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| Lineker has been the main presenter of Match of the Day for more than 20 years Source: BBC |
Following news that the TV licence fee is to be increased from £157.50 to £159 Mail Online reported this reaction from a community nurse after Gary Lineker tweeted his 'heartless' reaction to the increase.
The mother-of-two who specialises in dementia and palliative care said she is facing being kicked out of her home for missing a TV licence direct debit.
"She fumed: 'I'm an NHS nurse, worked all through the pandemic. Me and my two children are facing homelessness and TV licensing are taking me to court for a missed direct debit. She said she questioned if she could be taken to court and added: 'Explained it to the inspector that came to the house. 'But as I had a BBC channel on it was deemed a breach as the licence was not renewed due to the failed direct debit. 'Paid it on the spot. Got told to change my plea to guilty to avoid more fees. 'It's been a long nightmare'."
Mail Online reported that BBC star Gary Lineker was accused of 'mocking the poor' after joking about his £1.3million salary in response to the corporation ramping up the cost of the licence fee. The 60 years old former England soccer player responded to news of the hike from £157.50 to £159 on Twitter with 'But, but I've just taken a pay cut', followed with a zany face emoticon.
Lineker's attempt at a joke misfired badly and saw him described as 'heartless' and 'missing the mood of the public'. The community nurse responded with "I hope you manage to survive with your pay cut."
Lineker may have taken a pay cut from around £1.7 million but he is still paid £1.3 million, the cost of over 8,000 TV licenses when many pensioners over 75 and over-stretched workers cannot afford one.
I know soccer is a kin to religion for many but the cost of retaining this over-paid 'high priest' and other similarly over-paid 'stars' is depriving some of the most vulnerable in society of a link with the outside world, particularly when they are essentially under house arrest during lock-down.
Odious individual! His vulgar, cormorant greed on the crisps advert nauseates. As for his opinions...!
ReplyDeleteRob
TV licence enforcement appear to emply a brutalist approach to their work which I've experienced twice in recent years. On both occasions I've had a letter out of the blue, in very peremptory terms threatening me with prosecution for not having the required licence. On the first occasion I simply ignored it because I had a current licence and the letter offered me no information on how to contact licence enforcement to tell them so - just instructions on how to pay. In the ensuing weeks I received a succession of further letters from them, increasingly threatening in tone - indeed the last one could have been described as abusive!
ReplyDeleteBut it did, at last, provide a contact phone number which I promply utilized. When I'd expressed my fury and frustration to the poor bloke to whom I spoke, there was something about his response which led me to ask: I bet you get a lot of calls like this, don't you?' He replied laconically 'You've no idea'! When I gave him my licence details he found it without difficulty on their system, but could offer me no explanation as to why I'd received the accusatory letters. However the flow of letters ceased.
Last year, and by then living in a different house in a different place, I had an identical reprise. Again we had a current licence. Again no contact number provided on the accusatory letter. Again an escalation of increasingly shrill and threatening letters. And finally, once again, one which provided a contact number to use.
This time I got an amenable and human guy to speak to. I also had a theory: one of the computerized data bases which a large number of businesses appear to use mis-spelled, by just one stray letter, the name of our house and I'd learned, by chance a while before, that they'd spotted and corrected it. But our TV licence still sported the mis-spelt name, and the threatening letters from TV licencing were addressed using the correctly spelled name. Was that, I asked the amenable guy, enough to kick off this barrage of accusatory letters. 'More than enough', he replied. 'Wouldn't it be better to double-check first?' I suggested. 'Not possible', he said; 'it's all automated - the computers do it all'.
Which may well be good for efficiency, in terms of what was once called 'time and motion'. But in my case at least it did nothing for 'customer relations'.
Still, we got no more letters. For now!
The hike in licence fees is easily available. Don't watch live TV and don't use BBC iPlayer.
ReplyDeleteIgnore all the threatening letters churned out by their computer system and ignore anyone they send around to knock your door.
Of course, the letters will become increasingly abusive and threaten you with having an investigation opened and inspectors visiting etc but since you're innocent until proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt then that'll be the end of it.
Defund the BBC and put Lineker out of a job.
Simples.
My hunch after my two experiences is that sending someone around is an absolute last resort. Despite threats commencing with the second letter, no one ever appeared at my door. I rather hoped they would, since I could immediately produce the licence, but I suspect home visits are in reality just too expensive. It's considerably bluff and bluster.
DeleteI've no wish to see the BBC defunded; it's not as good as once it was, especially in news and current affairs, but it still provides some quality programmes. And I fear that its defunding could result in prevalence of the wholly cr@p TV choices that you get in Italy or, from what I hear, the USA.
As far as I am concerned the BBC is already 99% crap and the remaining 1% can just be collateral damage.
DeleteWell, as far as I'm concerned, you're entirely justified in holding to your opinion no less than I'm entitled to mine.
DeleteOf course you are John and I did not suggest otherwise.
DeleteBut the politically correct BBC will not charge unless and until it is defunded to such an extent that it has no choice or it collapses under the weight of its own crap.
These 'threatogrammes' which increase their abuse as every month goes by and the commission driven 'inspectors' who will do anything to get their money sum up the vile and evil BBC
ReplyDeletehttps://tv-licensing.blogspot.com/2021/02/cricket-legend-botham-slams-army-of-bbc.html
Personally, I found the suggestion that the damn things are generated automatically without any direct human involvement rather more chilling than the notion that someone makes a decision to send them out. Another instance of rule by algorithm!
DeleteLatterly the BBC has provided programmes to help children continue learning during lockdown. I did not notice commercial channels providing that service. There are also many fascinating radio programmes provided by the BBC.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of time for the BBC and feel that its Public Service remit allows it to do things that commercial channels find difficult. It’s not perfect by any means, but I think it’s interesting that Governments of both shades have claimed that it is “against them” over the years, which to me suggests that it is being fairly even-handed!
ReplyDeleteRecent licence fee settlements do mean that it is having to cut back. Not only will this inevitably be reflected in programme quality, but it also means that questions must be asked about salaries. Personally I cannot see why anyone – whether a sports presenter or player, businessperson or banker, or Council Executive – should be given salaries of £1+, especially at a time when so many folk are struggling to survive. However the mantra of “We have to pay these salaries if we want to attract the best people” is always trotted out. Somehow this bubble has to be pricked but I can’t see it happening any time soon!
A salary of £1+ would certainly be a fairer reflection of their true worth.
DeleteI know this is off-piste, AB, but I thought (given the degree of coverage she's had in this blog) many readers might be interested (even cheering) at a job ad that appeared in the Church Times, this morning.
ReplyDeletehttps://jobs.churchtimes.co.uk/jobs/Archdeacon-of-Llandaff-in-Wales-jn8987
What are the odds on them finding someone who meets all June's criteria for the Pilate's successor? From what we know, anyone having any of the qualities described will run a mile from this!
By the way, talking of archdeacons, was there any consultation or even information about the suppression of the Archdeaconry of Morganwg?
Perhaps, Thurifer, the advert is meant to be read in conjunction with this Llandaff diocese prayer which has appeared on Twitter.
Deletehttps://twitter.com/LlandaffDio/status/1359819607498924039
I am certainly cheering and cheered by the news that Peggy the Pilate is about to join Byzantine Bazza on a cruise into the sunset.
DeleteShe will not be missed one jot in Llandaff.
Looking for at least 6 years experience as a priest?
DeleteSays it all.
The Ecclesiastical Commissions Act (1840) sets out the canonical requirement that anyone proceeding to the post of archdeacon must have been at least six years in priest's orders. Given the minimum age of (diaconal) ordination is canonically set at 23, that means that any prospective archdeacon will be 30 or over.
DeleteI assume that the 1840 canon was carried over into the Church in Wales Constitution, hence the requirement.
Exactly what defines an archdeacon is less clear. During a discussion about archdeacons in the House of Commons, the relevant minister was struggling to define the post, and after several unsuccessful attempts, sent a message to the House of Lords asking for help. The bishop-on-duty replied, 'An archdeacon is an ecclesiastical officer who undertakes archidiaconal duties,' which satisfied the Commons.
@Ancient Briton
DeleteWho writes this stomach churning drivel?
Is Peggy J leaving?
ReplyDeleteRob
How shoddily unclear and unappealing have the Llandaff Diocesan website and other CinWs websites become. They were far better previously before the unwelcome changes.
ReplyDeleteRob
PP. Reading the AD Llandaff Job Description. Looks more like a job for a "battle axe"or, more precisely, a "parish steamroller" "You will be a mission area or else".
ReplyDelete6 years of clerical orders is no time at all, to take on such a high profile role. Perhaps they are seeking someone from a previous secular senior management role?
If you compare the advert to the one for Monmouth, their is no real comparison. Monmouth's is softer in tone and person spect, while the Llandaff, seems very hard-line. The question is: is a certain lady, rushing to clear the MA decks, and leave her mark firmly, before her own demise in the not too distant future?
The pilot sailing out of the harbour, must be a blessing, but her replacements credentials, are if we read between the lines of the advert, much more hard-line. In passing, I wonder if Delores Umbridge or, Valdemort himself are applying - I jest, honestly!
Judging by what is being replaced, battle axe and steamroller sounds about right.
ReplyDeleteLuddite and cultural vandal will be pre-requisites too.
FMP...one response to a blog about the persecution of Christianity. Over 20 responses to a blog about Liniker that quickly disintegrates into the usual bitching. Says it all about this site really. #Ancient Celt
ReplyDeleteWho is Liniker?
DeleteI have never heard of her.
Since the anniversary of the disappearances of both Gerwhine and his chum Mr Toad is imminent, one wonders when one will see adverts, job descriptions and personality profiles published for a new Dean and Head Verger in Llandaff?
ReplyDeleteThe next set of Cathedral accounts will make very interesting reading too, especially by how much the few remaining properties will have been revalued yet again to paper over the ever widening cracks.
Delete