There are few international media brands better known than the BBC with its wide range of output from news to costume dramas and car shows. Yet this British institution is very much a prophet without honour in its own land, and last year's general election presages the beginning of its end in its current form.
This is not an argument about whether the BBC's programming is good or bad. Its place in the first rank of producers is not the issue, nor is its ability to appeal to audiences worldwide. In fact, the soft power aspect embodied in its World Service section – and its motto "Nation shall speak peace unto nation" – barely figures in this calculus.
Instead, it is the BBC’s outsized role in British life that makes it vulnerable to a wholesale repudiation of its status.
Political considerations now point to its demise. The Brexit campaigners, who achieved the seemingly impossible in 2016 by winning a referendum to take the UK out of the European Union, have now put the BBC on notice.
The BBC has been accused of being the cornerstone of a liberal, metropolitan elite. Ranks of its executives – and those that appear on television – have been etched into the public mind as the epitome of a liberal, city-dwelling perma-class
With the date for EU departure set firm for Friday night, the next installment of the British national drama is set to be played out over the fate of the broadcaster. After all, taking down mighty and imperious institutions would be another popular project.
Charges that were laid against the European Commission and other bodies in Brussels have now been recycled with additional venom against the BBC.
The first is that it is accountable to nobody. This allows almost any failing to become a burden on the broadcaster as a whole. Management has been at pains to set up all manner of mechanisms to hold itself to account but in reality, it can never shed the tag of self-interest in its own regulation.
The second accusation is that the BBC is the cornerstone of a liberal, metropolitan elite. Here, the history of denigration of the EU in British minds is instructive. As far back as 1990, a hit comedy series titled The Gravy Train set in stone the image of overpaid, over-powerful Eurocrats taking decisions by fiat that affected tens of millions. The same has already happened with the BBC across many arguments over executive and "talent" pay.
The BBC itself broadcast W1A, a television series that expertly exposed the management by florid jargon and committee that afflicts the corporation. Ranks of BBC executives – and those that appear on television – have been etched into the public mind as the epitome of a liberal, city-dwelling perma-class.
To its critics, most of whom are the same voices that campaigned for Brexit, the BBC is not only a tainted force in news but its assumptions permeate through the drama, current affairs, panel shows and even the sports programmes that it broadcasts. In other words, there is a great wall of sound brought to bear in support of the elite consensus throughout the BBC's output.
Money plays an important supporting role in this drama. In 2010, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government cut funds worth hundreds of millions of pounds that the BBC spent annually on the World Service. A concession of free annual licences for the elderly was also heaped on the institution.
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The licence is key because within Britain the broadcaster does not run advertisements. It has revenues from royalties and other commercial operations but these are peripheral.
Technological advances pose massive challenges to the stream of licence income. Consumers increasingly do not use programming for entertainment. Many do not bother with televisions, which the licence taxes by law. Add to that, the ability of the state to curtail the licence fee income has already seen some shrinkage of the corporation.
The curtailment of universality is an important breach as it suggests that more cutbacks can be made. But particular battles over finances are a sideshow. Attacks aimed at the BBC are, at root, a battle over how to guide the destiny of the nation.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s most important adviser Dominic Cummings has for decades paired the EU and the BBC as equivalent Leviathans.
New Frontiers Foundation, a think tank that Mr Cummings helped run, made its charges against the BBC more than 15 years ago. It made clear that the Conservative Party was in competition with the organisation to be the pre-eminent player in how the UK is run. “The BBC is dominated by a culture that regards differing points of view as immoral. In their worldview, having certain views = immoral = more or less racist,” the NFF said.
As the same document recommended, Mr Cummings has banned cabinet ministers from appearing in the leading morning radio news, something unthinkable for at least five political generations.
Another Conservative commentator last week said that Mr Johnson must face down the “left-liberal, anti-democratic” BBC by decriminalising licence fee non-payment, launching anti-monopoly inquiries into how products like its news website crowd out competitors, and imposing outside regulation.
That is just the starting menu for a wholesale feast on a much loved broadcaster.
Damien McElroy is the London bureau chief of The National
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Rawat Al Reef, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Noof KB, Richard Mullen, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Jabalini, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: UAE Arabian Derby – Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Dergham Athbah, Richard Mullen, Mohamed Daggash
7.30pm: Emirates Championship – Group 1 (PA) Dh1,000,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Abu Dhabi Championship – Group 3 (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Irish Freedom, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Stuttgart v Cologne (Kick-off 10.30pm UAE)
Saturday RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin (5.30pm)
Mainz v Borussia Monchengladbach (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v SC Freiburg (5.30pm)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (5.30pm)
Sunday Wolfsburg v Arminia (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim (9pm)
Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg (11.30pm)
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%203%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Einer%20Rubio%20(COL)%20Movistar%20Team%20-%204h51%E2%80%9924%E2%80%9D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%20-%2014%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Adam%20Yates%20(GBR)%20UAE%20Team%20Emirates%20-%2015%22%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classifications%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenaders)%20-%207%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pello%20Bilbao%20(ESP)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20-%2011%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Friday’s fixture
6.15pm: Al Wahda v Hatta
6.15pm: Al Dhafra v Ajman
9pm: Al Wasl v Baniyas
9pm: Fujairah v Sharjah
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Super Saturday results
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, Brett Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Old Persian, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.