The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Rosemary on February 25, 2015, 07:39:59 pm
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2966166/Countryfile-BETRAYS-countryside-7-million-watch-CHRISTOPHER-BOOKER-says-BBC-s-flagship-ignores-rural-Britain-s-real-problems.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2966166/Countryfile-BETRAYS-countryside-7-million-watch-CHRISTOPHER-BOOKER-says-BBC-s-flagship-ignores-rural-Britain-s-real-problems.html)
Yawn, more BBC bias.
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Now, now, Rosemary.
That is an article in the Daily Mail and therefore it must be totally factually correct and cannot contain any bias itself.
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Now, now, Rosemary.
That is an article in the Daily Mail and therefore it must be totally factually correct and cannot contain any bias itself.
Well, I LOVE the Daily Fail (this is a lie btw). I don't watch "Countryfile", so can't comment. But I guess others might ;D
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In general I don't agree with the Daily Mail, or anything written in it.
But this article hits the nail firmly on the head in my opinion!
Can't stand Country File, it's so biased it's unbelievable and gives a totally skewed vision of the country side.
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:wave: i like adam hensons bit its the only part i watch i think he puts his point across in plain english . and u have to take your hat of to anyone who can make money out of rare breeds :-J . i enjoyed john cravens news round as a kid . its funny how your view of someone can change . he is so anti farming its almost funny .
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Greenie wellie wearers and vegi beef eaters just love the Countryfile programme as it's as full of crap as their wellies & food , few will ever know little difference.
The BBC are just after ratings so they can claim justification for their licence fee . It's a lazy production that ignores most of the real country side life , yet glamorizes the fluffy chick and young lamb or calves & fund raises for children in need for six months or more a year .
It's a real townies myopic feel good factor view of country life & bears no resemblance or true likeness to the actual one.
One of the female " Hot star presenters " of god only knows how many kiss a cod , feel a frog or find a furry friend type programmes etc etc. made enough money out the licence payer to buy a fair sized farm . She then put a manager in to run it whilst she & her man are gallivanting all over the world on behalf of the BBC. All very tax efficient for both of them no doubt , with a massive farm house set in the open countryside , but she's not farming or small holding to my mind no matter what the programme indicates .
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Cloddoper - If it's the particular star you are thinking of. . . . . even better she bought an ex council farm, which is quite ironic, seeing as how she claimed that she wanted to help the 'locals' (in this farming community) get into farming. And yes, you are right 'her' farm, is run entirely by a lovely couple, who are from local farming stock, and all of the wonderful projects she has achieved, the geo-dome green house, the edible garden etc, were all planned, designed and implemented by other local professionals. . . . . .
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..... love it or hate it ............ and I certainly have plenty to say about Adam and his farming (biggest sprayer in UK on his 'smallholding'!) and the blond bimbo's ............ most of us are still watching it enough to comment!!!!
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So it's a s**t programe, I wonder how many people have been inspired by it and went on to keep rare breeds etc. So much negativity.
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So it portrays the countryside as people want to see it? So what?
If it was all "Now we go over to Adam who's standing in a freezing bog in Wales, with a hypothermic ewe and her stillborn lambs", nobody's going to watch it, are they?
I await the Daily Mail's next article pointing out that Glasgow isn't nearly as grim or dangerous as Taggart would have us believe, or that not everybody in Essex has fake tans and hair extensions!
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It's really been dumbed down over the last few years-last week it was seemingly all about art and poetry, neither of which I have much time for and I can't stand that chirpy little presenter, she should be on Blue Peter or something.
Other than Landward though, its about all there is. I like the rare breed stuff and the Exmoors when they are on. I doubt that they are going to report on sea eagles chasing lambs into bogs any time soon though.
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...and the blond bimbo's ............
Why is it that people assume someone's hair colour (natural or not) has got anything to do with their intellect! You are just perpetuating long-outdated stereo types!
I may not like the actual programme or even what some of the ex-presenters continue to do after their "fame", but please stop calling blond women (and it always is women isn't it???) bimbos! And they do have business sense if they can make money of a small farm!
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I too watch the Adam Henson bit and the weather forecast, unless there's a breed or place mentioned that I have an interest in. A friend was once interviewed on a piggy subject and spent hours being filmed on what turned out to be five sentences and a wry smile!
The guests who stay in our farm holiday cottage are always so surprised to hear we're on duty 24/7/52, that bovine TB is widespread in deer and alpacas, that we wear more mud than a wallowing pig in the winter.....
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not everybody in Essex has fake tans and hair extensions!
They don't?! !! ??
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I think for the target audience, which is mainly people have not real interest in how farms actually work they have pitched it right. The big but is that it does not stress that the countryside as we see it today is mainly manmade and takes men, women, machines and money to maintain it, and some of that is smelly, inconvenient and may upset the fluffy bunny brigade.
