| So they want to defund the BBC 09:57 - Jan 17 with 2816 views | bluelagos |
In 2006 I was working in Monrovia, Liberia for an Irish development charity. Liberia was coming off the back of a 15 year civil war that had seen many human right abuses.
Charles Taylor had fled Liberia and was in a Nigerian prison awaiting extradition for "crimes against humanity", Liberia had recently held peaceful elections and the journey of reconstructing a devastated country was underway.
One day I went to work and met Arthur our Transport manager. Arthur was a quiet man, who had experienced traumas none of us could comprehend. During the war his home had been over run by rebel soldiers. He ran for his life and hid down a water well for hours, until the soldiers had left and the firing of guns stopped. He climbed out to discover his home ransacked and tragically his wife and only child macheted to death.
Arthur was not his usual quiet self this morning. This day he was physically shaking, his arms and hands uncontrollable as he relived a trauma that I could barely comprehend. I asked what had happened and he explained that Charles Taylor had escaped from prison in Nigeria. He told me he heard rumours that Taylor was coming back to Liberia, to restart the old war that had left 1 in 12 Liberians dead and 3/4 of the population displaced.
After chatting with Arthur and trying my best to reassure him these were only rumours I got his radio and we tuned into the BBC World service. For 48 hours that was Arthur's only reliable news service and it was on the BBC that Arthur heard the news that Charles Taylor has been recaptured, that he had been flown to Holland and that he would now be tried in an international court.
In places like Liberia, where there was no reliable local news sources, the BBC delivered trusted news, indeed the only widely available trusted news source for many.
For Nadine Dorries and the Tories to use the threat of defunding the BBC, to try and deflect attention away from Johnson and his many parties, is beyond contempt. These people are beneath contempt.
The sooner he goes, the sooner they all go, can't be too soon. |  |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:08 - Jan 17 with 1785 views | Guthrum |
I would suggest that is precisely why some of them want it removed. Opinion and polemic (of their preferred flavour) are preferable to trusted news.
It's much harder to steer the electorate if accurate information and tough questioning are out there. |  |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:13 - Jan 17 with 1764 views | BlueBadger |
I don't know about anyone else, but I find it strangely weird that a government which is at pains to shows how 'patriotic' they are are so keen on running down and/or attacking great British institutions. Over the past decade, off the top of my head, they've gotten the arse with the NHS, BBC, National Trust and RNLI amongst others.
It's almost as if they're dimwitted flag-shaggers mistaking bigotry and xenophobia for patriotism. [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 10:22]
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:14 - Jan 17 with 1745 views | bluelagos |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:08 - Jan 17 by Guthrum |
I would suggest that is precisely why some of them want it removed. Opinion and polemic (of their preferred flavour) are preferable to trusted news.
It's much harder to steer the electorate if accurate information and tough questioning are out there. |
Tbh I think it's just deflection. A desperate attempt to create news and divert the media away from the ongoing issues of Downing St parties at a time when it was a criminal offense to socialise with more than 1 person. | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:15 - Jan 17 with 1740 views | homer_123 |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:13 - Jan 17 by BlueBadger |
I don't know about anyone else, but I find it strangely weird that a government which is at pains to shows how 'patriotic' they are are so keen on running down and/or attacking great British institutions. Over the past decade, off the top of my head, they've gotten the arse with the NHS, BBC, National Trust and RNLI amongst others.
It's almost as if they're dimwitted flag-shaggers mistaking bigotry and xenophobia for patriotism. [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 10:22]
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And yet they are still in power and will likely remain so after the next GE. |  |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:16 - Jan 17 with 1735 views | bluelagos |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:13 - Jan 17 by BlueBadger |
I don't know about anyone else, but I find it strangely weird that a government which is at pains to shows how 'patriotic' they are are so keen on running down and/or attacking great British institutions. Over the past decade, off the top of my head, they've gotten the arse with the NHS, BBC, National Trust and RNLI amongst others.
It's almost as if they're dimwitted flag-shaggers mistaking bigotry and xenophobia for patriotism. [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 10:22]
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One today had both a Union flag and a picture of Lizzie proudly displayed. Just what your normal everyday person has in their spare room/office. | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:22 - Jan 17 with 1713 views | BarcaBlue |
In my first year in Spain I was asked to give English classes to a young lad, he was tetraplegic and out of his mind with boredom. With nothing to do he learnt English by listening to the BBC World Service. His pronunciation was brilliant and he could chat about any topic you chose. It was very humbling.
His previous teacher was Scottish and the mother always put out a large tumbler of whisky for him, she did the same for me. I'd like to think he now has a slurred Suffolk accent to replace his fine BBC pronunciation. |  | | |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:22 - Jan 17 with 1707 views | Darth_Koont |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:08 - Jan 17 by Guthrum |
I would suggest that is precisely why some of them want it removed. Opinion and polemic (of their preferred flavour) are preferable to trusted news.
