BBC anti-coalition now seems more obvious than ever!
BBC anti-coalition now seems more obvious than ever!
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Discussion

Piersman2

Original Poster:

6,676 posts

229 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
I know that historically the BBC have been perceived as being pro-Labour and anti-Tory, but is it just me that seems to think it's becoming almost TOO obvious since the election.

When Labour were in power it seemed that anything being done by the government in power was being reported with a positive spin, the government view being used to drive the reporting.

But since the coalition came to power it seems that every single item on the BBC output that is reporting on a policy seems to take the most negative slant possible with what appears to be an inordinant amount of reporting time being given to those that oppose the policy.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Is open warfare between the coalition and the BBC likely given that the goverment is now accusing the BBC is being incredibly wasteful and threatening to cut the license fee?

jains15

1,013 posts

203 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
^^^ Pretty much, yes.

I don't know why it's so left leaning (or can be percieved to be) because you think it would be neutral ie. balanced for jounalistic reasons. Rule one for media consumption is "Don't just listen to what's being said, think about who's saying it"

OnTheOverrun

3,965 posts

207 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
It's not just you.

I'm looking forward to the coalition reducing the licence fee to nil.

paulrockliffe

16,599 posts

257 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
They're talking about Big Society as a cost cutting measure, "To save the Government money", but ignore the fact that it's not Government money, it's tax payers money, so (if it saves money) it would be saving the tax payer money. Getting people to do the work is potentially much cheaper and, therefore, better for tax payers for a few reasons; one the hours worked aren't taxed and if no one wants whatever the project is, then no one does the work and runs up the bills anyway.

I'm not saying it's a great idea, I suspect there'll be too many projects that are just a bit st really, but say that if you want to present the alternative view, not this rubbish. Maybe question funding the idea from "Dormant Bank Accounts", that sounds like the weakest bit of the plan to me.

Interview some people? Ed Milliband! Who??? Why not someone form the ....er....actual Government?


Fittster

20,120 posts

243 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
Nice program on Radio 4 today describing how writers have been unfair on New Labour, only focusing on the negatives.

Dramatising New Labour

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t0wrj

stitched

3,813 posts

203 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
OnTheOverrun said:
It's not just you.

I'm looking forward to the coalition reducing the licence fee to nil.
Don't suppose this could form the basis of the bias though?
whistle

-Pete-

2,914 posts

206 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
The BBC is hugely biased, but I think it's been obvious for a long time. Once Greg Dyke was kicked out, they became so one-sided toe the party line and eco-scary that I stopped watching their news programmes altogether.

The Question Time threads on PH confirm everything you're saying.

Sticks.

9,710 posts

281 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
Piersman2 said:
When Labour were in power it seemed that anything being done by the government in power was being reported with a positive spin, the government view being used to drive the reporting.
Perhaps this is the real difference, Alastair Campbell and the like managing the media and the coalition not.

Randy Winkman

22,588 posts

219 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
On the radio, it seems to be business as usual. i.e. The Government says it's going to do "x" and the reason they are doing it is "y". However, an opposition spokesperson said "z" (tape of spokesperson saying "z"). It's the same now as it was when Labour were in. As for TV news, I've no idea.

paddyhasneeds

67,938 posts

240 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
Randy Winkman said:
On the radio, it seems to be business as usual. i.e. The Government says it's going to do "x" and the reason they are doing it is "y". However, an opposition spokesperson said "z" (tape of spokesperson saying "z"). It's the same now as it was when Labour were in. As for TV news, I've no idea.
I can't say whether it's happening more now, or whether I'm noticing it more now, but what does seem to be happening more is, using your example above, "Z" gets the airtime to say why they oppose the policy, but nobody from the Government gets the airtime to explain the policy - that is done for you by auntie.

otolith

69,206 posts

234 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
I don't think the BBC is so much in favour or against any particular party - more that it has a left-leaning centre of gravity which means that it is more likely to agree with parties of the left than of the right - when it was critical of Labour in power, it was because the realities of government were forcing the party to the right of where the BBC sits. I think that had Labour won the election and was now being forced to make public spending cuts, the BBC would be attacking it for doing so.

