Broadcast impartiality

[Serial_Apologist]

My question is, does the impartiality rule apply only to British affairs, or worldwide? I'm not sure it really exists but leaving that aside for the sake of the general principle, my reason for asking is that in some cases it apparently does, as reflected in Jeremy Bowen's and Lise Doucet's fatalistic reportage from Gaza, and more critical coverage, not only by the BBC, on American and Russian politics, for example.

[french frank]

My question is, does the impartiality rule apply only to British affairs, or worldwide? I'm not sure it really exists but leaving that aside for the sake of the general principle, my reason for asking is that in some cases it apparently does, as reflected in Jeremy Bowen's and Lise Doucet's fatalistic reportage from Gaza, and more critical coverage, not only by the BBC, on American and Russian politics, for example.

Impartiality is elusive. When things are as complex as many of the world (and local) affairs clearly are, how far does evaluating the 'right' and the 'wrong' necessarily involve built-in partialities and prejudices? Can one only be truly impartial on matters on which one has no strong feelings?

[LMcD]

My question is, does the impartiality rule apply only to British affairs, or worldwide? I'm not sure it really exists but leaving that aside for the sake of the general principle, my reason for asking is that in some cases it apparently does, as reflected in Jeremy Bowen's and Lise Doucet's fatalistic reportage from Gaza, and more critical coverage, not only by the BBC, on American and Russian politics, for example.

After covering the Balkans War, Martin Bell made the case for 'a journalism of attachment especially in war zones and amid human suffering'.
If anybody can make sense of what goes on in the Middle East and at least help me try to understand, Jeremy Bowen can.
I'm also a great admirer of Auntie's correspondent-cum-pianist- cum- composer Steve Rosenberg, who always makes a pretty good job of explaining, without criticizing or condoning them, the reasons behind Putin's actions.

[Ein Heldenleben]

After covering the Balkans War, Martin Bell made the case for 'a journalism of attachment especially in war zones and amid human suffering'.
If anybody can make sense of what goes on in the Middle East and at least help me try to understand, Jeremy Bowen can.
I'm also a great admirer of Auntie's correspondent-cum-pianist- cum- composer Steve Rosenberg, who always makes a pretty good job of explaining, without criticizing or condoning them, the reasons behind Putin's actions.

That “journalism of attachment” idea of Martin Bell’s didn’t go down too well with some of his colleagues. It’s so much easier to do a teary sympathy piece about victims than actually explain what’s going on - which is one reason I barely watch TV news coverage or wars at all any more. So much TV news is about the reporter these days.

Rosenberg is excellent.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Impartiality is elusive. When things are as complex as many of the world (and local) affairs clearly are, how far does evaluating the 'right' and the 'wrong' necessarily involve built-in partialities and prejudices? Can one only be truly impartial on matters on which one has no strong feelings?

if you are a professional you can try and establish the facts of what’s been happening on the ground and give some explanation of the reasons for it and the implications without either revealing your opinions or allowing them to sway your judgement. These days of course journalists are accused of being biased when they don’t take sides . Another magnificent legacy of social media.

[oddoneout]

if you are a professional you can try and establish the facts of what’s been happening on the ground and give some explanation of the reasons for it and the implications without either revealing your opinions or allowing them to sway your judgement. These days of course journalists are accused of being biased when they don’t take sides . Another magnificent legacy of social media.

John Craven's Newsround used to do a pretty good job of getting across the essential facts, and it wasn't just parents who watched as a result.

[french frank]

if you are a professional you can try and establish the facts [ ... ]

Undoubtedly you can try to do all those things.

These days of course journalists are accused of being biased when they don’t take sides . Another magnificent legacy of social media.

Yes.

[smittims]

I'm sure the impartiality principle is supposed to apply to international events as well as British. But occasionally I sense bias. I remember a few years ago a BBC middle east corespondent who always seemed to be treated as an 'expert' seemed to me too pro-Palestinian for comfort. And I don't think the BBC have been entirely impartial over Ukraine. I accept that it's very difficult : don't think I could do it.

I'm reminded of a short programme Lord Winstanley (Michael Winstanley) used to present advising viewers on their rights, benefits etc. This involved, among other things , advising people affected by Government spending cuts in the Health Service, the 'poll tax' , etc. One day he said that when he took on the job he had to agree not to reveal his own political opinions on these subjects but that he had found it impossible to continue without sepaking out , so he had decided to stop. .

[Ein Heldenleben]

I'm sure the impartiality principle is supposed to apply to international events as well as British. But occasionally I sense bias. I remember a few years ago a BBC middle east corespondent who always seemed to be treated as an 'expert' seemed to me too pro-Palestinian for comfort. And I don't think the BBC have been entirely impartial over Ukraine. I accept that it's very difficult : don't think I could do it.

I'm reminded of a short programme Lord Winstanley (Michael Winstanley) used to present advising viewers on their rights, benefits etc. This involved, among other things , advising people affected by Government spending cuts in the Health Service, the 'poll tax' , etc. One day he said that when he took on the job he had to agree not to reveal his own political opinions on these subjects but that he had found it impossible to continue without sepaking out , so he had decided to stop. .

The BBC isn’t required to be “impartial “ over the Ukraine. While it should properly report the reasons and justification Putin employs it was an illegal act and it’s led to the sanctioning of Russia . That means that the BBC coverage will feature heavily National and international condemnation and not “balancing “ interviews with defenders of the regime.

[cloughie]

I think that Steve Rosenberg does an excellent job in Moscow with a very cool approach which clearly sits in a sufficiently unbiased as to continue to broadcast - not all BBC journalists have been able to do this.
He is also an excellent pianist!

[Maclintick]

The BBC's stance on this vexed topic has shifted slightly from the days when WATO editors felt that the requirement of "impartiality" meant they were duty-bound to allow, for instance, crackpot climate-change deniers such as Nigel Lawson airtime to "balance" the hundreds of bona-fide climatologists expressing the contrary view, or similarly, to allow Patrick Minford space as against the vast majority of economists who predicted correctly that Brexit would be disastrous for the UK. I believe The BBC directive is now for journalists and editors to strive for "due impartiality", which relieves them of the obligation, to take a reductio ad absurdum sort of example, of giving equal airtime to Flat-Earthers versus the Astronomer Royal.

[smittims]

Thanks, Heldenleben , for that expalanation. I hadn't realised that there was 'impartiality' and 'impartiality'. But then , I know very little of the world. I am only passing through, like the shadow on a sundial.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Thanks, Heldenleben , for that expalanation. I hadn't realised that there was 'impartiality' and 'impartiality'. But then , I know very little of the world. I am only passing through, like the shadow on a sundial.

No there’s only impartiality but the BBC isn't required to be impartial on criminal matters.

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks, Heldenleben , for that explanation. I hadn't realised that there was 'impartiality' and 'impartiality'. But then , I know very little of the world. I am only passing through, like the shadow on a sundial.

Sir David Attenborough was invited to Buckingham Palace to be shown around the garden by the Queen. At one point they stopped to look at a sundial overshadowed by a large tree. Sir David turned to the Queen and suggested politely that possibly the sundial might have been wrongly positioned. The Queen answered that yes, that probably was so.

[french frank]

Sir David turned to the Queen and suggested politely that possibly the sundial might have been wrongly positioned.

Or the tree, if the sundial was there first.