It's much harder to steer the electorate if accurate information and tough questioning are out there. |
Have they provided that on a national level though? Unfortunately, I think they’re too caught up in the overlapping UK politics and political media industry. With all that entails: client journalism, dependence on access for content, click-baity headlines, editorialising, “both-siding” and focus on the game of politics rather than democratic governance and the issues facing ordinary UK citizens.
Quite agree with Lagos and others re: the value of the World Service, and a lot of their local and minority output. Plus some excellent programming and resources covering science, health, education and a fair percentage of their culture, sport and entertainment output. [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 10:26]
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:22 - Jan 17 with 1707 views | J2BLUE |
The Tories don't care about most Brits, they certainly aren't going to care about people Arthur.
Would be interesting to post that story on Twitter to see how many 'my licence fee paying for a service for foreigners' replies you got. |  |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:27 - Jan 17 with 1686 views | Guthrum |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:22 - Jan 17 by Darth_Koont |
Have they provided that on a national level though? Unfortunately, I think they’re too caught up in the overlapping UK politics and political media industry. With all that entails: client journalism, dependence on access for content, click-baity headlines, editorialising, “both-siding” and focus on the game of politics rather than democratic governance and the issues facing ordinary UK citizens.
Quite agree with Lagos and others re: the value of the World Service, and a lot of their local and minority output. Plus some excellent programming and resources covering science, health, education and a fair percentage of their culture, sport and entertainment output. [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 10:26]
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You have to look at the sheer volume of BBC output. Everyone ignores radio, which covers those topics in considerable depth. Not forgetting the network of BBC local stations and those in languages other than English.
The fact that both the right and the left complain about the other side being given too much leeway by the BBC suggests they are pretty neutral in reality. | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:28 - Jan 17 with 1677 views | BlueBadger |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:15 - Jan 17 by homer_123 |
And yet they are still in power and will likely remain so after the next GE. |
Well, we did conduct that study in 2016 that suggests that 52% of the electorate are pigsh1t thick. [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 13:02]
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:41 - Jan 17 with 1583 views | BlueNomad |
Will you circulate this as widely as possible? It deserves to be. |  | | |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:42 - Jan 17 with 1582 views | bluelagos |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:41 - Jan 17 by BlueNomad |
Will you circulate this as widely as possible? It deserves to be. |
Cheers. | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:42 - Jan 17 with 1581 views | Darth_Koont |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:27 - Jan 17 by Guthrum |
You have to look at the sheer volume of BBC output. Everyone ignores radio, which covers those topics in considerable depth. Not forgetting the network of BBC local stations and those in languages other than English.
The fact that both the right and the left complain about the other side being given too much leeway by the BBC suggests they are pretty neutral in reality. |
No, I’m not ignoring all radio or the many excellent podcasts on BBC Sounds etc.
I’m talking specifically about the main News and Current Affairs output on TV, online and flagship news coverage on Radio 4 where millions passively consume politics everyday. And where the BBC has the greatest impact on our politics. I think it’s generally very poor.
The empty platitude of “must be doing something right if the left and the right are both complaining” misses the point. The right generally want the BBC to fully reflect the overwhelmingly right-wing, billionaire-owned media in the UK and its narrative, the left generally want it to reflect it less and counter-balance more with objectivity and facts.
It seems to be less and less able to do the latter nowadays. | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:52 - Jan 17 with 1539 views | MattinLondon |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:27 - Jan 17 by Guthrum |
You have to look at the sheer volume of BBC output. Everyone ignores radio, which covers those topics in considerable depth. Not forgetting the network of BBC local stations and those in languages other than English.
The fact that both the right and the left complain about the other side being given too much leeway by the BBC suggests they are pretty neutral in reality. |
Picking up on your point regarding neutrality- is anyone aware if there have been any recent independent studies regarding the tone or suppose bias of the BBC? And whether such studies have concluded a left or right-wing bias?
And I mean credible studies not Dave from Twitter. |  | | |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:56 - Jan 17 with 1514 views | bluelagos |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:52 - Jan 17 by MattinLondon |
Picking up on your point regarding neutrality- is anyone aware if there have been any recent independent studies regarding the tone or suppose bias of the BBC? And whether such studies have concluded a left or right-wing bias?
And I mean credible studies not Dave from Twitter. |
David Conn might have an issue with that comment :-) | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:58 - Jan 17 with 1513 views | BlueNomad |
Let's be honest - if the BBC politics coverage was more like Fox News they would not be looking to defund it. | | | |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:58 - Jan 17 with 1509 views | monytowbray |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:52 - Jan 17 by MattinLondon |
Picking up on your point regarding neutrality- is anyone aware if there have been any recent independent studies regarding the tone or suppose bias of the BBC? And whether such studies have concluded a left or right-wing bias?
And I mean credible studies not Dave from Twitter. |
I’d say it has a misguided view on impartiality now, which is the main problem. As the thread above linked says, a journos job is to look out the window to confirm if it’s raining or not. It is not to publish both sides of a debate about if it’s raining or not and let the reader decide.
