Thursday 6 February 2020

Happy Brexit! (Open Thread)


Lord Hall departing; 450 BBC journalists being cut; the Government apparently beginning a consulation on decriminalising the BBC licence fee as early as next week; Sarah Sands exiting Today, pursued by a bear; Conservative MP Julian Knight (who opposes the BBC licence and wants a review of the BBC's impartiality rules) replacing pro-BBC Damian Collins at chairman of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee; Rupert Murdoch planning a rival to Radio 4 - it's been quite a January for the BBC!

97 comments:

  1. Yes indeed. Not sure if it's bias or journalistic short-hand, but Today is full of references to UK leaving the EU after 47 years. Which isn't accurate. UK joined the EEC which became the EC and EU via treaties which we weren't allowed a vote on. If we had been allowed, we likely would never have joined the EC or EU.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The BBC is always inaccurate about history that it's liberal reporters don't like.

    Last night there was talk of "leaving Europe" when we're leaving the EU - an undemocratic bureaucratic institution not a geographic area.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh good lord.
    Today programme at 8:50 UK time. A piece on the discovery of some letters written by Beethoven outlining the inspiration for his Ode To Joy.

    Yes, that was the sound of the narrative sausage machine starting, and the sausage was slowly pumped out over the following 6 or so minutes.
    The Brotherhood of Man represented by the EU.
    Good Lord again.

    It was followed by a funereal montage of Brexit related clips - an Ode to No Joy at the BBC.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I see that Rachel Riley is showing her true colours, actively seeking censorship of Katie Hopkins on Twitter. As far as I can make out KH appeared to be critiquing Stormzy's baleful tendency to cry racism about every perceived slight while keeping silent about the real nature of B-on-B violence in our inner cities.

    It appeared to be an opinion being expressed as far as I could see.

    Let's be clear, it is Stormzy not KH who has racialised discourse in binary skin-colour terms.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy Brexit Day to those inclined to feel happy about it!

    It's been a long hard slog.

    The only reason it was worth it was that it provides an opportunity for several course corrections, to avoid this country breaking up on the rocks of political correctness, identity politics,globalist ideology, mass immigration and petty nationalism.

    We have so far escaped only the fate of being bound in perpetuity to a European imperial project. One tick for one box! Much more needs to be done:

    - Radical reform of the BBC, including removal of the licence fee.

    - Embedding free speech in our constitution.

    - Reform of academia.

    - More direct democracy so that never again can big decisions be taken in direct opposition to what the people want.

    - Reindustrialisation of the UK using the latest technology of automation and robotics.

    - Ending the era of mass immigration and ending the link between migration and naturalisation.

    - Replacing the divisive PC ideology of diversity, group identity and grievance amplification, with policies of social and cultural inclusion, citizens' identity and self-improvement.

    This is all part of what I call The Great Pushback.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I rather suspect the tireless drones at BBC Complaints will be cancelling weekend plans after the BBC decided to use public treasure Nish to smug front a CBBC propaganda item replete with not only bias but flat out inaccuracy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I remember the unexpected joy of 23 June 2016 but the hell we were put through for the next three and a half years at the hands of an assortment of unspeakable people and parties plus the BBC is something that should never have happened and is unforgivable.

    It's been a long time coming but I am glad to be here to see this day and will be celebrating tonight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree it is unforgiveable - not in a mean-spirited sense but in the sense it was unforgiveable how many of our political, media and business elite were prepared to dump democracy in order to "win". Many were prepared to work with foreign potentates in an effort to destroy Brexit.

      The danger was that democracy would be cancelled and many worked in unprincipled fashion towards that end: Lib Dems, Blairites, Labour mainstream, SNP, Greens, Tory traitors like Grieve and Soubry, BBC, ITV and Sky presenters like Maitlis, Mardell, Boulton, Glinka, Peston and Robinson. Business representatives told outrageous lies about the potential effects of Brexit, suggesting we would be unable to feed ourselves, or fly to Europe or buy a sandwich.


      Delete
  8. Anne Applebaum is a BBC favourite. They often have her on to comment about (ie against) Trump and Brexit.

    I have never previously heard her mention that she is married to a Polish politiciain and now MEP (Sikorski) or have that mentioned by a presenter. I only found out in an item she wrote for the Spectator last week, which I've just come across.

    Now her vehement opposition to Brexit makes a lot of sense!

    This has so often been the pattern - people like Grieve disguising their numerous "French connections" including being in receipt of the Legion d'Honneur for services to the French state.
    In fact I wouldn't be surprised if Grieve now goes to live in France full time.

