Benefit Street; Channel 4 Documentry Series.

[Habakure]

Here is an article (I use that term loosely) about how some of the people who have taken part in the Documentry series, feel let down and lied too:-

 

http://m.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a541832/channel-4-defends-benefits-street-after-residents-lie-claims.html

 

What a surprise. They've come across in a bad light and are now trying to say they're victims of the big bad media.

 

Anyone feel sorry for them (about the Documentry not their life situation)?

[Skarclaw]

Havn't seen it (and probably won't) but to be fair TV - especially reality tv like is this often spun / selectively edited. Bloke that appeared on gogglebox got in trouble with C4 after he told people that they took multiple cuts filming it- in contrast to C4's description of the show. I interviewed a few of the apprentice people and they all seemed (to me) proper genuine, nice people whereas I couldn't stand most of them when I watched them on the telly. I dunno.

 

the best way I can put it is imagine C4 came round to your local skirmish site to make a documentary about "the hobby of airsoft, what it is, who plays it, the team work involved, etc"  there would be a high chance the end piece would a scare story about paramilitary training or something. 

 

I don't think everything on television is fabricated - but entertainment/reality? for sho

[Habakure]

I would never agree to a Documentry unless I had final edit/editorial control. I remember working on a Documentry for a company that I can't name. They claimed that the final edit lacked style or factual information. The style was what they chose from a previous corporate video and the lack of information was down to them not allowing us access. We did do a Renum Industries style trailer for them, they actual liked it (complete with two workers high fiving).

 

No documentry is without a hint of being biased (limited time for interviews or lack of research etc), but most of the documentaries of the past 8 years, have been extremely biased. More so than Roger Cook.

[AceOfSkulls]

Im sure it has been edited to look a certain way, however they had to do stuff to be edited that way and im sure unprovoked.

 

I doubt most of them botherd to read the contracts and disclaimers.

[jal3]

I would never agree to a Documentry unless I had final edit/editorial control. I remember working on a Documentry for a company that I can't name. They claimed that the final edit lacked style or factual information. The style was what they chose from a previous corporate video and the lack of information was down to them not allowing us access. We did do a Renum Industries style trailer for them, they actual liked it (complete with two workers high fiving).

 

No documentry is without a hint of being biased (limited time for interviews or lack of research etc), but most of the documentaries of the past 8 years, have been extremely biased. More so than Roger Cook.

 

Googled it.

Found this instead:

http://www.reynholm.co.uk/

 

Dafuq D:

[Habakure]

You'd be surprised what is in a brief. I don't/can't bother anymore, but when ever a new company showed interest you where always guaranteed a wtf moment (typically wanted too much for what they were willing to spend).

 

I do hope people take note of this documentary and realise, sometimes you really should say no.

[Skarclaw]

"tv: just say no"

[Cannonfodder80]

I haven't seen the show either and probably won't so I can't really comment on the people featured but being surprised a reality tv show is edited to show what the producers want is like being surprised that bears *suitcase* in the woods

 

the best way I can put it is imagine C4 came round to your local skirmish site to make a documentary about "the hobby of airsoft, what it is, who plays it, the team work involved, etc" there would be a high chance the end piece would a scare story about paramilitary training or something.

C4 did exactly that at Electrowekz about 8 years ago. IIRC They said they were doing a documentary on combat games but it turned out it was about gun culture and didn't paint airsofters in a good light

[AceOfSkulls]

Watched this show last night, jesus. I have zero sympathy for these people.

 

For those that didnt highlights include; shop lifting, theft, attempted theft, drug use, running from the police, asbo breaking, weed farms, scams and benefit scammers.

 

Someone complaining because they are in rent arrears while sitting next to 40 inch tv and drinking.

 

Who would seriously act like that on camera then complain they are being portraid bably.

[Cannonfodder80]

I saw it last night too. The bit that made me laugh was the attitude of its ok to steal from others to survive, but the moment someone steals from them it's a different story with them all up in arms

 

The only one I felt any sympathy for was the 50p man who had started selling bits and bobs door to door rather than sit on his *albartroth* or go out thieving

[FireKnife]

Eh, society we live in.

 

I know everyone keeps saying how amazing it is but if you really go into the bad areas and find that small percentage that make up benefit fraud and theft crimes you will see how awful a bunch of 'humans' they are.

 

Round by me (and I am sure by many other people) you just see lots of horrible, arrogant and selfish people that assume beacuse 'society has given up on them' (read lazy, never went to school and expected life to come to them) they deserve to be <insert expletives> to everyone. Saw the odd highlight of this show but all it proves is that we as a nation need a more secure system and a place to put all these arrogant undesirables that just wont change.