Farming is a huge industry, you only have to go to one of the big farm events to see the money involved, but the industry is really rubbish at promoting its self to the general public. There are so many naturally funny farm wits about that a day time programme covering aspects of real farming with farmers who are not presenters being filmed would be doing their daily jobs would be far more informative like Countyside 999, but with mud , s**t, and wry humour.
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Anke, you are a natural blonde and no-one would call you a bimbo.
If Ellie's long locks, always perfectly presented no matter what she's supposedly just been doing in no matter what conditions ::), are naturally blonde, I'll eat my own mousey barnet! :D
But fair comment, we shouldn't use the term. Those of us using it, thinking of using it, and using it in our thoughts, consider ourselves on the naughty step. :dunce:
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If Ellie's long locks, always perfectly presented no matter what she's supposedly just been doing in no matter what conditions ::), are naturally blonde, I'll eat my own mousey barnet! :D
She was a Blue Peter presenter, I think, and has brought a little too much of the children's programme style to Countryfile, for my taste. I'd rather see the experts doing the things they are good at, than a set-up shot of Ellie making a b*ll$ up of it. I even miss Julia sometimes. :roflanim:
Helen Skelton is our local girl, so I ain't about to diss her ;).
I think it's probably a tall order to make a programme that farmers and smallholders will rate and watch and also appeals to the armchair countryphiles and others who can only get to the countryside for leisure. So they probably don't do too bad a job, as it stays on air so has ratings, and enough of us are still watching it to have opinions about it! lol
And it's still the best weather forecast for farmers, by miles. ;)
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Nope , some people (without) are just passing through !
Where did all those posts come from ? I was answering the coment about , not all people have fake tans and hair extensions in Essex , lol .
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Given that I'm a natural blonde and originally from Essex I'm clearly scuppered. Sod the PhD and years in academia with an international reputation - I must be stupid, fake tanned and sporting hair extensions ::)
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I must be stupid, fake tanned and sporting hair extensions ::)
You forgot to add "innit" ;) .
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..... love it or hate it ............ and I certainly have plenty to say about Adam and his farming (biggest sprayer in UK on his 'smallholding'!) and the blond bimbo's ............ most of us are still watching it enough to comment!!!!
Think maybe I need to clarify I AM BLOND! TOO! No offence to any blonds on here. But having lost Julia (who you actually felt did get herself dirty!) all the female presenters are now blonde and on there to parade to the male viewers..... even my OH has to admit that is a reason for watching!
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:wave: i like adam hensons bit its the only part i watch i think he puts his point across in plain english . and u have to take your hat of to anyone who can make money out of rare breeds :-J . i enjoyed john cravens news round as a kid . its funny how your view of someone can change . he is so anti farming its almost funny .
Adam Henson does not make his money from rare breeds!!!! All the brand new, shiny tractors you see working on his farm are free to him as they are advertising on tele. His pet farm open to the public brings in money. All his tv appearances and celebrity appearances at advents bring in more. His are breeds are a hobby!!! He doesn't do any work on his farm, his staff do it all, he just rocks up for filming.
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Blimey you lot are on one ;D
its just a programme, next you will be saying Emmerdale isn't real :roflanim:
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It's funny, I kind of get the feeling that a lot who have commented have largely missed the point of the article.
The way I see it is this - that show, is what informs most general folk about what is going on in the countryside.
It sells a totally skewed, bigoted view of many countryside issues, which are tantamount to propaganda, and political lobbying.
As a result, when the general masses are called upon to debate, choose, or think about many of the issues that effect the countryside. . . . .
Their opinion, decision etc etc is informed by total and utter drivel and one sided propaganda.
This is blatantly wrong.
The badger / fox / bird of prey issue is a classic example.
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Good point. Trouble is Them That Do, Do and Them That Don't Comment On Them That Do.
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Their opinion, decision etc etc is informed by total and utter drivel and one sided propaganda.
This is blatantly wrong.
But surely that's no different to opinions held on any number of different non-countryside issues like energy supply, immigration, foreign policy etc etc?
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:wave: i like adam hensons bit its the only part i watch i think he puts his point across in plain english . and u have to take your hat of to anyone who can make money out of rare breeds :-J . i enjoyed john cravens news round as a kid . its funny how your view of someone can change . he is so anti farming its almost funny .
