Impartiality

Antonia Blair

Is perception 'all'?

Regular readers of this blog will know that the BBC isn't willing to accept criticisms of BBC bias (with rare and telling exceptions) unless they've been monitored over time - especially over long stretches of time.

'Due impartiality' demands a long view, apparently. 

Yet when the BBC is monitored over time - especially long stretches of time and in very great detail - the BBC still won't accept the criticism. 

And that, at the beginning of 2018, is where we stand.

Nowhere.

As ever.

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Shall we run yet another experiment then? Or Heisenberg-style, might the mere act of observation skew the result (especially if the BBC observes us doing it)? 

Well, if you're one of the few people who still watch Newsnight...

(...and, yes, I'm one of you [albeit largely for the purposes of writing a blog about BBC bias]...)

...you might have noticed that - so far this year on Newsnight's 'Viewsnight' feature (one week's worth of views) - there's been:

• (a) one 'Labour right-winger' (to coin a phrase) - namely Cherie Blair saying nice feminist things about how women might change the world 

- followed by

• (b) another 'Labour right-winger' (turned Lib Dem) - namely David Aaronovitch - telling us that 'the Brexit generation is dying out'. ("No offence!", he now says). 

Of course, to those of use who think that the BBC has an Establishment, soggy-left, pro-EU bias this might not be perceived as exactly surprising.

And wouldn't you think that any seconded Newsnight editor might give that much more than a moment's thought and then, having done so, take strenuous efforts to ward off such criticisms - especially if they were really living and breathing 'BBC impartiality'?

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By the Grace of The Guardian...

But these are only two 'Viewsnights' in a row (albeit the first two chosen for 2018).

Is perception 'all'? Does 'perception' tell us the truth about BBC bias? Or does it mislead us?

"Time will tell", it might be said. But will it?

And even if it does will it it make the slightest bit of difference? 

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Well, to round off this week's Newsnights, the final 'Viewsnight' this week (which I've just viewed) comes from the Guardian / BBC Radio 4 writer-presenter Grace Dent. And she's promoting veganism. 

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So that's feminism, anti-Brexitism and veganism in just one week from the BBC's Newsnight! 

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We might just as well retire now!

So I say again: Happy New Year! God bless us, every one!