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Veteran broadcaster Terry Wogan has launched an astonishing attack on the BBC saying that it is no longer the best in the world.
In an interview to mark his 70th birthday, Wogan told Radio Times: "When I started, people who worked for the BBC knew they weren't earning as much as people in commercial television, but they did have the satisfaction of knowing that they worked for one of the finest, if not the finest, broadcasting organisation in the whole world.
"I'm not sure they feel that any more, or at least that it means as much as it used to."
He also revealed that when he sent in his first audition tape he had forgotten to rewind it and says if he had tried to join today he would not be guaranteed a job:
"I can tell you, if I was a young chap coming over from Ireland today, they probably wouldn't even listen to my tape, let alone rewind it.
"Somehow, that old-fashioned thoroughness and commitment have disappeared. I suppose no one has the time for it anymore."
The presenter, who reportedly earns £800k a year, also gave his strongest hint yet that he will no longer present Eurovision due to the political nature of the voting. He said: "I've had so much fun, but I think it's time for someone else to take over."
Do you agree with Wogan's comments? Is the BBC no longer a world class broadcaster? Let us know what you think...
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Sir Terry is correct. The BBC is to opinionated, very bias with a holier than thou attitude
Posted by: susanbaldwin60 on Wed Aug 13 10:17AM | Report abuseWell done Terry for having the guts to say what a lot of us think... I personally don't believe what I hear on the BBC anymore (particularly the news); they only report what they are told to, and there appears to be a great amount of political cover-ups. And in relation to the Eurovision Song Contest, it is a microcosm of what's happenning the world-over - misinformation! We also need a new breed of Investigative Journalism: individuals who will not be told what to report - we deserve to be given the truth in relation to global affairs. And it's about time the Beeb started to respect those who pay to keep them going... no more deciet, give us the true picture...
Posted by: mcmeehan2 on Wed Aug 13 10:28AM | Report abuseOf course the BBC has slipped...the only prpgrammes they make these days are these 'txt your vote for the next oliver, the next marie, the next dancer, all these meaningless, culture-less empty shows that are nothing more than channel 5' wishful thinking. If its not these shows, its constant repeats - not just once but yes, CONSTANT. BBC have become a lazy, greedy, stupid broadcasting organisation. People wonder why this country is raising 'idiots' - look at what they are watching! Yet they have the nerve, the absolute nerve to charge for TV lisense! What a joke the BBC have become.
Posted by: lauren_b_jones on Wed Aug 13 10:38AM | Report abuseThe BBC have become the 'wishwash' leading 'censors' and 'twisters' of news - the only use they serve is to the government so they can report, or rather ignore real news or the truth and focus on the what the gov tells them. Forget blowing up parliament, take out BBC
Posted by: lauren_b_jones on Wed Aug 13 10:41AM | Report abuseI did a goodle search to find this article - surprise surprise BBC news did come up on the search results!!
Posted by: lauren_b_jones on Wed Aug 13 10:42AM | Report abuseRadios 3 and 4 are good. The rest could be sold off as they provide nothing that is not provided by the commercial broadcasters. A few years ago I would have defended the licence fee for TV but the BBC (and the others) are incapable of providing quality factual broadcasting (stupid camera work, stupid graphics, intrusive music etc) except for some news and nature programmes. And so much junk! DM
Posted by: david.midgley9 on Wed Aug 13 11:10AM | Report abuseSpot on Sir Terry ! The BBC should start listening to its paymasters, the licence payers.
Posted by: brian.e.ball on Wed Aug 13 11:59AM | Report abuseI agree with Terry Wogan, the standards of production and presentation now put out daily by the BBC fall well short of the level that viewers and license payers should be able to expect. An example is very apparent with the coverage of the Olympic Games, the studio presenters are not competent to present an event of this magnitude, their speech and grammar is diabolical and the "childish comments" that are continually being made detract from the object of presenting the greatest sporting gathering in the world in a professional manner. Can the BBC not find people who have at least a basic knowledge and understanding of the sports at the games and people whose pronunciation can make us proud of what is after all a publically funded broadcaster? The "New" head of the Corporation promised many things when he took over from Greg Dyke, when is he going to start meeting his promises to the public. Rodney Stone
Posted by: injasuti on Wed Aug 13 12:46PM | Report abuseGood for Sir Terry, I tape 1-1.5 hrs. daily to watch at my conveniance and basically thats about all I see really suitable, along with some very good radio throughout the day. Happily retired
Posted by: harold.makin on Wed Aug 13 01:05PM | Report abuseNothing is what it was, in any area of society. I think the BBC is still worth the licence fee. But when travelling abroad, although the radio World Service is every bit as good as ever, the television service is poor. I'm drawn more to the alternatives offered by Deutsche Welle and the ABC
Posted by: brightonmick on Thu Aug 14 12:06AM | Report abuse