Is the BBC biased to the right?

Columnists quoting the NS Mark Thompson interview miss the point

By James Macintyre Published 06 September 2010 11:41

A last word on my interview with the BBC Director General Mark Thompson last week. It was rather painful, if all too predictable, to read over the weekend several right-wing columnists -- including Peter Hitchens and Rod Liddle -- leap on Thompson's quote that the corporation had in the past suffered from a "massive left wing bias".

Especially as there is a very strong case for saying that the BBC is -- if anything at all -- in league with David Cameron's Tories, as we saw last week, if not actively biased to the right, as my colleague Mehdi Hasan argued in an unmissable piece last year.

Tags: BBC

More from James Macintyre

14 comments

Mon, 2010-09-06 18:29 — Woodbine (not verified)

Jane Garvey talking about the morning after Labour's victory in the General Election of 1997: "the corridors of Broadcasting House were strewn with empty champagne bottles".

Mon, 2010-09-06 20:34 — Susan Allan (not verified)

why would the bbc bother to make a fuss about your lives being violated if they weren't left wing, granting you an interview, unless cameron had of course said he wouldn't censor the press? They've got other countries to worry and tittle tattle to conduct.

Now as I remember I was called a "tory bitch" by the turnkey. Not complained about by the bbc. The warks of life eh? A Viva McConnell here we come! BULL!

In my house if I have a shag, someone like that can hear me. Isn't your bbcs bastad organisation giving you a lovely time James. Relaxed easy interviews, comedy, tittle tattle.

www.myspace.com/ca1chy

Mon, 2010-09-06 21:47 — Susan Allan (not verified)

just to explain, a civilian turnkey is a policeman in charge of looking after a prisoner while locked up in a cell. I was attacked in a bar by two barstaff for no reason, which was established in court, NO REASON, thrown onto the gutter outside, strangled, and the police bundled me into a van without taking a statement and locked me up where they refused me medical treatment and taunted me about very personal issues, calling me a "tory bitch" in the process.

I was charged anyway, for grabbing one of the bar staff by the hair as he strangled me! The case against the barman who assaulted me for no reason, trying to strangle me aswell, and the police who kidnapped me and subjected me to their sess, were never charged. And if you're looking for the individual responsible for such legal stupidity, look up sheriff graeme buchannon.

OF COURSE we've been living in a democracy, which is why many of you hoare types have chosen so well infront of your tvs every night, at the pubs, and behaved so well in international affairs of state.

Now mandelson, think positive! Sex will never be so good, as hopefully someone tunes into your bedroom. I won't stop them! We have soundtracks to sell to danny boyle.

Mon, 2010-09-06 11:51 — Mike S (not verified)

The news last night showed how Thompson's malign influence is already being felt. Three members of the public interviewed about the cuts all dutifully spouting the coalition line on the need for the deficit to be reduced dramatically and quickly. No counter argument expressed at all.

Expect much more of this.

Mon, 2010-09-06 12:00 — Sue Davies (not verified)

Mike S - I agree with you except your suggestion that there being no counter argument is new. There is almost never a counter argument to the any of the coalition's nonsense about 'Labour's profligacy', the comparison of the UK with Greece and the economy being like a household budget.

Mon, 2010-09-06 12:47 — It doesn't add up... (not verified)

You're having a giraffe. Mark Thompson has told Cameron the line to take in order to win the support of the BBC Party, who remain just a biassed as normal. Even the Beeb knows that cuts must happen, recognising that Darling isn't a complete idiot. The BBC Party is being a more effective opposition than the Labour Party.

Mon, 2010-09-06 12:47 — John Dixon (not verified)

Surely this is as much about dumbing down as about bias. Using such simplistic language and examples insults the intelligence of the audience. Perhaps it is because they are just repeating the simplistic arguments of the coalition.

Mon, 2010-10-18 10:21 — Jason (not verified)

the BBC is just a middle class imitation of Sly(SKY TV)watch any of its News coverage and flick tween Sly News(Murdochs Views) and BBC 24 hour(whore of the establishment) and you will the parrot chain of our so called free press. The BBC is run by a band of overpaid establishment flunkies the coverage is deffrential to the royals and despite much posturing is likewise to the government of the day.
Its in 2010 is imatative of any HBO series without the substance of n original kind it's current affairs covergae is just fluff what do you expect when most of its journalists have been to the same University as major players in Politics.
mARK tHOMPSON obviously works on the line if you make to Public believe their stupid by feeding the simplistic loud vulgar fluff like the Aprentice Strictly BBC News
you and your elite masters will always remain on top

I would privtise the BBC and c4 since most of their imative(of comercal televison) out put over the last decade shows that their asking for it. I would re establish a new Public Channel where all decisons all governers are ellected by the licence fair directly.

Mon, 2010-09-06 13:05 — writeoff (not verified)

There is something in that JD but the BBC is biased to power, that's all. Standard media model stuff really. It's never going to spend it's life asking difficult questions as Today won't get the interviews and the Bliars of this world will go talk to Adam Boulton instead of nice fluffy 'Andy' Marr. After a while of this, it gets hard to tell the difference between a serious interviewer and an idiot with a frown.

Mon, 2010-09-06 13:18 — Sheila (not verified)

The BBC is left wing, just like all the other public bureaucracies. This is because socialists are more attracted to publicly funded non-jobs for life than those of the right.

I know it, you know it, everybody knows it.

Mon, 2010-09-06 13:29 — Mike S (not verified)

LOL Sheila

Socialists are more attracted to public service than those of the right.

I know it, you know it, everybody knows it.

Mon, 2010-09-06 13:32 — Des Demona (not verified)

''After a while of this, it gets hard to tell the difference between a serious interviewer and an idiot with a frown''

Well said writeoff. Mark Thompson is a lightweight lickspittle and it is depressing that he seems to get an easy ride in the press. The BBC has been used like a political football ever since the 'sexed up wmd' debacle, where in fact they were pretty much right on the money.
One can't help but think that Greg Dyke bailing was the worst thing that could have happened, showing weakness in the face of a bullying Alaistair Campbell. Now the same thing is happening again with Thompson running scared of the establishment.

Mon, 2010-09-06 13:40 — Mike S (not verified)

Quite right Des. He's been the worst DG of the BBC by far for most of his term. He disn't do Channel 4 many favours when he was there either.