    How many other "principled opponents" of Brexit had very strong personal interests in having the UK stay tied to the EU?

    Many more than we were ever told would be my answer.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Andrew Neil has Nish Kumar in his crosshairs.
    Why on Earth are BBC commissioning this?

    https://twitter.com/afneil/status/1223324986724769792

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for spotting that Charlie. That crowns a very good evening!

      Delete
  10. You don't see that big office full of busy journalists in the News background so much now.
    All they need now is someone to walk from the printer to the Newsreader with the latest World Wide Wild Green Life Peace Forum communique.

    ReplyDelete
  11. John Sweeney retweeted it so it must be true!

    https://twitter.com/Baddiel/status/1223381886438903808

    Settle down children...long time ago there was a comedian called David Baddiel who was irreverential and inventively humorous. Sadly he is no more.

    ReplyDelete
  12. So the BBC leaves in style with three Remainers (including Maitlis of course) versus one Leaver on the Newnsnight panel while it's website suppresses the Prime Minister statement.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There was hardly any coverage of the jubilant scenes in Parliament Square. Both BBC One and Two simply couldn't wait to get off air, and put an end to the bad day they were having. And now: 'Trump impeachment: Failed witnesses vote paves way for acquittal'. More humble pie BBC?

      Delete
  13. Nick was "oop North" in Leeds for the celebrations. He tells us now on Today that Brexit was not about trade (at last I cry !!!), no, it was about .... "identity".
    Oh dear, still avoiding the D(emocracy) word.

    ReplyDelete
  14. File under "Propaganda Images". Photo accompanying Katya Adler article shows that "It's going to be a long, lonely road after Brexit". Of course it is...

    Incidentally I see that EU Media Spokesperson, Adler, is putting about the Remainer Lie that the Single Market was a UK (specifically Thatcher) intiative. The lie is told to try and argue the UK I now being illogical in wanting Brexit. Of course it is just a lie. Here is what the European Parliament say about the development of the Single Market:

    "Moving freely within the EU seems obvious today, but it was only in 1993 that this single market came into force. It's one of the EU's greatest achievements.....It had been talked about since the Treaty of Rome which created the European Community in 1957. The creation of a common market was the main objective."

    The creation of a Single Market was proposed by Jacques Delors on behalf of the Commission. A Belgian PM was instrumental in developing the idea.

    Yes, Thatcher was enthusiastic about the idea but the idea had always been there and was implicit in the notion of an ever-closer Union. The only sense in which we played a "great part" in it all was not opposing it. On this occasion, the Commission were pressing on an open door as far as the UK was concerned.

    https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/history-european-single-market_V001-0021_ev

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lots of dark clothing on BBC news presenters today, has someone died ?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Quentin Letts tweets :

    Mere hours after big scenes of celebration, barely a month since an election widely seen as a 2nd ref, the BBC website is running a prominent story headlined 'Have Britons changed their minds on Brexit?'

    https://twitter.com/thequentinletts/status/1223554502495744001?s=21

    ReplyDelete
  17. Katya is in mourning.

    As Europe editor for BBC News Katya Adler says her job is to explain Brexit from the EU perspective.

    I’m pretty sure that line isn’t in her job description but she uses it to justify her obvious love for the EU project.

    Surely her job is to report news from Europe with no perspective whatsoever. I would call that being impartial. But given that the entire BBC management are pro EU and support her reporting stance it suits them to do nothing at all about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51329353

      Delete
  18. I'd love to hear more (or anything, really) from her (or anyone at the Beeb) regarding the French police beating up French firefighters.

    ReplyDelete
  19. BBC Complaints are special.

    YOUR COMPLAINT:

    BBC creating heat rather than light 

    By now the exchange between Mr. Fox and the supposed ‘member of the audience’ has been shared and the simple facts clarified.

    Question Time already has a poor record on panel and audience make-up, but given a guest was clearly set-up by the production team with a person known to the BBC as a vocal race activist, given the fallout ongoing still, how does the BBC justify its actively seeking to stir up controversy in this manner? 

    THE DELIBERATE MISDIRECTION SWERVE IN REPLY

    Thank you for contacting us regarding Question Time, broadcast on Thursday 16th January.

    We have spoken with the programme team about your concerns. Rachel Boyle is not a member of BBC staff, and as such there are no guidelines that wouldn’t allow her to apply to be in the Question Time audience. Her application followed the normal process, as did all of the other members of the Question Time audience.

