UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Past Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

Ted Kendall · 27th Nov 2018, 9:01 am

Hindsight knows no myopia. At least efforts are now made to preserve what remains. Unfortunately, the BBC has been continually chivvied by successive governments who incresaingly regard it as an instrument of policy, its nominal independence notwithstanding - the Salford fiasco, withdrawal of the GIA for the External Services, the ongoing row about over-75 TV licences, and so on. Politicians are not generally known for their understanding of broadcasting beyond carping about alleged bias - and the proper funding of archives is not on their mental map. Look at what has happened to the NLW BBC project.

All is not well on the other side of the fence either - some who operate supposedly in the cause of programme, or recording, preservation exhibit behaviour from the dubious, through the coercive to the downright obstructive.

I should have thought that the RI lectures were prime archiving candidates, but it is as well to remember in this context that the past is another country.

27th Nov 2018, 9:01 am	#8
Ted Kendall Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 3,675	Re: Past Royal Institution Christmas Lectures Hindsight knows no myopia. At least efforts are now made to preserve what remains. Unfortunately, the BBC has been continually chivvied by successive governments who incresaingly regard it as an instrument of policy, its nominal independence notwithstanding - the Salford fiasco, withdrawal of the GIA for the External Services, the ongoing row about over-75 TV licences, and so on. Politicians are not generally known for their understanding of broadcasting beyond carping about alleged bias - and the proper funding of archives is not on their mental map. Look at what has happened to the NLW BBC project. All is not well on the other side of the fence either - some who operate supposedly in the cause of programme, or recording, preservation exhibit behaviour from the dubious, through the coercive to the downright obstructive. I should have thought that the RI lectures were prime archiving candidates, but it is as well to remember in this context that the past is another country.