MediaGuardian: BBC3 hounded over DOG article
BBC: The article itself, in a heavily revised and updated version
An online BBC article published in the BBC Three News section upset more than a few people yesterday even though it was presumably designed to be humourous in a "post-ironic" fashion, though the article's tone in itself speaks volumes of how BBC Three as a channel views its target audience (and in a sense illustrates just what is wrong with the channel in terms of its general attitude).
Relating to the whole issue of DOGs (Digitally Originated Graphics - the BBC term) or 'bugs' displayed during programmes, the reality is that all of the arguments supporting their use are now superfluous apart from the one reason in that it keeps the channel branding onscreen regardless of what the viewer may think. DOGs may have had a practical use with analogue cable networks but that era's now long gone.
The comment referring to the importance of knowing "when they are coming across a BBC service" tends to suggest that there's an element in justifying the licence fee to the Great British Public in the BBC's continuing use of such DOGs/bugs. But the viewer only really cares that they are watching high quality and original programming, and it's still very easy for the BBC to provide distinctive content.
As for BBC brand promotions, we pay our licence fee for BBC programming to be free of commercials (and commercial influences) so we have every right to insist that the screen is also free of the clutter that most commercial channels tend to use, especially as such an on-screen logo is in effect a promotion for the channel in itself. Otherwise the advantages gained from paying a licence fee become subjectively fewer.
Despite all the arguments, if BBC Three still feels the need to use a DOG in order to reinforce its branding, then its programming must obviously not be of sufficent quality and distinction compared with the competition, let alone when compared with other BBC channels. And ultimately that's what the licence fee payers really care about.