    Many thanks once again for taking the time to raise your concerns.

    ***

    I may invest in sending this one up the greasy pole.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Interesting article by Hitchens about leaving the EU. He's hit the mark there: you couldn't really see the European project. But then he was infuriated about pounds and ounces. In the same way I saw red over light bulbs.

    https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2020/01/goodbye-to-the-european-union

    Note also in the comments underneath, someone has posted the Evening Standard's editorial on leaving. Bitter to the end. A sour and miserable effort from yesterday's man, Osborne, the puny fear monger who cheapened himself and has never got over it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/evening-standard-comment-brexit-is-done-now-we-need-to-find-a-new-role-in-the-world-a4350021.html

      Delete
  21. I read in one of the Sunday newspapers that a Law Commissioner wants to criminalise anti-vaccination speech. This is yet another example of how free speech is being or is about to be further eroded.

    Why do we have no one in this country who will defend free speech? I was brought up to understand that it was one of the cornerstones of democracy, the idea that you won't be locked up for expressing an unpopular opinion. You would think there would be a queue of journalists, commentators, philosophers, politicians and activists only too pleased to defend the principle. But there aren't! There's hardly anyone speaking up for the Voltairian principle that you don't have to agree with someone to want to defend their right to speak freely.

    ReplyDelete
  22. "Here is the News from the BBC. (Pause for solemnity.) For the first time since records began, the BBC have referred to a terrorist incident as a terrorist incident at the outset of its reporting.

    Sources say this unusual policy departure is likely related to the threat to the Corporation's licence fee and the perception among increasing sections of the public that it is an essentially unpatriotic organisation.

    Professor Vanessa Bigg-Dollop, head of the Panglossian Research Institute at the University of Male-Loathing described the move as "a necessary tactical change, forced upon the Corporation by sinister forces within the government."

    Lord Hall denied any change in policy, saying only "I am about retire, so can tell as many porkies as I like." "

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sky referred to it as an ISLAMIST terrorist attack at 15:57pm
      meanwhile the BBC was still not using the I word an hour and a half later

      Delete
  23. Horrified by Harrabin? Try this...it does appear a lot of climate data is being, at the very least, "tweaked".

    https://www.youtube.com/?hl=en-GB&gl=GB

    ReplyDelete
  24. Not sure if these was featured here but Fran Unsworth earlier this week stated: "Never in my career have I felt this organisation being under threat in the way I do now.”

    To which one can only reply (a) good news! and (b) doesn't that call into question your own judgement Fran, in particular your failure to ensure coverage of Brexit was balanced and impartial and to get a grip on anti-Conservative hostile interviewing and BBC staff displaying their pro-Left, pro-PC political bias on twitter.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Match of the Day 2 tonight and not a white face in sight; lead presenter Reshmin Chowdhury was joined by Jermaine Jenas and Micah Richards, two black former players.
    What does it matter? Well, Raheem Sterling, the BBC's pin up BAME star footballer, committed a brutal, leg breaking tackle, on an opponent. Sterling received a yellow card but most agreed it was a certain red card sending off offence. Surprise, surprise our two black panellists concluded that 'a red would have been given normally' but they both felt that a yellow for their pal Raheem was 'about right'. Of course it is a judgement call but these two are never going to call against a fellow black pro!

    ReplyDelete
  26. On 22nd January 2020, the BBC News website ran the following story:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-51214434

    ... 'Bracknell's William Mitchell Mural to move to car park' ...

    And yet, so far as I can see, the BBC have failed to report the death of Bill Mitchell an innovative English sculptor on 30th January 2020. Why might that be? - probably just sloppy journalism. Clue: He was a deeply religious Roma Catholic whose work includes the magnificent Stations of the Cross at Clifton Cathedral, and the strongly figured doors at Liverpool Metropolitan RC Cathedral.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They call him William Mitchell
      They did a story on Jan 22 about his mural
      but did not report his death
      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-51214434

      Delete
  27. Like Airbus, the BBC paraded Nissan as part of project fear because they said they would change their European business model under a no-deal Brexit.

    Well, we now know what that will look like and it’s not what the BBC expected.

    Their announcement widely reported today but nothing on the BBC. Not surprisingly, they are very quiet.

    “NISSAN announced contingency plans to pull-out of the EU and beef up its UK plant if trade talks increase barriers, it emerged last night.

    In a major boost to Boris Johnson's negotiating hand, the major car manufacturer would double down on production in the UK where it believes it could sell one in five of all vehicles.”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well there's a cheery start to the week! Bet that had some BBC staffers choking on their cornflakes, or, to be more accurate, vegan muesli with soya milk.

      Delete
    2. The story is on the Guardian website but not the BBC website - how often does that happen then?

      https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/feb/03/nissan-eu-uk-hard-brexit

      Delete
  28. Reflections on the recent events in a South London suburb.

    1. Let's face it...we've been very, very lucky so far that we have been dealing with some very low IQ Jihadis and we've had some very quick responses from brave members of the public and from the Police. Things could be very different in the future.

    2. There is still no willingness in the MSM generally or the BBC in particular to have an open and honest discussion about the connections between terror and Islam. This is because any honest discussion is going to immediately conflict with the PC dogma that all religions are of equal merit and societal benefit, and are essentially markers of identity, nothing more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whilst the metro-liberal mindset surely has a lot to do with it, I do sometimes wonder if it is cowardice because they all fear a Charlie Hebdo attack on their studios if they open up that can of worms.

      Delete
    2. His mother said this morning
      “ He was a polite, kind, lovely boy. He was always smiling. I’m so upset. He was only 20 years old. He became more religious inside prison, that’s where I think he became radicalised“

      Delete
    3. More religious? How can that make you more violent?...do tell ma'am. And which religion are we talking about exactly? Did he became more Methodist or more Buddhist?

      Delete
    4. Charlie - re cowardice...most definitely. The publishing world never published anything like Satanic Verses after the Fatwa and resultant death toll.

      When the cartoon controversy kicked off there was absolutely no solidarity at all. The craven media's view is that of the Pope - "if you insult my mother, you will get a bop on the nose"...or in this case, machined-gunned and macheted to death.

      Sometimes it's difficult to imagine this country has anything to do with the country that fought so valiantly in WW2.

      It's not just fear of physical harm or death either - it's a very rational fear of a career-ending quote which will mean a very real financial penalty for you and your family: riches to rags in five seconds. You might not even say something remotely "anti-Islamic" but it could be represented as such by malicious members of Parliament on the Left and by the Leftist pro-Sharia media.

      Delete
  29. H/T to Pugnazious for this reminder of how "Shovel-wielding" Kumar is a racist disgrace:

    https://twitter.com/DVATW/status/1223902955553861633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1223902955553861633

    ReplyDelete
  30. BBC thinks it's news that Steve Bray is going to continue his loud mouth breach-of-the-peace but the Police don't care paid-for protest. There are many nutjobs up and down the country standing on street corners shouting incoherently. But for some reason the pro-EU, anti-Brexit, pro-Globalist, anti-patriotic BBC focus on this one...

    https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1224282859638337538

    Draw your own conclusions.

    And remember, the BBC has never once enquired how this unemployable manages to maintain a plush flat in an expensive part of London.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I listened to the radio news three times yesterday morning and every time they played a voxpop that took aim at the government or Brexit. I suppose the relentless negative spin on every story is what they call ’holding the government to account’.

      Delete
  31. It's absolutely unacceptable that the BBC have failed to cover the "Nissan leaving the EU and relocating to the UK in the event of a no trade deal scenario" news item, which is being covered even by the Guardian.

    Those lazy-arse Conservative MPs need to sign an EDM in their hundreds condemning the BBC.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are right MB. But knowing the BBC as we do, we could almost guarantee that they wouldn’t cover it.

      It’s the wrong type of news that undermines their established narrative - so they won’t.

      Delete
    2. I suspect they will try the nanosecond micro item under either Business News or local Sunderland news. They might already have done so!

      Delete
  32. I hit the off-button during Politics Live when Jo Coburn announced that there would be 'a big bust-up' over the EU trade deal negotiations - taking the EU side of course.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had listened to Boris's speech, which I found informative, upbeat and to be delivered with energy. And then the Q&A: "Thisis Beff...' I am always disappointed in the MSM's ability to be in tune with the majority of the electorate, and to reflect the majority view.

      Delete
    2. Arthur, it’s because the MSM believe the electorate are inexplicably out of tune with them. They continue on their path of righteousness knowing we will all eventually succumb.

      Delete
    3. ... knowing we will all eventually succumb. .... rather than 'knowing', 'hoping'. They have a blind faith that we will eventually succumb, whereas if anything the 2019 GE should have told them not to underestimate the electorate.

      Delete
    4. "ThisisBeff"...the stuff of nightmares!

