Balance within the BBC

[Serial_Apologist]

Owen Jones today, at his most powerful and synaptically consequential on the Lineker issue:

http://www.facebook.com/owenjones84/videos/585490663496169/

[DracoM]

It's the proposals that are outrageous, not his comments.

[burning dog]

not sure if it's been mentioned above but there was no media furore about BBC bias when Lineker tweeted "bin corbyn"

[Bryn]

not sure if it's been mentioned above but there was no media furore about BBC bias when Lineker tweeted "bin corbyn"

That would seem to have reflected a general BBC policy, at the time. There was not much even-handedness where he was concerned. Strange when one considers his campaigning against Margaret Hodge's plans to build a housing development on the site of a Jewish cemetery. There again, she probably qualifies as the 'right kind of Jew', unlike his Jewish constituents and their forebearers buried at said cemetery.'

[Joseph K]

That would seem to have reflected a general BBC policy, at the time. There was not much even-handedness where he was concerned. Strange when one considers his campaigning against Margaret Hodge's plans to build a housing development on the site of a Jewish cemetery. There again, she probably qualifies as the 'right kind of Jew', unlike his Jewish constituents and their forebearers buried at said cemetery.'

[french frank]

not sure if it's been mentioned above but there was no media furore about BBC bias when Lineker tweeted "bin corbyn"

Just a centrist dad?

[oddoneout]

I have done my best to understand the ins and outs of the Lineker furore, including reading this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64889868 but I cannot shake off a feeling of considerable unease.

Which is partly why my reaction to this https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...backlash-fears was "at what point does 'impartiality' become censorship?"

[Serial_Apologist]

I have done my best to understand the ins and outs of the Lineker furore, including reading this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64889868 but I cannot shake off a feeling of considerable unease.

Which is partly why my reaction to this https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...backlash-fears was "at what point does 'impartiality' become censorship?"

In the light of the official link above, in which, citing an imaginary debate with a flat-earther, they would disclaim any need for equal representation of opposing views, given climate change and equal representation being allowed for clearly unsubstantiated views from a sector of the "international right", it's not difficult to make one's mind up as to which side to support - the BBC or Lineker. "Politicisation" has of course been a useful right-wing trope void of definitional meaning to be wheeled out against anyone presenting a cogent critique on politically controversial matters for a good many years now.

[Barbirollians]

Lineker suspended from MOTD, Attenborough cancelled because Tory right might get upset, Fiona Bruce minimising Stanley Johnson breaking his wife's nose , Lord Sugar attacking Mick Lynch without any comeback from the BBC - Andrew Neil worked for the BBC for donkeys years and was allowed to write endless hard right articles .

This is censorship and political interference on such a scale that the BBC is becoming a state broadaster.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Lineker suspended from MOTD, Attenborough cancelled because Tory right might get upset, Fiona Bruce minimising Stanley Johnson breaking his wife's nose , Lord Sugar attacking Mick Lynch without any comeback from the BBC - Andrew Neil worked for the BBC for donkeys years and was allowed to write endless hard right articles .

This is censorship and political interference on such a scale that the BBC is becoming a state broadaster.

It’s amazing the number of people who do think the BBC is the State broadcaster. Even MP’s…
Think he had to go . In my own tiny way I used to have to enforce this social media policy , although in my area the rules were lot tighter, it’s pretty clear that’s he’s broken them .Thing is of course is that they are well nigh unenforceable and less high profile people are breaking them day after day . I think he might have got away with it without the German reference - that seems to have annoyed quite a few Jewish people who probably otherwise agree with the general thrust of his remarks.
I see Ian Wright has pulled out of MOTD in solidarity. This could get very messy…

PS I agree with you about Neil.

[Frances_iom]

This is censorship and political interference on such a scale that the BBC is becoming a state broadaster.

I like the removal of the 'C' but the BBC became a state broadcaster once alternative media channels became widely available as the licence fee payment scheme was doomed - politicians have a class bias and inherent class preservation comes to the fore - the current government is merely an extreme variant of this.

[Joseph K]

It’s amazing the number of people who do think the BBC is the State broadcaster. Even MP’s…
Think he had to go . In my own tiny way I used to have to enforce this social media policy , although in my area the rules were lot tighter, it’s pretty clear that’s he’s broken them .Thing is of course is that they are well nigh unenforceable and less high profile people are breaking them day after day . I think he might have got away with it without the German reference - that seems to have annoyed quite a few Jewish people who probably otherwise agree with the general thrust of his remarks.
I see Ian Wright has pulled out of MOTD in solidarity. This could get very messy…

PS I agree with you about Neil.

I'm not going to even bother unpicking this - but do you not also agree on the terribleness of cancelling Attenborough?

[Ein Heldenleben]

I'm not going to even bother unpicking this - but do you not also agree on the terribleness of cancelling Attenborough?

This conservation doc has been put on iPlayer I understand . Bit close to the bone this so don’t really think I should comment. I am all in favour of films like this getting the widest possible outing.

[RichardB]

Lineker suspended from MOTD, Attenborough cancelled because Tory right might get upset, Fiona Bruce minimising Stanley Johnson breaking his wife's nose , Lord Sugar attacking Mick Lynch without any comeback from the BBC - Andrew Neil worked for the BBC for donkeys years and was allowed to write endless hard right articles .

Maybe it's worth adding: Lineker and Neil were obviously speaking/writing on their own behalf and not on that of the BBC, which makes their cases a little different from those of Attenborough, Bruce and Sugar which have clearly taken place within a BBC context.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Alan Shearer had joined Ian Wright in pulling out of Match of the Day tomorrow.

I’m following the saga on Sky News.

I can’t help feeling that the BBC is run by a bunch of sheep.