General
Friday, 10 February 2012 05:29
By a Newsnet reporter
The BBC will be forced to change its approach to Scottish politics in the run up to the referendum, the Chair of the Corporation’s Trust has said.
Lord Patten, who yesterday met with First Minister Alex Salmond, has confirmed that the reputation of the BBC is at stake and cannot be allowed to be undermined by perceptions of bias.
The former Tory Minister explained that in light of the independence referendum and to ensure balance was maintained, there would be new guidelines issued to BBC presenters.
“It would be hugely damaging to our reputation and to our continuing viability as a great broadcaster if we did anything which chipped away at the reputation that we have.
“So yes, we want to handle the issue of the referendum and its coverage as sensitively as possible.” he said.
Mr Patten was commenting following the growing row over the BBC’s decision to block First Minister Alex Salmond from appearing on a rugby programme last weekend.
Yesterday Mr Salmond revealed emails that proved claims from the Scottish Government that an invitation had been offered by the BBC who had then overturned the decision following an intervention from a London based political advisor.
The BBC has defended its decision claiming that local elections and the referendum meant that “heightened tensions” existed in Scotland and that to allow Mr Salmond to appear would provide an advantage to the SNP leader.
However critics have pointed out that only days after Mr Salmond was prevented from speaking about a high profile sporting fixture, UK PM David Cameron was allowed free reign by the BBC to give his views on the resignation of England football manager Fabio Capello.
It has also emerged that in a BBC Radio programme this week, former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell was allowed to promote Labour and attack the SNP despite being invited onto the programme in order to talk about his new book and his love of bagpipes.
The meeting with Mr Patten also saw the SNP hand over a dossier of evidence they claim demonstrates inappropriate broadcasts by the BBC with many presenters adopting pejorative Unionist-coined terms and phrases in news reports.
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The standoff between the Scottish Government and the London controlled broadcaster follows a string of complaints from viewers angry at what they see as political bias from many high profile BBC reporters.
BBC Scotland has come under fire following a decision to block Scottish licence payers from commenting on the blogs of BBC Scotland reporters Brian Taylor and Douglas Fraser when all other UK blogs allow online interaction.
There are also concerns over the handling of political debates and discussion programmes where Unionist leaning commentators often outnumber their independence supporting counterparts by as much as three to one.
The announcement of new guidelines from the BBC Trust Chair will be seen by some as criticism of the performance of BBC Scotland Chief Ken McQuarrie and his head of News and Current Affairs John Boothman.
A recent Holyrood Committee that looked at the performance of the BBC in Scotland saw Boothman, who has links to the Labour party, defend his department’s handling of political coverage in Scotland. The committee though, unhappy with some of his answers, have invited McQuarrie to appear in order to face further questions.
Comments
2012-02-10 08:32
Let’s wait and see what the new guidelines will be.
As an afterthought does the fact that new guidelines are to be announced amount to an admission that things were not as they should have been?
2012-02-10 13:49
2012-02-12 04:25
2012-02-10 08:47
2012-02-10 09:08
As I recall the presenter commented the the FM had openly answered more questions than any other guest.
2012-02-10 10:11
During the entire programme he had referred to independence all the way through, and used the word a number of times until the very last moment, when he was wrapping up the programme and in his final sentence used ‘separation’ instead. He actually sounded a little uncomfortable with it.
2012-02-12 04:26
2012-02-10 08:48
“ The BBC has defended its decision claiming that local elections and the referendum meant that “heightened tensions” existed in Scotland and that to allow Mr Salmond to appear would provide an advantage to the SNP leader. “
The only “heightened tensions” are from those hot air balloons doon sooth with their botties on plush red/green seats.
2012-02-10 08:53
“It would be hugely damaging to our reputation and to our continuing viability as a great broadcaster if we did anything which chipped away at the reputation that we have.”
TOO LATE
2012-02-10 12:17
= Brilliant, nearly laughed my socks off.
