How BBC's Countryfile betrays the countryside

[Brixsmaid]

Not a bad article for the Mail!

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2966166/Countryfile-BETRAYS-countryside-7-million-watch-CHRISTOPHER-BOOKER-says-BBC-s-flagship-ignores-rural-Britain-s-real-problems.html?ito=social-facebook

 

[spandit]

Good read, thank you.

[CaptC]

An excellent article - for the Daily Mail - a fair, constructive and slow to arrive truthful criticism.

There are many instances on Countryfile when Messrs Heap and Co are talking to camera about the decline of wild birds and in the background are pheasant feeders! No mention of the benefits of a keepered shoot.

Its also interesting how "close" Countryfile is to the National Trust (but as they now own vast swathes of the British countryside its not surprising!)

[Adge Cutler]

V Good read.

[yod dropper]

A good read. I record Activities in the Countrysidefile for the weather since they binned the weather for the week on the preceding news. I hope I don't through some form of technology show up in their ratings.

 

I recently watched some Out of Town and Bygones (post **** Joice) on ferreting shown as late as the 80s. TV wouldn't dare go near it now, they won't even do it on their nature programs as they always omit the kill in the hunt of certain animals. They used to show things like how lions would suffocate their prey and predators eating their prey whilst still alive. The sort of deaths that happen on an industrial scale all day, everyday.

 

This aside I feel the program barely touches on the real countryside and is more about what people can do there when they visit. I listened to a radio program recently with David Richardson the presenter of a discontinued TV program called 'Farming Diary' (Anglia TV, 1959-1991), he described it as a program made by farmers, for farmers. I'd say Bygones and Out of Town were made by country people for all people. Mr Richardson described Countryfile as something like a program made by town people, for town people.

 

Here's the Bygones clip, he breaks the rabbits necks, I can translate if needs be(!).

 

http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/203805

[TIGHTCHOKE]

That does make a pleasant change for the DM to report properly and not just rant.

[panoma1]

When anyone or any organisation supports something the first thing to consider is "what are they getting out of it"? And it's usually money, favour and/or advantage.

Most of the organisation/charities mentioned in the article cannot be described as conservationists......they are protectionists.....one organisation/charity who can be correctly described as conservationist, are the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust.

 

The RSPB, RSPCA et al, are businesses, conning the public for gain from their anthropomorphic, sentimentalist portrayal of animals and the countryside.........It is not in the interests of the TV companies who broadcast such programmes to challenge this status quo, as it would upset the viewing public and detrimentally affect their viewing figures!

[Thunderbird]

Not a bad article for the Mail!

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2966166/Countryfile-BETRAYS-countryside-7-million-watch-CHRISTOPHER-BOOKER-says-BBC-s-flagship-ignores-rural-Britain-s-real-problems.html?ito=social-facebook

 

 

 

+1

[scutt]

plenty of lads like that old boy around today but I bet you won't see them on country pile

[stumfelter]

A good read. I record Activities in the Countrysidefile for the weather since they binned the weather for the week on the preceding news. I hope I don't through some form of technology show up in their ratings.

 

I recently watched some Out of Town and Bygones (post **** Joice) on ferreting shown as late as the 80s. TV wouldn't dare go near it now, they won't even do it on their nature programs as they always omit the kill in the hunt of certain animals. They used to show things like how lions would suffocate their prey and predators eating their prey whilst still alive. The sort of deaths that happen on an industrial scale all day, everyday.

 

This aside I feel the program barely touches on the real countryside and is more about what people can do there when they visit. I listened to a radio program recently with David Richardson the presenter of a discontinued TV program called 'Farming Diary' (Anglia TV, 1959-1991), he described it as a program made by farmers, for farmers. I'd say Bygones and Out of Town were made by country people for all people. Mr Richardson described Countryfile as something like a program made by town people, for town people.

 

Here's the Bygones clip, he breaks the rabbits necks, I can translate if needs be(!).

 

 

Thanks for posting the clip, I enjoyed that although I couldn't understand it all!

http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/203805

[ShootingEgg]

Need to change the name of the program to townyfile as all it does is sugar coat the countryside and not show the real thing

[Bigbob]

I record country file and usually end up fast forwarding it till it comes to the weather theirs not much to watch on it, that tom heaps is a confirmed anti so his views are obliviously bias but then thats the bbc the quicker they cancel the licence fee or make it pay to view the better

[old man]

Countrypile, a nice little earner for all involved? Big Rovers to ride in, Swaro bins to spot stuff, and on it goes supplying fog to mask the mirrors?

 

Biased, anthropomorphic clap trap for the most trolled out in beautiful breathy well paused phrases??

 

As said, never a hint of natural predation or the havoc caused by anti's releasing mink and boar?

 

Excellent camera work though?

 

I apologise for my jaded view but think The One Show just as carp?

 

Useful as an advertising platform for the latest cash cow?

