Ofcom is investigating the BBC for bias – and it’s looking bad for Auntie
Not my image: Somebody else made this – indicating that concerns over the BBC’s claim to impartiality are well-founded.
Only on Tuesday this week, I was berating Jo Coburn, presenter of the BBC’s Politics Live, for misrepresenting the assault against Jeremy Corbyn on Sunday.
Now Ofcom is investigating the BBC’s claims to impartiality, after members of the public raised concerns over bias.
I wrote:
.@Jo_Coburn just lied about the assault on .@jeremycorbyn – he wasn't hit on the head with an egg; he was PUNCHED. #PoliticsLive
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) March 5, 2019
Soon after, I was forced to write the following tweet. Note the response I received:
Bbc doesn't care about facts
— Mr White (@TheDobba) March 5, 2019
Then yesterday (Wednesday), I noticed a strange attitude towards the Labour anti-Semitism row:
Hang on – one moment we're hearing there's a lack of leadership in .@UKLabour over #antisemitism and the next we're hearing outrage at interference from the leadership! You can't have it both ways! Perhaps #PoliticsLive should decide what it wants.
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) March 6, 2019
It seems that Ofcom agrees that the BBC’s impartiality has become debatable.
On its website, the regulator announced:
“Our research has revealed many people are generally concerned about both the reliability of content in an era of ‘fake news’, and the negative consequences of disinformation for public trust and democratic processes. Nearly a third (29%) of adult internet users express concerns about disinformation online.
“The BBC has a central role to play in providing trusted, impartial news. Yet our research has shown that audiences consistently rate the impartiality of the BBC’s TV and radio news less highly than many other aspects of BBC’s news output.
“For these reasons we consider it is appropriate to undertake a review, to examine in detail the BBC’s delivery of the first Public Purpose.”
Mention of “the first Public Purpose” is a reference to the BBC’s Royal Charter, under which it has five such purposes.
They are all listed here. The first is “to provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them. The BBC will provide accurate and impartial news, current affairs and factual programming of the highest editorial standards so that all audiences can engage fully with issues across the UK and the world.”
Judging by the behaviour of the Politics Live crew, Auntie will have her work cut out if she wants to avoid a negative report.
(For another perspective on this, please enjoy the Skwawkbox article here.)
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This Morning on Breakfast the BBC reported the Conservatives deliberate demolition of NHS England thus, The General Public in England say their confidence in the NHS is at an all time low, I am a Scot and I find it disgusting that people getting very well paid for sitting on a Sofa and can afford Private Health or have this as a perk in their Salary package can make it seem the state of the NHS is entirely the fault of the people who sweat blood for the English NHS, The Mess every Public Sector Emergency Service the HHS, The Police, The Fire Brigade, The Welfare State, is not the fault of the Services they are working miracles having been Cut Through the Bone And had the Marrow sucked out by the Greedy Ravenous Tory’s 10 Years Of Osbourne Austerity has been for nought introduced and caused by the Greedy Financial Sector And Paid for by The Poor, the Destruction Of The NHS The Police And Fire Services And The Welfare State Lies solely at the Door Of The “NEO LIBERAL GLOBALIST CONSERVATIVE PARTY”
Bbc bias? Never . However, good luck with that ..
Love from Scotland…
The popular ‘sum-up’ of the Charter is that “the BBC is there to hold the powerful to account”. But these days, it is the mouthpiece of the powerful, and is far more interested in holding the Opposition to account instead.
Its been biased for years . and only now when their impartialality has some how managed to offend an “altleft” viewer does it all come out . where was the “beebs” impartial critics during the last two years of brexit. Inspite of brexit because of brexit. And may i put it to you a bexiteere !!!! How do you explain this crisses ” well first thing the BBC needs to do is sack all the premeneminals who all have the same PPE city of london degree “” and have some real
” “effnics” in the rear not just put in front where they can be easly controled .
Did you just suggest that I’m a Brexiteer?
No. He said you were a ‘bexiteere’. Whatever that is. (I am also struggling a bit with ‘premeneminals’.)
You and me both.
Difficult to tell. Are you a premenimeniminal explaining a crisses?
Am I a what, now?
After over 100,000 complaints ofcom thinks, hmm I wonder if there might be a problem
The question is, even if the report is utterly damming, what will change?
the BBC have been bias for years in Scotland they are always running down the SNP government and they use fake news and when they get found out they apologise by then it is to late they have done the damage is done they are good at that i suppose they have to do what their masters in London tell them
I’d love to see an example of this fake news – complaint – apology sequence.
Perhaps you could encourage the SNP to make a submission to Ofcom?
Just watch any Question Time hosted in Scotland, particularly when the Orange Order guy went on a pure anti-SNP rant. Additionally, the person who vets for QT is a right wing member of Britain First, but just you keep dreaming on pal
“Just you keep dreaming on pal”? Whatever makes you think I’m “dreaming on”, “pal”?
Accused of Brexit and right wing extremism bias on Question Time a BBC in September 2018 a spokesperson for the BBC asked for 573 similar offences to be taken into consideration.
I can’t believe ANYTHING the BBC broadcasts on its news programmes. They are totally bias against BREXIT. Always on the remain side. They won’t report any thing that goes against their own agenda. They won’t report on the British yellow vest demonstrations, they alter numbers at Tommy Robinson rallies to make it appear that only a few thousand attended rather than the tens of thousand that attend. They cover up for peodophiles who committed atrocious crimes whilst employed by the BBC. Would NEVER watch a BBC programme again. BRITISH BIAS CORPORATION (and a safe haven for peodo’s CLOSE THEM DOWN OR MAKE THEM INDEPENDANT
Tens of thousands in support of Mr Yaxley-Lennon?
I’m intrigued to see what others think of your comment.
I used to trust the great BBC, I believed for years that they stood for all that was great about our country. What an idiot I was, they only report what they want to report and its obvious who’s pulling their strings. Shame on them, the word is out.