Contraband

Anyone who knows me at all well will know that I find this trading outrageous and just plain sad in both senses of the word:

The BBC is tackling the sale of large volumes of Blue Peter badges on
internet auction site eBay.
The badges, awarded to young viewers who contribute to the programme, are touted as a way to gain free entry to museums and stately homes by vendors.

Anyone buying a badge would almost certainly have to have a credit card or at the very least a cheque-book account to be able to pay for it - that points to adults. What kid knows the existence of a Postal Order these days? Even with the kitsch or nostalgic value there's something particularly sad about an adult who's after a Blue Peter badge.

And if the intention is to give it to a child then that's worse. Any kid who actually wants a Blue Peter badge will know that they must be earned. Apart from the fact that I regard Blue Peter as a sacred part of my childhood (some might say present too) I remember how completely thrilled I was to get my first badge at the age of 7. I know that if I was to be simply handed one, after the initial rush of acquisitive pleasure it would have felt dirty. It's like buying your school swimming certificate.

Needless to say I'm glad the BBC are stamping on this.

UPDATE

The BBC have announced today that all free-entry provision has been suspended. It's a shame, but I can see why. It'll be mentioned on today's programme to the nation's children probably the way normally reserved for the death of one of the pets or vandalism of the garden. Maybe it's naive, but I do think it's another element of innocence lost.

Meanwhile there was a fantastic spoof in The Register mashing this story with ID cards.