 

So much for being 'mis-represented' when it looks more like they are actively doing it without question. People like that are just the lowest of scum and sadly will never learn any better apart from moan about how we all owe them a favour for being so lazy and stupid when they could have easily had a chance to do better.

 

'FireKnife'

[Skarclaw]

we as a nation need a more secure system and a place to put all these arrogant undesirables that just wont change.

 

 

 

Maybe some kind of "benefits" street?

[Cannonfodder80]

How about some big island which is mainly dessert and all the wildlife is trying to kill you? Oh, wait I think we tried that

 

Anyway, it looks like the police are interested. Lets hope they can do something

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10556970/Police-examine-Benefits-Street-documentary-after-alleged-criminal-acts-are-broadcast.html

[FireKnife]

Maybe some kind of "benefits" street?

 

I was thinking more a nice island somewhere, send them some food and let them see how they all get on when they are all equally as arrogant and lazy to each other.

 

We could turn it into an over the top reality TV but show but as most of the potential audience would already be on said island it wouldn't really work .

 

How about some big island which is mainly dessert and all the wildlife is trying to kill you? Oh, wait I think we tried that

 

That was back then and I think nowadays given how dependent they are on things that they steal or shouldn't be allowed to have they would really be screwed.

 

As for the police getting involved, good. If these people are stupid enough to openly admit to these things they deserve everything they get. Yes sure there may be one or two that were acting up for the cameras but I am sure some of them are just genuine low-lifes stupid enough to agree to it being on TV.

 

'FireKnife'

[Cannonfodder80]

I think napalm would be cheaper

[FireKnife]

I think napalm would be cheaper

 

Bit messy but true it would.

 

Still makes me laugh on one hand as they are stupid enough to admit crimes openly but worried on the other because it is likely that no major repercussions will be felt given our legal system and the joke it can be sometimes.

 

'FireKnife'

[Cannonfodder80]

Bit messy but true it would

'FireKnife'

I'm not sure how much more messy it would make the area though, I'm certainly not a clean freak but some of the houses shown looked like they had already been bombed with the amount of filth over the place.

[Skarclaw]

I saw it last night too. The bit that made me laugh was the attitude of its ok to steal from others to survive, but the moment someone steals from them it's a different story with them all up in arms

 

 

That is human nature.. from Wiemar Germany to Northern Ireland... people remember injustices done against them but not the injustices inflicted by them.. Its not exclusive to benefits claimants.

 

In anycase the amount spent on Job seekers allowance (£4.91bn) is tiny compared to State pensions (£74.22bn)... debt interest alone is £48.20 bn. Taken from here 

[FireKnife]

That is human nature.. from Wiemar Germany to Northern Ireland... people remember injustices done against them but not the injustices inflicted by them.. Its not exclusive to benefits claimants.

 

In anycase the amount spent on Job seekers allowance (£4.91bn) is tiny compared to State pensions (£74.22bn)... debt interest alone is £48.20 bn. Taken from here 

 

True but 'Job Seekers' is not the only form of benefit available. I am sure if you added the unecessary wastages that went on some Child Support and Disabilities for those that claim a twinge in their back you would end up with a bigger issue than the amount put on state pensions.

 

Plus I would say that a pension is different in that it is open to all but then so are benefits. It is just the pathetic 5-6% that cause the issues for the rest. I know a lot of people think it is more but based on the comments of a benefit claims investigator that I know (ex's Dad) who deals with this day in and day out these people are thankfully a small minority but need dealing with.

 

'FireKnife'

[creepingfear]

Lets not forget the biggest bunch of benefit scoungers ever known to man:

 

Royalty and Politicians.

[Skarclaw]

True but 'Job Seekers' is not the only form of benefit available. I am sure if you added the unecessary wastages that went on some Child Support and Disabilities for those that claim a twinge in their back as making them unable to work.

 

 

Don't think you finished your sentence? If you add JSA + housing benefit (the really big one) and child benefit its still not that much compared to pensions + the really important fact is that only JSA is reserved for the unemployed - working people are eligible to receive housing benefit (which needs to be the first benefit to be cut but I digress..) & child support. I can't find the stats about benefit spending on people in work but its quite startling. 

[Cannonfodder80]

Lets not forget the biggest bunch of benefit scoungers ever known to man:

 

Royalty and Politicians.