This could be worth a read - https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2016/08/bbc-biased-against-jeremy-corbyn-l
On top of this, they favour inviting fringe right wing commentators for views in the clickbait era and largely ignore anything left of neoliberalism as a voice. A quick look at UKIP vs Green representation. They even reported this, but little changed: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39854951 [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 23:02]
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:03 - Jan 17 with 1492 views | ElephantintheRoom |
On the other hand in the era of global streaming, subscription etc it is rather odd to handicap the national broadcaster by funding it through a small, easily avoided tax. I would imagine BBC salaries and pensions could be even more generous if they were allowed to self-fund. There might even be some money left over to make some programmes. |  |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:05 - Jan 17 with 1474 views | monytowbray |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:03 - Jan 17 by ElephantintheRoom |
On the other hand in the era of global streaming, subscription etc it is rather odd to handicap the national broadcaster by funding it through a small, easily avoided tax. I would imagine BBC salaries and pensions could be even more generous if they were allowed to self-fund. There might even be some money left over to make some programmes. |
The idea is the platform is not subject to financial influence though. But I’d also argue C4 are doing a better job with financial influence so hmmm. | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:09 - Jan 17 with 1450 views | Guthrum |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:58 - Jan 17 by monytowbray |
I’d say it has a misguided view on impartiality now, which is the main problem. As the thread above linked says, a journos job is to look out the window to confirm if it’s raining or not. It is not to publish both sides of a debate about if it’s raining or not and let the reader decide.
This could be worth a read - https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2016/08/bbc-biased-against-jeremy-corbyn-l
On top of this, they favour inviting fringe right wing commentators for views in the clickbait era and largely ignore anything left of neoliberalism as a voice. A quick look at UKIP vs Green representation. They even reported this, but little changed: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39854951 [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 23:02]
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I don't agree with your second sentence. That may be the job of a reporter, but a journalist has to flesh things out with context, in order to provide the background for coming to an opinion.
Particularly so when the facts themselves are in dispute and much comes down to whom you believe. | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:14 - Jan 17 with 1428 views | Swansea_Blue |
He's kind of got a point, but he's describing more symptoms of the same cause. The BBC has been compromised lately (several years), but it's being compromised by those in power for their own ends. Either as the unofficial indirect mouthpiece of number 10, or more recently through senior management changes to make it more sympathetic to the Tories. Get rid of our cancerous Government and there's a chance to heal the BBC (and all the other institutions and public services they've run down and/or attacked). |  |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:15 - Jan 17 with 1423 views | Ryorry |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 10:22 - Jan 17 by J2BLUE |
The Tories don't care about most Brits, they certainly aren't going to care about people Arthur.
Would be interesting to post that story on Twitter to see how many 'my licence fee paying for a service for foreigners' replies you got. |
Twitter is overwhelmingly pro-BBC & pro maintaining its status quo, incl. a mass of support for the World Service (probably more so there than elsewhere in fact, as it's a global platform including v. large numbers of ex-pats). Haven't seen a single tweet (ever, not just lately) along the line you've suggested. [Post edited 17 Jan 2022 11:50]
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:19 - Jan 17 with 1398 views | monytowbray |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:09 - Jan 17 by Guthrum |
I don't agree with your second sentence. That may be the job of a reporter, but a journalist has to flesh things out with context, in order to provide the background for coming to an opinion.
Particularly so when the facts themselves are in dispute and much comes down to whom you believe. |
I get that, but at the same time other news sources or activist channels like Good Law Project were covering their actions in regards to PPE contracts and backdoor deals with evidence and legal knowledge well before the BBC paid attention.
Worse still, they know the facts. Beeb's journos are in the mix with the political happenings and behind the scenes stuff, but keep quiet for access.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/may/27/bbc-switches-emily-maitlis-in-news
They also shelved Saville's abuse for how long!? https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jul/29/bbc-savile-expose-newsnight-meirio
This is what happens at the BBC when someone reports the truth or reflects the view of a nation now.
The truth will set us free, so obviously having such a luxury in a public broadcaster would be disastrous for the political establishment.
Context is great when it's there, when it's not it's just misinformed fluff thrown at a national audience already prone to falling for lies from bad actors like Farage or Johnson. | |
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| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:21 - Jan 17 with 1393 views | monytowbray |
| So they want to defund the BBC on 11:14 - Jan 17 by Swansea_Blue |
He's kind of got a point, but he's describing more symptoms of the same cause. The BBC has been compromised lately (several years), but it's being compromised by those in power for their own ends. Either as the unofficial indirect mouthpiece of number 10, or more recently through senior management changes to make it more sympathetic to the Tories. Get rid of our cancerous Government and there's a chance to heal the BBC (and all the other institutions and public services they've run down and/or attacked). |
Chicken and egg though for now. The BBC could save themselves but cowers in fear to power.
I'd sooner read The Byline Times. | |
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