this post was submitted on 25 Sep 2023
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THE BBC has been asked to explain why it has not reported on a large-scale anti-Brexit rally in the centre of London ...

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[–] towerful@programming.dev 87 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Whilst the BBC is impartial and independent and whatever etc. Key positions have been packed with Tory Party supporters/donors/friends.
It's no surprise they toe the government line, especially for their fellow Tories

[–] darq@kbin.social 55 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I feel like the BBC's "aura" of impartiality makes it all the more dangerous when it does occasionally engage in propaganda. A lot of regular folks put a lot of trust in the BBC.

[–] towerful@programming.dev 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yup.
Similar to the "equal airtime" or "show both sides" when it comes to science.
It puts unscientific opinions alongside scientific theory as if they are equal.

The only thing I can say in favour of the BBC is that it seems like the majority of people feel it's coverage is favourable to "the other side".
So, while we may be saying "BBC is clearly biased" because of things like this, I guarantee there are people that we don't agree with saying exactly the same about other topics.
So the situation is probably not as bad as it seems.

It does seem the majority of these "scandals" are about the BBC acting in favour of the Westminster UK government. But maybe that just the ones I actually see.

[–] darq@kbin.social 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm a little hesitant to put much stock in conservatives' claims of bias, because plain factual reporting tends to strike a lot of them as biased. Reality is biased against modern conservatism.

I don't think the BBC is the worst by any means. But a couple of years ago, they did come out with one of the most egregiously misleading articles I've ever seen with regards to transgender people. Very obviously deliberate in its misinformation and even including proven lies about contacting sources. And to this day the BBC stands by it and has dismissed complaints.

So yeah, worth being wary.

[–] towerful@programming.dev 4 points 1 year ago

Very good points.
I just wanted to temper the discussion a bit, and just check that I wasn't getting too carried away, echo-chambered or whatever.
Having done that, I still agree with you. I don't think the BBC is impartial or unbiased.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 4 points 1 year ago

It no longer is impartial. It just reports what it's told.

It's not the job of a journalist to report that someone says it's raining. They have to stick their head out of the window and check, and then report what they find. They have forgotten this and it's shameful.

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 32 points 1 year ago (2 children)

They’ve been at this for years now tbh. Thousands protested Austerity outside the Tory Conference, and not a peep about it on the Beeb. At least they barely even hide the partisan support for the government now.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 5 points 1 year ago

They also did it with anti lockdown protests. You might disagree with the protestors in that case, but the Beeb shouldn't be deciding what it covers based on whether the issue.

[–] sunbeam60@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don’t think they’re “supporting” the government - I think they’re cowed by the government.

The net result is the same, agreed. I’m mostly talking about motivations.

The tories would gut the BBC like the opening scene of Dune (the film), each employee drained for sacrificial blood and the party faithful smeared in it as rite of indoctrination.

[–] letsgocrazy@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's nowhere near the opening scene.

Are you talking about the Sardaukar on Salusa Secondus?

[–] sunbeam60@lemmy.one 2 points 1 year ago

oh yeah, I was... Guess it's time to lay off the spice for me.

[–] TheMadnessKing@lemdro.id 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Why is BBC going shit now? I loved their impartial coverage but now this is giving me second thoughts on what they have covered till now has been truly impartial.

[–] Blake@feddit.uk 14 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The BBC hasn’t been impartial for at least 20 years. Not only that, but they’re the most transphobic publicly funded institution in the UK.

[–] Armen12@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago

The BBC hasn't been impartial since it was established, it's sole purpose was to support the British State, that was it's entire purpose of being created in the first place. I mean it's not like there was never any news in England prior

[–] Firipu@startrek.website 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Can you expand on that? They're my main news source and I've never got transphobic vibes from them.

[–] Silverseren@kbin.social 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

There's an entire Wikipedia article on one of their more egregious cases, where they platformed a genocidal rapist cis lesbian who was claiming all trans women are rapists: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22We%27re_being_pressured_into_sex_by_some_trans_women%22

[–] Firipu@startrek.website 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

OK, that's one really article that was in bad faith, but I would argue the topic has journalistic value. But it should have been more nuanced.

Does that make the entire bbc transphobic? I am in full support of trans rights (I have a gender fluid child), but not everything is 100% black and white (cfr gender ;)) , one bad article doesn't make the entire bbc transphobic.

[–] Silverseren@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Firipu@startrek.website 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Fair enough. Most articles are still about the original article, but it does seem the bcc (or at least the dinosaurs in control) has its own (shitty) trans agenda... .

Thanks for not attacking me, but giving actual info. Appreciate it.

I'll certainly be more wary about the bbc in the future.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

where they platformed a genocidal rapist cis lesbian

Genocidal? They're mass murdering a special group of people? How have I not heard of this person?

Don't embellish the point. It completely undermines what you're saying.

[–] Blake@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

People who refuse to acknowledge forced sterilisation as genocide are genuinely some of the worst type of people.

I don't think you should be sterilised but I do think you should stop being such an ignoramus.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Somebody is forcibly sterilising people? How have I not heard of this person?

[–] Blake@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago

Advocating for genocidal acts still makes one genocidal.

[–] Blake@feddit.uk 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] TheMadnessKing@lemdro.id 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks for this. Really opened my eyes.

What are some more central/impartial news source for international coverage?

[–] Blake@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago

Honestly? There isn't really one. I think the best you can do is expose yourself to various sources and apply a very, very, very high dose of skepticism to everything you read.

[–] 01011@monero.town 10 points 1 year ago

Impartial coverage from the BBC, when?

[–] SchizoDenji@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

Brits don't realise how bad BBC's coverage always was. They covered for Saville, their foreign reports are a joke for most part and they are more of a propoganda for the government.

[–] ned4cyb@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

Things do not look good on the inside too. The world is changing dramatically right now and if hypothetically the brits were to rejoin, I doubt that this would have a significant impact. Last five years have been crazy for all people of Europe. I would argue that this has been the case for the last 13 years. Financial policies that led the EU in a downward spiral and the UK out of EU

[–] HeartyBeast@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

thenational.scot having a pop at the BBC? Who would have thought.

[–] shiveyarbles 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sounds like a legitimate pop, is that ok?

[–] vashti@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago

Honestly, the BBC never report on protests, and the people behind the protests always get mad about it. They just aren't newsworthy unless something happens besides the fact of a protest.

Essentially, this story is free advertising for the protest.