By a Newsnet reporter
A demonstration held outside BBC Scotland’s Glasgow Headquarters in protest at the broadcaster’s coverage of the independence referendum has attracted over 2000 people.
The demo was organised by Yes supporting licence payers angered at what they say is the corporation’s pro-Union stance in its coverage of the independence debate.
Described as a peaceful protest, people travelled from across Scotland to join with others in an attempt at drawing attention to the corporation’s referendum coverage. The protest was the second such event held in Glasgow and followed a similar demonstration held four weeks ago.
Speaking to Newsnet Scotland, an organiser said: “The last event was attended by around 300 people. Today the turnout has been far, far greater – probably over 2000 people”
Speakers at the event included Newsnet Scotland columnist Professor Mark McNaught and Professor John Robertson from the University of the West of Scotland, whose recent academic study found both the BBC and STV tended to favour the No campaign in TV news output.
Many had brought banners and placards highlighting what they believed was the BBC’s failure to provide balanced coverage of the independence referendum.
One couple who had travelled from Shetland said they felt the protest was important.
“The BBC is paid for by all of us whether Yes or No but it doesn’t reflect both sides of the campaign.” both said.
“They don’t cover stories that damage No, but are always headlining stories against Yes.”
The demonstration follows a series of similar events aimed at drawing attention to the BBC’s failings as an impartial broadcaster.
The corporation has come under fire over its handling of the independence debate with its own watchdog finding BBC Scotland guilty of misleading viewers following its coverage of the EU membership issue.
More recently the broadcaster has come under fire after it refused to cancel its £22,000 per year membership of pro-Union lobbying group the CBI. The organisation had registered as an official campaigner on behalf of No, but then had the application nullified claiming it had been made in error.
As there is clearly a major conflict between the 2000 reported by NNS and the BBC report that the Police said 350, I would suggest that NNS urgently take this up with the Police in order to clarify exactly what the Police estimate is so that the record can be set straight.
Did you all notice how limited their supposed 35K crowd scenes were at Stirling yesterday. At least we can prove that there were 10K at Bannockburn from ticket sales.
Auld Rock
Note that said spokeswoman was unable to claim that accuracy also features in output from Pacific Quay…
The complainant alleged that BBC Scotland breached the BBC Editorial Guidelines in its coverage on 25 January 2013 and thereafter of views expressed by Lucinda Creighton, who was at that time Ireland’s European Affairs Minister.
The (BBC Trust’s) Committee concluded:
That this report was in breach of the BBC’s Editorial Guideline on Accuracy…
“They don’t cover stories that damage No, but are always headlining stories against Yes.”
Well, this is the same perfidious technic that Radio-Canada used. You probably knows that two famous actors for the NO in Canada, Jean Chretien and Stephane Dion, became international consultant in “nation crushing” and met some guys for the No in London as some others in Spain about the Catalogne matter.
Differents lands, same illegal and immoral ways to fight against a nation will.
Take care and be wise because on the other side they are not joking.
I hope a YES for you guys.
Did anyone notice the mysteriously swift demise of an item entitled ‘Scottish independence: Where might Trident go?’ in the Features & Analysis section of the BBC news app? It was there in first place at midnight last night but by 7:30 this morning it was gone. Coincidentally a new item had appeared in the Scotland section under the headline ‘Trident in UK’s national interest’. In the past I have noted how infrequently Features and Analysis is updated. However last night a total of 7 new articles were uploaded simultaneously at around 00:30 with the effect that the aforementioned report on the potential sites for the relocation of Trident was nudged off the list.
I subsequently located the article on the full BBC website here: