Do You Watch The BBC?

[CanOfRedBull]

There was a day when there were only 3 TV channels and 2 of these were run by the BBC,  the vast majority of the public got their news from the BBC.  The BBC that was unbiased, impartial and recognised around the world as a leading provider of quality news and journalism.

How do people feel these days about the BBC?

Do they still provide unbiased news reporting? Are they completely impartial or are they helping to push an agenda / narrative set out by others to manipulate the public,  to ensure the public move in a direction that is consistent with what money men want?

[Bertiebeenthere]

Yes, yes and yes

[Colston36]

There was a day when there were only 3 TV channels and 2 of these were run by the BBC,  the vast majority of the public got their news from the BBC.  The BBC that was unbiased, impartial and recognised around the world as a leading provider of quality news and journalism.

How do people feel these days about the BBC?

Do they still provide unbiased news reporting? Are they completely impartial or are they helping to push an agenda / narrative set out by others to manipulate the public,  to ensure the public move in a direction that is consistent with what money men want?

What "others"? What money men? The BBC is not controlled by financiers. If anything they are slightly to the left. They are brilliant compared with what I see when I go to the U.S. which is relentlessly trivial and polarised.

[akauya]

Richard Sharp - BBC Chairman, former banker and Tory party’s External Link/Members Only

Tim Davie - Director General, former deputy chairman of the Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative party.

Robbie Gibb - BBC board member, former spin doctor for Theresa May. Allegedly blocks appointments of journos he doesn't like or don't toe the line.


I don't think the BBC is biased at all.

[CanOfRedBull]

What "others"? What money men? The BBC is not controlled by financiers. If anything they are slightly to the left. They are brilliant compared with what I see when I go to the U.S. which is relentlessly trivial and polarised.

People believe that the BBC is fully funded by the licence fee but this isn’t the truth.  For example the Bill Gates foundation regularly funds the BBC.  this is the same Bill Gates that promotes vaccines, vaccines that are completely safe for both adults and children. 

Did you believe the BBC coverage of BLM or have you stepped outside of the BBC coverage and look into what Candace Owen’s is now saying

As I say can you truly believe what the BBC tellls you?

[Spunky34]

The BBC regularly gets criticised by people who are both left-leaning and right-leaning for alleged bias in its political and news coverage.  In most cases I’m afraid my conclusion is that those complaining simply are not comfortable with the idea that there might be alternative ways to analyse the same events than whatever it is that they themselves have concluded is correct.  In general, those who complain tend to seek confirmation of what they believe rather than accept that others may disagree with them. 

I don’t think the BBC sets out to present things which are untrue as being the truth.  That is the basic standard I expect of any news coverage.  Of course, like all news outlets, sometimes the evidence changes and they have to apologise or correct themselves, the same as any other organisation.

I do think the BBC regularly over-reports on issues which I consider to be of no interest or importance.  However, I also know that other people would think the things I am interested are uninteresting or unimportant.  As I understand it, the BBC’s charter requires it to try to cater to everyone in some way (happy to be corrected on this).

When I am reading or listening to something which is BBC analysis of facts rather than basic reporting of the facts themselves, I always try to understand the facts they are presenting and only then consider whether I think the analysis is sound based on those facts.  It is unwise to just accept the conclusions of an analysis rather than seeking to understand the evidence that lies behind the analysis. 

Fundamentally, I think the BBC does as good a job of basic news reporting as anyone (and better than a lot, both in this country and elsewhere).  It is well resourced and its journalists (not necessarily its presenters) are always highly sought after by others when their contracts expire, which suggests to me that they are relatively diligent.  Whether it has a conscious bias I don’t know.  But I do know that if I don’t like the BBC or any other outlet, it is easy enough to ignore, and certainly when it comes to news coverage it has its place in my own choice of sources (the others tend to be The Times, purely because I got a very cheap subscription offer and I think its Sports reporting is very good, and I get a lot of articles and content from the Guardian on my google suggested articles, even though I have never consciously sought to read that paper). 

