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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.

Comments  

 
#
anne galloway
2014-06-29 18:00

Excellent showing. Well done everybody. Wish I had been there. Let me know when the next one is.
 
 
#
Saporian
2014-06-29 18:41

Ooops. According to good old unbiased BBC there were only 350 people there!
bbc.co.uk/…/…
 
 
#
neoloon
2014-06-29 18:59

BBC “Scotland” reported story through gritted teeth.
Part of me hopes they get huffy and become even more biased against Scotland regaining its independence.
 
 
#
balbeggie
2014-06-29 20:02

Perhaps the new Yes group ‘Lawyers for Yes’ can give free advice to enable someone to force the broadcast media to give balanced coverage for the remaining period of the campaign through the courts.
 
 
#
Marian
2014-06-29 21:09

The BBC online report claims the BBC said its referendum coverage was “fair and accurate” and that the “Police said there was a maximum of 350 protesters, who carried flags and banners outside Pacific Quay, the BBC’s Glasgow base.”

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.

bbc.co.uk/…/…

 
 
#
Auld Rock
2014-06-29 22:38

I freeze framed one picture and counted over 1K and it was their picture. Don’t these clowns realise that even ‘basic’ recording equipment allows high quality pictures to be captured that we can all analyse and count.

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

 
 
#
rabkae
2014-06-30 03:10

A spokeswoman for BBC Scotland said: “Our coverage of the referendum story is fair and impartial in line with the editorial guidelines.”

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…

downloads.bbc.co.uk/…/…

 
 
#
Muscleguy
2014-06-30 07:28

Well done all who went, you forced them to actually acknowledge that it happened. Hopefully I’ll be able to make the next one.
 
 
#
Talorgan
2014-06-30 08:06

So, as many people turned up to protest at Pathetic Quay as attended the Unionist Armed Force event in Stirling.
 
 
#
Breeks
2014-06-30 08:24

Whatever the truth about numbers, and we can see the photos ourselves, I would love to have been a fly on the wall as the ‘establishment’ reacted to the numbers.
Whatever the media said, the AFD VIP’s will know that momentum in Scotland does not lie with the state. Unionist claims that a little over 1 in 3 of us support independence must be ringing pretty hollow.
The only WW1 resonance David Cameron can rely on is the white feather under his pillow as he continues to run away from Alex Salmond.
 
 
#
stewart b
2014-06-30 08:40

Did the quote of 350 actually come from the police.
 
 
#
pomatiaH1
2014-06-30 08:58

Of course, as we know, the BBC reluctantly gave some coverage, but didn’t admit the numbers at the anti-austrity rally in London, where there were 50,000 protestors.
On the BBC web page they gave 3 very short paragraphs to the anti-austerity protests and around 15 column inches to the pro-austerity rally that was on at the same time. There was 350 people at that.
The BBC is imploding and they seem unable or unwilling to do anything to stop their downward spiral.
I think the next round of negotiations over the payment system and the BBC in general will see the complete end of the BBC as ‘trusted’ source.
The UK Government is now well aware of how the BBC can be used.
 
 
#
stewart b
2014-06-30 09:28

I note in todays Herald, Magnus Gardham also claims there was only several hundred protesters present. After watching the video I am left wondering if Magnus Gardham witnessed any of the protest, either in person, video or photo’s. NNS can rightfully feel justified in claiming 2000+ were in attendance. I also wonder about the integrety of such journalism, from all media outlets.
The choice could not be more clear, if you wish this to continue vote No.
If you want change for the better, a fairer Scotland for all of us and for a better future for our children, then it must be a Yes vote. When independence is achieved we will not have to put up with the constant threat of Barnet being scrapped, as would happen with the tax raising polices proposed by each of the unionist parties, if Scotland rejected independence My Heart says Yes my head says YES, only a YES will deliver for all Scotland
 
 
#
gus1940
2014-06-30 14:48

That arch supporter of Indpendence Gardham is becoming quite a favourite guest on BBC Poliical Programs.
 

 
#
Dundonian West
2014-06-30 10:12

BBC Scotland bias: US haggis ban–comments permitted.
bbc.co.uk/…/…
BBC Scotland bias: Demonstration yesterday–comments not permitted!
bbc.co.uk/…/…
 
 
#
RTP
2014-06-30 11:43

I have just made a complaint to BBC regarding this two stories and why we can comment on one and not the other,I suppose I will get the stock reply.
 

 
#
trinity
2014-06-30 13:37

Why is it that no one has mentioned the Rebekah Brooks Trial and the fact that her defending lawyer was Alan Alexander Cameron QC brother of David Cameron…….
Wonder if the Judge was another relative ?h
 
 
#
Dundonian West
2014-06-30 15:47

BBC BIAS.’The People Have Noticed’:-FILM:-

craigmurray.org.uk/…/…

 
 
#
Brodie
2014-06-30 16:24

The protest organisers could easily disprove BBC lies about crowd size: Gather the crowd in one group, take a wide-angle shot from the top of a stepladder and count the faces. The photo and verified headcount can then be shared all over the internet as irrefutable proof that the BBC uses “official” police estimates of crowd size to mislead the public. I support the protest 100% but unless the organisers wise up a bit the BBC bosses won’t even bat an eyelid.
 
 
#
gus1940
2014-07-01 05:44

Next time take along one of those radio controlled helicopters with a hi-res camera attached and use the resultant time-signatured photos to verify the crowd numbers – then there will be no argument over the attendance.
 

 
#
jvi
2014-06-30 19:05

I am from Quebec. The canadian public television Radio-Canada act the same way while the two referendum in 1980 and 1995. Even if Quebec National Assembly passed a law to control expenses and bias, the federal governement spends millions and RC had a permanent bias for the NO.

“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.

 
 
#
IfNotNowWhen
2014-07-01 09:43

BBC Impartiality? No Thanks!

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:

bbc.co.uk/…/…

 
 
#
snowthistle
2014-07-01 14:28

Thanks for the heads up, have archived the article for future posterity 🙂
 

 
#
Brodie
2014-07-01 12:33

I notice the protesters now plan to ask everyone to register at a sign in point. So they are wising up a bit, and hats off to them. But a lot of people may be reluctant to sign, so they risk artificially reducing the headcount. A radio controlled helicopter would be fantastic, Gus, but I suspect it’s about as practical as it sounds. The other potential problem, of course, is agitators trying to smear the protest. The organisers are alive to this, and plan to use crowd stewards, which is good. Also, everyone has a phone camera these days, so any would-be troublemakers can be photographed and strenuous efforts made to identify them after the event. If the organisers don’t do this they risk being eaten alive by the media, possibly even damaging the wider “Yes” campaign. We’ve had a taster of how far they will go with Murphy’s claim that the BBC is being “bullied” and Wiles’ disgraceful “Hitler Youth” tweet. Hope I don’t find myself saying: “I told you so” on this one!
 
 
#
chicmac
2014-07-02 00:32

I did a couple of crowd scans. Here is one from the grassy bank.

www.youtube.com/…/

 

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