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News & politics

BBC bias

(89 Posts)
varian Sun 22-Jan-17 16:43:16

The BBC is supposed to at least try to be politically impartial, but is often accused by the right wing press of a bias to the left, and by the Labour party of a bias to the right.

It is true that many leading political commentators, such as Andrew Neil, Nick Robinson and Laura Kuenssberg appear to have a pro-Tory stance, but I do not regard that as a serious problem. Intelligent viewers will judge accordingly.

What is much more disturbing is the BBC's active promotion of UKIP, and in particular Nigel Farage, giving him the oxygen of publicity, which I think has played a significant factor in his success in the EU referendum.

The BBC's flagship programme, Question Time, is an indicator of who is favoured. By last December Nigel Farage had appeared 31 times, making him the 11th most frequent guest. Farage is an MEP who has failed seven times to get elected as an MP. All of the top ten are parliamentarians with an average of 30 years service - people like Ken Clarke, Harriet Harman and Paddy Ashdown.

Amongst next week's guests on QT is Paul Nuttall, the new UKIP leader, who will be a candidate in the Stoke byelection on February 23rd. Is this fair to the other candidates? I believe that he should not appear on QT before that election and I would like to see the BBC try a bit harder to be politically neutral.

www.theneweuropean.co.uk/culture/why_do_we_see_so_much_of_farage_on_tv_1_4814307

Mair Sat 28-Jan-17 13:29:58

"That does not make Liberals "globalists"

I did not say 'Liberalism'as a philosophy is synonymous with 'Globalism', what I said was that Globalists like to self describe as 'liberals', when the reality is that many in the globalist tendency are extremely intolerant of opposing views, anti free speech and anti democratic. Some of them are actually International Marxists.

Actually the divide between the far right free marketeers and the leftists Globalists is not as great as you may think.

globalist
noun [ C ] UK ​ /ˈɡləʊ.bəl.ɪst/ US ​ /ˈɡloʊ.bəl.ɪst/

someone who believes that economic and foreign policy should be planned in an international way, rather than according to what is best for one particular country :

He is a globalist, whereas we are nationalists who will put our country first.

varian Sat 28-Jan-17 13:58:17

It is neoliberals, advocating unrestricted international capitalism, not liberals advocating fairness, human rights and co-operation, who might be classed as globalists.

Trump buying cheap steel from China whilst US steelworkers are unemployed is a globalist. It will be interesting to see how well he and his family live up to the "America First" rhetoric.

I hope that his illiberal tendency to censor the American media is resisted. CNN, the Washington Post, New York Times, etc do a good job, but although it's far from perfect, I'm glad we've got the BBC.

Mair Sat 28-Jan-17 14:16:34

It is neoliberals, advocating unrestricted international capitalism, not liberals advocating fairness, human rights and co-operation, who might be classed as globalists

A carefully chosen selection from the liberal pantheon which also includes advocacy of supra national governance, weakening of borders and rights appertaining to citizenship to be replaced by the notion of EU and world citizenship.

varian Sat 28-Jan-17 14:18:59

unstubstantiated rubbish

whitewave Sat 28-Jan-17 14:20:54

mair grin what tripe

whitewave Sat 28-Jan-17 14:21:46

Name someone who is your view a globalist and it may be easier to understand what you are trying to say.

Mair Sat 28-Jan-17 14:25:34

Not your most thoughtful contributions ladies hmm
Nor upholding high standards of etiquette.

whitewave Sat 28-Jan-17 14:28:14

still no names though. You never know mair we might be forced to eat our words.

whitewave Sat 28-Jan-17 15:10:18

mair In the absence of you supplying me with names/information re globalist.

I've looked at the "Globalists Agenda" site.

You can't be seriousgrin you can't possibly believe that rubbish.

Anya Sat 28-Jan-17 16:20:48

I agree Varian that Laura Kuenssberg's questioning of Trump shows no right-wing bias in the BBC, though as their Political Editor she has been accused of that in the past, this proving the point made earlier.

I had to smile when the PM invited her question! grin Theresa May was being very mischievous as she knows just how uncompromising Ms Kuenssberg is!

Anya Sat 28-Jan-17 16:22:00

High standards of etiquette Mair - this is an Internet forum not the vicarage tea party.

varian Thu 02-Feb-17 12:36:11

Sarah Sands has been named as the new editor of Radio 4' s Today programme. Yet another conservative appointed to a key political role in the BBC. She has said that she is not "idealogical" and so we hope that she will remember the BBC's guidelines on political impartiality.

www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/30/sarah-sands-named-editor-bbc-radio-4-today-programme-evening-standard

Mair Thu 02-Feb-17 12:53:41

"High standards of etiquette Mair - this is an Internet forum not the vicarage tea party"

Yet with some who feign the sensitive nature of vicarage prudes - when it suits.