Is The Bbc Safe Under A Future Tory Government?

[ichkeria]

Never mind the NHS. Wading through the mainstream Tory press trying to find a balanced account of Labour's manifesto launch yesterday (and failing) it occurred to me that were it not for the BBC (and in fairness Sky too) we would be very much short changed for unbiased coverage of the election campaign.
And then what else do I find? George Osborne in a Radio Times interview apparently threatening the corporation by dredging up his touching concern for local newspapers by claiming that local democracy is under threat from the BBC's local websites.
And a nonsensical leader in the Times of all papers claiming that the BBC has "parked its tanks" on the front lawns of local newspapers.
Am I alone in finding this all rather sinister? Especially when he goes on to criticise The Radio 4 Today programme, effectively for being left wing.

[mushroom25]

in an age where there has never been so much choice as to how consumers receive broadcast media, and a declining relevance of public service broadcasting, is the BBC actually worth preserving? is there still a place today for a broadcaster that is effectively funded by taxation?

[jim360]

Yes, I think there is, given that several million people still tune into it daily.

One of the criticisms sometimes levelled at "right-on lefties" is how keen they are on stifling debate and dissenting opinions. One would hope that in this case, the right of this country would not be so quick to get rid of an organisation just because it has a differing opinion from the state.

[ToraToraTora]

Is this based on any sort of known intention from the Torys or merely some sort of leap of illogic? Are you saying the Tories are in someway not happy with the BBCs coverage? links? evidence? all a bit vapourous if you ask me.

[ichkeria]

If it means we get an organisation that has to present news in a balanced fashion when such rules do not pertain to papers then I would have thought most definitely.
The idea that the Ambridge Bugler is going to serve the interests of the Archers better than the BBC Borsetshire website is plain daft, additionally.

[ichkeria]

" Are you saying the Tories are in someway not happy with the BBCs coverage?"

Yes. For example, lOsborne is also claiming that the Today programme gives too much air time to people who want to see high levels of public spending. And I do find all this rather worrying.

[Pete65]

BBC are not unbiased, in my opinion.

[Alex99]

I agree with Pete, it's chuckleable to think of the BBC as unbiased, particulary as they receive grants from the EU.

[youngmafbog]

BBC Unbiased?

Excuse me whilst I split my sides laughing.

Getting worried your free mouthpiece for labour might be disbanded eh?

In this day and age there is no need for a public broadcaster, especially when funded by a specific taxation with draconian penalties for not paying.

[Svejk]

It breaks it's charter all day, every day. Of course it's the propaganda arm of the Labour Party. Any other party will put it out of it's misery.

[ichkeria]

Those last few comments are simply ridiculous
For a start we know ymb does not even watch the BBC so he claims: which is obvious from the lack of knowledge.
If someone can come up with examples of Labour bias, especially during the election campaign, then let us hear them, but I am not holding my breath ...

[ichkeria]

The head of BBC news is a Tory, for a start ...

[mikey4444]

Left Wing ? The BBC ?

Whenever the BBC is not found with its lips firmly attached to the buttocks of the Tory Party, it is always accused of being "leftie"

The BBC is the finest broadcaster in the world as far as I am concerned, as witnessed by the interview of Mrs May by John Humphrys on the Today Program this morning. He applied exactly the same rigour to that interview, as he does to every interview with a politician, of any denomination and long may he and the BBC continue to do so.

Ichkeria is absolutely correct. If anybody wants to experience a REALLY biased news broadcaster, try listening to Fox News !

[Ellipsis]

Nick Robinson is the BBC's political editor. Yesterday he blogged on the launch of the Labour manifesto:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32288498

Today he blogged on the launch of the Conservative manifesto:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32303134

See if you can detect a bias.

[mikey4444]

Can't see any bias whatsoever ! What was the BBC supposed to do on the day that the two main parties launched their manifestos...invite Valerie Singleton to comment !

[Ellipsis]

> What was the BBC supposed to do on the day that the two main parties launched their manifestos...invite Valerie Singleton to comment !

You've lost me. I simply posted links to the two blogs and invited the reader to detect a bias. Was my post suggesting a bias, or itself biased? I think not.

[mikey4444]

I can't see any bias either Ellipsis, and if I suggested that you did, then please accept my apology. Nuances of meaning are sometimes difficult to detect here on AB !

[dannyk13]

BBC unbiased, is an oximoron

[Ellipsis]

Ah, mikey, in fact I do see a bias but I don't think I implied that before.

This is as someone who likes the BBC (I've made quite a few previous posts praising them), listens daily to the R4 Today programme (again, several previous posts referencing this) and has no particular political allegiance, certainly not to Labour or the Tories - but I do see a bias towards one of the parties in those two posts. The treatment of the two manifestos is nowhere near similar, IMO.

[mikey4444]

Ellipsis.....If one Party says something daft and another Party doesn't, what would you have the BBC do ?

If they don't point it out, they face being labeled incompetent, and if they do, its a charge of bias ! It seems to me that the BBC is *** e d whatever it does !

What about the case of organisations like the BNP ? Should the BBC point out the inherent racism of the BNP or ignore it ?

[Ellipsis]

"Daft" is a matter of opinion, therefore basing commentary on your idea of "daft" leads to bias. It's almost unavoidable but they need to apply a consistent approach, especially at election time, otherwise they most certainly can be accused of bias and therefore make themselves more open to attack or change by political parties.

The biggest problem, in fact, isn't that they're biased, it's that they claim to be unbiased when they're not. I have no problem with left wing (e.g. Daily Mirror) or right wing (e.g. Daily Telegraph) newspapers that are clearly biased and known for being so. But to claim no bias when a bias exists is insidious ...