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Comment by mellosouls | Hacker News Reader

Yeah, Private Eye pretty much the only essential publication in the UK for me.

Satire and comedy panel shows (HIGNFY, Mock the Week, Daily Mash, etc.) have been a major source of news and debate for me over the last decade or so. The BBC appear to be reflecting this by cancelling all news related comedy shows on TV -- presumably following pressure from the Tory government? The BBC also appear to have put a month-delay on podcasts which prevents them from helping u inform opinions on recent news. These things limit democracy, IMO. I've found such shows (in the same way as Private Eye) will lampoon anyone and so seem quite well balanced.

This all just seems to be one more data point on the chart that shows our UK government to be quite fascist.

> The BBC also appear to have put a month-delay on podcasts which prevents them from helping u inform opinions on recent news.

Through what mechanism is the BBC able to delay podcasts?

They make it available only on their app for a month, then publish it for everyone. It's just a commercial choice to capture more listeners for their apps.

I believe the podcast delay is just for independent clients - you can still get stuff on they day if you use the BBC Sounds app. It's just a ploy to get more people on their app.

Mock the Week was recently cancelled.

I agree with much of that, apart from the last paragraph but I think it is more likely that any deterioration of programming - while possibly coming from new pressure (including unwelcome political pressure from the government) - is indicative of a lack of depth in talent across the political spectrum that is exposed under the new light.

This has been clear for years, but perhaps there is a new urgency at the top to impress their new masters.

A lot of British comedians - at least those trying to be topical, frankly suck, with no obvious reason for their rise to fame over your average pub "wit" beyond plugging away, saying the right things, and being chums with the right people; the stronger shows succeeding despite their presence rather than because of them.

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