Rats deserting the sinking ship?

Rob's next line-up for Politics Live?

"The sewer of social media, when a reporter merely reports that police have launched a criminal inquiry into allegations of anti-Semitic hate crimes among Labour Party members". 

So tweeted the BBC's Chris Mason yesterday.

(I like Chris. Nerdy and nice - and there's nothing wrong with that).

The tweet from the Corbyn supporter which provoked Chris's Twitter outburst (it contained an insult, sweary language and a wildly conspiratorial assertion in less than 140 characters) did indeed arise from the sewer, with half a dozen rats holding their whiskery noses and looking away as it did so. 

Such behaviour towards BBC reporters is totally reprehensible and the chap in question should be thoroughly ashamed of himself. 

Richard, an anti-Brexit 48%-er, then tweeted Chris to commiserate and say, "Social media, I fear, is killing civilised, intelligent debate. Abuse seems to be the new normal. Never has quality journalism been so important". 

"I agree Richard", replied Chris. 

Hmm. What exactly was Chris agreeing with there? If he was embracing the whole of Richard's point, as he seemed to be doing, then that's far, far too sweeping. 

But such sweeping sentiments do seem to becoming the starting point for a strongly emerging BBC theme at the moment: Social media bad; old-style media outlets like the BBC good. 

I'm starting to see that all over the place, across the BBC, from the BBC.

The BBC does get like this from time to time. They used to go after Rupert Murdoch, News UK, Sky, etc. Now it's the social media companies and social media in general, plus Netflix & Co.

As Katty Lette might say, am I right girls?