      I'm not entirely convinced by Boris's anti-mercantilism as economic ideology but his speeches are a joy to listen to after the emoting fakery of Blair, the dour, jaw-clenching boredom of Gordon, the conman Conservative spiviness of Cameron and the halting, awkward toe-curling embarrassment of Theresa May. At last - someone whose speeches you can enjoy (within reason!). I liked the way he started by surveying the ceiling fresco (?), showing some interest in our cultural heritage and some sense of history.

      Delete
    5. If I know Boris, and Greenwich, a fair sprinkling of said frescoes will have been devoted to RN wreaking havoc among our enemies, I mean the French, -er, I mean...

      Delete
    6. Doesn't seem too bloodthirsty - I hope Boris was inspired by the panel of "Hercules vanquishing evil". :)

      https://www.drostle.com/royal-hospital-greenwich-painted-ceiling/

      Delete
  33. Once again the BBC got it about right - they never admit to being wrong. This is a gotcha, isn’t it, a nasty one - ambushing about family deaths in an interview

    Louis Tomlinson has said he will not appear on BBC Breakfast again, after being asked questions about the deaths of his mother and sister.

    He tweeted “ "It goes without saying how hard it is to lose both people so close to me. The least I ask is that you respect my decision of not wanting to be asked in interviews about something so painful."

    A BBC spokesperson said: "We wanted to cover all aspects of Louis's life that have influenced his new album and feel the questioning was fair."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No great fan of the 1D crowd, but this just seems like Theatre of Cruelty stuff.

      Delete
  34. 1pm & 6pm News, today. Any idea what's going on with the BBC Newswomen? Marianne mentioned on 1st Feb. that there were a lot of dark-clad newsreaders - today, that's still more noticeable: Sophie Raworth was entirely in black at 1pm, as was Fiona Bruce at 6pm. - they can't still be sulking about Brexit, surely?! Our local, Midlands Newms wmomen were similarly attired. Any ideas?

    ReplyDelete
  35. Here a new little trick by the BBC where they can claim to have reported something when they haven’t at all.

    I’ve found that Nissan report on the BBC hidden away on the page that shows the front pages of tomorrow’s newspapers.

    In this case it’s the text directly below the Financial Times front page.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51351911

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They haven't even got it on their Business page, or their Global Car Industry page or their North East news page or their Brexit page or anywhere! Unless it's hidden on Entertainment...

      The story features on the Guardian, Sun, Telegraph and FT sites.

      What's their excuse?

      I might add that if you search on Google you will find multiple stories about Nissan in the UK - whenever a negative story came up in relation to Brexit, they were only too happy to publicise it, however unlikely or inconsequential.

      Delete
    2. I mean of course multiple stories on the BBC website...

      Delete
    3. Lol- yes. I did exactly the same search.

      Delete
  36. The two lead stories on BBC News tonight have a typical BBC slant.

    Mark Easton does not like the emergency Jihadi legislation one little bit.

    He said that The ending of early release for Jihadi terrorists is controversial and will just delay the problem and will come under league challenge.

    He clearly isn’t a fan and says it goes against the principal of fair justice. The report didn’t interview anyone from Government but he did have a Sadiq Khan voxpop in support of his line of reporting.

    The second story was about Boris’s big speech on Brexit. Huw and Laura were obviously incredulous judging by their tone and the very brief snippet of his speech. . However due deference was given to Barniers speech which predictably was given more airtime because the BBC is in awe of his magnificence.

    Faisal Islam then talked complete gobbledegook on the Australia deal. (Has the BBC economics editor ever studied economics or was it just humanities and politics?)

    The report started by saying that critics say his plans are unrealistic. Just who these critics are was never made clear or mentioned again in the bulletin - perhaps it’s just everyone in the BBC canteen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My advice to Barnier would be: if you're going to speak English at us, do us the courtesy of attempting an English accent rather than simply making your "English" incomprehensible to us by your arrogant adherence to French phonetic pronunciation. As things are, you're not helping. You're just annoying us.

      The BBC and the rest of the media love to get people on implying a deal is impossible in the timeframe set by Boris. We've been told that many things were "impossible" including renegotiating the WA.

      Faisal Islam does have an economics degree. I did check previously after finding out a previous Business Correspondent - Munchetty - had a degree in English as her expert background! That said, can't say I've ever found him very illuminating about how our economy works.

      Think of the much quoted "critics" as more like a host of imaginary chirping crickets...making a very high pitched noise that only the BBC can hear and interpret for us.