Most of the posts on Newsnet offer much encouragement to other cybernats as well as an incredibly font of information which the unionist media withhold on a regular basis……not to mention lots of laughs as well.
VOTE YES.
2012-02-10 09:06
Expect little from establshment Patten, even less from establishment BBC.
2012-02-10 10:15
You are absolutely right. There is no point in consulting the existing management team at the BBC. They think they’re doing just fine, as anybody who has ever complained and received a letter in reply from them will be able to attest.
Regards,
2012-02-10 09:15
2012-02-10 09:34
2012-02-10 09:37
“A spokesperson for the SNP claimed that following such rules would mean that the First Minister would also be unable to appear on the BBC to discuss either the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games or the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
Salmond spoke to the BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten yesterday about the subject, with Patten also reported to have agreed to discuss the ‘rules of engagement’ with BBC director general Mark Thompson, the Scottish Government and political parties in Scotland on how the referendum issue will be covered by the corporation.”
Also:
“Lord Patten, chairman of the BBC Trust, told Mr Salmond to lodge a formal complaint about the way he was dropped from pre-match coverage of the Calcutta Cup rugby.
And the broadcasting boss insisted he wants to thrash out “ground rules” for how the Beeb covers the referendum campaign.
He said: “I would prefer to get this issue cleared up now, rather than wait for 18 months.” The BBC chief said he wanted agreement from all political parties over the way the referendum is covered.
Read more: thescottishsun.co.uk/…/…
And the latest Cockroachne: (Usual health warnings and minors advise apply) telegraph.co.uk/…/…
“The wider world is getting a taste of Nationalist bile
The row with the BBC demonstrates what some of us have known for years – Wee Eck and his minions cannot stand any form of dissent”
Plus the latest threat:
“The Royal Mail’s universal service obligation, could be threatened and lost if Scotland became independent, Vince Cable, Britain’s Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) Secretary, warned.”
heraldscotland.com/…/…
Showing 1 comment :
paul mahon, western isles
“Given that these networks are going to be privatised by the UK Government, independence would seem to be the only way we in Scotland can ensure that they are not lost.”
2012-02-10 10:02
2012-02-10 10:04
Quote:
“The wider world is getting a taste of Nationalist bile The row with the BBC demonstrates what some of us have known for years – Wee Eck and his minions cannot stand any form of dissent”
IT IS NOT THE JOB OF THE BBC TO DISSENT!!!!
2012-02-10 10:54
Although I have accepted the dinner invite, I am somewhat constrained
in accepting the one to the pre-prandial cocktails. The reason is that
the Scottish Parliamentary Journalists’ Association, of which I have
the honour to be a member, is boycotting the said watering hole. We
have taken this principled – if unusual – stance because we have been
offered only limited rights of access by that Gauleiter of Holyrood’s
catering facilities, Labour MSP Duncan McNeil.”
(Alan Cochrane, Scotland On Sunday, 22 January 2006*)
2012-02-10 09:53
2012-02-10 11:00
Yes and Mathieson raised the SNP/Tory issue in the debate before the vote as well, something like “we’ll remind the voters of Glasgow that the SNP sided with the Tories”. He stated it unchallenged in both the STV and BBC pieces after 6, also the BBC piece at 630 didn’t even mention the issue of deselection as being the trigger, didn’t watch Newsnight Scotland so don’t know what that discussion was like.
2012-02-10 15:19
Alba, re Newsnight we did get a bit of a result there. Brewer claimed Labour having 6 less councillors after the Budget speech than before it was an unmitigated disaster. He forceably made the point several times to the Councillor representing the Labour & Unionist Party.
2012-02-10 10:07
I don’t believe that the BBC will change at all. It would require for starters new staff as the current staff will be unable to change their mindset.
The bias is institutional thus embedded in the culture, values and and beliefs of the people who work for the BBC.
This is lip service in order to be seen to be doing something.
2012-02-10 13:59
I think its too late. The damage to the BBC has been done and has been going on for years.
