EDITORIAL

WELL you were warned. If you are no longer receiving the BBC channels on your satellite system then your only option appears to be to buy a bigger dish. Now I understand that if you live in an apartment with a strict community policy this will be a problem. Some people are contemplating buying satellite dishes which are as big as those used to control the space shuttle. Unfortunately, those people who have lost the BBC don't have a leg to stand-on because as we know the fact that they received the BBC in the first place was as a result of a freak of technology. With the BBC charter coming up for renew and the British government and the opposition calling for change perhaps the time has come for us European Union expatriates to lobby the British government. I am sure that most of us would be prepared to pay the licence fee in return for all the BBC channels. You can safely say that there are about 500'000 British expatriates across Spain and this additional revenue would be good news for the Board of Governors of the BBC who have been told to be more commercial. I also feel that it would be good for the BBC as their quality broadcasts would be enjoyed in Europe also. The BBC is probably one of the few TV channels in the world that buys the least amount of foreign productions so the issue of copyright could be resolved. What is needed is a proper lobby and I am sure that European Union expatriates have a case. I know it sounds silly but many expatriates base their lives around satellite TV and the fact that some may be contemplating moving back to Britain because of the television situation is a sad state of affairs.