problem?

Maybe just that I fell for it for so long – – –

Here’s a link to a recent speech by highly acclaimed ex-BBC Journalist Emily Maitlis at the Edinburgh International Festival –