‘m listening to Brian the Blether as I type. There was the usual verbal prestidigitatio n with the paint going unchallanged by the Tangerine blob. The Bank of England IS NOT English and really has not been since 1707. Neither is the Pound Sterling as both became the common property of the Union Parliament and are thus every bit as much Scottish as they are English.
2012-02-10 10:08
Who now trusts the BBC when it comes to political reporting in Scotland and on Scotland?
No one!
2012-02-10 11:49
Lord Patten is not stupid. He realises the enormity of the situation at BBC London and BBC Scotland. The political bias, the improper and inappropiate behavior by directors, editors and broadcasters. The damage has been done, serious damage.
Who now trusts the BBC when it comes to political reporting in Scotland and on Scotland?
No one!
Now now Mac, you exaggerate, Wee Ruthie’s Tories and Lamentable’s Labour trust them.
2012-02-10 14:02
2012-02-10 10:10
Isn’t what Patten proposes clearly open to being called political interference especially by opposition parties? And what limitations will these “guidelines” impose on the Scottish government in return?
2012-02-10 10:16
Just watched this interview with Patten. Can anyone tell me how the BBC Trust is meant to be impartial, separate and so on when Patten refers to the BBC as ‘we’ or ‘our’ ?
He should refer to the BBC as ‘the BBC’.
Time for the Trust to go. Impartiality and calls of bias are difficult subjects too deal with, so why not start with a watchdog that is completely separate from the organisation it is supposed to monitor ?
Without that, how can the public truly have some faith in this organisation ?
2012-02-10 10:28
It is also very much apparent that there is a concerted unionist effort going on to demonise Alex Salmond personally, presumably based on the theory that “if you cut off the head of the snake then the snake will die”.
2012-02-10 10:28
The SDA’s memorandum to the CoE the other day should also loom large in any broadcast policy decision undertaken by the BBC in the coming months. State broadcasters also fall within the remit of the OSCE, so one hopes that things will indeed change. I asked Dr James Wilkie about whether the OSCE are even likely to comment on the BBC’s output in Scotland and he said:
Quote:
The OSCE has a special department for dealing with the media, and BBC Scotland would certainly not be immune to its scrutiny. The very presence of two major international organisations as observers should suffice to put the fear of death into the BBC and the MSM.
2012-02-10 10:50
I know for a fact that several letters have been submitted but the impression given by these papers is that everyone thinks Alex Salmond is childish and wrong to question the BBC.
But Alex is playing the long game by putting down early markers for the BBC before London’s Olympics which will be used to promote Britishness by Unionist politicians even although Olympic Games are awarded to cities not countries.
2012-02-10 18:01
yhoo.it/AoM6wH
2012-02-10 10:51
As a deflection strategy it is cack-handed (lets not discuss real issues). As an example of bias at the BBC it is spot on.
The problems at the BBC run deep.
2012-02-10 12:34
Or, as she tries to stop the Independence Tide coming in – Canutie Kaye.
Or, having realised the futility of the above strategies, will gradually ingratiate herself with the hope of becoming the SBC director in an independent Scotland, and be known forever after as Pacific Kaye.
2012-02-10 20:35
I also complaind to the bbc with regards to alex,the general bias.. ect and got the standard up yours reply. Mac points out the windmills story on the radio, well the mess at glasgow city council did make bbc scotlands news.. lucky if there was 30 secs, so yes i agree the bias goes on..and on ..and on
2012-02-10 10:56
Forgive my cynicism but when exactly will these guidelines be issued and what will they be.
Perhaps after the May elections and some fuzzy stuff that a childs tricycle could get past.
A watchdog with teeth and immediate pay and on air suspension powers for slight of hand or “accidental” slips and nuance gestures would be draconian and not equitable but I can see how it would appear attractive.
As has been said before, Do the biased characters expect careers in Scotland when independence or devo max or home rule finally does happen. One would think that self preservation would have them behaving better and balanced.
Or perhaps that is it, having behaved so inappropriately maybe the bias is an attempt to save their skins.
