Play for free, it's good exposure...BBC content

[yorks5stringer]

Appalling!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/dec/02/strictly-bbc-dropped-us-after-we-asked-to-be-paid-say-musicians

[adamg67]

Was just about to post this as well. Not good.

[silverfoxnik]

19 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said:

Appalling!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/dec/02/strictly-bbc-dropped-us-after-we-asked-to-be-paid-say-musicians

Yep saw that - absolutely shocking! 

In this country, musicians have been - and still very much are - treated as 2nd class citizens! 

It was like this 40 years ago when I first started playing in a band, and it's still the same now despite British music and musicians being amongst the best and most important and influential in the world. 

 

[Nail Soup]

Expected better from the BBC, especially when musicians have limited other forms of income.

[musicbassman]

The absolute pits.

Anyway, what's the problem ? 

All the band have to do is pay their landlords in exposures and buy their food with free publicity....

[Newfoundfreedom]

I've said it before but I'll say it again.

The BBC is an utter scumbag organisation from the top to the bottom, and the sooner it's shut down, or at least defunded with public money, the better. 

[Guest]

Theyve got enough money to pay that silly pecker Linekar though.  The sooner the licence fee is abolished, the better.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Bassfinger

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 10, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Lozz196]

7 hours ago, silverfoxnik said:

Yep saw that - absolutely shocking! 

In this country, musicians have been - and still very much are - treated as 2nd class citizens! 

It was like this 40 years ago when I first started playing in a band, and it's still the same now despite British music and musicians being amongst the best and most important and influential in the world. 

 

Yep, in Glen Matlocks book (he of The Sex Pistols) he says that everywhere else in the world musicians are treated fairly, even royally, whereas in GB once you’ve finished playing it’s “you’re in the way of the disco, can you eff off now”.

Some UK promoters really get it, but they’re few & far in my experience, whereas play in Europe and you’re treated very well indeed, to the point of contacting you before the gigs to establish if any band members are veggie/vegan/have any food allergies. In some places in the UK you won’t even get a bottle of water to go on stage with.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Lozz196

[Lozz196]

7 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

Appalling!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/dec/02/strictly-bbc-dropped-us-after-we-asked-to-be-paid-say-musicians

If it was a live show I’d be tempted to agree to no dosh, then play So What by The Anti Nowhere League, just to learn ‘em a lesson.

[lowdown]

I know someone in the band. To say they were shocked and p**s*d off is putting it mildly.

Shocking behaviour from a Broadcast Company that was once looked upon all over the World as a leader in quality Broadcasting ethics.

💩💩

Edited December 2, 2020 by lowdown

[mep]

Really surprised by this. Glad the story is out there though.

[BillyBass]

I've heard this sort of thing before.  One of my customers is a camera man, he has worked on a few documentary/reality tv series in the UK for a certain big TV channel.  There is a person in charge of the budget for each programme, hiring the staff, venues etc.  If they produce the show for less, its better for them, so they screw over whoever can be screwed over.  Gary Lineker and the like don't get asked for a pay cut, because they'll just go to ITV instead but the essential staff that aren't in front of the camera will be pushed to work for as little as can be got away with, especially if there are plenty others to fill their boots if they say no.

[taunton-hobbit]

Nothing about the BEEB surprises me -

this is the mob that started colour tv with The Black & white Minstrel Show and steadfastly ignored black music all the way through the 70's.

It's only the fact that they are our 'official' broadcasting company that keeps the licence fee existing.

It's just another form of bluddy taxation, imo

😎

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, taunton-hobbit said:

this is the mob that started colour tv with The Black & white Minstrel Show...

No, it was a documentary about Justin Trudeau.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Bassfinger

[mcnach]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

Yep, in Glen Matlocks book (he of The Sex Pistols) he says that everywhere else in the world musicians are treated fairly, even royally, whereas in GB once you’ve finished playing it’s “you’re in the way of the disco, can you eff off now”.

Some UK promoters really get it, but they’re few & far in my experience, whereas play in Europe and you’re treated very well indeed, to the point of contacting you before the gigs to establish if any band members are veggie/vegan/have any food allergies. In some places in the UK you won’t even get a bottle of water to go on stage with.

 

I'm not sure it's much different for local bands there. I think in general people treat better those who come from abroad, maybe they seem more exotic or important or something. What I've seen in the music scene in Madrid, for example, is that local bands struggle to make a penny but I've seen a few bands from the UK getting residencies and getting a pretty sweet deal with accommodation, food etc. 

I'm not sure musicians are treated that well anywhere, unless they're big names.

[TheRev]

In my experience, this isn't limited to the BBC. ..

[Ricky 4000]

Disgusting BBC.

[taunton-hobbit]

10 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

No, it was a documentary about Justin Trudeau.

My Bad

-Colour Television: 50 Years On. On 1 July 1967, BBC Two officially became the first channel in Europe to transmit in colour. The debut colour programme was an outside broadcast of Wimbledon, featuring the Men's Singles match between Cliff Drysdale and Roger Taylor.

[Monkey Steve]

9 hours ago, TheRev said:

In my experience, this isn't limited to the BBC. ..

No, and not just musicians...oh the irony of this being on the BBC website:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40728480

[madshadows]

Utterly disgraceful for any big company/corporation to act like this, total scumbags !! 😠

 

John 

[geoham]

Pretty poor by the BBC, though their statement is interesting "Had they performed they would of course have been paid for their appearance.”

I performed on the now defunct STV Glasgow with my old originals band around five years ago. No suggestion of any payment, though they provided some tea and biscuits while we hung around...  Before going on air, we had sign a waiver which basically said that STV have full ownership of the recording and can do what they like with it until the end of time. We didn't really mind - we were going on the telly!

They put out a Twitter link to one of the two songs. We asked them to do the same for the other, or just give us copies of the recordings - and were told no. They are a commercial operation, and not in the business of giving away their content!

Many of the better local bands played went on the show - STV will have built up a nice wee catalogue. I wonder if any of the bands went on to commercial success?

 

[MacDaddy]

can't remember who, but a chap's standard reply to 'Influencers' wanting something free, is along the lines of:

"Pay for my product/services and I will give you a code for your followers. If it is used 10 times then I will refund you."

Needless to say this offer has never been taken up.

[Monkey Steve]

15 minutes ago, geoham said:

Pretty poor by the BBC, though their statement is interesting "Had they performed they would of course have been paid for their appearance.”

I performed on the now defunct STV Glasgow with my old originals band around five years ago. No suggestion of any payment, though they provided some tea and biscuits while we hung around...  Before going on air, we had sign a waiver which basically said that STV have full ownership of the recording and can do what they like with it until the end of time. We didn't really mind - we were going on the telly!

They put out a Twitter link to one of the two songs. We asked them to do the same for the other, or just give us copies of the recordings - and were told no. They are a commercial operation, and not in the business of giving away their content!

Many of the better local bands played went on the show - STV will have built up a nice wee catalogue. I wonder if any of the bands went on to commercial success?

 

I doubt that any bands have the resources to challenge this,and those that do wouldn't care, but I wonder if the contract would hold up in court.  Contract law requires "consideration" - a payment in exchange for good and services, and if they don't pay you they can't stand behind a contract saying you gave it to them for free (though I suspect this would be murky because they would own the recordings themselves)

It would be nice for a court to rule on whether Exposure is in fact a legal form of payment

[taunton-hobbit]

Umm 'Benefit in Kind' perhaps ?

(just musing for a friend)

😎