[nigel4498]

Oops, thought the thread was about Big Black Cock 

[Coriniumstud]

BBC dramas  Second to none apart from Doctor Who that’s gone woke
Sport coverage far better than itv and Ch4
Ruined Top Gear
But the BBC is being let down by too many snowflake woke remainiacs especially in the news department

[CanOfRedBull]

BBC dramas  Second to none apart from Doctor Who that’s gone woke
Sport coverage far better than itv and Ch4
Ruined Top Gear
But the BBC is being let down by too many snowflake woke remainiacs especially in the news department

Do you see a tipping point where things start to get better in respect to being ‘woke’ and ‘snowflakes’ or do you feel they have started on a journey where there is no return?

[Pillowtalk]

Yes, yes and yes

Agreed.

[Coriniumstud]

Do you see a tipping point where things start to get better in respect to being ‘woke’ and ‘snowflakes’ or do you feel they have started on a journey where there is no return?

I think they’ve been at it for so long there’s no return and that’s my reason for scrapping the TV Tax

[Squire Haggard]

I seldom watch it because there's so many alternatives. There used to be 3 TV channels. Now look at the number of YouTube channels. They are currently asking me to renew my TV license.

[chrishornx]

Yes, yes and yes

he asks if they are impartial or push point - how can you answer yes?

[jackdaw]

I seldom watch it because there's so many alternatives. There used to be 3 TV channels. Now look at the number of YouTube channels. They are currently asking me to renew my TV license.

I never watch live to air (or record it) so don’t need a licence.

Every 2 years have to fill out a declaration to that effect…or get constant bombardment and threats. (Knowing how pedantic and pompous BBC can be on subject they would probably point out that tv licencing authority do that rather than BBC itself…but basically licencing authority is carrying out BBC wishes.)

I liken it to having to give Tesco a written explanation of why I buy my groceries from Sainsburys.

[mills_and_bhuna]

What "others"? What money men? The BBC is not controlled by financiers. If anything they are slightly to the left. They are brilliant compared with what I see when I go to the U.S. which is relentlessly trivial and polarised.

Sometimes I despair.
Left?  Is that why they smeared Corbyn and went along with a clear plot to tank his agenda by right wing Labour insiders.?
Yes. Right wing.  You heard that right. Clamouring for war is a right wing thing and supporting an apartheid state is a right wing thing.
Being better than US media is sich a low bar it's practically a threshold.

[myothernameis]

If nothing on tv, like to look through bbc iplayer

[lamboman]

Some of the drama and documentaries are good (the Rob Burrows one tonight for instance).
The news is so left wing it's unwatchable as are the so called comedy panel shows.
Sports coverage is a bit of a joke now,just about worth the license fee for me.

[standardpostage]

Best thing about BBC = No adverts.

Don't watch it much.

Mostly watch You Tube & sometimes Netflix.

PS. BBC licence should be scrapped.

[JontyR]

Do you see a tipping point

I think tipping point is on ITV.

The BBC like every other large organisation has items which I think aren't working as well as they should. They also have things that I wouldn't pay for.

That being said I think the output is amazingly broad for the fee paid. Not just TV, but radio, podcasts and the website. Special interest and output for every group you can imagine - especially kids.

I trust their news output against most others domestically. Again, not perfect but I think that the best that they can hope for is that they get blasted by everyone! 

Strangely I also think the license fee is actually good for the rest of the ppv market. Without it I'm not sure that you'd get the range or breadth or take up of streaming services within the UK. It's actually set a precedent and level which others have to work around.

[CanOfRedBull]

Best thing about BBC = No adverts.

Don't watch it much.

Mostly watch You Tube & sometimes Netflix.

PS. BBC licence should be scrapped.

If was scrapped ( it will be one day ) don’t you think this opens the BBC up to report on what their paymasters want them to report.  We know that happens with our newspapers, surely the BBC would go the same way once there is no public funding.

[Handel2020]

The BBC regularly gets criticised by people who are both left-leaning and right-leaning for alleged bias in its political and news coverage.  In most cases I’m afraid my conclusion is that those complaining simply are not comfortable with the idea that there might be alternative ways to analyse the same events than whatever it is that they themselves have concluded is correct.  In general, those who complain tend to seek confirmation of what they believe rather than accept that others may disagree with them.

