Not actually sure what the point of this is, or what Ofcom thinks it might be investigating.

So what if government sponsors this kind of documentary, its not a secret.

The one I would like to see is about the crack teams of HMRC Investigators who track down people who don't pay tax, a far more interesting subject, no really, that following DWP investigators bullying unemployed single parents for 1p overpayments, or stopping their benefits because a friend has stayed for a while.

No lets see HMRC bringing to book the great and the good who think tax doesn't apply to them.

Yet another example of the incestious relationship between the media and politics.

The basic equation goes like this you donote funds to the party and donate your time to the election campaign, then, we win the election and throw lots of taxpayers money in your direction.

Talk about propoganda, do these shows come with a warning before hand

"This show is sponsored by the Ministry of Justice."

tshh

a hard-hitting examination of the question of whether a prime minister should retire early.

Alternatively, a 1980s comedy show where nearly every single episode was a 20-year-early forecast of the behaviour of the current government ("never setup an enquiry without knowing in advance what it's findings will be", "don't lift lids of cans of worms", etc etc).

Why not save some money and forgo the OFCOM investigation and just jump right to the inevitable conclusion that the Government didn't do anything wrong.

Government sponsored TV programs being passed off as independent documentaries is entering into a very dangerous area.

What then does the BBC Licence fee/Stealth Tax buy in Public Service Propaganda terms? .

Precious little new and of any real Future Value apparently whenever the Programming is just old repeats, and fruity turns like an unkempt Ross....... and of course a generous dose of dopey kitchen soaps ...... and toys for the boys like Clarkson and Co?

Marks out of Ten for Effort? ...... Nul Point.

Three questions there, just in case there are any answers.

post the YouTube link to the film of two Oxford St plastic plods making idiots of themselves by trying to move on a photographer, apparently on the dubious grounds that he's not a tourist.

The perception is that the level of street crime is at an all time high.

Either the government makes tough decisions to address crime or.....

they alter people's perceptions

I see that Ofcom strives for better standards than those set in other countries. TV is used for government propaganda all over the world and I doubt one can fight with it. Making it visible and transpart is another matter.

I paid for its production through my taxes. I pay the license fee on top to watch it. And the new one is going on sky so ill have to pay more to watch it.

Genius.

Or maybe its a positive that I wont be able to watch it. It would probably only make me mad anyway.

You're right, heard the Yes Minister episode about the central ID database on the radio the other day - it was rib ticklingly ridiculous at the time.

The Muppets do politics, Harriet or Smith for Miss Piggy....

This must be a some naturally occuring misunderstanding.... what could the government possibly acheive by slipping just short a million quid into the back pocket of a media company and then asking them to produce a documentary or two on their behalf? Do you people mean to imply that something unproper might have has happened? That really couldn't possibly be the case, after all, the government are so particularly careful to declare all of their expenses and their vested interests; they always avoid conflicts of interests and never resort to nepotism; they are quick to divulge their contributors and always refuse to take on private jobs in industry as rewards for any favourable politics that may have transpired; without a shadow of a doubt our government are the epitome of scruples and honesty and I am proud of their long established history carefully consider all of the implications within their policies in a clear and succinct manner.

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[/complete gobshit]

Surely the correct term is C3PO?

government propaganda had Central Office of Information or BBC at the bottom of it.

Episode 1. 3000 blank passports are stolen, and the Government claims this proves that we need ID cards.

Er, wait a minute...

30 second pitch.

Permanently short and painfully cheerful Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, mounts her hog (that's a bike BTW.) to root out extremist behaviour around Britain. Armed with nothing more than a chirpy attitude and a government green paper she's our last bet hope to protect the New Labour Project.

It's only partly propaganda in that the first serious could have come out badly. Somehow the makers seemed to know what the Home Office was looking for without them even asking. Ofcom won't find a problem. There won't be a memo that says "could you cut out the bits where the PCSO look bad and keep in the bits that make them look good"

It's used to dupe us and it's paid for out of our own money. Well DUH! Ofcourse it is, that's what government does.

They are switching to PCSO's because they are cheaper. This means you also get people who want to be police even if the money is not good and they are not up to being real police. People say plastic police don't have enough power, expect that to change soon, and it won't be a good thing. Like Lollipop ladies all sorts of people will pop up in flouresant jackets, knighted with slightly more power than your average person. Like a first aid course there will be a 'Community Assistance Officer' course where road sweepers can raise their profile for the good of their community. Neighbourhood watch are getting special powers to nick people for speeding, Parish Councils are recieving speed gun licences. All of these things are going to need positive spin on TV.

We are becoming a nation of jumped up plastic police.

At least this goes some way to explain why ITV are incapable of producing anything that resembles decent documentary these days. With the Man from the Ministry playing back seat FCP editor, narrative, rationale and objectivity were always going to go for an extended lunch hour. Maybe if they sponsored the Today programme they wouldn't have to suffer the mauling dealt out to 'Sheepman' Darling this morning.

While doing this is apparently not illegal, it is immoral and therefore entirely in keeping with our repugnant government. If I was Eton Dave, I'd be cranking up the nasal whine in protest.

It was all simpler in the days when a Plastic Pig was a three wheeled car and therefore a bit more useful than the current incarnation.