NationStates Jolt Archive

Is it just me or is the BBC etremely pro-Government? I switched the radio on a minute ago, and the man who was protesting outside Parliament for 4 years (Andy Hoare or something?) was talking about his court victory. When he started criticising the government they quickly cut him off mid-sentence and the BBC presenter bloke quickly and apologetically explained why Mr Hoare was probably wrong, a nuisance etc and then gave an MP a full, uninterupted, 2 minutes criticising Mr Hoare. Has anyone else noticed this?

BBC IS pro-government.
ITV is independant, like the huge I at the begining of their channel acronym suggests :)

Is it just me or is the BBC etremely pro-Government? I switched the radio on a minute ago, and the man who was protesting outside Parliament for 4 years (Andy Hoare or something?) was talking about his court victory. When he started criticising the government they quickly cut him off mid-sentence and the BBC presenter bloke quickly and apologetically explained why Mr Hoare was probably wrong, a nuisance etc and then gave an MP a full, uninterupted, 2 minutes criticising Mr Hoare. Has anyone else noticed this?

For every person claiming the BBC is Pro Government there's another claiming it's violently anti Government, whichever party is in power. Norman Tebbit carried out an in-depth review of the BBC's reporting when he was Home Secretary, and discovered they were anti-Government. John Prescott has accused the BBC of exactly the same.

This makes me think they are probably about right. :D

what was the protester saying, which BBC radio channel was it, what program is it?

In fairness I've found them one of the best news services out there (and this is coming from an Irishman) :)

For every person claiming the BBC is Pro Government there's another claiming it's violently anti Government, whichever party is in power. Norman Tebbit carried out an in-depth review of the BBC's reporting when he was Home Secretary, and discovered they were anti-Government. John Prescott has accused the BBC of exactly the same.

This makes me think they are probably about right. :D

I was going to post the same thing.

I find the BBC the best source of Impartail news, mostly.

They've always seemed very Anti-Govermment to me, whoever is in power (Like someone else said)

I was going to post the same thing.

What, exactly the same? That's spooky :D

:confused: Non-American media confuses me....CHOOSE A SIDE!

Are we supposed to go:
ALL GLORY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT!
or
DEATH TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT!


:confused::D

The BBC certainly try to be impartial, but that's not always easy. This kind of seemingly overt bias does surprise me.

ITV seem independent, but leaning somewhat to the populist/sensationalist right-wing.

Really? I've found that they tend to buy into the Government's sensationalism and gimmicks. I mean, did anyone ever actually use the phrase "Anti-Social Behaviour" before a few years ago (not that using the phrase makes them pro-government, Im just ranting)? I find that they also tend to slant the Government's latest anti-terrorism rubbish in a favourable light.

The best and least biased news network from my experience is Sky News.

:confused: Non-American media confuses me....CHOOSE A SIDE!

Are we supposed to go:
ALL GLORY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT!
or
DEATH TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT!


:confused::D
US media tries to simplify everything into a massive anti-<thing> moral crusade to help you understand ;).

(joking, btw).

:confused: Non-American media confuses me....CHOOSE A SIDE!

Are we supposed to go:
ALL GLORY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT!
or
DEATH TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT!


:confused::D

I think that's half the problem in the USA, the media is as polorized as the politics. If you just watch one news channel you get a totally warped view of the world.

:confused: Non-American media confuses me....CHOOSE A SIDE!

Are we supposed to go:
ALL GLORY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT!
or
DEATH TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT!


:confused::D

The joys of non-corporate TV and Radio (I know it calls itself Corporation but it isn't like Newscorp or something).

For every person claiming the BBC is Pro Government there's another claiming it's violently anti Government, whichever party is in power. Norman Tebbit carried out an in-depth review of the BBC's reporting when he was Home Secretary, and discovered they were anti-Government. John Prescott has accused the BBC of exactly the same.

This makes me think they are probably about right. :D

Do the words "Andy" and "Gilligan" mean anything to you, Praetonia? Unionista is exactly right; every government which comes along hates the BBC for not being biased enough for it to roundly criticise. I think their coverage of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness' stand-down from the IRA army council has been excellent - and in such a politically-charged subject, in which bias would be so very possible.

Yes but the IRA and surrounding issues are the kind of things that get you letterbombed if you're biased ;). And it's hardly pro / anti government... it's too serious for them to be biased, because there are lisence payers with extremely strong vies on both sides. Something like Islamic terrorism, on the other hand, makes it extremely easy to back the latest authoritarian Government anti-terror proposal.

The best and least biased news network from my experience is Sky News.

Sky News comes out with unsubstantiated rumours and calls them news to try to pull its viewing figures up. I point to Sky News "speculation" that the July 7th London bombs were nail bombs, quickly rescinded later in the day, despite never having been given any evidence.

I remind everyone in Britain Sky News is a Murdoch production, as is FOX.

