# BBC snubs the other guys

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-snubs-the-other-guys/692667>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 8, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-snubs-the-other-guys/692667 "2014-07-08T21:45:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-snubs-the-other-guys/692667/41 "2014-07-11T12:43:30Z")

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> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …look at the post he was responding too. He is implying the complete opposite.

I did look at the post he was responding to. it was ambiguous to me as to whether the intent was:

“They will fail because this is the same BBC that employs David Attenborough” (i.e. sarcasm)

or

“They have **already succeeded** because this is the same BBC that employs David Attenborough”

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**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-snubs-the-other-guys/692667/42 "2014-07-11T17:20:20Z")

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> [@Steve\_MB](#):
>
> That’s no excuse. It would be trivially easy to create the same level of entertainment value by treating the crackpots as reality-TV targets for pointing and laughter rather than as purveyors of an actual viewpoint worthy of consideration. If anything, that would be _more_ appealing to the Roman-Colosseum id of the viewing public.

I get your point, but you’re assuming that TV creates people’s ideologies. If TV only broadcast things which was of a certain standard, then people wouldn’t believe stupid stuff, and would subsequently enjoy watching TV show hosts make fun of stupid stuff.

I’m sure that TV helps to create and re-inforce people’s ideologies, but the success of FOX News is pretty good evidence that it’s a relatively small effect. The regionality of ideologies is also a pretty good indicator that TV (which is broadcast everywhere) has a fairly minimal effect on what people believe. So picking on idiots would just mean that you’re picking on your viewers. They’d either get enraged or stick to reading tabloids and nutty websites.

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