Politicians yes but for every pound spent by the taxpayer on the royal family it generates £4 through tourism etc

[FireKnife]

Politicians yes but for every pound spent by the taxpayer on the royal family it generates £4 through tourism etc

 

Try the other way round. the 'official' statistic is actually produced by the same group that is trying to keep the Royal Family and not have them put in a kind of 'we pay you nothing but all the money you make is yours situation'. It is more like for every £2 we spend we get £1 back but at the end of the day it is more like the Royals cost us all say £3-4 a year and that is not that big an issue at all compared to the problems in the benefits system.

 

Don't think you finished your sentence? If you add JSA + housing benefit (the really big one) and child benefit its still not that much compared to pensions + the really important fact is that only JSA is reserved for the unemployed - working people are eligible to receive housing benefit (which needs to be the first benefit to be cut but I digress..) & child support. I can't find the stats about benefit spending on people in work but its quite startling. 

 

My point was not about people being in work as it were but about how people lay false or unecessary claims for things. However you are right my sentence was a touch incomplete due to me having to resume work shortly after and not finish it off, hence it is now edited to make a bit more sense.

 

But exactly what is the point in referencing the amount paid out in state pensions? Are you saying that it shouldn't exist or that a comparison of those scheming and undermining the benefits system is the same as the whole pension system? Comparing figures is all well and good but unless you are saying that as many people on pensions are screwing the system as those on benefits I am not entirely sure of your point.

 

'FireKnife'

[Skarclaw]

 

But exactly what is the point in referencing the amount paid out in state pensions? Are you saying that it shouldn't exist or that a comparison of those scheming and undermining the benefits system is the same as the whole pension system? Comparing figures is all well and good but unless you are saying that as many people on pensions are screwing the system as those on benefits I am not entirely sure of your point.

I think pension spending should slashed dramatically, yes. My point is that jsa etc is a small fraction of total spending but attracts an undue amount of attention. Pension recipients vote, jsa recipients tend not to. When the Government makes half-arsed cuts to the budget, guess where the axe is going to fall. 

 

Regarding the Royal family - its quite hard to find out exactly how much it costs; Costs for 2008-9 were £41.5mn however as noted by wikipedia this does not take into account security costs,helicopter flights, chilling with Jimmy Saville, etc. Further more this £41.5 mil is on top of the estimated wealth asset (according to Forbes) of $450mn. The Duchy Estate is valued at  £728mn and made £18.3mn in profits in 2011. The Royal Family is exempt from freedom of information requests too. I doubt we will ever know the contents of the letters sent from the Duke of Windsor to Hitler that MI5 sent Anthony Blunt to retrieve at the end of the war either, or about Prince's Charles' little spy Laura Osbaldeston was up to in the Cabinet Office. 

 

 

I'm not really too familiar with stuff so I'll it here although I'll state my bias in that I think they are bunch of weird inbred Germans.

[FireKnife]

I think pension spending should slashed dramatically, yes. My point is that jsa etc is a small fraction of total spending but attracts an undue amount of attention. Pension recipients vote, jsa recipients tend not to. When the Government makes half-arsed cuts to the budget, guess where the axe is going to fall. 

 

Regarding the Royal family - its quite hard to find out exactly how much it costs; Costs for 2008-9 were £41.5mn however as noted by wikipedia this does not take into account security costs,helicopter flights, chilling with Jimmy Saville, etc. Further more this £41.5 mil is on top of the estimated wealth asset (according to Forbes) of $450mn. The Duchy Estate is valued at  £728mn and made £18.3mn in profits in 2011. The Royal Family is exempt from freedom of information requests too. I doubt we will ever know the contents of the letters sent from the Duke of Windsor to Hitler that MI5 sent Anthony Blunt to retrieve at the end of the war either

 

I'm not really too familiar with stuff so I'll it here although I'll state my bias in that I think they are bunch of weird inbred Germans.

 

Ah I see, that makes a fair bit more sense. Though it would be a hard one to justify as given what you would rather cut, funds to the 'scroungers' or funds to the 'sweet old people' (going by the opinions of Sun and Mail readers) you know where the votes would fall. It is always the way though it seems, when wrangling for votes appeal to the ideas of the idiot majority as they are easily swayed.

 

Well true it is hard to work out the net earning and cost of the Royal Family but many of these groups that put out these claims of 'oh they earn us more than we spend on them' are often tied to the groups that stand for them. Same goes for the other side too but I have a sneaking suspicion that if we found out it would be more likely to the tune of about we spend £1.50 or £2, they give back £1 and I am on neither side as I think we have a few more important things to think about like the benefits system, state of education, politicians scamming the system and many other things first.

 

Anywho will be watching the reports to see if anything is done about these 'Benefit Street' people given how it seems some of them need a good stern prison sentence and one in a prison that is an actual deterent.

 

'FireKnife'