to say the BBC might be imperfect but

[user427654]

A lot of people here don't appreciate the value in what they have, and it would be beyond foolish to let this institution be decimated.

When I say here, I don't mean on MN, but in general in the UK

I would be really sad to see the BBC go and I think there is value in a media/news organisation that aims to be impartial. I think the Trump editing is appalling - a massive unforced error.

But it was the trans coverage that disillusioned me. The reality is that it's likely that the ape-like animal that we were before we evolved to be human could distinguish between the male and female of the species - their survival would have depended on it. That the BBC championed chucking this basic fact of life in the bin (along with all women and girls) is basically unforgiveable.

Ultimately, though, I would like it to survive. But it really needs to acknowledge the entirely legitimate issues they have, sack the LGBTQIA+ loonies*, and avoid drag queens for the next century, at least.

*I have made donations to LGB Alliance and support the rights and representation of same-sex attracted people but I suspect nobody who is capable of doing that is currently employed by the BBC. By definition, those who go nuts for gender ideology are intrinsically homophobic and well as misogynistic.

I started noticing this years ago when the BBC news coverage reported stories of women committing various heinous crimes. Not only is it unusual for women to commit those crimes, the articles were accompanied by a photo of the perpetrators (men). It got worse from there.

The “they” who did this particular bit of editing was October Films, an experienced production company who make documentaries for lots of different broadcasters - ITV,Sky, Netflix, Amazon, HBO.

October Films will have had training on how to follow the BBC’s guidelines, and I’m pretty sure their contract with the BBC will have said something along the lines of - the programme they deliver won’t defame anyone and will comply with BBC guidelines.

The people at the BBC who commissioned it should have picked up on the edit, that was their failure. I think it is interesting though that the BBC is seemingly willing to take all the heat and not chuck the producers under the bus.

if there was ever a successful legal claim I’m pretty sure it is the production company (and not the BBC), that would be liable to cover the cost.

Regardless of what is right / wrong with the BBC I am outraged that that big orange bully Trump should be trying to destroy OUR national broadcast company.

I’m not surprised, it’s probably the only really influential respected Western English-speaking media outlet that does not roll over and pander to him and calls him out on his autocratic shit, rather than turn propaganda-machine.

I think what is happening is truly sinister.

Not saying the BBC is faultless, but WE the British can handle it for ourselves thank you very much, the American right can fuck right off.

Regardless of what is right / wrong with the BBC I am outraged that that big orange bully Trump should be trying to destroy it. I’m not surprised, it’s a really influential respected Western English-speaking media outlets that does not roll over and pander to him and calls him out on his autocratic shit, rather than turn propaganda-machine.

I think what is happening is truly sinister.

Not saying the BBC is faultless, but WE the British can decide for ourselves thank you very much, the American right can fuck right off.

And TWICE it has been looked at by the BBC editorial standards committee. Twice!!

Yes, apparently as part of a review after it had already been broadcast. And concerns were raised by at least some of the people who conducted the review.

From the sounds of it they didn’t take any formal action as no one had ever made any complaint about it when it was broadcast. I can pretty well imagine the thinking in the room, it will be the same thinking that plays out in organisations the world over - for god’s sake don’t go looking for trouble by shouting to the world about a fuck up that you’ve discovered and no one else has noticed, just make sure it doesn’t happen again!

It was the wrong response, but it’s a defensive mentality, and I can sympathise with it to an extent.

The activists have destroyed all that though.

It may be salvageable if they are removed.

They are the ones responsible.

Every aspect you mentioned has been used as a vehicle by activists to push their lies and ideology.

They are still lying about it now.

Exactly. I’m waiting for the lawsuits from the kids whose parents were persuaded that puberty blockers were completely safe by the absolute lies put out to children by the BBC.

The BBC used their trusted brand to push the use of puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and breast binders. I can’t forgive them for that.

I used to be a huge supporter of the organisation.

I can’t see that editing of the speech meeting the standards of any self-respecting broadcaster, it’s blatant misinformation.

It’s not like there’s a shortage of incriminating material on Trump, and you can squarely point to finger of blame for Jan 6 at him without making stuff up.

No mention of anything related to trans ideology in the BBC news at 10 tonight.

I can't really make out what you are trying to say here, but I will point out that the Telegraph, like other newspapers, is meant to print newsworthy stories, exactly like this one. It's what their job is.

