Viewing 40 posts - 41 through 80 (of 164 total)
  • Biased Broadcasting Corporation
  • outofbreath
    Free Member

    I do wonder about some of the questioners on Question Time

    As Jaqui Smith said on the “For the Many Not the Few” Podcast, by definition if you turn up on that show you have an interest in politics and are highly likely to be an activist for some party or another. I don’t think the BBC would deny that, I doubt there are any rules against it and I really don’t see how you could avoid it.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    I do wonder why people watch Question Time, personally.

    It’s like Jeremy Kyle or an LBC phone-in with a veneer of respectability IMO, and as above – largely comes across as staged point-scoring.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    I do wonder why people watch Question Time, personally.

    So they can get REALLY ANGRY ABOUT HOW BIASED IT IS! ANGER! RAGE!

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    filibuster
    Free Member

    A recent study led by Briony Swire-Thompson, a doctoral candidate in cognitive psychology at the University of Western Australia, documents the ineffectiveness of evidence-based information in refuting incorrect beliefs

    Dunning Kruger effect…. Look it up. Great piece by Stephen Fry on YouTube about it (bear in mind it came out before Brexit and Trump).

    Paradiso
    Free Member

    The quality of the BBC’s news output has dropped significantly over the last few years. Morning news is unwatchable-inane nonsense from Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty. More broadly, the fact that that Sky have chosen to put Kay Burley centre stage also suggests intent to support the Conservatives. I think it’s difficult to suggest, overall, that the BBC displays bias, but I do think you can detect the political perspective of individual corespondents. Justin Webb on Radio 4 does seem somewhat biased towards the Conservatives. Since the election was called, Simon Jack also seems to lean towards the ‘right’. In terms of the paper press, the Conservative Party has a clear advantage. I do think we need more regulation/monitoring, and reporting of lies and misrepresentation.

    vazaha
    Full Member

    The quality of ‘news’ per se has deteriorated noticeably since The Day Today’s news farts.

    It is worth noting that people who say that nobody buys papers anymore, when they are trying to downplay the influence of print media, seem to ironically downplay the influence that the print media has on the agenda of the likes of the BBC – Auntie seems to play the ‘What The Papers Say’ game more than any other, what?

    The BBC has still to come to terms with the consequences of the death of Dr. Kelly, and it often shows.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    The BBC is obviously pro establishment bias. Its been researched and proven. Try living in Scotland – then the bias shows even more obviously

    During the scots independence referendum those on the YES side were asked twice as many negative questions compared to the NO side.

    Over Brexit it gives equal weight to nonsense from leavers as truth from remainers

    nickc
    Full Member

    The BBC is obviously pro establishment bias. Its [sic] been researched and proven.

    One of the first stories I remember actually paying attention to was the that the Thatcher govt were hugely anti-BBC, I can clearly recall Tebbit complaining about it’s “unpatriotic” coverage of the Falklands conflict, and Tory minister’s hyperbole about it being the home of terrorist sympathisers when it broadcast a  programme that interviewed Martin Mcguinness. I think every Govt since then has complained about the BBC’s coverage of them. I think claims of it being intentionally biased towards The Establishment are wide of the mark.

    I think it (the BBC) gets stuff wrong all the time, it’s also pretty open and reports criticism and adverse findings of itself in a way I don’t think the likes of Ch4, ITV or Sky would ever dream of doing. and largely (given the amount of news broadcasting output there is) gets its coverage about right.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    Nickc – that pressure plus the fact the BBC takes its median for balance from the press has resylted in what we see, I agree its not intentionally biased – its not fox news but by virtue of the way it works it is biased,

    gordimhor
    Full Member

    BBC news and  current affairs output with it’s institutional bias regarding Scottish news and particularly Scottish politics is what drove me to give up the licence. It does not seem to have improved in the last 5 years. If anything it’s gotten worse

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Or do they still offer a valuable, unique public service?

    Just go somewhere where they don’t have a state broadcaster held to high standards of quality. You’ll see the difference.

    The BBC is a brilliant asset to the country. Their mandate is to ‘entertain and inform’ and they take it seriously. For example, East Enders is generally trash, but they deliberately include progressive storylines that deal with current issues. US soaps by comparison are just prurient garbage with no content whatsoever.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    https://twitter.com/jimwaterson/status/1196466474019364865/photo/1

    And the BBC takes its midpoint for bias from the mid point of the press

    disco_stu
    Free Member

    Peter Oborne article in the Guardian is very timely.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/18/boris-johnson-lying-media

    “I have talked to senior BBC executives, and they tell me they personally think it’s wrong to expose lies told by a British prime minister because it undermines trust in British politics.”

    Spin
    Free Member

    I’m sure this has been said already but if both sides are claiming bias (as they usually do) then I reckon they must have it about right.

    Anyway, most people bleating about bias don’t actually want unbiased news, they want news that conforms to their biases.

    kelvin
    Full Member

    James Landale on Radio4 Today currently doing a blatant hatchet job on Corbyn and Labour… nothing subtle about it. I’ve been one of the “everyone says the BBC is biased, so it must be getting it right”… but this election campaign period has me accepting that I was wrong. Some teams are worse than others, but all are letting Johnson get away with it, while hammering Corbyn hard.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    I’m sure this has been said already but if both sides are claiming bias

    It has been said. And I’ve already said that thinking bias can only be between what we traditionally call “left” and “right” is missing what the BBC is.

