tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post4532193506951464130..comments2024-01-01T17:21:52.555+00:00Comments on Is the BBC biased?: Was 'Question Time' biased against Diane Abbott?Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-3218565586975935752019-01-20T20:58:31.139+00:002019-01-20T20:58:31.139+00:00Lol. Good luck with that Nigel!Lol. Good luck with that Nigel!Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-90999921957431815572019-01-20T20:52:59.427+00:002019-01-20T20:52:59.427+00:00Bless...
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/au...Bless...<br />https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/audience_selection_for_question<br />Radio2LunchtimeLoatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01539702295718354404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-59441838373195367272019-01-19T18:13:48.912+00:002019-01-19T18:13:48.912+00:00Yes, you'd never guess the London split was as...Yes, you'd never guess the London split was as close as that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-81793809291410147152019-01-19T18:04:18.435+00:002019-01-19T18:04:18.435+00:00London voted 60-40 in favour of Remain - not 90-10...London voted 60-40 in favour of Remain - not 90-10 which is the impression given by London QT audiences. I've said before, it's not beyond the wit of the BBC given it's multi-billion resources to create a system where they can guarantee that the audiences properly represent opinion on the main issues of the day. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-60312524308923407932019-01-19T17:07:34.902+00:002019-01-19T17:07:34.902+00:00I didn't even see the ear ring. Not paying att...I didn't even see the ear ring. Not paying attention again. I should sit down properly and watch the programme with full attention instead of flitting about or reading the newspaper at the same time. There used to be a code years ago among 'the gays' about wearing an earring on one side or the other. I forget whether it was the right or the left. Anyway, that's going back so far to the 1970s /80s it may no longer apply. Knowing nothing about him, other than the academic post and institution, I assumed we'd get an ardent pro-Remainer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-68143394574908930862019-01-19T16:53:58.949+00:002019-01-19T16:53:58.949+00:00They are both great talkers. She is the Economics ...They are both great talkers. She is the Economics spokesperson for the SNP which I suppose is why she she's heard so much in the Commons. Fair enough, she is speaking to the brief but she doesn't half go on. I was expecting the same on Question Time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-21917327734722439902019-01-19T16:16:46.974+00:002019-01-19T16:16:46.974+00:00I think it's supposed to reflect the balance o...I think it's supposed to reflect the balance of political opinion in the area it's visiting (which is why you don't always get a heavily pro-Remain audience), along with some other balancing criteria such as demographic composition. There's a questionnaire for applicants, as far as I remember, which asks about politics, probably sex, race or ethnicity and I don't know what else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-83477071317884912572019-01-19T16:08:47.686+00:002019-01-19T16:08:47.686+00:00Too much interrupting from the Chair, too much she...Too much interrupting from the Chair, too much shepherding from the Chair and too much (erroneous) opinion. <br /><br />I was transfixed not by any passing resemblance of Bruce to Fielding but by Anand's earring...his colleague Jonathan Portes has one as well. Is it like one of those secret societies? I thought Anand had turned down the pro-EU propaganda. Is he trimming his sails to better please the Corbynites? I get a strong sense that is happening more and more. People are becoming fearful of their future prospects under a Corbynista "People's Democracy". Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-87871094966825537302019-01-19T16:02:03.460+00:002019-01-19T16:02:03.460+00:00There was similar occasion during the Referendum, ...There was similar occasion during the Referendum, when suddenly at one QT there was a reasonably balanced audience. Odd. Do they use different ticketing procedures around the country? I don't know but I don't see how it can vary so wildly purely by chance. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-65798912024016065302019-01-19T16:01:41.813+00:002019-01-19T16:01:41.813+00:00Looking through the list of past guests (on Wikipe...Looking through the list of past guests (on Wikipedia), it turns out to be her second time on QT. That panel made me smile. Even if she'd wanted to be a prima donna the first time round, she was put alongside the likes of Julia Hartley-Brewer and Will Self - people very happy to steal the limelight in front of the public.Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-39103924162636953012019-01-19T15:58:58.264+00:002019-01-19T15:58:58.264+00:00Don't think that follows. Remember Miliband wa...Don't think that follows. Remember Miliband was working on a 30% strategy to get victory, with SNP support if necessary. With unreformed constituency boundaries the Conservatives votes are worth far less than Labour's on average. Yes, Labour does tend to pile up votes in its heartlands but mass immigration is turning London into a Labour stronghold now - quite different from the picture even 20 years ago. As far as Labour leaders go, I would say Corbyn is doing quite well in the polls, given a full on Remain message might alienate many Labour voters - so he has to tread carefully. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-89250927642420025282019-01-19T15:27:39.242+00:002019-01-19T15:27:39.242+00:00Maybe I sensed Rory Stewart droning on and mentall...Maybe I sensed Rory Stewart droning on and mentally switched off! On the occasions when I noticed Kirsty Blackman, what surprised me was that she made a short comment and that was it; it wasn't that she was cut off or prevented; she herself stopped. She probably also didn't intervene in discussion as much as others but waited to be invited. It may have been her first time on Question Time or a programme like it. In the Commons she's voluble. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-74086222188496089862019-01-19T14:44:40.592+00:002019-01-19T14:44:40.592+00:00You weren't wrong about Kirsty from the SNP ge...You weren't wrong about Kirsty from the SNP getting little time. She got least time at all. <br /><br />These totals include the time the panelists got to speak plus Fiona Bruce's questions/points directly to them (and a little time for applause, if they got any). So it's their total time in the spotlight (give or take a few seconds!):<br /><br />Rory Stewart = 11m 24s<br />Diane Abbott = 10m 03s <br />Anand Menon = 9m 33s <br />Isabel Oakeshott = 5m 58s<br />Kirsty Blackman = 5m 45s<br /><br />And one more stat. If you total up all the specific points Fiona Bruce made (personally-directed questions, heckles, interruptions, etc), she intervened with the panel 55 times. <br /><br />And that's not including her introductions, her repetitions of the questions or any of her interactions with the audience, or reading out of social media stuff (and so on).<br /><br />She was very interventionist, and more like an interviewer. Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-64403753932519830612019-01-19T14:20:52.874+00:002019-01-19T14:20:52.874+00:00I was irritated by Bruce's constant interrupti...I was irritated by Bruce's constant interrupting of the panel members in her first outing and she was possibly even worse this time round.<br /><br />I thought the idea was for the panel to be grilled by the public (in the form of the studio audience), whereas Bruce seemed to be treating it as Newsnight Lite and playing the role of the Interrogator General.<br /><br />But far more significantly, I spent the entire programme transfixed by Bruce's staggering resemblance to Noel Fielding of Mighty Boosh (and now Bake Off) fame. Are they by any chance related?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-43850520655397159032019-01-19T14:13:14.539+00:002019-01-19T14:13:14.539+00:00Without the footage or transcript, it's imposs...Without the footage or transcript, it's impossible to interpret what the warm-up did to Diane Abbott. Unlike Craig, who enjoyed the programme, I found the overall amount of interrupting and inserting herself into everything, by Fiona Bruce, extremely annoying, without noting whom she was interrupting and how often. As well as the number of interruptions, how much time did each panel member speak for, were they all offered the same number of opportunities and amount of time (between and around interruptions), etc? [Rhetorical] <br /><br />Some impressions: I was surprised at how short were the contributions of the SNP lady. I forget her name. Surprised because I've seen her in the Commons where she rattles on such length it's almost exhausting to listen to. The academic was new to me and interesting, as in the extract quoted by Craig. I listened with interest to what Diane Abbott was saying about another referendum but don't recall much else she said, apart from interrupting Isabel Oakeshott after one word. I don't recall