BBC Bias...
- 16 August 2013 10:43240830The first proper quantitative analysis of BBC output examining their political bias, or not, has been done by an academic.
In the past the evidence has merely been anecdotal and therefore open to challenge.
The conclusion is clear - the BBC has a very clear left wing slant in its output that resembles the Guardian a lot more than The Telegraph.
This is a problem because the BBC charter requires it to be unbiased and it is funded via a poll tax.
Here is a blog about the analysis. No doubt the full report will get a lot of coverage.
http://www.cps.org.uk/blog/q/date/2013/08/15/bias-at-the-beeb-addressing-some-questions/ - 16 August 2013 11:16240832A CPS blog on a report from the CPS...
"CPS philosophy
The Centre for Policy Studies believes in freedom and responsibility. One of Britain's best known and most respected think tanks,"
Think-Tanks surely have one thing in common with Journalists, and that is;"Its time to quit when you become the story."
17 Jun 2007
"The BBC has failed to promote proper debate on major political issues because of the inherent liberal culture of its staff, a report commissioned by the corporation has concluded.
The report claims that coverage of single-issue political causes, such as climate change and poverty, can be biased - and is particularly critical of Live 8 coverage, which it says amounted to endorsement.
It warns that celebrities must not be pandered to and allowed to hijack the BBC schedule.
After a year-long investigation the report, published today, maintains that the corporation's coverage of day-to-day politics is fair and impartial.
But it says coverage of Live 8, the 2005 anti-poverty concerts organised by rock star campaigners Bob Geldof and Bono and writer Richard Curtis, failed to properly debate the issues raised. ..
...The report offers 12 new principles for the corporation to adopt to safeguard its impartiality.
These include: "Impartiality is no excuse for insipid programming. It allows room for fair-minded, evidence-based judgements by senior journalists and documentary-makers, and for controversial, passionate and polemical arguments by contributors and writers."
A BBC spokeswoman said: "This report is about looking forward and how we are going to face the challenges of impartiality in the modern world.""
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1554749/BBC-report-finds-bias-within-corporation.html
"Does the BBC have a bias problem?
..."The Daily Mail headline said "BBC comes under fire for institutional left-wing bias".
It stated that "senior figures at the corporation were forced to admit it was guilty of promoting left-wing views and an anti-Christian sentiment".
Frank discussion
In fact, the report doesn't reach that conclusion - though it does quote people who hold those beliefs - and it also reflects concern over programmes associated with the Make Poverty History campaign, notably The Vicar of Dibley.
In fact, the report is a remarkably frank dissection of the BBC's attempts - and difficulties - in maintaining impartiality in the 21st Century, across its wide range of outlets and programmes.
Richard Tait, the BBC Trust member who chaired the team overseeing the report, is a former editor of ITN.
He said: "It doesn't say the BBC has a liberal bias - it says the BBC will have to work even harder to maintain the trust of the audience in future..."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6764779.stm
Me, being Bias free...
"e-petition
Public inquiry into endemic institutional left-wing political bias at the BBC
Responsible department: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
BBC cultural, entertainment and public affairs output seems to more readily accept and promote a left-wing political agenda than in previous decades. This threatens the institution's impartiality and integrity. This petition requests a public inquiry into the existence or otherwise of institutional left-wing political bias at the BBC, particularly (but not exclusively) focusing on public affairs policy, en-masse membership of Unions (in particular the NUJ), vested interests in left-wing newspapers (and magazines) and the existence or otherwise of a deliberate Gramscian 'long walk' agenda. Examples include excessive air-time afforded to the Labour Party, cultural marxism such as so-called political correctness, anit-capitalist 'banker bashing' and institutional vilification of conservative tradition and corporate success. This petition is requested in order to ensure that citizens are presented with unbiased output rather than a left-wing propagandist agenda.
Number of signatures: 223
Created by: Martin Horton-Eddison
http://www.bbcbias.co.uk/Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing. - Brian Dixon
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16 August 2013 13:23240847mmmmmmm bbc bashing again barry,i allways find the bbc unbiased and informative. - 16 August 2013 14:25240852Brian - totally biased and undeserving of the licence fee.
This research though is statistical and not based on mere anecdotal, therefore there is more substance to it. - Jan Higgins
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16 August 2013 14:33240853Of course statistics are never wrong.............. but more often than not seem biased in favour of the commissioning body.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 16 August 2013 14:57240854So Jan - read the blog and be enlightened. Find fault in the methodology if you can.
- 16 August 2013 15:07240858i watch bbc news, newsnight often and the sunday politics if it is raining outside, and find them all to be balanced.
if i sensed any attempt at indoctrination i would just switch off - for the record i have not watched any party political/election broadcasts for years. - Brian Dixon
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16 August 2013 15:17240859barry,i agree with jan and howard here.allso I find it more balanced than itv. - 16 August 2013 15:22240863Perhaps the BBC are not slanting to the left but biased towards the majority who are sick of politics and couldn't give a monkey's arse about think tanks.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - Brian Dixon
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- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
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16 August 2013 15:23240864
- 16 August 2013 15:23240865Again you do not produce any fault in the methodology merely use your own anecdotal evidence from your own left of centre perspective.
ITV is a very different kind of operation to the public funded BBC.
If the beeb wants to pursue it left wing guardianista agenda then it should do so without the licence fee. - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
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16 August 2013 15:26240867but barry it only costs us £12 per person a month to operate.and that works out less than funding government. - 16 August 2013 15:27240868The BBC has been dressing to the left for decades. It's not only what it reports more importantly it's what it leaves out which is a hell of alot. It applies not only to it's news output but most of it's other programming including children's television.
Watching news 24 (the mogadon channel) seems to be aimed primarily at those living in nursing homes up and down the country. It's like watching the one show. Superficial and their "experts" invariably push the usual lefto line many things. Peston, for example, is not what I would consider to be anywhere near financial correspondents on other news channels but for some reason he is revered in BBC circles. Sky is generally much better in most regards.
As for their science coverage............
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100189491/28-gates-later-the-bbcs-nightmare-gets-worse-and-worse/
This bloke sums it all up quite nicely. - 16 August 2013 15:27240870who are you referring to as left of centre barry?
- 16 August 2013 15:29240871The solution is easy, make the licence fee optional and encrypt BBC. Those who want it can still have it, I wouldn't pay for it
- 16 August 2013 15:29240872Says who Barry?
If the BBC did have a left of centre bias it would still reflect the the politics of the vast majority of the population.
All the efforts made by the BBC to accommodate the right wing are a mere sop to a minority interest.Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing. - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
16 August 2013 15:30240873now there a thought david,the bbc with adverts as a self funding network. - 16 August 2013 15:41240877No Brian, all those who want it will still pay the licence fee and have access, those who don't want don't have to pay.
Its the equivalent of non drivers paying road tax - 16 August 2013 15:41240878Howard.
I think he means me left of centre.
And I used my methodology with my own anecdotal evidence to work that one out.
But alas he has even got that one wrong.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - 16 August 2013 15:42240879If the BBC did have a left of centre bias it would still reflect the the politics of the vast majority of the population.
What?