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14 comments from readers

Eddie D
28 August 2009 at 18:34

A prime example of the BBCs bias:-

http://www.pr-inside.com/bbc-accused-of-gross-exaggeration-i...

ExplodingBadger
29 August 2009 at 06:21

http://www.gla.ac.uk/centres/mediagroup/badnews.htm

amanfromMars
29 August 2009 at 10:15

Biased? Oh yes, and make no mistake about that, for there is compelling irrefutable evidence to support the posit.

"For example, right here in the broadcasting sector in the UK.

The consensus appears to be that creationism – the belief in a managed process with an omniscient authority - is the only way to achieve successful outcomes. There is general agreement that the natural operation of the market is inadequate, and that a better outcome can be achieved through the wisdom and activity of governments and regulators.

This creationist approach is similar to the industrial planning which went out of fashion in other sectors in the 1970s. It failed then. It’s failing now." .... James Murdoch: the MacTaggart lecture, The Absence of Trust - the address given by the chief executive of News Corporation, Europe and Asia, to television bosses

James, I would agree that such a Creationism is not the only way, however it will always remain a very valid way to achieve successful outcomes, but it is indisputable that the present wisdoms and activities of governments and regulators fall far below even the basic standards of necessary intelligence in the digital field to achieve anything extraordinary and sustainable ie increase Mans Knowledge and Abilities. But the present status quo situation is much more perverse and ultimately self-destructive than is generally realised because of the actions of those who would imagine themselves to be "in charge" and would be using their positions and controls on Levers of Power to maintain their position rather than advancing and opening up New Opportunities which Digital Enhancement/Binary Manipulation of Media and Instruction Codes so effortlessly Provide. And it has been my own particular personal experience with both the UK Government and the BBC, that there is conspiracy in both Parties, and that conspiracy may also most probably be an active collusion, to prevent the necessary increased digital intelligence that they themselves would need for a Globally Connected Future, from being aired/shared/previewed. And this shamefully manifests itself on the publicly funded BBC, by their Denial of Service actions which prevent the simple posting of comments to their messageboards which would disclose flaws in reported issues and offer alternative source with better outcomes with incisive, and quite obviously, uncomfortable questions, hence their "banning" action, which are never subject to discussion or explanation or review, if my own case is typical. And there are many more who have been so assaulted and are denied a Voice which so clearly is afforded to others who might also be dissatisfied but who would not be either prepared or able to offer valid alternatives.

They are as Cuckoos in the Nest of Power and would subvert Freedom and Freedom of Speech with a Subjective Self-Serving Censorship of Novel Ideas and Alternative Views which are Freely Shared. And that suggest more of a Dictatorship than a Democracy in the UK.

J'accuse.

It is, of course, an untenable state of affairs which would also put at risk the BBC's suitability and eligibility for Public Purse funding and the Government's Credibility to Lead in an Innovative Post Modern Digital Environment.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sect...

Rob
29 August 2009 at 15:12

Explain this as delusional left wing bias

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sttc3FAPTkc

David
30 August 2009 at 11:18

About Nick Robinson - whilst he was at Oxford, he was President of the Oxford University Conservative Association.

Cassandrina
31 August 2009 at 11:07

Of course the bbc is left wing biased and fully supportive of our incompetent government. Many examples have I presume been sent to you and I listen to it every day. Just tune into Radio 4 Today Programme.

Could this be simply a New Statesman blog flying the kite? I can only presume so

VanLuu
02 September 2009 at 21:31

I thoroughly enjoyed this article. Please ask Radio 4 to rid off the Archers whilst you're at it. Thanks

James Hodson
03 September 2009 at 03:57

Today, I finished re-reading "Can We Trust The BBC" by Robin Aitken, a long-serving but former "Today" Beeb journalist.

Ironically, perhaps, Amazon suggested I buy this book because I'd preciously purchased two books by Hitchens.

In brief, the conclusion was that the BBC (at least in the news area) is biassed but doesn't quite realise it is so. This is essentially because many of those working for the company believe the same things and think that the rest of the country thinks likewise.