There is a school of thought that says if both sides complain then the BBC is probably not biased. The problem with that is that if they are 90% biased towards my view I would still be inclined to complain about the 10% of the time they were not. The person who holds an opposite view to me would have a lot more to complain about. But we would both complain.

This thread was done a couple of years back and it seemed to be generally accepted that in a liberal democracy many journalists will be biased on certain issues: abortion, immigration, law and order, business and finance etc.

[Followyourdick]

The BBC are certainly not perfect or right all the time.  The fact that both right and left wingers complain about bias suggests to me they get it about right.
Having seen TV in quite a lot of different countries around the world I reckon the BBC is the finest broadcasting organisation in the world.

[Thephoenix]

The BBC regularly gets criticised by people who are both left-leaning and right-leaning for alleged bias in its political and news coverage.  In most cases I’m afraid my conclusion is that those complaining simply are not comfortable with the idea that there might be alternative ways to analyse the same events than whatever it is that they themselves have concluded is correct.  In general, those who complain tend to seek confirmation of what they believe rather than accept that others may disagree with them. 

I don’t think the BBC sets out to present things which are untrue as being the truth.  That is the basic standard I expect of any news coverage.  Of course, like all news outlets, sometimes the evidence changes and they have to apologise or correct themselves, the same as any other organisation.

I do think the BBC regularly over-reports on issues which I consider to be of no interest or importance.  However, I also know that other people would think the things I am interested are uninteresting or unimportant.  As I understand it, the BBC’s charter requires it to try to cater to everyone in some way (happy to be corrected on this).

When I am reading or listening to something which is BBC analysis of facts rather than basic reporting of the facts themselves, I always try to understand the facts they are presenting and only then consider whether I think the analysis is sound based on those facts.  It is unwise to just accept the conclusions of an analysis rather than seeking to understand the evidence that lies behind the analysis. 

Fundamentally, I think the BBC does as good a job of basic news reporting as anyone (and better than a lot, both in this country and elsewhere).  It is well resourced and its journalists (not necessarily its presenters) are always highly sought after by others when their contracts expire, which suggests to me that they are relatively diligent.  Whether it has a conscious bias I don’t know.  But I do know that if I don’t like the BBC or any other outlet, it is easy enough to ignore, and certainly when it comes to news coverage it has its place in my own choice of sources (the others tend to be The Times, purely because I got a very cheap subscription offer and I think its Sports reporting is very good, and I get a lot of articles and content from the Guardian on my google suggested articles, even though I have never consciously sought to read that paper).

Pretty well agree.
Maybe because BBC radio and later TV was all we had growing up in 40s and 50s.
I even thought Muffin The Mule was real, yet you can get locked up for that now.
I think the BBC world service is highly regarded by most countries.

[Watts.E.Dunn]

Least they produce Radio 3 and 4!, for me 3 is worthy of the licence fee but than again acording to the audience measurment system i'm in a very small 1% audience!..

[Spunky34]

There is a school of thought that says if both sides complain then the BBC is probably not biased. The problem with that is that if they are 90% biased towards my view I would still be inclined to complain about the 10% of the time they were not. The person who holds an opposite view to me would have a lot more to complain about. But we would both complain.

I agree - complaints from both sides are not necessarily evidence of a lack of bias.  When thinking about the question I’d throw in a few additional thoughts:

1). I think a lot of issues are much more complex than a binary view such as left vs right. 
2). People often perceive bias not on any kind of objective basis but from the perspective of their own view on a subject, and rarely consider themselves to be particularly biased.
3). People are more likely to accuse an organisation (or other person) of bias if that organisation appears to be expressing a view contrary to their own rather than agreeing with them. 
4).  Being aware of alternative points of view and living in a society in which different views can be expressed is something to be glad about rather than a source of frustration.  Sometimes having your well established views challenged can be healthy and thought-provoking. 
5).  Being unbiased does not necessarily mean giving equal coverage and credibility to all different opinions.  To take a ridiculous example, I would not expect the BBC to stage a debate between a person who believed the earth was flat against a person who believes it to be round as it would be nonsensical to present these as equally valid points of view. 

