Britannia Radio

Biased BBC

Monday, November 24, 2008 ed thomas # Brown's Darling to the rescue Here's a thread to discuss BBC coverage of the Government's pre-budget statement. Worth saying I think that it was Labour who introduced the pre-budget statement. This junket that nowadays occurs is in many ways midwife to valuable pro-Government spin. Thanks to Paul S for higlightingFraser Nelson's helpful list of Gordon's spin- how many of these points will the BBC promote in its coverage? Look out for action contrasted with passivity (Gordon v Dave)- especially how Gordon is leading the world in action- and the recession that "came from America", as well as plenty of party politicals hearking back to the "heartless Tories" using false or misleading comparisons with previous recessions. Maybe you'd like to consider counterpunches, since the BBC probably won't allow for any or properly cover any Conservative rebuttal... Comments: 0 - Biased BBC Home Sunday, November 23, 2008 ed thomas # Sunday Matinee: starring Marr, two Labour stooges, and a Tory punchbag.  (Courtesy of dodgy reception, using clips from last week's Marr show. My highlight? John Reid's incredulous chuckle at Marr's simply splendid intro for him)  Comments: 10 (unread) - Biased BBC Home ed thomas # It's always there. The bias I mean. I've just watched Andrew Marr's interview with David Cameron for his regular Sunday mornng show. The first minute or two of Cameron's performance were used in correcting Marr's premise that the Conservative position was just to let the recession "take its course". Isn't this so typical? The Conservative always placed on the defensive by the casual distrust of the BBC man? If you listen or watch carefullly (painful I know) it's always there. Earlier on I heard the news report say that Icelanders were rioting over the handling af the credit crisis. This is an interpetation that the BBC prefers. Surely demonstrators are protesting at the occurrence of the crisis itself, and the economic management which brought it about? Cameron was under fire from Marr for not 'getting the scale' of things. No mention of Gordon's not getting the entire economic management "thing" which could have mitigated or averted it. I would say that- given British banking's swollen role compared with the British economy- Gordon's management of gold, regulation, taxation and interest rates should very much be on the table as a cause of the world's crisis. Instead we have Marr lamenting the lack of a positive Conservative response. Where's the room for positive responses? It's only damage limitation thanks to Gordon. The last part of the interview, patiently fielded by Cameron, was Marr's questioning of Osborne's position. Prior to that we had "Business Secretary" Peter Mandelson spinning the economy for Gordon. No questioning of his suspicious reintroduction into UK politics, or his ability to take the flak that Darling or Brown should be facing. It makes me sick listening to the skewed BBC coverage. But whether I listen or not, it's always there. Comments: 33 (unread) - Biased BBC Home