James Hodson
03 September 2009 at 03:58

Today, I finished re-reading "Can We Trust The BBC" by Robin Aitken, a long-serving but former "Today" Beeb journalist.

Ironically, perhaps, Amazon suggested I buy this book because I'd preciously purchased two books by Hitchens.

In brief, the conclusion was that the BBC (at least in the news area) is biassed but doesn't quite realise it is so. This is essentially because many of those working for the company believe the same things and think that the rest of the country thinks likewise.

Hedley Lamarr
03 September 2009 at 14:58

Your article points to Andrew Neil, Nick Robinson and Robbie Gibb as being examples of 'right-wing bias'.

I see your Andrew Neil, Nick Robinson and Robbie Gibb and i raise you:

Former Chairman Gavin Davies (later Labour adviser)

Chairman Sir Michael Lyons (previously Labour council chief)

Former Director General John Birt (later Labour adviser)

Former Director General Greg Dyke (previously Labour donor and candidate)

C.O.O Caroline Thomson (previously Roy Jenkin's aide)

Head of Political Research Bill Bush (later Labour spin doctor, previously Ken Livingstone's Chief of Staff)

Deputy Head of Political Research Catherine Rimmer (later Labour spin doctor)

Director of Strategy Ed Richards (later Labour spin doctor)

Head of Corporate Planning James Purnell (ex-Labour Minister)

Head of Northern Ireland News Tom Kelly (later Labour spin doctor)

Scottish News Editor Tim Luckhurst (previously lLabour spin doctor)

Political News Editor Joy Johnson (later Labour spin doctor)

Political Editor Andrew Marr (student Labour organiser)

Home News Editor Celia Barlow (now Labour MP)

Head of European Affairs Chris Bryant (now Labour MP)

Newsnight Producer Phil Woolas (now Labour Minister)

Foreign Correspondent Martin Sixsmith (later Labour spin doctor)

Current Affairs Reporter Ben Bradshaw (now Labour Minister)

Current Affairs Reporter Lance Price (later Labour spin doctor)

"Question Time" Editor Gill Penlington (previously Labour researcher)

I win.

Spider
03 September 2009 at 17:20

“The kaffar, the disbelievers, the atheists who remain deaf and stubborn to the teachings of Islam, the rational message of the Quran; they are described in the Quran as, quote, “a people of no intelligence”, Allah describes them as; not of no morality, not as people of no belief - people of “no intelligence” - because they’re incapable of the intellectual effort it requires to shake off those blind prejudices, to shake off those easy assumptions about this world, about the existence of God. In this respect, the Quran describes the atheists as “cattle”, as cattle of those who grow the crops and do not stop and wonder about this world.”... wonder who that was then???

I would think that anyone who wishes to pronounce on bias in the media would do better retracting this statement first...

...over to you.

David Marshall
06 September 2009 at 18:14

This is an interesting question. In my opinion the BBC in not biased, but individual BBC journalists are VERY biased.

We can all point to the obvious examples - eg Nick Robinson and his blatant bias towards the Tories. I do not really mind this as long as the BBC give equal air time to journalists that are biased to other parties.

I also think if the BBC want to allow individual journalists to be biased, they should present a warning of their biased interests before they are allowed to speak - eg "Now over to Nick Robinson, our political editor and Tory supporter".

The BBC always state which party a particular politician is from before they are allowed to speak, why shouldn't we expect the same for biased journalists.

Neopeitha
07 September 2009 at 12:45

Further exam from last week’s news: The BBC is remarkably reluctant to air anything which might seem critical of immigration, even at the expense of distorting the news. The ONS data released last week concerning the ‘baby boom’ makes it quite clear that “two-thirds of the total increase in births between 2001 and 2007 can be attributed to women born outside the UK” (since UK-born women have an average 1.6 children, compared with 4.7 children for women born in Pakistan and 3.9 children for those born in Bangladesh). Yet the BBC News at 10 went out of its way to claim that there was no link with immigration and did not show a single Asian man, woman or child in the whole report.

explodingbadger
08 October 2009 at 14:13

I think this is very interesting:

Greg Dyke even says the BBC is pro status quo:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8265628.stm