I'm not angry, just incredulous that people think that the BBC has been practising anything like acceptable journalism.

Yep

This is me too. I’m very torn on this issue; up until about five year ago I’d have defended the BBC to the hilt, but it’s getting harder and harder to do so when even seemingly innocuous content is now so clearly agenda-driven. Aside from the shitshow that is the newsroom, they even manage to shoe-horn progressive identity politics into things like ‘Escape to the Country’, scouring rural areas for the one drag queen or trans person to be interviewed as a ‘typical local person’. It’s just exhausting.

I’m not one for mainstream entertainment but used to love it during the heyday of more cerebral content on BBC4 and BBC2 (until maybe 7/8 years ago) when there were many outstanding Arts and history programmes that genuinely fed the mind. But that has all largely gone now, with massive dumbing down across the board and barely any quality Arts programmes at all on offer. Also used to be an avid Radio 4 listener but now find it unbearably smug. Still love BBC3 and BBC6 plus the odd interesting podcast on BBC Sounds but am finding myself watching less and less on TV. It’s not being replaced by anything though; I just don’t watch much TV at all.

That said, I’d rather see the BBC be significantly reformed and return to its original Reithian values rather than disappear. The kids’ content alone for me has been worth the licence fee - so grateful that DD is growing up watching CBeebies and CBBC rather than brain addling trash on YouTube and Netflix. And having lived overseas for a while I’m not naive enough to think that the alternatives to a state broadcaster are all that great - market forces mean that there is little quality, informative programming to be found within any solely commercial model.

Sarcasm.
A handful of mistakes by a small number of personnel and decades of great public service tv are being forgotten.

The outrage about the Trump documentary is nuts. The editor was obviously an idiot. You don’t need to give that person any rope to hang himself, his deeds and words speak for themselves.

The problem is how the BBC dealt with it, when it came out. That's why two heads (so far) have rolled. They were on the back foot for days, and let the story get away from them.

The problem isn't just how the BBC dealt with the memo and its contents when it came out, it's also how it dealt with all along.

The memo was sent in mid May. In June Michael Prescott left the BBC and later sent it to all board members along with a covering letter stating his “despair” at being ignored by senior news leaders.

The BBC had sat on the memo and were ignoring it until it was leaked to and published by the Telegraph.

"mistakes" is doing a lot of heavy lifting, even for a minimisation technique.

I repost what I said on another thread:

"Lol mistakes? Mistake is mislaying your car keys, accidentally pouring orange juice instead of milk in your coffee, or an organisation's IT dept making a coding mistake and accidentally deleting their website.

The BBC made a deliberate decision, a deliberate intentional action to manipulate and edit speeches, and to not cover the most important medical scandal since Thalidomide or Agent Orange.

This BBC didn't make 'mistakes'. They made deliberate decisions. Stop trying to minimise what they did. These were no mistakes!"

It's not just the Trump story though.

The bias for Trans and ignoring of biological women's real concerns with men in women's spaces. The BBC are captured by the Trans ideology.

The reporting of news from Gaza. Rush to get stories out then find incorrect and so have to issue corrections. They can't even be bothered to call terrorists 'terrorists'.

The BBC are not neutral at all.

Yes, and they are now being utterly dishonest in their reporting of their bias and utter dishonesty.

At least they are consistent I suppose but they are making a very strong case for a radical overhaul/removal of licence fee money.

It’s how they’ve dealt with it before it came out as well. As @Chersfrozenfacesaid, the report would probably have never seen the light of day had it not been leaked to the Telegraph.

They clearly think they have done nothing wrong judging by what they’ve said since it came out. And to be frank, others on the left such as Ed Davey are as bad. They’re so consumed by their hatred of Donald Trump they think that what happened with the Panorama footage should be overlooked for ‘the greater good’. The arrogance is astonishing.

YABVU.

I wouldn't believe anything the BBC says anymore, they are just a dangerous propaganda outfit now. Just because something has been around for a long time, doesn't mean it should be kept "for old times' sake". It's a complete failed and defunct institution and should be turned into a subscription-only entity and those that want to watch its output can pay for it rather than forcing everyone else to subsidise their bias.

If the BBC had a bit more humility, he probably wouldn’t have been pulling his crap in the first place (by threatening to sue).

I don’t think DT is the kind of guy to respect humility…

I don't think Trump is ever particularly reluctant to threaten legal action, seems to be one of his preferred pastimes.