Tuesday 22 October 2019

BBC sort-of apologises on behalf of Andrew Marr


BBC Sort-of Apology time!

The Andrew Marr Show, BBC One, 13 October 2019

21 October 2019

Summary of complaint

We received complaints from people who felt that Andrew Marr suggested Priti Patel was laughing during their interview.

Our response

Guests who appear on the Andrew Marr show expect robust interviewing that includes back and forth between themselves and Mr Marr.

Andrew Marr commented on Priti Patel laughing after he glanced up while reading a list of business leaders concerned about the impact of Brexit on their industries. He thought he saw the Home Secretary smile but now accepts this was in fact her natural expression and wasn’t indicating amusement at his line of questioning.

There was no intention to cause offence and we are sorry if viewers felt this to be the case.
I did smile at the Summary, as if it's in the eye of the beholder whether Andrew actually suggested she was laughing when he said "I can't see why you're laughing" to her. 

And I see the apology isn't to Priti Patel herself but to "viewers" who "felt" there was an intention to cause offence.

Still it's a sort-of apology, and that's better than nothing. Probably.

5 comments:

  1. A classic poor excuse for an apology from the BBC...

    The BBC staffers can't even write English.

    To write "Andrew Marr commented on Priti Patel laughing..." suggests that "Priti Patel laughing" was an established objective fact. If that was not their intention, they should have written "Andrew Marr stated that Priti Patel was laughing...".

    Incompetent, insincere and underhand.

    Marr has an animus towards Patel because she is a prominent Leaver. He would never have treated her like that if she was a left wing pro-Remainer. On that point I am certain.

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  2. This story has appeared on the BBC News website:

    ... 'BBC apologises after Andrew Marr suggested Priti Patel was 'laughing'. '...

    on the Arts and Entertainment pages - a well-known backwater for the burial of news.

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  3. A typical non apology weasally worded with justification for his nasty comment.

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  4. 'Sort of'?

    It was nothing of the sort.

    And I am in the process of telling them so.

    Now, what happens next?

    Guessing the 'file has been closed' because the BBC says it has apologised, even when it hasn't, and the idiots who look at the stats the BBC give them just sign off.

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  5. In passing it seems the BBC has 'revamped' its complaint system pages and... dare I say it... for the better on follow ups at least.

    Having made one jump the same hoops for years it now just asks for why your are getting back about the CAS file numbered complaint.

    Of course, it will still be processed by endless bots until bumped up to an ECU 'Director' whose belief trumps all.

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