If

A statistic from David Keighley's latest post at Conservative Woman, BBC apologises shock. But only to a climate change fanatic, rather took me aback (at least to begin with).

David talks about the BBC's "brickwall negativity" when it comes to dealing with complaints, "combined with a liberal dose of bone-headed obfuscation to defend the Corporation at  all costs".

The shocking stat was that:

...according to Complaints Unit figures, only around 6 per cent of complaints are ever upheld by the Corporation - and those that are usually revolve around marginal points.

I'm guessing some naive, BBC-trusting types might have been shocked that only 6% of complaints are upheld. Frankly though, I was shocked that it was as high as 6%!...

... well, at least until I read the bit about those usually revolving around marginal points. All of my own rare victories regarding BBC complaints concern concessions from the BBC "around marginal points". 

Still, fingers crossed, this might all be about to change - if Mr Whittingdale is to be taken at his word (speaking at the Conservative Party conference):

That was the purpose of the Green Paper I launched in July and I am delighted that 80,000 people have already told us what they think. 

Some I have no doubt are in this hall today. And I know from the many letters and conversations that I have had that you have sometimes felt that the BBC has not always been as fair or as impartial as it should. Although the BBC are right to point out that it is a complaint often voiced by other parties too. 

But what is important is that the public should have confidence that complaints are examined independently and carefully. And that it is no longer the case that if you make a complaint against the BBC, the decision on whether it is justified is taken by the BBC.

If the BBC is stripped of its role in acting as sole judge and jury on its own actions (complaints-wise), then this ought to be a big step forward. There might be far fewer acquittals. 

If.