Adam Henson does not make his money from rare breeds!!!! All the brand new, shiny tractors you see working on his farm are free to him as they are advertising on tele. His pet farm open to the public brings in money. All his tv appearances and celebrity appearances at advents bring in more. His are breeds are a hobby!!! He doesn't do any work on his farm, his staff do it all, he just rocks up for filming.
yea the wee picture is tongue in cheek !!! if you google his dad he is well documented on being involved in saving many rare breeds . adam also champions rare breeds(got to be better than downing them) hobby or not he is on there side
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Womble - Perhaps so. But this thread was discussing an article in the papers, stating that Countryfile was betraying the countryside, by portraying totally false, one sided, propaganda, which influences the majority to get involved or take hand in decisions which end up massively negatively impacting the countryside. . . . . but fits with the BBC and bunny huggers agendas.
It's their view of predators etc which really boils my piss, and the worst bit is that they actually edit out comments made by those they interview if they don't, when asked a question - reply with the sanctioned (bull s**t) bbd line!
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:wave: i like adam hensons bit its the only part i watch i think he puts his point across in plain english . and u have to take your hat of to anyone who can make money out of rare breeds :-J . i enjoyed john cravens news round as a kid . its funny how your view of someone can change . he is so anti farming its almost funny .
Adam Henson does not make his money from rare breeds!!!! All the brand new, shiny tractors you see working on his farm are free to him as they are advertising on tele. His pet farm open to the public brings in money. All his tv appearances and celebrity appearances at advents bring in more. His are breeds are a hobby!!! He doesn't do any work on his farm, his staff do it all, he just rocks up for filming.
yea the wee picture is tongue in cheek !!! if you google his dad he is well documented on being involved in saving many rare breeds . adam also champions rare breeds(got to be better than downing them) hobby or not he is on there side
I should have gone to spec savers, thought you were sticking your tongue out at me!!!! :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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So, are we saying that England's green and pleasant land isn't green and pleasant? Blimey! Countryfile isn't aimed at people who live and work in the countryside it's aimed at the middle class BBC lovies who maybe will visit a rural area one day and spend some of their money, so long may it continue.
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I honestly think that the vast majority of people in this country don't care two hoots about the farmers of this country, they are far far removed from farming and food production. Ask any kids from an urban area where there milk. steak. pork,mutton, bread, chips, come from and I bet they don't know. So maybe this program is made for them. Country matter are aphorent to most ask them to kill gut skin and prepare an animal to eat. Ask them to grow some vegetables in there gardens. Ask them to kill vermin to protect there animals or crops they haven't a clue and because they are so far removed they don't care. This started happening in the industrial revolution and now we are here, happy days. These few lines are not a critisisum of anyones way of life just a few of my observations and thoughts.
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I don't watch television but have started to watch Countryfile on youtube. I notice all the animals involved are very well behaved, as yet no-one has been bitten, butted, suffered a black eye by a swinging horn or had their foot trodden on by a heavy pig.
No-one has stepped out of their welly in thick mud, landed on their bum in same mud or have been heard screaming " Bloody, fu****g sheep/pigs/geese"
'Nor have I seen anyone, battered by driving rain, struggling up a field with a bale of hay on their back, but, maybe I haven't watched far enough (or it's just me ;D)
I can see the appeal of this programme to folk sitting in their warm living room while the snow falls and thinking "Oh, what an idyllic life!" and I suppose the TV company who produce it is only doing it to make money but, no, so far I can see it doesn't portray real farming life.
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My concern is that Countryfile portrays the idyllic life, lovely countryside egg, so the wealthy urbanites want a piece of this paradise but then having bought up all the houses and good land for weekend ponies, then go on to complain about the noise and smells from the agricultural industry! Not only do we have a divide between those inside the M25 and the rest of the country, but we have a rural/ urban divide, which is only fostered by the rosy spectacled view of the BBC. There, I fel better now, nothing like a bit of a rant to get the blood flowing!
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To be fair, Sylvia, I've seen Adam on his backside more than once, we've seen him nearly get charged by his new Highland bull, last week a fireman nearly got crushed by a dairy cow (and a lot of the cows were walking badly), and Matt quite often gets muddy / knocked about. We've also seen Adam with a collie dog not working well.
Kate, bless her, regularly gets covered in all kinds of things, but she's not on CF, I know.
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The programme is run with an agenda and that agenda does not include farming for food production. Has anyone else noticed that farmers are always the baddies? Take the programme on birds the other week, farming practices were blamed for the lack of small birds ect. Not one mention of the increase in predators. There was a noticeable lack of birds of prey mentioned, nothing about far more pet cats around and as for badgers, foxes ect we all know that the baddie farmers are persecuting them to the point of extinction...
What got my goat was running courses so that farmers could identify what birds they could see as if no farmer knows the birds they see day in and day out. Sorry I forgot farmers dont see birds anymore.
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Ask any kids from an urban area except the small number whose family is actively engaged in agriculture where their milk. steak. pork,mutton, bread, chips, come from and I bet they don't know.
