My daily "North London" email from Groupon (yes, I signed up, for reasons too pathetic to explain) offers an interesting headline that suggests someone with a sense of humour may be working there.
"3 Brazilian Pizzas £13/Colonic Hydrotherapy £39".
Showing posts with label consumer issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label consumer issues. Show all posts
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Rip Off Ou Quoi ?
Statistician Graeme Archer enters the debate about gender at the BBC - sparked by articles in which it was revealed that Julia Somerville, Gloria Hunniford and Angela Rippon get around £1,000 each per episode of "Rip Off Britain", whilst it seems to work out at around £40,000 for the pleasure of Alan Hansen's thoughts on each Match of The Day. And the audience is sometimes bigger for "Rip Off Britain".
Here's the core of Graeme's argument.
"There are plenty of men who present programmes about buying things, surely? And I'm sure I've seen women talking on sports programmes. It would only be sexism if either the BBC refused to let women do sport or men do consumer affairs, or, since they do permit the genders to mix within genre, if the within-genre pay was set lower for women than men. Now, that might be the case (which the BBC could address by doing what it ought to have done years ago, and telling us how our money is spent). But the fact that there are two uni-gender programmes of different genres doesn't tell us whether it is the case or not, and nor does the price per presenter within a genre tell us anything of institutional instinct, either: it may just be that there are more people available to read an autocue with regard to broken washing machines, than there are to comment on the fascinating world of competitive sport.
Unless, of course, the BBC lost a high profile sexism/ageism case last year, and decided to make amends by cobbling together a programme about the perils of buying white goods, to be presented "at random" (where "at random" means "not at all at random") by three older female presenters, and subconsciously decided not to pay them very much as a deferred insult. Absence of evidence, after all, isn't evidence of… etc etc"
Here's the core of Graeme's argument.
"There are plenty of men who present programmes about buying things, surely? And I'm sure I've seen women talking on sports programmes. It would only be sexism if either the BBC refused to let women do sport or men do consumer affairs, or, since they do permit the genders to mix within genre, if the within-genre pay was set lower for women than men. Now, that might be the case (which the BBC could address by doing what it ought to have done years ago, and telling us how our money is spent). But the fact that there are two uni-gender programmes of different genres doesn't tell us whether it is the case or not, and nor does the price per presenter within a genre tell us anything of institutional instinct, either: it may just be that there are more people available to read an autocue with regard to broken washing machines, than there are to comment on the fascinating world of competitive sport.
Unless, of course, the BBC lost a high profile sexism/ageism case last year, and decided to make amends by cobbling together a programme about the perils of buying white goods, to be presented "at random" (where "at random" means "not at all at random") by three older female presenters, and subconsciously decided not to pay them very much as a deferred insult. Absence of evidence, after all, isn't evidence of… etc etc"
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Click through
The BBC has adjusted its crinolines over links on online programme pages to dvd sellers. The box used to say "Buyer's Guide"; now it's a huge red thing, branded "Commercial Availability"....like this, for Gavin and Stacey.The BBC has, in some way, approved the "listed retailers who offer purchasable copies of the relevant programme".
A small test shows that the most expensive supplier listed for DVDs of Gavin and Stacey Series 1, 2 and 3 is the BBC Shop - in each case at least £3.30 more per item, including post and packing, than Amazon.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Half price
The BBC has published a list of discounts available to staff, in response to an FOI request. I've edited the list below to those clearly offering 25% off or better (on the basis that smaller discounts are more widely available).
HM Headmasters 25% off
Private Medical Insurance (BupaCare) 47% off monthly subscription
Hewlett-Packard Up to 25%
PURE (Digital Radios) Up to 25%
REVO (Digital Radios) Up to 25%
Roberts Radio (Digital Radios) Up to 25%
Highlight Comedy 2 for 1 on comedy tickets
BBC Magazine Discount 50% off
BBC Shop Discount Up to 30%
Berghaus 50% off
Rohan 33% off
Previously the BBC has acknowledged a deal with Berghaus for a 45% discount for staff.
HM Headmasters 25% off
Private Medical Insurance (BupaCare) 47% off monthly subscription
Hewlett-Packard Up to 25%
PURE (Digital Radios) Up to 25%
REVO (Digital Radios) Up to 25%
Roberts Radio (Digital Radios) Up to 25%
Highlight Comedy 2 for 1 on comedy tickets
BBC Magazine Discount 50% off
BBC Shop Discount Up to 30%
Berghaus 50% off
Rohan 33% off
Previously the BBC has acknowledged a deal with Berghaus for a 45% discount for staff.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Pricey pies
A BBC Sport survey exposes Arsenal as the most expensive ground in the country for a pie. £4.
The favoured option at the Emirates is the Chicken Balti Pie, with carefully counted pieces of chicken in a molten lava sauce. Shire Foods of Leamington Spa claim to be inventors of the concept, first supplying Walsall and Aston Villa in 1997. I don't know who supplies Arsenal's version, but the catering contract is held by Delaware North, who have a 20 year deal, and contributed £15m to build the catering facilities.