[ulstersubbie]

for me 3 is worthy of the licence fee but than again acording to the audience measurment system i'm in a very small 1% audience!..

I've listened to Jazz Requests presented by Alyn Shipton on Radio 3 for a number of years. Their classical output is usually of a high standard, although I prefer Classic FM. Whether it justifies the licence fee is debatable.

[mr.bluesky]

I think the only programme I watch on the BBC is Match of the day and currently tuning in to watch the Rugby League World Cup.

[Ssoap]

Glad I cancelled my licence direct debit June 2020

[Squire Haggard]

I never watch live to air (or record it) so don’t need a licence.

Every 2 years have to fill out a declaration to that effect…or get constant bombardment and threats. (Knowing how pedantic and pompous BBC can be on subject they would probably point out that tv licencing authority do that rather than BBC itself…but basically licencing authority is carrying out BBC wishes.)

I liken it to having to give Tesco a written explanation of why I buy my groceries from Sainsburys.

Thanks for the tip. 

I did not know that you could opt out and fill a declaration every 2 years. I'll do that instead of renewing my license. 

[Adoniron]

There was a day when there were only 3 TV channels and 2 of these were run by the BBC,  the vast majority of the public got their news from the BBC.  The BBC that was unbiased, impartial and recognised around the world as a leading provider of quality news and journalism.

How do people feel these days about the BBC?

Do they still provide unbiased news reporting? Are they completely impartial or are they helping to push an agenda / narrative set out by others to manipulate the public,  to ensure the public move in a direction that is consistent with what money men want?

There is more to the BBC than news you know. You can watch sports, drama, documentaries and entertainment and get your news elsewhere if you don't like their output.

[Handel2020]

I agree - complaints from both sides are not necessarily evidence of a lack of bias...

4).  Being aware of alternative points of view and living in a society in which different views can be expressed is something to be glad about rather than a source of frustration.  Sometimes having your well established views challenged can be healthy and thought-provoking. 

The BBC has never offered that opportunity in my memory. Particularly not when those views would contradict their own ideas on "mulitculturalism" and immigration. Another example I can't forget is abortion. Jeremy Paxman was once embarrassed on air by a pro-abortion guest who said that it was a mark of progress that Newsnight had not invited anyone on to voice an opposing opinion.

5).  Being unbiased does not necessarily mean giving equal coverage and credibility to all different opinions.  To take a ridiculous example, I would not expect the BBC to stage a debate between a person who believed the earth was flat against a person who believes it to be round as it would be nonsensical to present these as equally valid points of view.

This is easy for them to distort. Using the above example you would have thought the only people who opposed mass immigration were the far-right. In fact about 70% of the public wanted immigration reduced. The BBC would never allow the view to be aired without treating it as an extreme position.

[JontyR]

This is easy for them to distort. Using the above example you would have thought the only people who opposed mass immigration were the far-right. In fact about 70% of the public wanted immigration reduced. The BBC would never allow the view to be aired without treating it as an extreme position.

And yet Farage was platformed by the BBC to a far greater extent than his poll ratings warranted.

[dynatron]

bbc a load of bollocks in my opinion

[spiralnotebook]

British Brainwashing Corporation, has it ever been unbiased?

[coolhandluc]

BBC is total propaganda.

I have a total media blackout in my life.

I suggest everyone should, false flag events galore.

[Blackpool Rock]

BBC is total propaganda.

I have a total media reality blackout in my life.

I suggest everyone should, false flag events galore.

Corrected that post for you 

[king tarzan]

Yes.. good dramas... Good news..


Simpletto signor 🙌🙌🙌

[bugsybum]

Bloody hell its like a GB News Gammon convention in here!!! 

[petermisc]

People believe that the BBC is fully funded by the licence fee but this isn’t the truth.  For example the Bill Gates foundation regularly funds the BBC.  this is the same Bill Gates that promotes vaccines, vaccines that are completely safe for both adults and children. 

As I say can you truly believe what the BBC tellls you?

Ah, I see that you have started this seemingly innocuous thread as a front for some anti vax conspiracy theory bollocks.

