Emma Barnett's Radio 5 Live show a couple of days ago discussed (among other things) those calls for a second referendum and during the course of the programme she interviewed a couple of politicians - pro-People's Vote Conservative Guto Bebb and pro-Citizens' Assembly Labour MP Stella Creasy - plus businessman and pro-Brexit campaign leader Richard Tice. Mr. Bebb and Mr. Tice specifically discussed the second referendum question. Now can you guess which interviewee got interrupted the most?
Well, resurrecting my old interruption coefficients again (where the number of interruptions is divided by the length of the interview and where, by and large, the higher the number the tougher the interview, and where the average is 0.7), what resulted was the following set of figures:
Guto Bebb:
Interview length: 5m 24s
5 interruptions
I.C.= 1.0
Richard Tice:
Interview length: 6m 24s
22 interruptions
I.C. = 3.5
Stella Creasy:
Interview length: 5m 52s
4 interruptions
I.C.= 0.7
3.5 is a rare figure. It's one of the highest I've ever recorded. The intensity of Emma Barnett's interrupting of Richard Tice was, therefore, very extreme - even by the standards of BBC interviewers like John Humphrys or Andrew Neil.
The respective interviews begin at 23.24, 28.53 and 2.14.03 on BBC Sounds.
Incidentally, whilst listening to some of the calls on the same subject I heard Emma recalling that very interview and saying:
When I was talking to Richard Tice earlier....he said that people like him who voted to leave wouldn't even vote if that was put there, that Remain shouldn't even be an option anymore. It should be about the terms of the deal.
Well, no he didn't say that. He said that Remain should be an option.
The question should be 'Remain, or leave on WTO terms?'.....If it was 'May's deal, or Remain?; we Leavers would boycott the whole thing.
Quality broadcasting, eh!
Brilliant analysis Craig. Good to see your Interruptometer is in good working order.
ReplyDeleteOf course what the bald number can't capture is the passionate negativity of Barnett's interruptions in the case of Tice. I heard the interview with Guto Bebb. The interruptions weren't necessarily unhelpful as I recall and came at more natural junctures.
So yes, I think she is now officially the most biased BBC broadcaster of all time.
Just listened to her interviewing Lord Digby Jones. Shocking. She refused to take on board the points he was making, interrupting him constantl and twisting what he was saying.
ReplyDeleteBy all means question someones thoughts and ideas, but not to listen in the first instace....very dissapointing.
I heard the Lord Jones interview, too, and can only agree. He (quite rightly in my view) pointed out that Brexit is currently such a mess because Remainers have refused to accept the result and are doing their level best to overturn it. She greeted this with incredulity! I don't listen to her show too often as it doesn't do my blood pressure any good - she's very opinionated and rather fond of her own voice.
ReplyDeleteBarnett is the most arrogant & biased reporter on 5 live & I routinely have to switch station to avoid her.
ReplyDeleteShe is hailed as a "hero" by the Feminazi - on a par with Jess Faker Phillips. Enough said!
ReplyDeleteIrrespective of her opinion on subjects..her sarcasm and 'fry' vocals are so irritating I find myself not listening to the content of the discussion or should I say rant from here mostly..I just have to switch off..I think she has a very short shelf life and will soon be history🤞🤞
ReplyDeleteIs her partner mute.i bet he doesn't get a word in ever with this super know all anti presenter.more bbc wastage licence fee on this obnoxic woman.as cable would say B------S to her
ReplyDelete