      My money is on a deal being reached with the EU that will preserve our independence but allow EU fisher folk to continue fishing in our waters(but under a licensing system that will favour our own fishermen), while we get a lot of concessions in return.

      Haven't seen anything on the BBC yet about how their hero Varadkar is going down the pan. Apparently Sinn Fein are leading in the polls.

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/04/ireland-election-sinn-fein-takes-poll-lead-five-days-before-vote

      Let that be a warning to all political chancers who use the threat of violence to try and gain advantage in negotiations with democratic partners!

      Wonder if the EU will have any problem with a government led by a far left pro-terrorist Marxist Sinn Fein? I doubt it. They will continue to persecute Orban's democratic government.


      Delete
    2. Faisal was on PM yesterday, can't remember exactly the subject, but he was again struggling to be coherent in discussion with Evan. Clearly out of his depth. A "normal" organisation would be looking to replace him.

      Delete
  37. Doesn't seem like the BBC or the Remainiacs have really given up on the Project. I never thought they would really.

    As before, I think the Lib Dems will be used as the stalking horse. They will be the first party to approve a "Rejoin" policy, or "Return" policy as they will no doubt describe it.

    The Corn Laws had already been an issue of rumbling discontent for more than 100 years before the issue really took off in 1815 (as the growing working class and middle class objected to the landed interest's determination to protect the price of wheat and other grains, through controls on imports). The row rumbled on for another 31 years before being finally resolved.

    I don't think the question of our relationship to the EU is over yet. The pro-globalist elite have taken a step back, that's all because they realise that tactically they have to. But the strategy, modified perhaps is in place - to overturn the democratic decision of 2016 and make sure the UK is either in the EU or totally subservient to it.

    Even Farage was fooled into thinking the battle was over in 2016, so I don't think this is political paranoia on my part.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Only when the EU looks unattractive to the BBC Utopia-seekers, will the cry to 'return' cease. That might be at the time when a second of the major contributors through their electorate decide they have had enough and vote to leave. At that point, the whole of the EU will become unsustainable. There are signs in both France and Germany of such a trend - far-right populism to the BBC - democracy to the rest of us.

      Delete
    2. They will already have some explaining to do if Sinn Fein win big in the current Irish elections. So, it's OK for Irish people in the EU to vote into government an extremist organisation that honours terrorists who murdered women,old people and children and whose supporters chanted racist-abuse at BAME soldiers, and also drove out migrants housed in their areas. Strangely the BBC never "remind" us about this sort of thing while they are only too keen to "remind" of other things.

      I'm wondering whether there hasn't been an ongoing PC brainwashing exercise in Ireland from RTE and Irish Universities, similar to that experienced in the UK? How to explain a quarter of Irish voters (no doubt many more among the young - always important to the BBC) voting for this extremist party?

      Delete
  38. :::NEWSNIGHT WATCH:::

    On a happier note...Emily Maitlis looked deliriously ecstatic to be back in the USA, as she always does. :)

    Nice for her but not so much for the over 75 licence fee payer who might want to know why the regular American BBC crowd (20 plus of them - Sopel, Bryant,Zurcher, Kay and all the rest) couldn't cover the Democrat primaries...Can't be cheap sending Maitlis over there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why do BBC staffers like the US so much?

      Safe environment? - unlikely
      Weather? - maybe
      Trump? - definitely not
      American culture? - unlikely
      Standard of living? - maybe
      Same language? - maybe
      Democrats? - very likely
      The extreme liberal values and partisanship of US MSM - CERTAINLY.

      That’s what they crave for the UK and basking in it over there with their kind is why they are deliriously ecstatic.

      Delete
    2. I'm sure that's right...

      Another possibility: I think there's a lot of partying goes on behind the scenes. The various candidates will be looking to get the media on board - so I am sure there's plenty of lavish entertainment on offer.

      Delete
  39. Ah, I caught Naughtie on PM yesterday babbling about the Democrat's candidates with Evan. Surely we're not paying for another post-retirement Naughtie holiday in the USA?!

    ReplyDelete
  40. The BBC has launched its first multiplayer video game aimed at a attracting younger, smartphone-using children, even as the broadcaster faces a squeeze on resources and cuts hundreds of jobs.

    How on earth is video game publishing within the BBC remit? Who thought this was a good way to spend some of the licence fee?

    They think this is the way to attract new viewers at a young age. It won’t.

    ReplyDelete
  41. 450 news staff to give up their jobs, but not entirely in vain if they can contribute to Naughtie's retirement fund...

