Russell T Davies thinks the BBC is headed for oblivion.
Russell T. Davies
The 57-year-old screenwriter has suggested the broadcaster is under threat of becoming extinct following the rise and success of streaming platforms.
Appearing on 'The Gabby Roslin Podcast', he said: "The amount of author-owned, personal drama pieces that are being broadcast is 10 times the number than in the 60s. People say Play for Today was the height of television. We’re getting series like that every week now, not quite every week, but it’s in a glorious state. The state of the broadcasters is not so magnificent … I’ve given up fighting."
It comes after the former 'Doctor Who' writer previously warned that many broadcasters would face severe problems due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He suggested commercial channels won't be able to survive the pandemic as advertisers will cut back on their funding and allowing streaming giants to thrive.
Recalling the 2008 recession, he said: "We don’t know if we can show this episode of 'The Bill' tonight,’ [because] they were so short of advertisers and money. This recession is going to be even bigger and it’s going to affect the commercial channels hugely … and [the streamers] will start cutting back as well. We’ve got a Government that is morally and profoundly opposed to the BBC. Please don’t think they’ll change their minds about the BBC in this crisis."
Russell criticised the government for slashing funding to the BBC that saw a licence fee freeze cutting 20% from budgets.
He said: "We all forgot how clever the Tories are, that's the start. We're all falling for how comic they are: the comedy of the coalition; Clegg and Cameron beside the hospital bed. They're fooling us into thinking they're funny – but they're not, they're viciously clever people. And who can complain when they introduce massive austerity measures and then, 'Oh, by the way, we're crippling the BBC at the same time'. Because of course we're manning the barricades for the hospitals, the children, for food – never mind television."
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