or should the BBC use formal English

[SomeGuy]

It seems to be happening more lately, casual language in BBC reporting:

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia_pacific/10611973.stm

"A drunk man who climbed into a crocodile enclosure in Australia and attempted to ride a 5m (16ft) long crocodile has survived his encounter.

The crocodile, called Fatso, bit the 36-year-old man's leg, tearing chunks of flesh from him as he straddled the reptile.

He had been chucked out of a pub in the town of Broome for being too drunk."

'Chucked out'? Is this what BBC reporting has sunk to? They should be setting an example, not dumbing down.

I agree!

I live in Oz and I like to watch BBC news channels as a way of keeping in contact with world news as our Aus news is fairly rubbish.

In the 3 years I have lived here, even broadcast news seems to have gone downhill. All their presenters have a weird way of emphasising words and gesticulate all over the place in a very distracting way.

I do realise what an old fart I sound, but really, I would like global news, presented by a calm presenter.

And I also don't give a tiny rat's arse about what other members of the public have emailed in about. Just tell me news, not what some fucker in Northumberland thinks about it.

With you on this!

I think, in the context and tone of this semi-serious story, the phrase 'chucked out' is appropriate. Formal writing for more formal stories, surely?

I think the final line should simply read "the man had been asked to leave a public house in the town of Broome for being drunk"

It still conveys the same message but in a more formal tone that I would expect from the BBC. It's not The Sun for example, which obviously tailors its stories towards a slightly different demographic, and where the phrase "chucked out" might be more appropriate.

Public house? LOL! Don't know what decade it is in Australia but they haven't been known as 'public houses' since about 1950 - not even on the BBC.

I don't really think the BBC should be using diminutives for words to be honest. Again, fine for some types of publications, but this is the BBC and as such, should strive to uphold standards, rather than coming down to the level of the tabloid.

The BBC is a modern broadcast organisation and if it doesn't move with the times it would end up sounding like Pathe News reels. Some 'diminutives' are perfectly standard English usage otherwise we'd all be travelling on the 'omnibus' or taking babies out in their 'perambulators'. I think you're being incredibly pedantic.... and I'm a Radio 4 listener!

I concede that I could easily be being pedantic.