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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if anyone has ever had a BBC Complaint upheld?

91 replies

Nachorancho · 09/07/2021 20:46

Just that really and this is really not intended to be a "BBC bashing" thread.

On the odd (less than ten over past six/seven years) occasions I have raised a complaint it has always been dismissed and the reasoning is always the same: "we have acknowledged what you say but we think you are wrong (to paraphrase)"

So my question is has anyone ever made a complaint and the BBC have held their hands up and said "yes I think to are right OP"?

OP posts:
cheapskatemum · 09/07/2021 23:11

In about 1987, I complained about a song being played on Top of The Pops that contained racial stereotyping and sexism. It was a pastiche of Pump Up the Volume. They obviously didn't agree, or didn't care, because it was played again on TOTP, 2 weeks later.

AlanThePig · 09/07/2021 23:12

Oh and I got a little woods tv ad pulled years ago. The theme was summer indoors and somewhat stupidly showed a happy smiling woman having a BBQ in her lounge.
I complained immediately to ASA and it was pulled within days.

ExtraOnions · 09/07/2021 23:26

I used to work at the BBC, and had access to the duty log, where “comments, compliments and complaints” were registered. A lot of it was batshit, you would get equal numbers of people complaining and complimenting a programme, there was a regular section of people who said the news was too right wing, and another section who said it was too left wing.

If it’s just you complaining, and 5 million watched the programme … they probably wouldn’t do a whole lot about it

Demelza82 · 09/07/2021 23:28

What kind of sad act has the time to make this kind of complaint multiple times? Grin

Macncheeseballs · 09/07/2021 23:30

It's never occurred to me to contact a TV station about anything good or bad

MimiDaisy11 · 09/07/2021 23:32

Once I’ve had a reply saying they were going to pass my complaint on or something to that effect. But yes all others were some stupid generic replying trying to explain why they didn’t think it was an issue.

The complaint I received a different reply to was when they were talking about Clinton and Trump’s position on climate change during that election. They presented both sides equally with no comment as to the facts which was my complaint.

ThinWomansBrain · 09/07/2021 23:40

I made a complaint earlier this week - I was amused that the intro to the "making a complaint" section of the website, was something ailing the lines of "would you like to make a comment rather than a complaint" it saves us the trouble of sending an automated half arsed reply

Moocherbot · 09/07/2021 23:48

I complained about a news item on Layla Moran "coming out as pansexual" as I didn't consider a statement of someone's sexuality to be a news item. Dunno why it got my goat so badly just seemed like in this day and age it should be completely irrelevant and certainly not on the news. Total brush-off, anyway.

eminem120176 · 09/07/2021 23:50

Get a life

ThinWomansBrain · 09/07/2021 23:52

having searched my email, I made one complaint in 2015, then nothing until two this year.
I also made some cross comments on a feedback questionnaire about a programme I was in the online audience of a couple of months ago - the comment I complained about was cut from the final show, but it did take three hours to record a half hour show.
It's lockdown - I must get out more, it's turning me into disgusted of Tunbridge Wells.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 10/07/2021 00:05

It wasn’t the BBC, but I once wrote a letter to a US broadcaster when the Wide World Disney was cancelled. To be fair, I was 6 and my letter was never actually mailed so the results were umm less than satisfactory.

After that I just got over it and moved on with my life.

TowandaForever · 10/07/2021 00:24

There are some really nasty comments to the op on this thread.

Just because you wouldn't take the time to complain about something doesn't mean the op shouldn't.

Cheeserton · 10/07/2021 00:32

Complain by all means, if really needed, but quite so repeatedly indicates a need to find better things to do.

Henrysmycat · 10/07/2021 00:46

I complained once about The One Show, it was a huge hooha about cat backyard breeders on Watchdog and they had one of the their presenters talking about it. And then the next subject shown was a “hobby breeder” which is exactly the same thing as a backyard breeder; someone who breeds away from governing bodies or associations with pets that were never meant to be bred from.
I got a feckoff reply because the “hobby breeder” was a friend of the presenter. And that makes it ok, I suppose.

