The BBC's impartiality has been called into question of late. Why is this? The answer is because they're not impartial.
So here's a brief thread on #bbcimpartiality
So here's a brief thread on #bbcimpartiality
1. Earlier this week the BBC posted then deleted a viral tweet with a video showing Tory MP Priti Patel blaming the poor for being in poverty.
The BBC put this down to a captioning error. The video was uploaded again achieving only 0.5% of its original reach (244k rts vs 1k rts)
The BBC put this down to a captioning error. The video was uploaded again achieving only 0.5% of its original reach (244k rts vs 1k rts)
Then, in a news broadcast after the televised leaders' debate, the BBC edited footage to remove all traces of the audience laughing at Boris Johnson, the Tory candidate.
They later said that this was a 'mistake'.
They later said that this was a 'mistake'.
Yesterday we learned that the BBC haven't managed to pin Boris Johnson down for an interview with @afneil.
@jeremycorbyn was put through a a tough, televised forensic interviewed by Neil, where his policies were scrutinised. Johnson will likely not go through the same process.
@jeremycorbyn was put through a a tough, televised forensic interviewed by Neil, where his policies were scrutinised. Johnson will likely not go through the same process.
Yesterday, Corbyn gave a speech in which he revealed that, contrary to emphatic claims by Johnson, the NHS is indeed on the negotiating table with the US, jeopardising drug prices.
Today, instead of interviewing him, the BBC go with a story about Johnson eating a scone...
Today, instead of interviewing him, the BBC go with a story about Johnson eating a scone...
Today, in the aftermath of apologising for Islamophobia in the Tory party, yet another load of claims of racism have been levied against Boris Johnson.
Nothing showing up on the BBC's Boris Johnson feed about these new claims...
Nothing showing up on the BBC's Boris Johnson feed about these new claims...
Can you imagine the reaction from the media if Jeremy Corbyn had made remarks even half as bad as anything Johnson has said?
I can. They'd be absolutely fucking apoplectic.
I can. They'd be absolutely fucking apoplectic.
Yesterday, the BBC's political editor @bbclaurak tweeted a direct link to an anti-immigrant blog post by Boris Johnson's closest advisor Dominic Cummings.
Well, actually he's an ex-advisor. He quit three weeks ago. But the news only broke today. No journalists knew, apparently!
Well, actually he's an ex-advisor. He quit three weeks ago. But the news only broke today. No journalists knew, apparently!
Speaking of journos not knowing: that doc detailing how the NHS is on the negotiating table to be torn apart by US big pharma? Well, it's been live on reddit for over a month. This, apparently makes it old news. Except no journos reported it at the time. So it was never new news.
In defence of the document, the forces of darkness rallied to say "well, no government ministers were present at the talk" except for the govt. minister they name in the same sentence.
They also point out Johnson wasn't PM at the time but neglect to mention he was in the Cabinet
They also point out Johnson wasn't PM at the time but neglect to mention he was in the Cabinet
Kuenssberg again (and remember she's the lead political reporter at the BBC) questions whether the Tories, who have a long history of privatising national industry and getting their snouts in the trough at any opportunity, could ever possibly be influenced by money! Really!?
This bizzare post from BBC Stories was posted a few hours before the deadline to register to vote and basically equates to "politics is BORING, amirite fellow kids?"
Remember, young voters overwhelmingly vote Labour. Given the timing, you could interpret this as pretty sinister.
Remember, young voters overwhelmingly vote Labour. Given the timing, you could interpret this as pretty sinister.
Everything listed above, by no means an exhaustive list, has all happened THIS WEEK.
Why is it happening? Well, it's because the BBC lacks impartiality either through incompetence, design or a mix of both.
Anyone remember this photoshopped image of Corbyn from a while back?
Why is it happening? Well, it's because the BBC lacks impartiality either through incompetence, design or a mix of both.
Anyone remember this photoshopped image of Corbyn from a while back?
There is some evidence to suggest that actually this is (at least in part) by design. A prominent lawyer (who is no fan of Corbyn) has gone on the record to say that there are forces in the BBC actively undermining impartiality against Jeremy Corbyn and in favour of the Tories.
This all comes after years of anti-Corbyn bias from the British establishment media. They're doing everything they can to keep Boris in power.
The constant smears, conspiracies, the focus on antisemitism in the Labour Party while almost completely ignoring endemic Tory racism.
The constant smears, conspiracies, the focus on antisemitism in the Labour Party while almost completely ignoring endemic Tory racism.
So the BBC are essentially functioning as the propaganda wing of the Conservative Party: heavy criticism for their enemies, easy ride for their friends.
And this comes on top of a massive disinformation campaign from the Tories. An example of which here.
And this comes on top of a massive disinformation campaign from the Tories. An example of which here.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Just some stuff I've seen floating about (mostly via @shaun_vids and @zei_squirrel) that I thought would be good to have in one place.
FIN.
FIN.
There has been some suggestion that all of this is simply cognitive bias from a paranoid electorate. That's possible. But to those people I would ask: at what point do you stop counting grains of sand and realise you're standing on a beach?
For what it's worth, I think the BBC is an institution worth protecting. But it also needs to be held to account, and to make changes where it's found to be lacking. It's in a vulnerable position at the moment but that doesn't mean it can't be called out.
