View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Culture
  2. TV
6 September 2019

How the BBC’s political coverage is changing

By Antonia Quirke

“Now, before we move on to talk about the European election, we’ve been thinking about our political coverage here…” So said Evan Davis halfway through PM (29 April, 5pm), in his usual equitable tone – but with an air of purpose that gave me pause. “We always want to be constructive in the way we cover politics and in the way we interview politicians – but can we do better?” Davis was like a policeman on a doorstep, being infinitely reasonable. “I’m not expecting we’ll satisfy everybody because some like it adversarial! Many don’t, though, want a shouty argument.”

Ah, I see. In anticipation, then, of John Humphrys’s retirement (the exact date is still to be confirmed), Davis is telling us that BBC cupboards are being cleaned. Gone are the interrogation years. Like a palimpsest, we shall wipe ourselves clean. Never, with us, will you have to suffer Jordan Peterson vs Cathy Newman. (Though in truth, these days the likes of Humphrys are only to be heard on Today a couple of times a week, and more likely chuckling bemusedly over new words allowed in Scrabble’s anniversary edition rather than asking Michael Heseltine the same question 50 times.)

Still, Davis went on to promise some “alterations” (“nothing drastic”) that might include “giving the interviews more time to breathe” and “setting out a clear purpose in advance to an interviewee and to you the audience”. But he assured us that it was at present all just “a thinking process”, encouraging listeners to email in with their thoughts. And fair enough. Long live a palpable concentration on getting things right.

Only, a larger problem now looms. One that will inspire far more temple-clutching confusion at executive levels. One far harder to fix: the decline in the whole meaning and prestige of politicians. Is it possible that power has now been so ceded from our elected representatives to private business and corporations that this formal and earnest change in the BBC’s approach will collide with our more than mere suspicion that any interviewee simply doesn’t matter so much? For who still believes that the major problems in society are soluble by democracy? And, in such a climate, will any political broadcaster survive? 

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Topics in this article :

This article appears in the 08 May 2019 issue of the New Statesman, Age of extremes

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
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU