[Rijowhi]

I agree with what Lineker is saying and he is a brilliant presenter. However I have a real issue with the BBC paying anyone so much. Any service that is funded by the Licence Fee should not be paying anywhere near that much money!

I’d personally like to see the BBC (UK division) stripped to one general TV channel, a TV News channel and a handful of Radio stations (and the Licence Fee halved). I simply don’t buy the argument that the BBC needs many different TV channels to show different types of programming. The BBC can then have their streaming service split as i-player FREE (with all programming shown on TV/Radio) and i-player PAY with programming made for the service via subscription.

[matthieu1221]

This is an interesting perspective that most people might not have thought of about having MOTD commentary-free.
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[Andrew]

Back to a bit of pres, it looked to me the World feed commentator on the WSL game was making it overly clear that they were broadcasting to the world, which I’m not sure they’d usually do. Probably so they don’t get criticism for not standing in solidarity.

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Wouldn't be suprised if the choice of Coast was deliberate from pro-Lineker employees to highlight the hypocrisy.

It’s the standard filler when they have 10 minutes to play with on BBC Two is it not?

[Jon]

It’s a good point. BBC Sport would argue they had no choice, but I think they could have made it work either with a quick deal for World Feed commentary, or utilising radio commentaries.

I’d argue showing the games with no commentary was better than not showing them at all though, as a one off. But useless for those who rely on commentary and there should have been more of an effort to offer something. Perhaps this statement means there will be something sorted for MOTD 2.

[Spencer]

Wouldn't be suprised if the choice of Coast was deliberate from pro-Lineker employees to highlight the hypocrisy.

Although to be fair, it’s still a default choice anyway for BBC Two isn’t it?

You’d have thought given the circumstances, someone might have thought this wasn’t the best choice of programming to replace the sport.

That the BBC is happy to have someone known for publicly expressing anti-semitic conspiracy theories appearing on air when they’ve just taken a presenter off air for expressing criticism of the Tory government, doesn’t help their case for impartiality, and plays right into the hands of their critics.

And before anyone says it, yes I know Coast was made years before Oliver started spouting his nonsense, and it’s not a live programme, and he’s not paid as much as Lineker. But still, it’s not a good look right at this moment in time.

[James2001]

It’s the standard filler when they have 10 minutes to play with on BBC Two is it not?

Yes, but you'd still expect someone to sit back and think if showing something presented by someone who's become known for extreme right wing politics and conspiracy theories is appropriate right now. There's bound to be other 10 minute fillers available.

Wouldn't be suprised it's been put on to subtly say "this show is still the standard BBC filler despite the presenter's politics, it shows up the hypocrisy in suspending Gary".

[Steve in Pudsey]

This is an interesting perspective that most people might not have thought of about having MOTD commentary-free.
twitter.com 

But how useful is a TV commentary to a blind person? Wouldn't the radio coverage be better?

Maybe they should add the radio commentary on the AD channel as a matter of course?

[XIII]

I’d personally like to see the BBC (UK division) stripped to one general TV channel, a TV News channel and a handful of Radio stations (and the Licence Fee halved). I simply don’t buy the argument that the BBC needs many different TV channels to show different types of programming. The BBC can then have their streaming service split as i-player FREE (with all programming shown on TV/Radio) and i-player PAY with programming made for the service via subscription.

Yeah, not going to happen like ever especially closing BBC Two and the children's channels.

[JAS84]

BBC Two and Cbeebies anyway. CBBC is closing in a couple of years, they announced that last May.

[Spencer]

It’s the standard filler when they have 10 minutes to play with on BBC Two is it not?

Yes, but you'd still expect someone to sit back and think if showing something presented by someone who's become known for extreme right wing politics and conspiracy theories is appropriate right now. There's bound to be other 10 minute fillers available.

Wouldn't be suprised it's been put on to subtly say "this show is still the standard BBC filler despite the presenter's politics, it shows up the hypocrisy in suspending Gary".

I can’t believe that the choice of any substitute programme right now isn’t being signed off and carefully vetted by several levels of senior management given the close scrutiny the BBC is under at the moment. 

Unless, as you say, there’s a serious internal mutiny underway to embarrass the DG further.