It's more that there is the possibility of the BBC's news service across the net being shut down, rather than not being able to access it. The BBC is funded publically, and although it is free from political bias, its funding is arranged through a licence fee, which is the equivalent of a mandatory tax. Now this tax pays for lots and lots of BBC services. An incoming Tory government in thrall to Roops may have made promises to him to limit or stop the BBC from putting 'free' news across the net, on the basis of infringement of NewsCorp's trade, and unfair competition.
However, the BBC's journalists and editorial staff have standards many times higher than NewsCorp's. Also the BBC is subject to regular and close public scrutiny. You get pretty unbiased news from the BBC. Alas the same cannot be said of any private newsgathering companies.
Because of the BBC's public funding, some Libertarians would prefer privatisation, objecting to paying a tax for this sort of thing. I reckon the quality of the output provides the best defence against this sort of threat, especially when compared to the quality of output from the private sector.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-12-01 02:50 pm (UTC)However, the BBC's journalists and editorial staff have standards many times higher than NewsCorp's. Also the BBC is subject to regular and close public scrutiny. You get pretty unbiased news from the BBC. Alas the same cannot be said of any private newsgathering companies.
Because of the BBC's public funding, some Libertarians would prefer privatisation, objecting to paying a tax for this sort of thing. I reckon the quality of the output provides the best defence against this sort of threat, especially when compared to the quality of output from the private sector.