Tragic whichever way one views it all.
2012-02-10 11:00
Salmond spoke to the BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten yesterday about the subject, with Patten also reported to have agreed to discuss the ‘rules of engagement’ with BBC director general Mark Thompson, the Scottish Government and political parties in Scotland on how the referendum issue will be covered by the corporation.”
The issue is whether SCOTLAND YES campaigners will have equal treatment with the three NO Scotland political parties
2012-02-10 11:24
2012-02-10 12:15
There are two camps Yes and No. Simple 50/50 split of time for each Any sleight of hand that converts that to 1 to 3 would be an outrageous breach of the charter and a visit to the courts required.
Arguably, Labour, Tories and Libdems are not even Scottish Political parties, they’re registered down south. None of them should be commenting or participating in the independence referendum because they’re not registered political parties in the seceding country.
A technical point for sure but there it is.
2012-02-10 14:00
2012-02-10 11:04
2012-02-10 12:07
What’s so special about the referendum that it needs new guidelines? Were the old guidelines insufficient to ensure impartiality, or were they just ignored? And if they were ignored, what’s to stop the new ones being ignored as well?
The problem is the BBC are firmly stuck in the past, and it is because they are run from London, that the problem exists. Way back in the past, the BBC could choose to ignore the SNP, and indeed that is what they did. They never gave them equal electoral coverage (still don’t), ignored their party conferences, and treated them as a ‘loony fringe party’. That attitude was entirely based upon a very English perception of the SNP.
Roll the clock forward to devolution and still the BBC did not afford proper coverage to the SNP, despite the SNP very rapidly becoming a larger party than either the Liberal Democrats or the Conservative party. The BBC persisted with its English political viewpoint, that in the UK the three main parties were Labour Tories and Libdems, and so, from their viewpoint in London, that is EXACTLY how politics should be represented in Scotland too.
It is this rank stupidity and ignorant ‘home counties’ thinking, that led to the ridiculous situation, some TWELVE years after devolution where at the general election in 2010, there were leader debates on the BBC, that completely ignored the democratically elected First Minister of Wales, Scotland and N.Ireland.
Wind the clock forward to 2011, and despite the SNP having been in Government for some five years, and having been re-elected with an enormous show of support from Scots, and having more elected MSP’s than any other political party, the BBC still saw fit to give little coverage to the SNP conference, in comparison with the wall to wall daily live coverage of Labour, the Tories and Libdems. In no other democracy, would a state broadcaster be allowed to discriminate against the party conference of the elected Government of the day in such a blatant and quite tawdry way. To this day, this is EXACTLY what the BBC do.
Maybe the BBC in London still haven’t realised that the SNP, with more members than any other party, is the largest political movement in Scotland, by quite some considerable margin.
The BBC has always failed in its democratic mandate for Scotland, and it always will, when editorial control is based in London. Just this weekend the BBC saw fit to ban the First Minister of Scotland from talking on the BBC about the chances of success for the Scottish National rugby team, yet within two days was interviewing David Cameron on the Today programme about the English Football team manager.
They then followed through on this with quite a considerable degree of bias, in their sport programme, ‘Sport Nation’, in which they suggested that the SNP would politicise the Commonwealth games. No consideration was given to the situation with the London Olympic games, where we regularly see, David Cameron (Tory), Sebastian Coe (Tory), and Boris Johnson (Tory) given air time by the BBC on their national news programmes, radio and website, to talk of how the Olympics will be good for London ,England and britain.
Double standards, hypocrisy, bias, call it what you like.
Nothing will improve, until the BBC in Scotland answers to the Scottish parliament, and is set free from the pig ignorant ‘home counties head-in-the-sand’ manipulation of London.
I personally think the rot in BBC Scotland is institutionalis ed, with way too many Labour party members and former Labour spin doctors and councillors in senior political positions. The BBC in Scotland should be serving the people of Scotland, not a pro unionist viewpoint or a pro Britain viewpoint or indeed an anti SNP viewpoint
I think little will change, and so I can only suggest the BBC needs to be shut down.