Delaware are also responsible for the catering at Derby County, where top price pie is £2.90. I don't have the purchasing power of a 60,000 seater stadium, but reckon I could get 12 chicken balti pies at a cash and carry for around £15.
So not everyone is happy with the catering ambitions or delivery at the Emirates - try the views of Arsenal Insider co-founder Tony Hall-Jones. Or the Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association who believe they've been promised changes for 2011/2.
The favoured option at the Emirates is the Chicken Balti Pie, with carefully counted pieces of chicken in a molten lava sauce. Shire Foods of Leamington Spa claim to be inventors of the concept, first supplying Walsall and Aston Villa in 1997. I don't know who supplies Arsenal's version, but the catering contract is held by Delaware North, who have a 20 year deal, and contributed £15m to build the catering facilities.
Delaware are also responsible for the catering at Derby County, where top price pie is £2.90. I don't have the purchasing power of a 60,000 seater stadium, but reckon I could get 12 chicken balti pies at a cash and carry for around £15.
So not everyone is happy with the catering ambitions or delivery at the Emirates - try the views of Arsenal Insider co-founder Tony Hall-Jones. Or the Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association who believe they've been promised changes for 2011/2.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Real life @MediaCityUK
BBC R&D staffer Andrew Bonney has written a long and useful post about living in a flat at MediacityUK for six months. If you're close to signing a deal, it's a must read. Andrew's largely positive - so much so that he's signed up for another six months.
There've been teething troubles - he notes some difficulties with the postcode change; with Peel Security and access, and a missing router. And he's sceptical that anyone could use the second, single, bedroom on a long-term basis. On the plus side, there's a tick for location and view, for the Peel Media package that comes with the apartment (providing Freeview, phone access, and wifi ) and the fact that, because the site has a combined heat and power system, there's no need for an individual boiler.
On the down side, the main issue is, despite the brand name of MediaCityUK, the £20-a-month media package that is pumped down fibres to every flat. There are no HD signals as yet, and no play-pause button, as with many other PVR/media packages. And though the flats have sockets marked FM and DAB, they're not connected to anything (apparently to stop proliferation of aerials, which is odd, given the neighbours).
There've been teething troubles - he notes some difficulties with the postcode change; with Peel Security and access, and a missing router. And he's sceptical that anyone could use the second, single, bedroom on a long-term basis. On the plus side, there's a tick for location and view, for the Peel Media package that comes with the apartment (providing Freeview, phone access, and wifi ) and the fact that, because the site has a combined heat and power system, there's no need for an individual boiler.
On the down side, the main issue is, despite the brand name of MediaCityUK, the £20-a-month media package that is pumped down fibres to every flat. There are no HD signals as yet, and no play-pause button, as with many other PVR/media packages. And though the flats have sockets marked FM and DAB, they're not connected to anything (apparently to stop proliferation of aerials, which is odd, given the neighbours).
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Classy
Be careful what you wish for... I'm told that Nando's, Wagamama and Boot's the Chemist are on their way to enhance the experience at MediaCity, Salford Quays. Makes it a destination for me.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Market news
Relations between local councils, central government and Tesco over planning issues are quite often tense. Property Week reports a new row in Liverpool. Sir Terry Leahy is still presumably miffed about decisions that blocked his superstore-come-football-ground for Everton FC in Kirkby.
Meanwhile Jeremy Hunt MP (Tory media guru) is still waiting to see what impact his "concern" will have on a proposed Tesco Express in Milford, near Godalming.
Meanwhile Jeremy Hunt MP (Tory media guru) is still waiting to see what impact his "concern" will have on a proposed Tesco Express in Milford, near Godalming.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The show goes on
The annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is seen by some as a more reliable indicator of new technology trends than other, more geeky events. Manufacturers show things you might actually be able to buy.
The San Francisco Chronicle says this year's event, opening on Thursday, will see a continuing decline in attendance, but a rise in the number of new exhibitors. The hot products are e-readers, tablets, 3-D displays, internet-connected cars, netbooks than work like smartphones, and smartphones that work like netbooks.
The San Francisco Chronicle says this year's event, opening on Thursday, will see a continuing decline in attendance, but a rise in the number of new exhibitors. The hot products are e-readers, tablets, 3-D displays, internet-connected cars, netbooks than work like smartphones, and smartphones that work like netbooks.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Courting popularity
Press Gazette teases us with a survey of 50 journalists and 1,000 members of the public, seeking their top business/finance journalists. The full results, they say, can only be found by subscribing to the magazine - let's see how long that lasts...
They have disclosed that Robert Peston of the BBC came first by a good distance in the weighted results, followed by Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert.com, Martin Wolf of the FT, Jeff Randall of Sky News (and still a bit at the Telegraph) and Gillian Tett, also of the FT. The Times had the most journalists in the top 50, with nine, followed by the Financial Times and the BBC – both on six. The BBC was named by the public as their most trusted source of news about business – taking 30 per cent of the vote. The FT was the favourite source of business news amongst journalists.
