Just try it and I'll Tweet at you!
Look I’m a Twitter-watcher, alright? That’s not an aggressive yeast infection or an avian timepiece … it’s just someone who’s fascinated by micro-social-blogging and the sh*t storms it can whip up in a matter of minutes across cyberspace. Sometimes these virtual-revolutions even spill over onto the pages of the national broadsheets, but usually no further than the Twitter columns that they have all hastily installed since they’ve realised “it’s cool”.
Today phone worriers and bored office workers alike have found a new cause, the protection of their beloved BBC. Fearful that Jeremy Hunt’s “tough decisions” next year on the Beeb could see the Corporation in jeopardy, pressure group 38 Degrees has launched a campaign encouraging folk to lobby their MPs with a “hands off our BBC” message through a simple to use postcode finder system.
However, the Twitter users (who by their very nature are creatures of immediacy) have decided that this topic has to be highlighted now, and because anything can become popular by being hash-tagged, the phrase #proudofthebbc is currently the tag to be seen with next to your profile.
What has followed is an outpouring of love (and a little hate) towards Auntie, which has got the topic trending (that means it’s one of the top ten talked about things at the moment, der!) …
One early champion of the cause is columnist Caitlin Moran who Tweeted this morning:
Important: the world will think we’re MAD if we loose the BBC: RT @IanMartin: email your MP: http://tinyurl.com/36oqupg
then followed up with
In fact, email your MP: email your MP: http://tinyurl.com/36oqupg and start the hashtag #proudofthebbc
and so it began … the Tweeters couldn’t help themselves – from Doctor Who to Newsnight, BBC Four to Radio 6 Music, the fans descended on Twitter and they’re still going strong. Some have taken this on as an anti-Murdoch protest, some are being slightly silly … but the majority are just letting all that Beeb love flow like the rivers of Babylon.
One particular topic that has cropped up again and again is the late radio presenter John Peel, whose name has now begun to trend independently of the BBC today on Twitter, much fueled by this campaign.
This Tweet sums it up really:
I love that John Peel is a trending topic (and currently above the actual hash tag) because people are #proudofthebbc
If you want to join this Twitter revolution (quick, whilst it lasts) you can always add your own #proudofthebbc (and add them to the comments on this site too) … but if you’re too lazy to write a few characters, here’s some of my favourites from this morning so far, I’m sure folks over at the BBC will be copying and pasting a few of these into a scrap book just in case their department gets a knock at the door next year from Jezza the axeman … at least they’ll be armed with URLs if nothing else …
…. the revolution will be computerised …
BintyTweeb
It’s official: Jeremy Hunt is now Cockney rhyming slang #proudofthebbc
soyster
Apparently we should all be #proudofthebbc today? I will become proud of the BBC when, and only when, it stops making My Family.
gullstory
And as for the World Service – copied by many, bettered by none. #proudofthebbc
flayman
I’m #proudofthebbc because it is a thorn in the side of the Rupert Murdoch empire. #murdochracy
peter_watts
Blimey, another Twitter campaign. If Caitlin Moran farted it would get retweeted 40 times and given a hashtag. #proudofthebbc
thestephmerritt
The Thick of It, Blackadder, Fry and Laurie, Stewart Lee, Outnumbered, The Office, anything with David Attenborough #proudofthebbc
markthomasinfo
#proudofthebbc for not playing an advert when a goal was scored in the world cup
PaulJEvans
Top Gear – The most popular TV show in the world (approx 500m) #proudofthebbc
distant_angel
#proudofthebbc for not contributing a single penny towards Simon Cowell
svejky
#proudofthebbc this whole summer’s drama schedule! Rev., Dive, The Silence, Sherlock when it starts.
stevezacharanda
#proudofthebbc it is the best and most trustworthy place on the web to safely CUT AND PASTE FROM BABY!
lapocketrocket
No adverts #proudofthebbc
garethabbit
The fact that Right & Left wing politicians simultaneously claim BBC bias! #proudofthebbc
lexpretend
WadeyWade Not employing Kay Burley #proudofthebbc
WorksWithWords
Kids TV with no toy/fast food ads, Blue Peter, Newsround, Really Wild Show, Take Hart, Maid Marian, Tracey Beaker, Going Live #proudofthebbc
Adio_26
Bodger and Badger #proudofthebbc
MatRicardo
BBC song time! http://tiny.cc/o5dop #proudofthebbc
… oh and here is that song, over to you Mr Myers …
I’m proud of the BBC because isn’t ITV or Sky – simple really