2012-02-10 20:37
The clue is in the “British” bit and their Achilles heel is the BBC Charter, which the BBC’s operators have been allowed to drive a coach and horses through by moronically stupid, compliant Scots unionists.
Now, it’s a busted flush for all! – There’s not an ounce of credibility left for Scottish reporting affairs and when it comes to the mis-reporting, non-reporting, overt mis-information campaigning, social engineering and subliminal messaging that’s conducted under their auspices, is there anything left of its once proud reputation?
2012-02-11 02:30
You are wrong – the SBC should not answer to the Scottish Parliament. If it did the in the years 1999-2007 it would have been the creature of the Parties in power. The greatness of the BBC and why it has the international reputation it has, is its Charter which makes it independent of the government in power. That is something, born of Reith, which I would want to retain in an Independent Scotland. The fact that it has deviated from its principles over the last many years in Scotland is no good reason to throw the baby out!
I believe, and hope to be proved sound, that Patten is an honourable man who believes in the founding principles of the BBC and will sort this out soon.
Remember that the BBC had great trouble with the Tory government at the time of the General Strike when Reith refused to do what Churchill wanted him to do. And for all the mistakes made since, I have to hope that we never descend to State ownership and control of the BBC – or the Press for that matter – that way potential disaster lies.
2012-02-11 07:17
Quote:
I believe, and hope to be proved sound, that Patten is an honourable man who believes in the founding principles of the BBC and will sort this out soon
Despite him being a Tory Peer I actually have a great deal of respect for Mr Patten (one of very few I assure you) and believe, like you, him to be an honourable man with a great deal of integrity. I don’t think he will leave the current situation unanswered and will take steps to address them.
2012-02-10 11:28
2012-02-10 11:54
2012-02-10 12:23
If you aren’t looking for it you wouldn’t know it was there. Usually very subtle.
2012-02-10 11:59
2012-02-10 12:11
‘If we’. Listen to the doublespeak of this Westminster Establishment Lord. There is no question that The EBC is propagandising on behalf on the Unionists. That Patten has taking no action up until now and only offers soundbites when our FM approached him on the subject tells us everything we need to know. He knows full well what this organisation has been up to. If it had been his beloved English Tory party that the bias was slanted against well that would be different So pull the other one Chris.
Its a sad day when presenters and employees of the EBC have to be reminded not to let their angry bile ridden outpourings against the SNP get in the way of being an impartial broadcaster. Not very professional are they. Surely knowing they simply have to be fair and balanced comes with the territory. Too little too late i fear. The sooner the CoE and the OSCE get onto this organisation and the rest of the msm and Westminster the better.
2012-02-10 12:45
As I recall, in Local Government most promoted posts are declared “politically restricted” and post-holders who are active in politics are excluded from holding these posts. Why is it not the same with the BBC?
Regards
2012-02-10 15:05
2012-02-11 02:34
Error – E. Quigley took herself off political reporting, a principled decision for which she was never given full credit.
2012-02-11 03:56
“ Albahla:
Error – E. Quigley took herself off political reporting, a principled decision for which she was never given full credit. ”
Aye Gerry but she comes from a family with principles…. Mrs J Swinney. But whenever have the BBC or the MSM ever given credit to the SNP or even somebody connected to them.
2012-02-12 10:40
2012-02-10 13:02
Here is a list of undesirable historical epithets directed at the FM: Thru the BBC
1. Slobodan Milosevic (Denis MacShane, Labour MP)
2. Benito Mussolini (Lord Foulkes, Labour peer)
3. Adolf Hitler (Tom Harris, Labour MP)
4. Adolf Hitler (Ann Moffat, Labour MP)
5. Joseph Stalin (Alan Cochrane, the Telegraph)
6. Robert Mugabe (Lord Cormack, Conservative peer)
7. Robert Mugabe (Jeremy Paxman BBC)
8. Kim Jong-Il (Lord Forsyth, Conservative peer)
9. Caligula (John Macleod, the Times)
10. Nicolae Ceausescu (Neil Collins, the Financial Times)
11. Genghis Khan (Kevin McKenna, the Observer)
12. Nero (Annabel Goldie, Conservative MSP)
13. Adolf Hitler (Ann Begg Labour)
No real outcry about these insults?