Now that Labour has the luxury of opposition (and hence does not have to make unpopular decisions) it is back onside with the luvvies.

Jasandjules

72,620 posts

259 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
paddyhasneeds said:
I can't say whether it's happening more now, or whether I'm noticing it more now, but what does seem to be happening more is, using your example above, "Z" gets the airtime to say why they oppose the policy, but nobody from the Government gets the airtime to explain the policy - that is done for you by auntie.
Yep, my very little exposure to the BBC gives me the exact same impression - so often I am seeing gormless gits explaining why the policy is nasty etc but not seeing enough from the Govt explaining why it is necessary.....


deadslow

8,795 posts

253 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
Always possible govt ministers are not all that keen to come on the telly to associate themselves with 'the cuts'.

Noticed in the first weeks of the coalition gov that the Liberals were generally shoved on the telly to say how st things are going to behehe.

chris watton

22,547 posts

290 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
paddyhasneeds said:
I can't say whether it's happening more now, or whether I'm noticing it more now, but what does seem to be happening more is, using your example above, "Z" gets the airtime to say why they oppose the policy, but nobody from the Government gets the airtime to explain the policy - that is done for you by auntie.
Yep, my very little exposure to the BBC gives me the exact same impression - so often I am seeing gormless gits explaining why the policy is nasty etc but not seeing enough from the Govt explaining why it is necessary.....
Especially tonight, with Cameron's launch of his 'Big Society'. I cannop but wonder if the same people slagging it off would be hailing the same initiative as "A brave and forward thinking triumph for a progressive society" (or some other bks) and swooning all over the idea - but, of course, it's not their friends and former paymasters' idea, is it...

Randy Winkman

22,588 posts

219 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
paddyhasneeds said:
Randy Winkman said:
On the radio, it seems to be business as usual. i.e. The Government says it's going to do "x" and the reason they are doing it is "y". However, an opposition spokesperson said "z" (tape of spokesperson saying "z"). It's the same now as it was when Labour were in. As for TV news, I've no idea.
I can't say whether it's happening more now, or whether I'm noticing it more now, but what does seem to be happening more is, using your example above, "Z" gets the airtime to say why they oppose the policy, but nobody from the Government gets the airtime to explain the policy - that is done for you by auntie.
It's exactly how it was under Labour. The newsperson, not the Government, explains the policy - then the opposition slag it off. I've been listening to about 5 hours of BBC radio every day for decades. Radios 2, 4, London and 6 music.


Willie Dee

1,559 posts

238 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
Have any of you got some side by side comparison clips to show what you are talking about?

johnfm

13,751 posts

280 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
This morning on radio 5 live they had Michael Gove defending the BFS cuts. He was surprisingly good.

The BBC is naturally left leaning, as most of the editorial staff are arts grad youghurt knitters on a job share and have no concept or idea of how the real world works.

(yes I have worked there)

paddyhasneeds

67,938 posts

240 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
Randy Winkman said:
paddyhasneeds said:
Randy Winkman said:
On the radio, it seems to be business as usual. i.e. The Government says it's going to do "x" and the reason they are doing it is "y". However, an opposition spokesperson said "z" (tape of spokesperson saying "z"). It's the same now as it was when Labour were in. As for TV news, I've no idea.
I can't say whether it's happening more now, or whether I'm noticing it more now, but what does seem to be happening more is, using your example above, "Z" gets the airtime to say why they oppose the policy, but nobody from the Government gets the airtime to explain the policy - that is done for you by auntie.
It's exactly how it was under Labour. The newsperson, not the Government, explains the policy - then the opposition slag it off. I've been listening to about 5 hours of BBC radio every day for decades. Radios 2, 4, London and 6 music.
It very probably is, I admit to having a Tory bias so I'm perhaps noticing it more.

alfabadass

1,852 posts

229 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
How easily we forget the constant accusations levelled against the BBC during the Iraq war that they were anti Labour.


Oily Nails

2,932 posts

230 months

Monday 19th July 2010
quotequote all
alfabadass said:
How easily we forget the constant accusations levelled against the BBC during the Iraq war that they were anti Labour.
Que? all I remeber from the Iraq gay lovin Balir/Bush war from the BBC was they got to use flashy graphics and use bimbo reports in the desert