The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

[Wales-Bales]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

There he goes again.

Calm down mate. It's just a football messageboard, remember?

For once I agree with you Cyril

[JamesWales]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

You're completely delusional.

No I just don't like hyperbole. Notwithstanding the fact that accurately defining left and right is very tricky, how do we have a 'massively' right-wing government? We don't. Some policies may be considered right-wing, some left-wing. That's probably the case for every government in the world dealing with practical problems.

And whilst by a slim margin the majority of newspapers (only one sector of the media if course and a declining one at that) are centre-right or right- wing, that doesn't mean a majority are 'massively right&wing' at all.

The debate just spirals out of the realms of reality when people exaggerate these things.

[Tito Fuente]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

For once I agree with you Cyril

It's Mr Awaydays to you.

[Wales-Bales]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

You were on a wind up during your passive aggressive rants and I fell for it rather than ignoring for which I apologised. That’s your style and why I usually ignore you.

As long as your wind ups are what you would say face to face then there is no problem is there.

The obsessive trait he shares with Blippy is a dead giveaway.

[Tito Fuente]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

The obsessive trait he shares with Blippy is a dead giveaway.

Coming from a poster who mentions "Cyril and Lardy" 50x per day, I guess you know what an obsessive trait is first hand.

Thanks Wales Bales, you made me giggle

[Wales-Bales]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

Coming from a poster who mentions "Cyril and Lardy" 50x per day, I guess you know what an obsessive trait is first hand.

Thanks Wales Bales, you made me giggle

Hey Blippy, it's Lardy & Cyril™

[Jordi Culé]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

The BBC absolutely should not bow down to political pressure, we all agree on that. I'm not sure this is quite what the guardian thinks it is though. Govts will always put pressure on the media in terms of language. If it wasn't called a lockdown, then when it's a public health message is it right to call it such? I dunno.

The second point appears more damning but it is pretty routine for media editors etc to suggest more focus on different things, the question is how much that was steered by downing st. A good BBC wouldnt need advising that Labour were changing their position daily anyway.

The last point appears to be nonsense but every guardian has to get a dig about Brexit in to drive up advertising revenue by enraging a few people.

It's a useful article in the wider debate about BBC impartiality but I'm not sure it's killer evidence.

My issue is more the editorial decisions and news values on what they report on. I don't think there is a party political bias and we can see that with BBC Wales that does a decent job of holding the (Labour) Welsh Govt to account

I threw the article in primarily for consideration and discussion.

I don't see the Beeb being a government propaganda source by any stretch...

I think it's interesting that a government may comment, suggest or advice on vocabulary, content and specific parts of a political item to make itself look better or mask the story and issue?

I know it's today's politics but what sort of governments or controlling parties historically have attempted to influence, direct and contain press/media output?

These days granted it seems the norm in a number of countries?

[Feedback]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

Both of those things are incorrect.

oh come on. The biggest selling dailies are right wing. This government is right wing, you'd only think otherwise if you believe the orphan crushing machine is necessary.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

No I just don't like hyperbole. Notwithstanding the fact that accurately defining left and right is very tricky, how do we have a 'massively' right-wing government? We don't. Some policies may be considered right-wing, some left-wing. That's probably the case for every government in the world dealing with practical problems.

And whilst by a slim margin the majority of newspapers (only one sector of the media if course and a declining one at that) are centre-right or right- wing, that doesn't mean a majority are 'massively right&wing' at all.

The debate just spirals out of the realms of reality when people exaggerate these things.

Can you let us have a list of this Government’s left wing policies (not including Covid “hand outs”) please.

[JamesWales]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

Can you let us have a list of this Government’s left wing policies (not including Covid “hand outs”) please.

Sure! I don’t see all of these as necessarily left wing btw, as the right would claim moral ownership over many of these, but unquestionably they are topics that people on the left would typically reference and rightly support. So, excluding the greatest universal support package in the history of the country (related to Covid) off the top of my head, I would note the following:

Record investment in the universal healthcare NHS

Record rises in the minimum wage

Equalising immigration laws, rising to record high immigration levels

Enormous is increase in renewable energy production and reduction in fossil fuel use

Support for Ukraine against Russian invasion

Marriage equality

Ensuring the result of a referendum was enacted

Raising the top rate of tax

Lowering the threshold for the top rare of tax

Producing the first non-white prime minister in history

Providing direct support for refugees from Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Ukraine

Energy support scheme knocking £60 a month off everyones bills.

Increasing corporation tax.

There are counter examples of course, and people can question whether all of these have worked, but my point isn’t that the government are left-wing, it’s that they are not ‘massively right wing’, as was claimed earlier.

Is there really that much to distinguish them from Blairs New Labour?

Either way, whether it's posters here or TV pundits, I just don't see the benefit in using exaggerated language really

[Tito Fuente]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

"it is pretty routine for media editors etc to suggest more focus on different things".

That part is correct but media editors don't have to remain impartial at other news outlets/broadcasters.

The message read:

"D St complaining that we’re not reflecting Labour’s mess of plan b online. ie Ashworth said it earlier this week, then reversed. Can we turn up the scepticism a bit on this?”

'Downing Street' complained about a lack of focus of negativity on Labour from the BBC so a senior editor kowtowed to them and told his staff to be more critical.

For what it's worth, I've always felt that the BBC were pretty balanced in terms of news coverage.

The left & right equally complain that it's biased - which, on the balance of probability, shows that they generally do a good job - but how much more damning testimony do you personally need to see that this incarnation of the BBC is in cahoots with the Tory government?

You've replied to everyone except me, James.

Give a brother some love and let me know what your opinion is on this.

I'm feeling a bit left out here.

[JamesWales]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

You've replied to everyone except me, James.

Give a brother some love and let me know what your opinion is on this.

I'm feeling a bit left out here.

Sorry buddy.

Well, I agree with you on party political bias. I do think the BBC is generally impartial on that, which isn't easy but they do okay. They naturally challenge the Tories more (as the govt) but again I think they challenge Labour more in Wales so that seems reasonable

On its own I don't think it's that damning without wider context. What did the rest of the email say? Did the Tories bombard them with thousands of emails but the BBC only enacted one? Would they have reported on Labours change of policies more?

I agree it doesn't look great, but context does matter.

[az city]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

I had a contract advising BBC journalists in the 2000s before I moved to the US. Based on knowing many producers, editors and journalists of that time, I'd say a majority of them were liberal progressives in outlook. I don't know whether some on here want to translate that as "lefties". Personally, I don't think it is.

[Tito Fuente]

Re: The Beeb is influenced by lefties...

Sorry buddy.

Well, I agree with you on party political bias. I do think the BBC is generally impartial on that, which isn't easy but they do okay. They naturally challenge the Tories more (as the govt) but again I think they challenge Labour more in Wales so that seems reasonable

On its own I don't think it's that damning without wider context. What did the rest of the email say? Did the Tories bombard them with thousands of emails but the BBC only enacted one? Would they have reported on Labours change of policies more?

I agree it doesn't look great, but context does matter.

What context do you think would improve the fact that a senior editor (at the official public broadcaster for the nation) told staff to report more negatively on the Labour party at the behest of the Tory government?

I'm all for balance when it comes to the BBC and I have always defended them in conversation when they are being called right or left wing - but this is an example of damning evidence that they are favouring one party over another.

This is a deep cut for Richard Sharp. His death by a thousand of them must be close now when you factor all of the other controversies.