2012-02-10 13:20
I also believe that Peter Robinson will be the next Pope.
Elvis is alive and living on a London Bus on the moon with Michael Jackson for company.
2012-02-10 14:17
Let me get this right ,some of you think thaat the EX Chairman of the Tory Party will ensure a lack of Unionist bias in BBC Scotland????
I also believe that Peter Robinson will be the next Pope.
Elvis is alive and living on a London Bus on the moon with Michael Jackson for company.
WHIT!
Ye mean Elvis an Jackson are buddies? Naw! Nae Wey!
2012-02-10 14:33
2012-02-10 13:46
2012-02-10 14:11
“The sooner the CoE and the OSCE get onto this organisation and the rest of the msm and Westminster the better.”
It’s the only way to ensure some measure of impartiality.
2012-02-10 14:19
It’s the only way to ensure some measure of impartiality.
I’ve been chipping away at that idea for years.
It’s commin yet fir aa that.
2012-02-10 14:18
I wonder if his Eckness knew that someone used Gauleiter to describe a certain Minister in the H of C
Who was at the receiving end, read on.
Hansard, 31 Oct 1990 – Column 1004 : Mr. Bob Cryer (Bradford, South – Labour ) : [ To Chris Patten as Secretary of State for the Environment] Does the Secretary of State accept that his reputation as the Gauleiter of Marsham street is preserved intact by his statement
Bunnet tip to Dick Munguin of Munguin’s Republic
2012-02-10 15:13
It was really embarrassing explaining to them about the political situation and how the Unionists tried to keep Scot’s self esteem below that all-important voting for independence threshold.
It was embarrassing, because ‘everyone knew’ what a paragon of fairness and balance the British media was, particularly the BBC. So you knew they would think you were being paranoid.
To be fair, even most Scots then did not see (or perhaps did not want to see) through the Unionist propaganda for years. It is only in the past few years, whether by loss of expertise and subtlety on behalf of the Brit propaganda machine or by being forced to be more and more obvious by the rise of the pro-independence movement, that the stretching of the credibility elastic has snapped for most people, and they now see what is and has been going on.
For those of us who are old enough to remember, we can tell you that it was not always like this.
At one time, Scots and Scotland were fairly represented in the media and on TV. TV programs like Dr Finlay (with Scottish accents no less), The White Heather Club and Dr John Grierson’s documentaries were shown, and were popular, throughout the UK.
Scottish television and radio news was much more like that which one would expect in any other country, as was the output of the press.
But then with the discovery of oil and the rise of the SNP, especially after the major SNP advances in the 70s when it looked like Scotland might become independent, there was a massive change in the broadcast media. Long established presenters and commentators, especially on matters political disappeared, either to new lucrative positions elsewhere or were sacked or retired early.
Such was the haste to redress the situation we even had a somewhat comical interlude where strange Whitehall-esque creatures from down South arrived, who despite having zero acumen for it, read the news. A bit like the press reports read out by Whitehall spokespersons in wartime scenarios. This went on until such time as the installation of the new generation of brainless unquestioning bimbos or brainwashed U-clones who had been processed through a revamped university system had occurred.
But now, we are where we are and we just have to deal with it.
Particularly galling yesterday was the (yet again) highlighting of the ‘suicide gap’ which has opened up between Scotland and England and wondering why that might be.
Really?
Try comparing your graph with the onset and increased incidence of negative broadcasting about Scotland and the Scots. Correlation Coefficient >0.9 I would expect.
These media people are not just talentless people in positions above their capabilities or brainwashed Us ‘saving Scotland from itself’, these people have blood on their hands.
