Chris Mason BBC News

[JustGiveMeReason]

Why is Chris Mason allowed a nightly platform to try to bring down the Government ?

He clearly has his own agenda.

I am not a member of any political party. Over the decades I've always voted, and made judgements on issues important to me at the time and voted for the 'best candidate at the time', which have been from different parties at different stages of my life.

But news reporters used to do just that - report the news. Not try to create situations.

This.

I know he has been promoted from 'reporter' to 'political editor' but that means he is supposed to analyse the stories not create them.

BBC is run by friends of the tories. It's been blatant for years imo.

I think, in Pestons defence he does realise he's a bit goofy and quietly lampoons himself, but that also means he's a bit of a showman, which isn't ideal in a news man, but he is largely confined to his own show - and at least if you tune in you know what you are getting.

You are rather making my point by calling them presenters as opposed to journalists. Gary Gibbon is alright - I liked him in 2021, but there is a difference between being balanced and being bland. I find he lacks nuance often.

This thread is hilarious.
Journalists criticise the Government of the day.
Its not a right wing conspiracy.

Does no one remember how long they talked about cake for?

I think most news presenters were trained originally as journalists and are considered journos?

Indeed, but to call political editors 'presenters' is really missing the whole point of the role of editor. Surely you get that?

Me too! I once had a sex dream about Chris Mason!

I think you’d be hard put to say what Chris Mason’s personal view is on politics. Not to say all the political correspondents don’t parrot out what they’ve been told by “people in the know” ie people trying to spin things. He does say what he’s been “hearing” and I think it’s clear there is a big campaign on the right and most of the left to dump Starmer today. But I really can’t say whether he personally leans Labour or Tory, I suspect neither particularly. Unlike some of his predecessors!

I do think that in the past 15-20 years, the role of political editor at the BBC has strayed dangerously away from impartiality. I don’t remember Andrew Marr being as opinion-led as Laura K and Chris Mason. The role, because it’s the BBC, is to analyse and inform. Other channels can be far more flexible in their political editor role but not the tax payer funded BBC.

I much prefer Vicky Young.

I agree with @TheAutumnCrowabout a “Magical Messiah”. There is no one who actually will challenge and topple Starmer from within. They all know that it is a poisoned chalice.

Starmer will carry on until he either loses the next GE or he decides that his family have had enough and he is quits. There will be no skeletons/ scandals in the cupboard to prove his downfall. He’s as dull as dishwater.

Even a dreadful May local election round for Labour won’t necessarily see Starmer off. The likes of Rayner and Streeting talk a good talk but they won’t actually want the nitty gritty, shitty top job.

I like how you conveyed that in writing, very clever.

So, so, so sick of the right wing press gunning for a Labour government. No intelligent person is going to think revolving door prime ministers of any party are a good idea for stability. They are odious and vile, regularly presenting Reform as an alternative and talking them up by having Reform comment on every event as though they are a serious political party.

I hope there will be a similar ‘Gotcha’ moment for Laura, Robert and Mason and media mates, as there has been over those responsible for the phone tapping. Then the media thought they could do what they like, now they think they can say what they like.I despair and can’t stand to listen to their crap any more. I would rather get my political news from Jeremy Hunt these days, as he is more impartial!

Yes, but a news editor should be impartial, clear and sticking to facts, same as any journo.

The job of political correspondent now, particularly on the BBC - and for probably the last 10 years at least - is to be a parliamentary gossip columnist. No more in-depth analysis than that.

Well said

I completely agree. I don’t watch much any more but I’ve written to the BBC a few times about their political coverage. I’m really not interested in their reporter’s individual opinion and them driving it home.

Henry Zeffman is another one. His coverage of Liz Truss’s downfall was truly dreadful. I complained, the BBC withheld my complaint. Of course Liz T was an absolute disaster as PM but HZ’s reporting was personal and unprofessional.

Me too. I like Chris Mason. It’s a political Journalist’s job to analyse policies and challenge those in power. He did an excellent job of this with the Tories when they were in power and now his job is to do so with this disappointing Labour Government. I say this as a long time Labour Voter and previous member if the party.

No so, I once mentioned to my then BBC Journalist daughter about the woman reading the news and her doing the same job (I can’t remember the context). She responded indignantly that the aforementioned woman was just a newsreader, not a trained broadcast Journalist. 😳

Sadly this is so true.

I like Chris Mason but I'll always look at him in a different light since seeing him strike a match on a wall, light s cigar and blow smoke into his runners face whilst shouting 'im the Don round here'

I understood that Robert Peston had a severe stammer and his current speech pattern is the result of techniques to overcome it.

He’s not a newsreader.

I like the American correspondent, he seems well informed and just does his job.

The always criticise whoever is in government. Labour gives them plenty of fodder. So did the Tories. Imagine if they just fawned over them and never criticised them. It would be dreadful. All the drama over Keir is coming from the Labour party, not Chris Mason.

Are they supposed to say that Labour are wonderful, so lie.