......................something of no interest to 99.9% of the population.
I don't know how many times over the weekend and on Monday I heard on the radio news that Oxford Street in London had been pedestrianised.
So???
Many towns and cities in all parts of the country have pedestrianised shopping centres. News about nothing.
I think it's called London-Centric - meaning too much importance on London. Of course this is one reason our new PM got his job - being a bloke from 'up north' and reminding everyone that there is more to the England than London.
It annoys me that the BBC have shortened news programmes from local areas. Look East - the BBC early evening regional news TV programme used to be half an hour and divided into two parts for east and west of the area. Now it's often just 20 minutes squeezed into the national news and covers everywhere from Milton Keynes and Peterborough in the west to Lowestoft in the East.
I think I heard they are getting rid of BBC Radio Scotland sometime too.
Really this is a post about nothing of interest - so 99.9% of readers should ignore!😐
I live in Melbourne, Australia. I listen to the BBC World Service overnight when I am wakeful. They were talking about the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street last night - admittedly on a news magazine program but I do wonder how much people in Africa would care. I was interested because my late husband was English and I lived there for some years (not in London). Also because some of our thoroughfares have been pedestrianised. But quite some time ago. Oxford Street is, apparently, "famous for shopping". All the more reason to remove the traffic, I guess. I hope your house sale is progressing smoothly. Frances
ReplyDeleteI fall asleep to BBC Radio 4 which changes to World Service sometime after 1am so often wake up to news from somewhere in the world.
DeleteMore and more I tend to feel that both BBC and ITV news bulletins are less about news-things that have actually happened in the world, than about feature pieces and trails for their upcoming documentaries. For proper news and explanation about it I like Channel 4.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree! Will try Channel 4!
DeleteITN have Channel 4 and Channel 5 news and ITV own part of ITN - all very complicated for really independent news
DeleteI love London. But there are other parts of the British Isles!! East Anglia was ahead of the game here. London Street in Norwich was the first shopping street in the country to be pedestrianised, nearly 60 years ago. But that doesn't get mentioned anywhere.
ReplyDeleteAnd can I mention I am REALLY annoyed that they are planning to axe Radio 4Extra? I listen to it all the time. I know it is mostly repeats, but it's one specially produced programme is the Daily Service, which is a special moment in my day, and treasured by many housebound folk who can no longer get out to church.
We may be in the minority, Sue, but we still want our voices heard! Rant over.
It also annoys me that for the weather they now say "Eastern England" which covers a Big area rather than in the past we were called East Anglia
DeleteI thought exactly the same. At least they have quietened down about Sadiq Khan. At one time it was impossible to turn on the news without hearing his views on something that was only of concern to Londoners.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I find annoying is that the news seems to have turned into a current affairs programme with 'special reports' on this, that and the other. Cut out those and the "We asked those out and about in XXX what they thought of XXX," bits and they could have the whole thing done in 10 minutes and save the other stuff for another programme altogether, an updated version of Nationwide perhaps.
Nationwide - that's going back a while!
DeleteIt will be good to have less London centric policies and news sometimes. I agree that the BBC is running too many trailers for it's documentaries rather than what is happening. I also get fed up with their talking heads giving opinions on everything, I want the facts not their slant. For a short factual bulletin I listen to Classic FM on the radio.
ReplyDeletePenny
Always make me smile when they 'go live' to someone standing outside somewhere in the dark/wet/wind.
DeleteWell, for a post about something 99.5% of people have no interest in, you sure hit a nerve!. I briefly lived in London 50 years ago now in my parent's flat close behind Selfridges and Oxford Street was already impossible then.
ReplyDeleteIt's a problem for everywhere, combining people and wheeled transport
I love it when so many people are interested in something blogged about that I thought was boring!
DeleteNot knowing the area, I think I've only walked part of Oxford Street once in the last 50 years, I do wonder whether the lack of buses will reduce foot fall and shoppers.
ReplyDeleteI've managed to avoid Oxford Street for 71 years so far!
DeleteWell us .1% really enjoyed this post, so thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think Andy Burnham is doing a brilliant job setting things up so that the whole of the country feels represented and heard.
Budget Day tomorrow - that will be a test!
DeleteI’ve been to Oxford Street once 😂
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
I've never been there and only been to London a few times and not for more than 30 years!
DeleteYears ago, pre Sat Nav’s and with four young children in the car , I took a wrong turn and ended up driving down Oxford Street on a Saturday afternoon- never again!
ReplyDeleteMiriam
Ooops!
DeleteThis post made me smile. Yes all so true. I’m afraid I’ve taken against watching any news. All too sad and depressing. B x
ReplyDeleteI have the radio on for company a lot which is where I kept hearing about Oxford Street and thought 'not again'
DeleteThere’s been an outcry about BBC Scotland closing. There have been successful programmes made and exported in the past so I guess there will be no more home brown talent nurtured in Glasgow. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI was shocked when I heard that as I know they make many Scottish music programmes that feature local people
DeleteOxford St., when I walked it, was very busy with people walking and traffic. Where will all the traffic go if the street is only open for pedestrians? I also recall the traffic being very heavy in London throughout the city.
ReplyDeleteOur major news outlets ABC/CBS are worth watching for about 5-10 minutes. After that they go on repeating the same content all day long. Now some have added feel-good segments which are okay but not really news. PBS (radio) has watered down their reporting. They report and then argue the point
My preference is for Bloomberg news. It is worldwide news.
Susan
There are several 24 hour news channels now - very repetitive - I avoid them completely
DeleteOK - ignored.
ReplyDelete😊
DeleteI'm sure shortening the regional news programs comes from budget cuts at the BBC. Even I thought their coverage of Oxford Street was overdone. And I live in London!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I wasn't the only one hearing too much about one London road!
DeleteNow you will be able to walk down Oxford Street with getting run over by Ubers and electric scooters!
Regarding local programming. Here in Wales there is the complication of language too. Overall I’d say that Cymraeg gets a fair share and appropriate funding but not everyone agrees - many would remove the funding ; others would see it doubled!!!
ReplyDeleteI sometimes watch Rugby on S4C - but they don't have subtitles so I have to guess!
DeleteI often wonder why news shows pick what they do to report on.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
The problem is almost always MONEY ... regional news needs LOCAL reporters, whereas national/international stuff is shared between many sources, so cheaper to produce. Getting local news in a country as small as New Zealand, and as spread out, geographically and culturally, has ended up in the "Too Hard" basket. SO we hear too much from the shouty extremists and not a lot else. Sad. I get my important news largely from the Guardian, BBC, and al Jazeera
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that there isn't more local news. To most people, that's what matters more than the national/international stuff. I'm not saying we should stick our heads in the sand, but things going on close to home everyday is what's on the minds of people.
ReplyDeleteI really hope they don't do away with local radio. I think that's important too!