And how many Scottish families have been broken up because their children have been forced overseas to find work or because they cannot stand the relentless drip drip drip of the vile, negative propaganda day in day out?
How do they sleep at night?
2012-02-10 16:28
Much has been made of the ‘too wee..too stupid and too poor’ and lots still believe it…we need counter conditioning! The truth, and nothing but the truth.
There is an awakening.
But there is a lack of opportunity of aspiration for our young people. I have witnessed the millions poured into regenerating the east end of Glasgow, for example…lovely new and revamped housing, part time work for women but NO real WORK for men. And that’s only a small part of Scotland…albeit one badly affected by unemployment, drink, drugs and suicides.
We need our steel, manufacturing and engineering industries back. Thatcher, aided by the unions (although they didn’t think so at the time) cut the working heart out of Scotland. Decades of belief in labour to ‘do better for the working classes’ has done as much damage as Thatcher.
How many multinational firms were lured here by the promises of free premises; no rates; subsidised workforces etc., but as soon as the freebies stopped they upped and left Scotland…leaving devastated community/workforces behind.
Why were they allowed to do this? Why were no penalty clauses placed into contracts…where were the lawyers who should have drawn up watertight contracts.
Take the tram fiasco as an example of a contract unfavourable to the people.
Some people do not like Alex Salmond…they perceive him as smarmy and self seeking. Others are worried about religious freedoms; same sex marriage consultation has set many Catholics against the SNP.
I believe him to be honest and for Scotland and her people but many do not.
The SNP party has to get out there and into hearts, homes and families to counter the brainwashing that is the press and BBC.
2012-02-10 18:43
I feel so much better when I DONT listen to BBC Radio Scotland on the mornings on the way into work!.
2012-02-10 16:29
In the old days they did seem to let a few quality home grown programs through they featured Scots actors, accents and stories. No longer.
The constant negativity of the unionist politicians and the media about Scotland is very wearing and I agree psychologically , economically and socially damaging. Its like a strong headwind. It takes a lot of energy to just to stay positive and moving forward.
I personally think that it is even more damaging and criminal in intent than Honeker’s East Germany or the East in general. There people’s free expression and liberty were under threat but at least their culture, language and traditions were intact and they had German accents on TV (not Russian)and did not have to have them denigrated or seen as ignorant or embarrassing.
2012-02-11 11:26
The reason or one of them anyway I vote SNP is because I have faith and belief in Scotland as an independent country and the reason support for the SNP is growing is because of the positivity they portray and outline for the future of Scotland.
2012-02-11 14:50
2012-02-10 16:47
2012-02-10 17:18
Brian Taylor’s Big Debate.Friday 10th February.BBC Radio Scotland.
Just caught the last few minutes of this as it was closing,transmi tted from Aberdeen.3 or 4 minutes before 1pm.
Each member of the Panel,in front of an audience,were asked by Brian which politician they would wish to see in a sticky position,and cast as a villain (I paraphrase).
Every Panel member came up with a name,and the last member to be asked (SNP I THINK)said Gordon Brown,because of his part in the country’s economic mess.
Brian responded saying,”Oh,for goodness sake”.
Is this the official BBC Scotland stance,or did Brian’s personal political allegiance slip out there?
BBC have now issued the debate on BBC iPlayer. Available,usual ly for 7 days.
Apologies if I’ve misquoted any of the above.
2012-02-12 09:48
Yes. Some people really do have rose tinted glasses and closed minds.
2012-02-10 19:27
2012-02-12 10:09
1) Just how ironic is it that it takes Iranian TV to present such an even handed view of the debate, something the BBC hasn’t managed which very very sad but also very very concerning.
2) As we all probably know the view of the big guy in the glasses on the street who said we are too small a country etc is still very common out there. The program also made the point that if we lose this will be our last chance for a generation.
