Quote:
Originally Posted by muppetman11
Virgin Media under Liberty Global
Sky potentially soon under Comcast ownership
Viacom owning Channel 5
Itv having so much speculation about being a potential takeover target by bigger media companies.
The rise of the streamers like Amazon and Netflix
With all this overseas involvement do we risk losing our identity and also risk seeing less and less UK content ?
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As you cite all media companies, I'm assuming your question is just a media one, rather than a wider question on British identity.
I love nothing more than a good British drama or comedy. But as far as the good 'ole sitcom goes, they're pretty much extinct now. That's not the fault of the Americans, though.
A few American spy related films and shows I've seen set in modern day Britain has shown British policemen running through train stations or streets blowing whistles.... I think the last time they did that was in the 1950's.
In Game of Thrones, characters like Jamie Lannister are called Ser Jamie, rather than Sir Jamie. Obviously, lazy Americans couldn't be bothered to get the spelling right on that.
So, yes, in that sense, if our identity or culture is through an American lens, it can be altered or changed, watered down etc. But...
Game of Thrones is superb. American made, American written, American money but with a mostly British cast and crew. Imagine ITV ever attempting anything like that? Like hell! The same as The Crown, currently the most expense show made ever.
With some British shows, I quite even don't even bother with them now, if I know they will only be a few episodes in the entire series, as I prefer the American binge watching of seeing three or four eps a day and get through a whole series in a week.
If it were a choice between purely American shows like Homeland and Breaking Bad, or purely British shows like Jeremy Kyle and Come Dine with me, I know what I'd choose. I just wish the British broadcasters, while they still exist, put on better stuff. Perhaps that's the real question here, do our broadcasters deserve to stay in business when they'e putting out so much rubbish?