The Gates Foundation has provided funding for Media Action, which is a charity that supports the World Service, to make it more widely available. Your post implies that Bill Gates is helping to fund the BBC's UK programming.  This again is conspiracy theory bollocks.

Nice try.

[petermisc]

BBC is total propaganda.

I have a total media blackout in my life.

I suggest everyone should, false flag events galore.

Unlike the internet, which is totally reliable and unbiased.

[Blackpool Rock]

Unlike the internet, which is totally reliable and unbiased.

You forgot the bit about somebody who you haven't got a clue who or where they are on the internet being fully accountable and regulated 

[petermisc]

Best thing about BBC = No adverts.

Don't watch it much.

Mostly watch You Tube & sometimes Netflix.

The problem with the streaming services is that they are so obviously aimed at US audiences.  The Netflix version of House of Cards, for example, wasn't a patch on the original.

It is easy to get sucked into You Tube channels, and you can easily get addicted.  But eventually you realise that you are just watching more and more of the exact same mindless pap, as you are bombarded with recommendations based on what you have been watching.  It is like getting sucked down a whirlpool.

I don't exclusively watch the BBC, there is some good stuff on Channels 4 and 5.  However, it is ITV that has become rubbish.  Look at ITV 3 or 4 to see the kind of stuff they used to put out, and compare it with what is currently on ITV, to see what I mean.

[Marmalade]

Bit pissed off at BBC just now for making me sign in at great length every time.... BUT

Tomorrow (Sunday)...

Doctor Who
Feature-length special. starring Jodie
Whittaker in her last appearance. A
bullet train comes under attack on a...
  Sun 23 Oct 7:30pm - 9pm

I can't stand Jodie Foster as Dr Who but maybe worth a background watch just for continuity in case the next series is any good? Or not.

[JontyR]

Jodie Foster was Dr. Who?

[Marmalade]

Typo.

[spiralnotebook]

Stopped watching Dr Who when it went woke I’m afraid.

[petermisc]

Richard Sharp - BBC Chairman, former banker and Tory party’s External Link/Members Only
Tim Davie - Director General, former deputy chairman of the Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative party.
Robbie Gibb - BBC board member, former spin doctor for Theresa May. Allegedly blocks appointments of journos he doesn't like or don't toe the line.
I don't think the BBC is biased at all.

Ah, that explains why the BBC have been sooo supportive of the Tory government - NOT.

The print press, and most on-line news sources unfortunately, only tend to question news that contradicts their point of view (such as the Mail's uncritical and fulsome support for Truss's budget, before it all went pear-shaped).  That the BBC dares to question what it is told, rather than just regurgitate it wholesale as the print press does, is seen as bias by both sides.

Hence the Tory dislike of the BBC for daring to question the Tory propaganda in the print press.  And also the Corbynite antipathy, because the Corbynites didn't like the BBC daring to question the Corbyn gospel.

I am not saying that the BBC is not biased, but at least it does dare to question what it is being told.  Its fact-check service, and the More or Less programme, for example, were very useful at unravelling the figures during the pandemic.  ITN has the same ethos, and Channel 4 News for example can be very critical, but for some reason does not generate the same opprobrium - probably because the politicians are busy listening to the Today programme and not ITN.

[LLPunting]

BBC is total propaganda.

I have a total media blackout in my life.

I suggest everyone should, false flag events galore.

Too pre-occupied with Porn is what me means to say.  Apparently he's only attempted to punt 7 times in 5 years and hasn't dipped in 2.5 years.  Evidence is incontrovertible, can there be any other truth?
With that amount of self-involved self-denial it's a wonder he isn't blind.

[Iloveoral]

Apparently he's only attempted to punt 7 times in 5 years and hasn't dipped in 2.5 years.  Evidence is incontrovertible, can there be any other truth?

From his login history I’d tend to believe him matey
He often doesn’t login for a year at a time.

[Handel2020]

And yet Farage was platformed by the BBC to a far greater extent than his poll ratings warranted.

That might be true, but it isn't a rebuttal to my point. Most people wanted mass immigration reduced. The BBC treated the opinion as extreme.