This is a wake up call for me. Whatever we are all doing to support the campaign is not enough. I don’t mean that as a criticism. I am trying to do my bit but it isn’t enough, I need to get my finger out and do more. I also need to get my hand in my pocket. Yes there is a recession, but nothing compared to what Scotland will look like if we lose the vote!
2012-02-11 09:52
Just got this today:
“Thanks for your correspondence regarding BBC News.
I note that you feel that the BBC should have had more coverage of the independent Electoral Reform Society’s statement on the proposed referendum in Scotland.
In choosing news stories, factors such as whether it is news that has just come in and needs immediate coverage, how unusual the story is and how much national interest there is in the subject matter will all play a part in deciding the level of coverage and where it falls within a bulletin.
Essentially this is a judgement call rather than an exact science but BBC News does appreciate the feedback when viewers and listeners feel we may have overlooked or neglected a story.
However, I have taken some time to find you BBC Coverage of people’s views in the Scotland region:
bbc.co.uk/…/…
I understand how important this is to you. I want to let you know that I’ve taken this opportunity to add your feedback regarding choice of news editorial to our audience log. This is a daily report of audience feedback that’s circulated to the BBC Editorial team, the BBC Executive Board, channel controllers and other senior managers. The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.”
Nice of them to find me something completely irrelevant for our “region”.
btw I also complained about the complete lack of coverage of the SDA’a approaches to Europe – seem to be unmentionable.
2012-02-11 13:09
2012-02-11 14:56
His remit, therefore, was to be as nice as possible, for various strategic reasons.
Didn’t he even preside over the introduction of democracy there (for the first time in Britain’s 99 year lease)?
In Scotland’s case the objective is, as it always was *, to hang on to it with “every fibre of their being”.
*”We have catcht hold of Scotland and would keep her fast.” – Speaker, HoC, 1713
2012-02-11 14:56
BBC Bias “not exact science”!
Just got this today:
“Thanks for your correspondence regarding BBC News.
I note that you feel that the BBC should have had more coverage of the independent Electoral Reform Society’s statement on the proposed referendum in Scotland.
In choosing news stories, factors such as whether it is news that has just come in and needs immediate coverage, how unusual the story is and how much national interest there is in the subject matter will all play a part in deciding the level of coverage and where it falls within a bulletin.
Essentially this is a judgement call rather than an exact science but BBC News does appreciate the feedback when viewers and listeners feel we may have overlooked or neglected a story.
However, I have taken some time to find you BBC Coverage of people’s views in the Scotland region:
bbc.co.uk/…/…
I understand how important this is to you. I want to let you know that I’ve taken this opportunity to add your feedback regarding choice of news editorial to our audience log. This is a daily report of audience feedback that’s circulated to the BBC Editorial team, the BBC Executive Board, channel controllers and other senior managers. The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.”
Nice of them to find me something completely irrelevant for our “region”.
btw I also complained about the complete lack of coverage of the SDA’a approaches to Europe – seem to be unmentionable.
The Scotland region. Says it all about the BBC attitude!
2012-02-11 19:03
A. It is the way they are being smeared by their opponents in politics and in the media.
Both have been cast as Hitler, Stalin, Mugabe. Both have been described as tin pot dictators. Both their parties and policies have been described as facist. Both have endured media smear campaigns on TV, radio and newspapers. Both have been subject to racist comments.
All because they are different – a black president and a nationalist First Minister.
2012-02-12 15:46
“……..That the BBC will decide the nature of the debate? That a Scotland rugby win (no chance) might have provided the SNP with a propaganda opportunity? Or would the corporation be ensuring, as Salmond wondered in Holyrood on Thursday, that David Cameron does not grace our screens when London hosts the Olympics?
If nothing else, it seems the BBC has developed a policy for dealing with Salmond’s enthusiasm for the cameras in the two-and-a-quarter years before an independence referendum. Boris Johnson, mayor of London, can pull off all sorts of televised stunts as he campaigns for re-election. Cameron can be solicited for his thoughts on the resignation of England’s football manager. Scotland is different…..”
heraldscotland.com/…/…