I think the BBC offers the best news service in the world, i find it extremely confusing when i watch abc news, i just don't get what they say, whereas the accent used by bbc newsreaders is pure British accent, i really enjoy watching them talk. i don't know if they are anti or pro govt, i think it's somewhere in between 50/50 i however think they are neutral.

Well since the Hutton Report, the BBC has been very pro-Government, due to its recomendation of changing how the Beeb is run. So in order to keep its position as it is now it needs to charm the Government into allowing them to carry on as they are now.

But before the Report relations between the BBC and the Government were very low, as the BBC was very anti-War in its presentation of the events in Iraq and the inquiry into the Iraq Dossier.

[Re: The IRA]...it's too serious for them to be biased, because there are lisence payers with extremely strong vies on both sides.

Nonsense. Margaret Thatcher ordered the dubbing of Gerry Adams' speeches by a weak-voiced voice actor at one point during the troubles, because he wasn't allowed to be heard speaking in Britain. That's going with the government - but it's doing so because you've been ordered to. And nobody was letterbombed as a result, or at least, if they were, it was well hidden within the rest of the Troubles. The IRA hated the BBC anyway, along with any and every British public institution.

Something like Islamic terrorism, on the other hand, makes it extremely easy to back the latest authoritarian Government anti-terror proposal.

Listen to BBC Radio 4 sometime. Seriously. I think you'll find it a refreshing experience. Besides, they're just trying to sneak in authoritarian anti-terror legislation under cover of other news at the moment, news which all the news services must report because they have a duty to inform the public. I shall be sure to put News 24 on and find out if there is bias, but what would be useful would be if you could hunt round the BBC News Online webpage (http://news.bbc.co.uk) and find that story you were talking about at the beginning, so that we can all analyse their coverage for bias both on the web and when it comes on the news/commentary programmes tonight.

It has been so since hutton, anyone notice that there was no politcal messages in the Live 8 coverage. there scared.

Sky News comes out with unsubstantiated rumours and calls them news to try to pull its viewing figures up. I point to Sky News "speculation" that the July 7th London bombs were nail bombs, quickly rescinded later in the day, despite never having been given any evidence.

I remind everyone in Britain Sky News is a Murdoch production, as is FOX.

But all the BIG News Channels do that, as they want to be the first to report the action, therefore they assume things and build there evidence on rumour. In my opinion the confusion these early reports can do more damage than the event themselves.

Well, I saw on a documentary, that, in the old days, newreaders weren't seen on television news because their facial expressions might affect people's views!

The best and least biased news network from my experience is Sky News.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, oh no stop it, hahahahahahahahahahahaha, no really, stop, hahahahahahahahahahahahahah, oh it hurts, stop now hahahahahahahahaha

:D

You are either 11 years old and have never seen anything apart from Sky news or live on a lonely desert island and can only receive Sky or you're Rupert Murdoch. Which is it?

Well, I saw on a documentary, that, in the old days, newreaders weren't seen on television news because their facial expressions might affect people's views!

No, they weren't seen in the old days because TV wasn't invented :D

No, they weren't seen in the old days because TV wasn't invented :D

:D. I mean the 40's and 50's.

You are either 11 years old and have never seen anything apart from Sky news or live on a lonely desert island and can only receive Sky or you're Rupert Murdoch. Which is it?

I think he's Rupert Murdoch , and he's here to buy NationStates :eek: !!

I think they were far mre "respectful" to authority in the 40s/50sand even 60s, Government ministers were given quite a free reign to make their statements without being paxmanned, it wasn't until the likes of Robin Day came along that politicians were questioned and the possibility of an opposing view was considered.

Is it just me or is the BBC etremely pro-Government? I switched the radio on a minute ago, and the man who was protesting outside Parliament for 4 years (Andy Hoare or something?) was talking about his court victory. When he started criticising the government they quickly cut him off mid-sentence and the BBC presenter bloke quickly and apologetically explained why Mr Hoare was probably wrong, a nuisance etc and then gave an MP a full, uninterupted, 2 minutes criticising Mr Hoare. Has anyone else noticed this?

Not really, but i usually watch CBC (or sometimes CNN, when nothing is on CBC :D). I have noticed, though that American networks are very pro-government, maybe the same is happening in Britain?

They are a bit more govt-friendly right now. They did do some decent reporting on the anti-terror legislation though.

The best and least biased news network from my experience is Sky News.

I've never seen Sky News, but i've seen too much FOX News, and let me tell you, Murdock (spelling?) isn't making news, he's making entertainment. I mean, they let this one anchor get away with calling Michael Jackson a "freak", which he is, but that's not the point....the point is, Murdock sucks.

I think that CBC is the least bias News Network (they're even better than the Global News Team LOL).

Global isn't too bad, but the fact that CBC gets more coverage (and that they play all those good Documentry's Monday's to Fridays between 8:00-11:00pm), sorta tips the balance.

Srry about the rant :) .

The website version is a bit different: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4725907.stm