    DrJ
    Full Member

    The BBC is a brilliant asset to the country.

    Maybe once upon a time. Now it is the place that invites Nigel Lawson to comment on climate change. If I want to be exposed to brainless propaganda I’ll buy the Mail – I don’t see why I should be forced to pay a licence fee so that others can get their fix.

    anagallis_arvensis
    Full Member

    As Jaqui Smith said anagallis_arvensis was the best a level economics pupil I ever taught

    Maybe

    nickc
    Full Member

    Maybe once upon a time. Now it is the place that invites Nigel Lawson to comment on climate change.

    Because Nigel Lawson was the chairman (at the time) of the climate change denying organisation Global Warming Policy Foundation, so was seen as a voice for “the other side” largely as there was no-one else to do that role. In 2017 the BBc apologized and said that Lawson should’ve been challenged over statements on the Today programme. Later Ofcom found that Lawson’s statement was neither correct or suffciently challenged. The BBC reported on the decision, here’s the report.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41744344

    So, the BBC go it wrong two years ago, has been held to account, and reported on that fact. That seems pretty reasonable to me.

    richmtb
    Full Member

    They need to do a better job of actually holding politicians of all stripes to account, rather than just reporting on what they say.

    If one side in particular is constantly lying then this begins to look like bias.

    I get that instant fact checking isn’t that easy but if you know a certain politician’s stump speech is going to contain stuff that has already been checked and shown to be false say “40 new hospitals and 20,000 police officers on the street” then they should be challenged on it.

    Allowing politicians to appear on TV and just lie undermines our democracy and plays into the “Well they all lie anyway” narrative, which is one of the most dangerous views there is.

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    Whilst people at both ends of the political spectrum continue to loudly protest the the BBC are biased, I can’t help but think that they must be doing alright. Examples that ‘prove’ both positions are always available.

    ^^This Really^^

    If those on the Left/Right with their own obvious bias’ both cry foul then auntie beeb are doing their job…
    For what it’s worth I don’t believe total impartiality is possible, it’s more something the organisation should strive for.

    More often than not if politicians and their parties of whatever persuasion seem to be cast in a bad light on the BBC, it’s a reflection of their conduct and/or policies. They can only work with what is presented.

    I think there’s often more obvious bias shown on other (more commercially funded) broadcast news channels (both TV and radio), but again that may be my own lefty bias at work, Channel 5 news is awful (produced by sky?) I’m not a fan of Sky (too Murdochey) and While I admire ITN to some extent for managing to exist as an independent commercial news production company for almost as long as the BBC have been at it, some of their output seems to be a little more right leaning to me…

    It’s worth noting that those other mainstream sources don’t seem to come under the same fire for bias

    The quality of ‘news’ per se has deteriorated noticeably since The Day Today’s news farts.

    indeed, I can’t help noticing how on the nose The Day Today and Brasseye still seem, best of all every time R4 news references their “Reality Check” fella Chris Morris I am just imagining this chap:

    Which would be so much better.

    outofbreath
    Free Member

    I’m sure this has been said already but if both sides are claiming bias (as they usually do) then I reckon they must have it about right.

    This. (again.)

    Also weird how only Lab/Tory claim bias. The smaller parties get way less covereage on Today. (Which is as it should be IMHO, but it’s clearer evidence of bias than the two main partys can put forward.)

    Maybe

    Hmmm, checks out:

    Working as a school teacher, Smith taught Economics at Arrow Vale High School in Redditch from 1986 to 1988[7] and at Worcester Sixth Form College, before becoming Head of Economics and GNVQ Co-ordinator at Haybridge High School, Hagley, in 1990.

    ” ” — This is me not saying “So she got at least on two jobs on merit rather than because of an all women shortlist.” 😀

    anagallis_arvensis
    Full Member

    Hmmm, checks out:

    Thats cos its true! ( well maybe not the best ever pupil bit, although I did get an A. Went to Haybridge for sixth form as North Bromsgrove High said I wasnt studious enough for A levels)

    DrJ
    Full Member

    I’m sure this has been said already but if both sides are claiming bias (as they usually do) then I reckon they must have it about right.

    So if some boring old scientist says the climate is changing, and Nigel Lawson says it’s not, the truth is in the middle somewhere.

    And if someone in the QT audience says that Vote.Leave has been referred to the CPS, and Fiona Bruce says it hasn’t…

    The truth is not democratic – some things are objectively right.

    It’s worth noting that those other mainstream sources don’t seem to come under the same fire for bias

    Cos we’re not forced to pay for them via a licence fee. If the Beeb wants to be right wing propaganda, then fine – but let it nail its colours to the mast and do so without my money.

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    Bias? Dunno, it’s hard to call. Up here, the SNP definitely seem to get it tougher than the others, but maybe that’s just bbc Scot folks protecting their jobs?.

