It’s not strange, Darren.

The BBC’s role is as a broadcaster for TV and radio and producer of content for the internet, whether by it’s own people of (increasingly) user generated content.

There is advertising on BBCWorld.com, the overseas version of its website – but it’s parliamentary statute here in the UK is as an state-funded organisation, which has to remain independent from commercial interests.

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Darren, you’re forgetting that the BBC not that long ago bought Lonely Planet. So perhaps that will mark their entry into the travel arena? Time will tell but they must have something up their sleeve.

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Not sure what their plan is but as brands go the BBC is much bigger than LP. My guess is perhaps they’ll start producing a series of travel TV programmes. I can’t imagine they’ve bought LP to just continue publishing books, but what do I know

They’ve had to let a load of journalists go in order to pay Jonathan Ross’s stupidly high salary and to fund really useful TV programmes such as Can Fat Teens Hunt.

Still, as long as Jonathan Ross feels content with his new salary they’ll continue to fund another series of The Mighty Boosh. For that alone I will be grateful

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Darren: absolutely true that there should be more travel content. Just not for commercial reasons.

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Quite unbelieveable that the BBC don’t allow non UK visitors to view their videos and audio files because we don’t pay the BBC fees.

I dread to think what they are going to do with Lonely Planet.

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Remember the beeb has to be careful about how it is seen to spend money. There is already a heated debate over whether it’s a waste of public money to have news reporters ‘on location’ all over the world. Sending journos out to research original destination content would have the Daily Mail foaming at the mouth and leave even the most ardent BBC supporter with some soul-searching to do.

I suppose you could argue they could produce basic country guides without sending their people abroad, but then the content proposition becomes too weak to justify. Why would readers go to the BBC for nothing but the basics when so much more is available elsewhere?

So I agree it’s something I’d like to see on the beeb, but I can also see why they don’t do it.

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Chris – the bbc has changed that policy. test, you’ll see!

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I’d hate to think how much they receive from the UK population in TV licences. To be honest though I’d much prefer to pay the fee than watch adverts.

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