And now, we break for a brief piece of content

Catching up on some reading in Howden

3. At 8:35 pm on 13 Jun 2008, barriesingleton

Mr. Crick's fine tome probably needs all the help it can get, and who better than rallying some mates to the cause, FOC?

I rather fear there is what was, what is, and what will never be again. The era of sticky-back plastic is now done and dusted. We should be grateful; for our fee we get not one face of the BBC and its chums, we get two.

I am sure BBC Worldwide can accidentally overspend a few million on a product placement sca... in house facility to ensure that whilst money goes into the commercial arm, the effects of such largess can coincidentally be felt elsewhere in the broadcast output.

Support for and promotion of the arts in the name of public interest and entertainment is of course a tricky line, but having just returned from a few hour car trip listening to Radio 2 we're all still chortling at the end to end 'guests' who not only pretty much were there to plug their book/gig/DVD first and actually chat in a witty way as an afterthought, but mostly freely admitted that was what was going down. This, so long as accompanied by much bashful giggling, can also be topped by reading out the where, when and how much as they have been 'caught out' and might as well go for broke.

As it isn't going to change, may I just enquire as to when, as a co-funder, I get my cut? A reduction in the licence fee will be a great first step to compensate for the loss of any form of credibility and objectivity in what I see or hear.

Anyway, to be fair to Mr. Crick, if in error he maybe did not know, or simply forgot best practice.

I am sure that checking with the necessary authority will establish the proper procedure and, even if it is not not strictly found contrary to the rules, any perception of inappropriate behaviour, especially one that might compromise one's professional standing, and even more in the eyes of a trusting public, will result in an immediate cessation of the practice.

With luck it will suffice and may then be allowed to rest... well, for at least 10 years. Hold on, is that the phone?