Userg1234 · 10/07/2021 05:48

Not actually had a response but the web article was changed referred to Bristol Rovers as city in a match report.

Other times basically the BBC and the local itv (at the time) told me to do one.

MouldyPotato · 10/07/2021 05:54

Complained as they showed someone holding a sparkler without gloves and they thanked me and said they'd bear it in mind in future.

silvergoldstars · 10/07/2021 06:09

@eminem120176

Get a life
I wonder how you think things change?
Cavalierqueen · 10/07/2021 06:10

I think it's sad that people complain about programmes made before the new world kicked in. It IS of its time. We shouldn't cancel everyone and everything just because a few professional offenders make a fuss, most people don't care.

Cavalierqueen · 10/07/2021 06:12

My only complaint about the BBC is that it's a waste of money. Corrupt, woke and disorganized waste of space. I can't believe anyone takes them seriously after the scandals and then that repulsive women on breakfast mocking people.

RedMarauder · 10/07/2021 06:23

I've complained to BBC, other media outlets and retailers about not knowing which places are in London. They just tend to correct them with no reply as it's clear other people have complained.

I've also complained about pictures the BBC use to represent the prison population. They just edited the articles and removed the pictures. Again it's clear other people have complained.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 10/07/2021 06:30

@Lettitbee

I complained about Homes under the Hammer repeatedly implying that female developers would spend too much on decorating etc. (It was a specific case but I don't think it was unique.) I was told that that was my perception and I was wrong. I don't think I've ever had such a dismissive response to a complaint, usually they at least pay lip service to considering what you say. Clearly the BBC always know best and can't be bothered!
That is hardly down to the Beeb, though! I’ve seen HUTH buyers do daft things many times - if anything they serve as a warning of what not to do. Inc. yes, decorating to their own particular taste instead of neutral, or e.g. not putting a bath into an obviously family home, because they don’t personally like baths, not to mention buying at auction without even having seen the place.
Weebleweeble · 10/07/2021 06:30

I can't believe anyone takes them seriously after the scandals and then that repulsive women on breakfast mocking people.

Was that on BBC1,2,4, Radio 1,2,3,4,5,World Service, 4X,6 - I think I missed it unfortunately?

Weebleweeble · 10/07/2021 06:32

I've complained to BBC, other media outlets and retailers about not knowing which places are in London

Used to annoy me that if they went out of London broadcasting eg on education the furthest they'd get is Oxford - rest of the country always ignored.
Changing now though.

Weebleweeble · 10/07/2021 06:35

I sent an angry email to the Today prog at the time of debates in immigration and many immigrants drowning in attempts to cross the Med. Always interviewed the opposition who ranted about how cruel the Tories were, immigrants were dying etc. I said ask THEM how many immigrants they would allow in the country. Evan Davies did that the next day - the Labour MP evaded the question - but at least it was asked.

CovidKids · 10/07/2021 06:41

@ScrambledSmegs

I complained about the persistent use of the phrase 'child porn' in several different articles on the BBC website.

The response was hugely disappointing, they basically justified it as easier to understand and pithier than saying 'images of child sexual abuse' and they continued to use the phrase for quite a while afterwards.

This is a good example of where your complaint did make a difference, because despite the appalling reply to your personal complaint (I wonder when you complained?), the BBC did eventually change this. There was a directive that the phrase should not be used again. I think with the BBC that quite often happens. The weight of complaints is massive but it is logged for trends. When complaints are consistent over time (not always over a short time as a political party rousing its members happens and is quite obvious as all the emails are the same), they are evaluated again.

A lot of the complaints (not you OP!) can be quite bigoted (a black TV presenter is “unsuitable”, a woman reporter “is shallow / doesn’t understand the issues”, a gay family in a drama is “inappropriate“) which I think is why when the complaints about trans rights activism /
Mermaids started the initial responses were so unhelpful. But eventually they were looked at again and changes have been made.