(I think you're unduly confident in the knowledge of most people who live in rural areas)
No-one has stepped out of their welly in thick mud, landed on their bum in same mud or have been heard screaming " Bloody, fu****g sheep"
'Nor have I seen anyone, battered by driving rain, struggling up a field with a bale of hay on their back, but, maybe I haven't watched far enough (or it's just me ;D)
I'm glad to hear it - I hate having people watch me at work and anyone trying to film me will thoroughly ruin my day >:(
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There are so many naturally funny farm wits about that a day time programme covering aspects of real farming with farmers who are not presenters being filmed would be doing their daily jobs would be far more informative like Countyside 999, but with mud , s**t, and wry humour.
Gosh, you wouldn't think so from the buttock-clenchingly awful cheesy jokes sent in to Farming Today. They were so bad that the slot had to be humanely PTS...and thank god for it.
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Wouldn't you think that, with all the channels, someone could make a weekly programme about land based issues? I think "Landward" does a better job than "Countryfile"tbh.
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Go for it Rosemary :-J
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I've not heard of Landward. Tell me more.
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I've not heard of Landward. Tell me more.
It's a BBC Scotland programme - Dougie Vipond, Ewan McIlwraith and Sarah - can't rememebr her surname. Dougie Vipond is the drummer with "Deacon Blue" as well ;D
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Tv programmes are "chosen" by the viewer. If you don't think that Countryfile represents the country life then simply turn it off. Any programme you could mention across all channels has its admirers and haters, people who complain about the content, people who want to see more like it, people who like certain aspects but hate others, and don't get me started on presenters! I find Countryfile much dumbed down in recent years, so now I don't watch it, unless I have a particular interest in an 'article' much like a magazine. BBC bashing seems very prevalent at the moment, and I have no truck with that whatsoever. Just go to any other country in the world and then come back and appreciate what we have in the BBC.
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We've also seen Adam with a collie dog not working well.
I LOVE that dog. Clearly a collie who doesn't suffer fools and had zip all respect for someone who'd not put in the work :)
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BBC bashing seems very prevalent at the moment, and I have no truck with that whatsoever. Just go to any other country in the world and then come back and appreciate what we have in the BBC.
In particular....try the TV in USA. I defy you to emerge with the same number of brain cells
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Dougie Vipond is the drummer with "Deacon Blue" as well ;D
ah well, can't have everything :)
I like Landward, used to like CF-I do appreciate the BBC as well, having lived in the US for a while. I do worry our TV is going down the same dumbed down, can't focus on anything for longer than 2mins road though. Luckily the BBC is still doing adaptations like Wolf Hall for the rest of us!
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I find Jimmy's Farm more down to earth. (I'm spending too much time on youtube having discovered it!)
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In my opinion whether a subject is covered in the printed, broadcasted, online or indeed the audio press both sides of a story will never be covered fully in order to give a truly balanced agreement/discussion. I know that it should but they inevitably don't.
Example: The recent article on bird numbers within farmland in the UK. I work in the countryside on farms. I regularly see and hear a wide selection of farmland birds on a weekly basis which according to survey results are declining.
WHY do they never report the regional results for these instead of blanket statements saying the skylark is vanishing from UK farmland because I'll bet its in only certain areas that they are declining. Where I work - they are not vanishing. And as its already been pointed out the issues of increasing numbers of birds of prey never gets a mention or the fact that a lot of growers are planting hedges etc. This annoys me but they will report on what they wish to report on - that is the press. They have always done that and probably always will.
I enjoy Country File on a Sunday evening. Its the only programme (to my knowledge) that covers ANY countryside issue/s at peak time on TV. Its better than having no programme in my view.
Presenters? I couldn't really care less who does it. Adam has been recognised within the Agri industry for bring Agri issues to the floor. Compared to some of the other drivel that's on CF is good.
Tv programmes are "chosen" by the viewer. If you don't think that Countryfile represents the country life then simply turn it off.
:thumbsup:
I agree with Rosemary regarding Landward. A very good programme that sadly never gets a good slot up here on the TV and as a result I usually miss it.
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Well Countryfile made a major boob this eve .... anyone else spot it? ............... The bucket in the kitchen to collect veg cutting for the pigs and pointed out in the dialog!!
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Yes I saw that straight off. Not one to complain but I have just complained to BBC , this programme especially should know that is illegal.
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Correct me if I'm wrong but we also picked that up but quickly realised they were in a pub bar not the kitchen which amazingly is quite legal !!!
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Not when she has 2 joints of ham next to her.
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Correct me if I'm wrong but we also picked that up but quickly realised they were in a pub bar not the kitchen which amazingly is quite legal !!!
Bar or kitchen it's still a catering establishment and no food that's been in there can be legally fed to any farm animals. Not just pigs.
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John Craven just makes me want to kick the TV >:(
Landward IMHO is much more relevant to us further North