Britannia Radio

Politics List

 

So who now says the Judges and Magistrates are not in this PC/New World Order/Common Purpose set up?

 

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Ex-editor fined in 'Sachsgate' licence fee protest

Jonathan Ross announced in January he would leave the BBC this summer A former national newspaper editor who withheld his BBC licence fee in protest at the obscene prank call to actor Andrew Sachs has been fined £262. Charles Moore, who used to edit the Daily Telegraph, refused to pay his £142.50 TV licence until Jonathan Ross was sacked for his part in the scandal. Lewd calls by Ross and Russell Brand were broadcast on Radio 2 in 2008. It led to the departure of Brand and BBC Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas. Ross was suspended for three months. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Moore said he told Hastings Magistrates Court it was "against [his] conscience" to pay for the "weird ideology which thinks that cruel jokes by Ross are justified because they 'push the boundaries'". Complaints He went on: "The question was, how to protest. Normally if you don't like a service or a political party, you can at least withdraw your custom and choose another. With the BBC, there is no such option. "So disobedience seemed the logical response... when my licence fee came up for renewal, I would pay the sum instead to Help the Aged, out of respect for Andrew Sachs. Until Ross was sacked, I would keep my television and go on watching it." But TV licensing said: "Irrespective of personal opinion, the law is clear: you need a licence to watch or record programmes at the same time as they are shown on TV." It said it was "satisfied" with the outcome of the case. A statement added: "TV Licensing would always prefer people to buy a licence if they need one rather than face prosecution, but if people attempt to evade the fee, for whatever reason, we will always investigate and take appropriate action." The prank calls, which were left on Mr Sachs' answerphone, included obscene comments about the former Fawlty Towers star's 23-year-old granddaughter, Georgina Baillie. At the time, more than 25,000 complaints poured into the BBC, and the corporation apologised for the "unacceptable and offensive" broadcast. Ross - who is the BBC's highest paid star and was reportedly earning £6m a year at the time - announced in January 2010 he would be leaving the BBC in July, after 13 years with the broadcaster.