    One thing I will say, BBC Scotland is incredibly negative these days, the whole morning shoes are thouroughly depressing, dumbed down US style shite.

    Malvern Rider
    Free Member

    So if some boring old scientist says the climate is changing, and Nigel Lawson says it’s not, the truth is in the middle somewhere.

    And if someone in the QT audience says that Vote.Leave has been referred to the CPS, and Fiona Bruce says it hasn’t…

    The truth is not democratic – some things are objectively right.

    Boom.

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    The BBC is obviously pro establishment bias. Its been researched and proven. Try living in Scotland – then the bias shows even more obviously

    Remember the majority in Scotland voted no.

    Also, could be argued they didn’t give Remain such a hard time in the EU referendum (from a remain POV that’s just because there were less lies to pick up on).

    During the scots independence referendum those on the YES side were asked twice as many negative questions compared to the NO side.

    Yea, but it really should be for the side postulating a change to explain how that change will be achieved and what it’s impact will be. The “no” side can just tell you to look out the window and say are you happy with the status quo, there’s fewer questions to answer.

    Over Brexit it gives equal weight to nonsense from leavers as truth from remainers

    As plenty of people say, if everyone thinks it’s biased against them, then it’s probably not that biased at all. Being neutral doesn’t mean they have to only report people with middle ground opinions, it means they have to report that X said X and Y said Y.

    benv
    Free Member

    The “no” side can just tell you to look out the window and say are you happy with the status quo, there’s fewer questions to answer.

    Aye, except the No campaign made plenty promises of change itself.

    mrmonkfinger
    Free Member

    BBC is a relative non-problem as compared to the bulk of the news media in UK.

    DrJ
    Full Member

    Being neutral doesn’t mean they have to only report people with middle ground opinions, it means they have to report that X said X and Y said Y.

    True, but if X is a lie they should also point that out.

    outofbreath
    Free Member

    Says it all:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_News#Political_and_commercial_independence

    Sounds like if you have an allegation of Bias you can make some kind of complaint since the BBC is legally required to be unbiased. If people choose to complain on a forum rather than raising it ‘properly’ it probably means they can’t back up their claim, IMHO.

    benv
    Free Member

    If people choose to complain on a forum rather than raising it ‘properly’ it probably means they can’t back up their claim, IMHO.

    Or they save themselves the hassle and just stop paying the licence fee.

    DrJ
    Full Member

    If people choose to complain on a forum rather than raising it ‘properly’ it probably means they can’t back up their claim, IMHO.

    Maybe – but those actions aren’t mutually exclusive.

    Or they save themselves the hassle and just stop paying the licence fee.

    But they need that to watch Al Jazeera, or VICE or whatever.

    butcher
    Full Member

    BBC is a relative non-problem as compared to the bulk of the news media in UK

    I would agree on that point alone.

    However…

    The BBC is a brilliant asset to the country.

    Maybe once upon a time. Now it is the place that invites Nigel Lawson to comment on climate change. If I want to be exposed to brainless propaganda I’ll buy the Mail – I don’t see why I should be forced to pay a licence fee so that others can get their fix.

    Some of the content has become dire in recent years.

    In the context of the bigger picture, the BBC was a fantastic voice of reason and pragmatism. That’s the way I saw it anyway.

    Now they just pander to the sensationalist bollocks that exists elsewhere, turning serious political shows like Question Time into deliberate theatre.

    ac282
    Full Member

    I don’t see the BBC as being biased to the right or left.

    I think it’s more that they have been so caught up in providing balance that they have failed to stand up against bullshit.

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    I think it’s more that they have been so caught up in providing balance that they have failed to stand up against bullshit.

    I think it depends what you watch.

    To me the problem is they have BBC Breakfast and the Andrew Marr show or This Week. The former just lacks any teeth and lets politicians off when either they don’t answer the question or lie. Where the latter is far batter but get’s lost somewhat in the noise. If they had Marr and Neil doing the early morning interviews then it could do more to hold politicians to account because their quotes would become the news for the day. At the moment unless it’s spectacular then a gaffe on Thursday night or Saturday morning is seen by only a few and forgotten about before the next news cycle.

    Also don’t forget the non-news factual output. I’m massively biased as I worked on them, but shows like Ambulance put the stark reality of and problems with social and mental health care right in the middle of prime time.

    Malvern Rider
    Free Member

    If people choose to complain on a forum rather than raising it ‘properly’ it probably means they can’t back up their claim, this probably shows that people as ever prefer to whine and gossip to all and sundry/regular channels rather than take the time and effort required to go out of their way and make an official complaint, IMHO. And the ease by which ‘social’-media has facilitated the former means that this is what we see today – ie a tsunami of generalised whining and blaming

    FTFY

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    BBC Scotland panel discussing the GE last night. One each from Lab,  CON, LD.

    What’s missing from this picture?

    kelvin
    Full Member

    So, when the integrity of the PM is a laughing matter with a TV audience, should the BBC edit out the laughter?

    Paradiso
    Free Member

    The use of the word integrity in relation to the current PM is unforgivable.

Viewing 40 posts - 41 through 80 (of 164 total)

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