    I certainly won't be tuning in for a slice of Naughtie's ego-preening pseudo-intellectual narrative. We can spot the bias James! All those questions left hanging...I can imagine him now:"Will the Democrats pass on their one historic opportunity to dislodge an increasingly wayward President, whom some describe as a 'dictator in waiting'? Only the voters of snowy New Hampshire, shuffling to their precincts through the dispiriting roadside slush, can answer that question."

    ReplyDelete
  42. From Bill Rogers blog:
    Thanks heavens the BBC was there in numbers for the Iowa caucuses - how on earth otherwise would they have filled the overnight air-time ?

    On site we have Emily Maitlis, David Grossman, Jon Sopel, Katty Kay, Christian Fraser, Nick Bryant, Gary O'Donoghue, Chris Buckler, Anthony Zurcher, Samantha Granville, Marianna Brady, Zhaoyin Feng, Haley Thomas, Paul Danahar, Angelica Maria Casas, Dan McAdam, and a bloke from the BBC Persian Service. There's a few US new networks that might raise eyebrows.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, rather makes the point I made earlier in this thread. Also, these are just the people fronting the organisation. I've noted you often see stray names against American news stories - clearly BBC personnel when you check them out on Twitter. So there's probably at least the same number working as so-called journos behind the scenes.

      I saw the weirdly named "Beyond 100 Days" today. Isn't it odd how, while the BBC will swallow any conspiracy theory going when it comes to Trump, they issue frequent warnings against believing conspiracy theories when it comes to yet another Iowa voting debacle that benefits the Democrat establishment candidate.

      Likewise they are only too ready to pile in on Trump being disrespectful to the US National Anthem, while they never did that when Obama was caught out not showing due respect.

      BBC "Beyond 100% Bias".

      Delete
    2. I see that as part of the puff for the "Americast" we are being told that it is being brought to us by the same team that made "Brexitcast" (as though that's a recommendation). From that I take it that the whole of the Brexitcast production team are on an American jolly as well, and judging from such programmes that must mean at least 8 additional people are out in N America. And all to tell us what? That they don't like Trump, do like Hillary Clinton (sad she's gone), could get to like Michael Bloomberg if he's the only option, feel nostalgic for the Obama days...?

      Delete
  43. ::: NEWSNIGHT WATCH:::

    Maitlis totally out of control, siding with the Democrats, stating as fact that Trump "bribed" a foreign power to investigate a political opponent and that Trump "abused his power". Not even a charade of impartiality.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Jon Sopel, one-time University Labour Club Chair, signals his liking of an anti-Conservative skit, replete with aggressive offensive language, directed against Priti Patel.

    "More gold from one of the funniest men on twitter..." says Jon.

    https://twitter.com/BBCJonSopel/status/1224809826989092865

    Not saying Mr Spicer shouldn't have some fun at Priti's expense but where's Fran? This is surely exactly the sort of thing that calls into question the impartiality of BBC presenters when they signal on Twitter that they enjoy comedy directed at Conservatives but never comedy directed at Labour leaders.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He has now tweeted that the BBC have got it wrong with his recent interview. He doesn’t want reporters to opine!!!
      Oh, the irony of that statement. And a total lack of self awareness.

      Delete
    2. Yep, and in that case, I see he's telling a BBC journo he's got it wrong! lol Sopel's arrogance knows no bounds.

      Delete
  45. Guido reports that the UK have retaken their seat at the WTO after 47 years during which the UK was represented by the EU, formerly the EEC:

    https://order-order.com/2020/02/05/brexit-britain-retakes-seat-wto/#disqus_thread

    Predictably, I can't find any reference to this newsworthy event on the BBC News website Home page, Politics page, Business page or indeed the Europe page.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No...this story does not come with a dark cloud of negativity hanging over it. The forecast is for gloom, downpours and floods. They don't want any bright shafts of sunlight bursting through and spoiling the forecast!

      So, like the Nissan story it seems it must be suppressed.

      Delete
  46. I noticed from on of the posts on Bill Rogers blog that BBC editors get free private healthcare.

    I think we can safely assume that anyone on that grade and above also get free healthcare.

    Which means every front of camera person emoting about the wonderful NHS, the evils of privatation, waiting times and the like jump straight to the front of the queue.

    Like so much of the BBC propaganda, it doesn’t affect them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep. Their children don't go to the schools they want the rest of the population to go to. Their health is not in the hands of the NHS. Their residences are not on crime-ridden estates. Their friendship groups don't include anyone who can't speak English and are certainly not at all diverse. Their daughters are not abused by so called grooming gangs. And when they inherit wealth they keep it.

