If there isn't an update later, blame the BBC

[a_silver_story]

How did this:

Thanks for your e-mail regarding 'Torchwood - Children of Earth'.

We appreciate that you were unhappy that Ianto Jones was killed off.

It is rightly heartbreaking for Ianto to die in this season of 'Torchwood'. We had established that its characters are involved in dangerous, life threatening work and that the myth of 'Torchwood' is that its people 'die young'. Ianto's death is particularly poignant and right for the story because it puts great pressure on the character of Captain Jack. Captain Jack has to pay the ultimate price, given the sins of the past and his own tragic immortality.

We do acknowledge your concerns, however, and we'd like to assure you that we've registered your complaint on our audience log. This is a daily report of audience feedback that's circulated to many BBC staff, including members of the BBC Executive Board, channel controllers and other senior managers.

The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us.

Regards

BBC Complaints

In any way equate to this:

Dear BBC,

I sent a complaint over two weeks ago and never received a reply, despite indicating via the drop down menu that I required one.

My complaint addressed issues of homophobia and misinformation regarding the recent BBC miniseries ‘Torchwood: Children of Earth’, mainly the insinuation that sexuality has its own unique ‘scent’ (Day Three; the character of Clem apparently ‘smells’ that another character is in a homosexual relationship) and the omission of other such complaints from the monthly complaint report published by the BBC on the main website.

I am disappointed by this lack of response and consideration by the BBC, particularly as they are a non-optional public service who draw large audiences to their programming and content. It concerns me that this comment regarding homosexuality having a ‘scent’ has not only gone unexplained, but was also actually aired on prime time television as well as my complaint about it being evidently ignored.

I hope you can provide me with an acceptable explanation for the omission of such complaints from the monthly reports, as well as informing me what it is about homosexuals or bisexuals that smells different from heterosexual people that would justify the use of this ridiculous idea.

Yours,

If you don't get a fic update later, it's the BBC's fault. I shall send them another message, and keep sending them until I get an informed response.

Comments

[sweet-minion.livejournal.com]

are they drunk? or don't they read their emails? OR are these emails send out randomly by ppl who have an IQ like a doorknob?

[nyjen-nejen.livejournal.com]

Considering the fact that i'm sure i've read that reply somewhereelse i reckon they haven't read your email and that what you have recieved is an automated response

[traciaknows.livejournal.com]

It didn't. A over used stock answer couldn't possibly answer such an important and valid question. When I got that message twice in a row and then finally a "different" stock response, It just helped add to my growliness.

[freekydj.livejournal.com]

What bullshit! What was this, a form letter response? Your question/concern was not even addressed.

[magicmalcolm.livejournal.com]

Ugh, monotone form e-mails. Having spent the best part of last week dealing with these instead of real people with informative, helpful responses I can only empathise with your plight.

Obviously you need to borrow the Mind Probe to get any coherent response from these people. Give them as big a headache as they've given the rest of us. Alternatively, pitchforks are at the ready.

[charlotte3006.livejournal.com]

God, that's so annoying :/
You keep at it, girl!! They have to crack at some point.
Don't they realise that if they gave an honest, actual answer then you would stop emailing them?
(Well, stop for now.... ;D )

[ella-caramella.livejournal.com]

Can't you UK people stop paying the BBC fee?

I know it's a tax - we have the same misfortune here in Italy with the RAI - but here if you inform them you don't want their service and 'prove' you don't own a TV set (as if ;P) they let you free.

[alchemistpotion.livejournal.com]

It's not, simply. I've learned that they see Torchwood complaint and they just copy past a message about Ianto's death. I complain everyday. And I always get this response!

Private Pervert, signing off.

(so no, I don't care about the name. I almost wish I weren't the Alchemist already, or I might call myself that.)

[aviv-b.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised that they don't have a stock 'we're not homophobic' answer. I'm sure they've received a number of complaints if only judging by the shit-storm that hit After Elton.

But you know, it will be something like

Dear one of the nine hysterical women: we can assure you that as a hetero female you cannot possibly spot gay bashing when you see it. As RTD and JB are certified queers and they say its not, then your opinion doesn't count.

If you are gay, they would send:

Dear beloved queer viewer: we can assure that as a queer you just paranoid about being depicted through a series of negative stereotypes. As RTD and JB are certified queers and they say they're not negative, then your opinion doesn't count. Further, as RTD has told us that only Mary Sue's are worthy of decent treatment, we defend our right to malign, degrade, debase and misrepresent queers however we want. And don't tell us that this leads to gay bashing, frankly we don't care.

Yours Sincerely, BBC Pricks

[green-lemon-pie.livejournal.com]

*growls angrily in the face of the BBC*
You wanna know something? I got the same response to one of my complaints last week.

And we lay our licence fee to them. Pssshht. And i thought the BBC were nice people. *grumblegrumble*

[zsazsa4168.livejournal.com]

Perhaps a translation into regular (that is, American) English will help.
Dear Ms. Brown:
Your recent communications has us mystified. Since we haven't asked for your input, we can't really understand why you insist on providing it. (We do occasionally say we welcome your comments, but if you look you'll see our fingers firmly crossed behind our backs.)
We had thought, especially after the events of this past summer, that you would realize we don't care what you think, what you like, what you want. If you were to decide, in retaliation, to stop watching our programs, we would all breathe a sigh of relief. Please pass this message to your eight hysterical girlfriends.
In the meantime, try to imagine us with our grimy fingers stuck in our ears, tongues flapping while we sing to ourselves, "La, la, la, we are not listening to you. Not ever! Not ever!"
Now, please lose our address and stop bothering us or we will send someone around to smack you.

Honestly, sweetheart! Get a clue!

Not the least sincerely,
Auntie Beeb


(Watched the new Python documentary last week and noted that the BBC almost erased the film on which the original Flying Circus episodes were recorded. They were too cheap to buy new film. So, I guess the BBC's been pretty consistent in areas of entertainment and business acumen for all these years!)

I miss my rentboy! And the weeping angels scare me to death!

[abby-juniper.livejournal.com]

*boggles* They're idiots. That's all I have to say. WTF are they on about?

*headdesk* I sent a complaint and got the exact same response that you did -- and Ianto's death was only a tiny (literally, one line) part of it when the majority of the letter was complaining about Day 5 and it's depressing and weak ending. >:-(