Let’s talk about BBC

[AuroraSaab]

Well the Beeb still seems to be able to afford to send excessive numbers of presenters and pundits on jollies to major sporting events around the globe.
Perhaps if they halved the number on these jollies they could afford more news reporters.

Cutying down the Glastonbury coverage budget (which they refuse to disclose) would probably sort it out too.

 

[Psamathe]

It's really not a lot to ask that the state funder broadcaster act with balance and impartiality when reporting, and not allow journalists to decide which angle stories will be given or who gets a platform. Most people aren't out to destroy the BBC but do think we should hold them to the highest standards.

(Feels weird my defending the BBC) With the volume of output from the BBC there are bound to be occasional mistakes. A few mistakes spread over a time does not mean a systemic failure.

 

[First Aspect]

Cutying down the Glastonbury coverage budget (which they refuse to disclose) would probably sort it out too.

But now Gary Lineker has left. They should have loads of money left over.

 

[AuroraSaab]

(Feels weird my defending the BBC) With the volume of output from the BBC there are bound to be occasional mistakes. A few mistakes spread over a time does not mean a systemic failure.

It wasn't a few mistakes though. It wasn't just about Trump. It was a systemic failure to report without fear or favour, and a culture that allowed certain individuals or groups to dictate what was or wasn't covered. People look to the BBC for fairness and clarity in reporting. If it's on the BBC we expect it to be true; if it's an important matter we expect them to report on it. They were increasingly doing neither of these things. The BBC have a huge budget and we quite rightly should expect better from them.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

This sums it up quite neatly.

https://iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edition-the-populist-assault

 

[AuroraSaab]

Dunt hand waves away the BBC stance on women's rights issues with a simple one line dismissal. The evidence is to the contrary but we're supposed to take his opinion without question.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Dunt hand waves away the BBC stance on women's rights issues with a simple one line dismissal. The evidence is to the contrary but we're supposed to take his opinion without question.

I don't think anyone is supposed to take his opinion without question. He does present a more than reasonable argument that the BBC has become a political tool. Much of this thread is about whether or not the BBC remains impartial, but the mistake a lot of the wider public make is to buy into this idea that it is impartial from a left/liberal perspective. The reality is that Robbie Gibb is a non exec Director with a very clear right wing political bias who is having undue influence. Boris Johnson placed allies within the corporation, Tim Davie himself has well established connections to the Conservative party. The BBC does not really have a left leaning impartiality problem, it has a pandering to the right impartiality problem.

 

[secretsqirrel]

This sums it up quite neatly.

https://iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edition-the-populist-assault

Thank you, this does give it all a bit of sensible perspective.

 

[Ianonabike]

Dunt hand waves away the BBC stance on women's rights issues with a simple one line dismissal. The evidence is to the contrary but we're supposed to take his opinion without question.

About which he has form for writing the most astonishing drivel.

 

[matticus]

Cutying down the Glastonbury coverage budget (which they refuse to disclose) would probably sort it out too.

That happens to be one of the things unique* to the BBC, and something they do very well.
They are not just a news channel - sports and culture are very much within their remit, and I happen to think they (mostly) do both very well.

Of course this is very subjective (as is the question of How Much Budget Should Go On News Coverage), so feel free to disagree!

(*Probably because they paid for exclusive access ... but that's a virtuous circle as long as they keep producing quality coverage.)

 

[AuroraSaab]

That (Glastonbury) happens to be one of the things unique* to the BBC, and something they do very well.

They do but I think you'd have to ask whether it needs to be so extensive when they've axed regional news reporting due to costs.

The BBC does not really have a left leaning impartiality problem, it has a pandering to the right impartiality problem.

I don't know how you can say that with a straight face when the BBC admonished a newsreader for saying 'women' to clarify an autocue that said 'pregnant people' - which is an evidence of editing bias in itself, and also admonished a presenter for saying 'biological men'. Add to that all the pro gender wang stuff they have churned out for a decade and I can only think you haven't been paying attention.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

​

Life inside the BBC: ‘You felt you had to apologise for being white and middle class’​

White middle classes being intimidated by the white middle class?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/10/apologise-white-middle-class-life-inside-bbc/#comment

 

[matticus]

gender wang

My favourite game show!

 

[CXRAndy]

(Feels weird my defending the BBC) With the volume of output from the BBC there are bound to be occasional mistakes. A few mistakes spread over a time does not mean a systemic failure.

That wasn't a mistake, it was a deliberate edit of two clips to set a narrative.

That Trump was advocating violence on January 6th.

 

[CXRAndy]

Let's guess how many hundreds of millions of pounds Trump is going to sue the BBC and win


View: https://x.com/SkyNews/status/1987880641598263759?t=GHtrmH9VBTAWHCEyPCH8XA&s=19