[old'un]

I for one would like to see Badgers, Sparrow Hawks and Buzzards taken off the protected list.

You see people on here saying how they killed X amount of black'uns or magpies and everyone comes back with a well done, that will help the song birds, but as soon as you mention culling hawks, everyone throws their arms up in the air and says oooh no you cant do that to such a lovely bird, lets not talk about such a thing on a shooting forum, well sorry a sparrow hawk is as bad as a magpie or crow and needs controlling.

Badgers also need an open licence on them and not just a controlled cull in certain parts of the country, you might then see a few more hedgehogs and ground nesting birds.

[old'un]

A good read. I record Activities in the Countrysidefile for the weather since they binned the weather for the week on the preceding news. I hope I don't through some form of technology show up in their ratings.

 

I recently watched some Out of Town and Bygones (post **** Joice) on ferreting shown as late as the 80s. TV wouldn't dare go near it now, they won't even do it on their nature programs as they always omit the kill in the hunt of certain animals. They used to show things like how lions would suffocate their prey and predators eating their prey whilst still alive. The sort of deaths that happen on an industrial scale all day, everyday.

 

This aside I feel the program barely touches on the real countryside and is more about what people can do there when they visit. I listened to a radio program recently with David Richardson the presenter of a discontinued TV program called 'Farming Diary' (Anglia TV, 1959-1991), he described it as a program made by farmers, for farmers. I'd say Bygones and Out of Town were made by country people for all people. Mr Richardson described Countryfile as something like a program made by town people, for town people.

 

Here's the Bygones clip, he breaks the rabbits necks, I can translate if needs be(!).

 

http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/203805

 

Love that film clip, I have met a few characters like him over the years, sad they are a disappearing breed, thanks for posting.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, no mention of the domestic cat as one of the major predator of our song birds plus magpies/jays/crows etc etc

[wymberley]

I for one would like to see Badgers, Sparrow Hawks and Buzzards taken off the protected list.

You see people on here saying how they killed X amount of black'uns or magpies and everyone comes back with a well done, that will help the song birds, but as soon as you mention culling hawks, everyone throws their arms up in the air and says oooh no you cant do that to such a lovely bird, lets not talk about such a thing on a shooting forum, well sorry a sparrow hawk is as bad as a magpie or crow and needs controlling.

Badgers also need an open licence on them and not just a controlled cull in certain parts of the country, you might then see a few more hedgehogs and ground nesting birds.

I think that could well be a case of being careful what you wish for. The antis already make every effort to ensure that we get a bad press. Fortunately, we get away with it because in the main Joe Public are not really bothered about what we get up to. However, the species mentioned, plus others, have a 'following' and if we started blasting away (as it would be described) at these willy nilly things would change and change rapidly.

 

Whereas I agree with your sentiments and I have to concede I'm not quite sure how the avian menace could be sensibly tackled. However, with regard to badgers because an open licence situation could rapidly turn into an unmitigated PR disaster (as it would for the hawks), I think a restricted licence would be a better option for us. For example, a land owner whose stock is liable to (or has) a TB outbreak or whose land is being undermined or otherwise damaged should be free to have them shot under similar terms to the old night time rabbit shooting legislation. This could then be undertaken with no one else being any the wiser. This would be a win win situation for all and everything concerned.

[old'un]

I think that could well be a case of being careful what you wish for. The antis already make every effort to ensure that we get a bad press. Fortunately, we get away with it because in the main Joe Public are not really bothered about what we get up to. However, the species mentioned, plus others, have a 'following' and if we started blasting away (as it would be described) at these willy nilly things would change and change rapidly.

 

Whereas I agree with your sentiments and I have to concede I'm not quite sure how the avian menace could be sensibly tackled. However, with regard to badgers because an open licence situation could rapidly turn into an unmitigated PR disaster (as it would for the hawks), I think a restricted licence would be a better option for us. For example, a land owner whose stock is liable to (or has) a TB outbreak or whose land is being undermined or otherwise damaged should be free to have them shot under similar terms to the old night time rabbit shooting legislation. This could then be undertaken with no one else being any the wiser. This would be a win win situation for all and everything concerned.

You are, of course correct in all you say and I do not expect to see any of the aforementioned ever being taken of the protected list (well not in my life time)

It just annoys me when I see with my own eyes what is happening but these so called experts put most of it down to bad farming practice.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, thanks for that good read, i stopped watching countryfile many years ago, country wise on ITV ? is not much better

[craftycarper]

Ellie Harrison Is all I watch it for these days😛

[craftycarper]

Typical BBC for you, trying to gloss things up and not show you the nitty gritty. It would have been nice to see re run of Clarissa and the countryman when CDW passed away, yeah I thinks not says the BBC don't think you can even get it on disc and shame on Adam Henson he of all people who runs sheep should be all to willing to discuss predators but nah, it's all about smiling & happy faces and making a few quid, I would like to see his expenses tab bet that would be interesting