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  1. Spotlight on Policy
  2. Elections
9 May 2010updated 27 Sep 2015 2:21am

The video behind the #SackKayBurley frenzy

“Why don’t you go home and watch it on Sky News?”

By Jon Bernstein

This is the interview that catapulted the Sky News anchor Kay Burley to the top of Twitter’s trending topics — not a moment to celebrate, perhaps. Burley was interviewing David Babbs of the campaign group 38 Degrees, one of the people behind yesterday’s protest calling on Nick Clegg to deliver on his promise for electoral reform.

Many viewers complained that Burley, who at one stage advised Babbs to go home and watch events on (yes) Sky News, was being overly aggressive. For its part, the 24-hour rolling news channel defended the interview as “fair and rigorous”. You can judge for yourselves:

Burley was the subject of social media ire during the campaign for her equally aggressive/rigorous style following the Sky News party leaders’ debate.

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For a robust defence of Sky News, read Mehdi Hasan’s “Is Sky News biased against Labour?“.

Meanwhile, this is how one demonstrator got his revenge. Chanting “Sack Kay Burley, watch the BBC”, he forced a quick return to the studio.

 

 

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Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
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