      Always remember that Tony Benn left £5 million - entirely to his family members and no one else, not even a left wing cause.

      Delete
  47. Is the BBC just incompetent or is it playing the Democrat Clinton Gang game. I'm inclined to think the latter. It presents percentages of the Iowa vote (only 72% precincts in!!! - absolutely incredible...are they sending in the result by mule?) as though they are popular vote percentages but they aren't: Bernie Sanders is the clear winner of the popular vote so far and is likely to remain so.

    But of course the Democrat establishment hate Sanders. He rained on Clinton's parade, he's a genuine socialist and he's likely to lose big time against Trump. So this has all the hallmarks of manipulation as far as I can see. But of course the BBC warns us against "conspiracy theories". I'd say failure to declare results after 36 hours or more is not a conspiracy theory - it's a troubling fact in the most technically advanced country in the world.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51380686

    ReplyDelete
  48. :::NEWSNIGHT WATCH:::

    Maitlis out of control and embarrassing. Interviewing the seemingly sensible Ambassador Volker (ambassador to Ukraine involved in the Congress impeachment hearings)...he has to resort to explaining things two or three times over, very,very slowly for her benefit.

    We were promised an extended version of the interview on the Americast prog...good Lord would be appalling.

    The discussion of the Government's policy towards the BBC and media generally was well balanced - 3 guest and a presenter who all support the continuation of the BBC. All three guests were Remain supporters. One was a Labour media guy, one was from the Guardian (yes, Batty Polly) and one was Craig Oliver really no great friend of Boris and his governement, although nominally a Conservative.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Oh dear another 'consultation' leading to an obvious stitch-up. Looks like the tiresome BBC tax is with us to stay! Boris really is just another Cameron(Huawei anyone?), May Blairite. It didn't take long did it? So much for the right's new Messiah!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What did anyone expect when they saw him bringing back Nicky Morgan AND giving her the BBC brief? My heart sank at that.

      Delete
    2. I think that is not entirely correct. You may be confusing two separate strands. First up is the issue of whether to decrminalise the licence system. That could happen tomorrow if the Government were determined enough. But after that comes the full review of the BBC Charter, due for renewal in 2027. I don't think there's any set timetable for such reviews. But Nicky Morgan has said she doesn't think the licence fee system is fit for purpose beyond 2027.

      I think of Nicky Morgan as a programmable robot. In this case she has been programmed to put the wind up the BBC.

      It's true she hasn't called for abolition of the BBC. But she has called for an open minded approach to the TV licence fee:

      https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/feb/05/tv-licence-could-be-abolished-from-2027-says-nicky-morgan

      Has to be remembered that there is still majaority support for the BBC and the Government has to be wary of the "No more Eastenders/No more Strictly" retaliation from the BBC.

      As far as I am concerned the Government has done more on this front so far than I expected, so I think it's encouraging.

      Delete
  50. Part of the latest Charter is that there must be a mid-term review, to be begun in 2022 and completed by 2024. The remit must include the mission of the BBC and the public purposes, which are the core sections which lay down the requirement for impartiality and how it should be assessed and upheld. That gives ample scope for radical operational surgery. The third part of the review is the licence fee.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agreed - but has anyone in Government got the balls to do it. I have my doubts

      Delete
    2. Thanks Robin for clarifying the review process.

      So it is within this "Parliament" as they used to say that the review has to take place.

      Plenty of scope for radically reforming the BBC if the will is there.

      I think Dominic Cummings understands the stakes and could perform the required surgery.

      But yes, I am with Charlie in thinking they haven't got the balls to cut off the balls, so to speak.

      BTW people who argue for simple "privatisation" should take a look at Sky and ITV. They instinctively take the side of PC globalism - because that is where their funding comes from mostly. Same with our newspapers funded by Russian oligarchs, offshore banking businesses, Saudi investors and American billionaires.

      The prize here is to convert the BBC from the "Voice of British Left-Liberal Progressivism" into "The True Voice of Britain" i.e. reflecting (in good faith) the full range of democratic opinion.

      What we have now is a parody of public opinion. I am sick and tired of the Question Time formula for panels. They salami slice opinion and then give one seat to each slice, whereas the truth is that the Conservative view on the panel should really have another seat or more like two as they represent about 50% of public opinion (in terms of attitudes).


      Delete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.