anything of what Rory (I forget his surname) said. I ,must have missed his or tuned out mentally. <br />It was surprising to me how enthusiastic and pro Leave the audience was. That's relatively unusual on BBC programmes. Of course it would be hostile to a Corbynite such as Diane Abbott for that reason if nothing else. <br /><br />I wonder if this animation of the audience is part of the BBC's wanting a 'softer' feel to the programme when they appointed Fiona Bruce. Do they mean less formal, more participation and to and fro with the audience? Or should I say with the presenter? I did think Kirsty Wark was the obvious person for the job but maybe they wanted to get away from the traditional type of heavyweight politics presenter? <br /><br />I notice on the twitter links Craig posted some -ist (ageist sexist racist) commentary from one or two of the complainants about Diane Abbott's treatment, along the lines of objecting to an audience of predominantly middle-aged or old white men and a disparaging reference to Isabel Oakeshott as the blonde stuck up one. Charming. Makes one question who exactly has the problem. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-88879219103682919062019-01-19T14:07:08.138+00:002019-01-19T14:07:08.138+00:00Regardless of this argument, I was one of the many...Regardless of this argument, I was one of the many viewers who was surprised - dare I say even stunned! - to watch an episode of QT in which the noisiest section of the audience was not comprised of far-left activists steeped in PC and social justice brainwashing.<br /><br />It seemed that the audience was a truly representative sample of ordinary people from an area that voted strongly for Brexit.<br /><br />I'm sure the Beeb will be taking steps to make sure they don't let that mistake happen again (and they'll point to complaints like the one mentioned in this post as grounds for making sure they weed out the non-Lefties).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-31402154220833080082019-01-19T13:05:18.726+00:002019-01-19T13:05:18.726+00:00National percentage polls don't matter
Lab or ...National percentage polls don't matter<br />Lab or Con can get a higher national percentage and still lose the election.<br />It's polls of seat wins, that count.<br />I took it that at the moment Labour are still way behind in number of likely seat wins.<br />stewgreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10223073927227101097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-31911605752557222252019-01-19T12:55:54.682+00:002019-01-19T12:55:54.682+00:00Fiona Bruce - contra BBC's claims - is clearly...Fiona Bruce - contra BBC's claims - is clearly not up to the job. Mumbling into her script, putting her hands all over the guests, constantly interrupting guests (often before they have managed to get a sentence out), failing to curtail personalised insults, attempting to corrall people into a consensus and displaying bias towards some guests. <br /><br />Now, amazingly (and hilariously), she has become victim of the beast that the BBC feeds so assiduously everyday - PC Leftism. <br /><br />One does wonder. I thought she was very negative towards James Cleverly - also a "person of colour" - in the first episode...I assumed it was because of his politics. But maybe not. That said, of course the BBC is ambivalent towards Abbott as she is now backing Corbyn. The BBC are more soggy left not hard left: Creasy not Corbyn (though that might be changing as the influence of Corbynism grows). <br /><br />I think Bruce was also factually wrong to imply (in agreement with Isabel Oakshott) that Labour were trailing in the polls. UK Polling report give the results of two post New Year polls:<br /><br />Survation: CON 38%(-1), LAB 41%(+1), LDEM 10%(+2), UKIP 4%(nc)<br /><br />BMG: CON 36%(-1), LAB 36%(-2), LDEM 12%(nc), UKIP 6%(+2)<br /><br />Bruce is just not up to the job. Dimbo always built in deniability into his biased interventions. Bruce is shown to be just plain wrong. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-38680555016624325192019-01-19T12:55:38.448+00:002019-01-19T12:55:38.448+00:00This made me laugh....
https://order-order.com/201...This made me laugh....<br />https://order-order.com/2019/01/18/first-class-awkwardness-dianes-expense/Radio2LunchtimeLoatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01539702295718354404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-65533964217218511032019-01-19T12:54:44.436+00:002019-01-19T12:54:44.436+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Radio2LunchtimeLoatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01539702295718354404noreply@blogger.com