They have disclosed that Robert Peston of the BBC came first by a good distance in the weighted results, followed by Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert.com, Martin Wolf of the FT, Jeff Randall of Sky News (and still a bit at the Telegraph) and Gillian Tett, also of the FT. The Times had the most journalists in the top 50, with nine, followed by the Financial Times and the BBC – both on six. The BBC was named by the public as their most trusted source of news about business – taking 30 per cent of the vote. The FT was the favourite source of business news amongst journalists.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Values
The schizophrenic world of modern Toryism. Do you defend valued, if old, servants, like the BBC, against the growth and ambition of new "free-market" companies like Sky/News International - and on what grounds ? Not if you are Shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt MP.
Then again, do you defend much-loved, high-end farm shops like Secretts of Milford, against the growth and ambition of Tesco Express, wishing to build a Tesco Express on a nearby closed petrol station ? Yes, if you are Jeremy Hunt, MP for Surrey South West.
Then again, do you defend much-loved, high-end farm shops like Secretts of Milford, against the growth and ambition of Tesco Express, wishing to build a Tesco Express on a nearby closed petrol station ? Yes, if you are Jeremy Hunt, MP for Surrey South West.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
I'm free
Extract from Speigel Online - an interview with Chris Anderson, Editor in chief of wired.com, author of The Long Tail (book and blog) and the new book, Free. (Free at least as an audiobook in the UK on Spotify).
SPIEGEL: Mr. Anderson, let's talk about the future of journalism.
Anderson: This is going to be a very annoying interview. I don't use the word journalism.
SPIEGEL: Okay, how about newspapers? They are in deep trouble both in the United States and worldwide.
Anderson: Sorry, I don't use the word media. I don't use the word news. I don't think that those words mean anything anymore. They defined publishing in the 20th century. Today, they are a barrier. They are standing in our way, like 'horseless carriage'.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Bottle it
The Scotsman reports a stooshie (mild altercation) between MPs from all parties and Diageo, about whisky. The MPs suspect Diageo may be thinking about bottling Johnnie Walker abroad, and reckon that's the thin end of an economic wedge.
The rotters at Diageo previously tried to turn the brand Cardhu from a single malt to what they called a "pure malt" - which meant it could come from three different distilleries rather than one. Eventually the move was reversed, with Cardhu back as before, and the errant product relabelled as a "blended malt". Whisky accounts for one in 50 jobs in Scotland, employing about 10,000 people, with a further 30,000 jobs indirectly reliant on it.
The rotters at Diageo previously tried to turn the brand Cardhu from a single malt to what they called a "pure malt" - which meant it could come from three different distilleries rather than one. Eventually the move was reversed, with Cardhu back as before, and the errant product relabelled as a "blended malt". Whisky accounts for one in 50 jobs in Scotland, employing about 10,000 people, with a further 30,000 jobs indirectly reliant on it.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Bison fute
It's the start of the French holidays, and traffic news, as ever, will lead newspapers and bulletins there. What will the impact of stay-cationers be on British roads this summer ? How bad will the weekend of 25/26 July be ? At least the French have the options of alternative routes.... (note that Bison Fute also reports traffic conditions along our south coast).
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Speed sells
It'll be interesting to track the trends of house prices in and around Ashford as the year progresses - now just 35 minutes from King's Cross on a Javelin, compared with 80 minutes previously.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Who buys this stuff ?
Not my usual stuff, but I enjoyed Bill Britt's suggestions for Top 10 Unnecessary Consumer Products of 2009 in Marketing Magazine; here's a short version.
10 Andrex's ‘On the Go' toilet tissue
No hole down the middle - you fold the packing into a dispenser. 55 sheets cost 99p.
Oakland Farm Eggs' Egg In An Instant
Yes, they've cracked the eggs and put them in a carton.
Tesco ready meal: 2 Baked Potatoes with Cheese
£1.84 to avoid all that effort..
Pancake in a bottle
But not quite ready - you have to fill it up with water and shake it. Then cook it.
Marks & Spencer Ready-Made Jam Sandwich
75p
Dettol Anti-Bacterial Floor Wipes
£2.70 buys 15 single-use anti-bacterial floor wipes.
Dairylea Dunkers
A packaging triumph.
Garnier Nutritionist Caffeine Eye Roll-on
£5.
Innocent Thickies - breakfast in a bottle
Oats mixed into a smoothie
Caffeine-Free Diet CokeJust a way of taking artificial sweeteners
Friday, March 13, 2009
Charging mechanisms
Ryanair won't like this. But then, I don't like Ryanair.
Neither does Steve Bowbrick, whose anger is expressed more rationally.
Neither does Steve Bowbrick, whose anger is expressed more rationally.
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