Boris's Johnson, Liberalism, The BBC - it's all here..

[onebatmother]

Anyone want to continue the sick-at-heart/flushed-with-triumph thread.

We were just discussing the BBC and liberalism.

This was my last post:

"chefswife, sorry, I wasn't very clear, was I? grin
I was saying that there may be, perhaps, a cultural liberal bias in News Reporting, which is reflective of an under-40, educated workforce: but that this in no way amounts to a political bias.

But that elsewhere in the BBC's output - which I would argue is just as influential in terms of insidious influence - the bias is only towards what will rate - or sell internationally - and that this position is directly opposed, as a working ethos, to liberalism.

Is that clearer? if not, I'll try again. I am a bit of a derbrain tonight."

And then Swedes (legendary for her pert Toryism) said:
"Policyw - I agree. I am not a huge BBC user. R4 and Newsnight Review is my fodder. R4 - see no evidence of any bias at all and Newsnight Review is massively biased but this is more than balanced out by Nick Robinson reporting from outside Downing Street on a bad day for the Labour Party."

And That is why we all love her.

I just wanted to say that I can see Swedes' point about Newsnight Review; it does sound rather unbalanced. I deal with this by religiously not watching it.

Oh, and Big Up to the JV. Woop Woop!

Go JV, Go JV, Go JV..

Swedes, how are you feeling about your new categorization?

When talking about news coverage you need to distinguish between domestic coverage and reporting of global events/politics.

The cultural liberal effect does have an impact on US reporting too, but when it comes to Africa, Asia-Pacific and
individual European countries (as opposed to EU issues), it is imperceptible.

but stuffit, I don't think it exists at all on R4. Domestic or otherwise.

Maybe the complaints are about the TV news? I haven't watched that for years, it's rubbish.

Yes. I like what you've done with the place.

Wooooohooooooo!!!!!!!

I think you can't say it doesn't exist at all, particularly if (and I'm not assuming anything here) one has the same cultural liberal aspirations. You simply wouldn't notice it.

R4 Six is definitely the gold standard, IMO partly because of the sheer number of stories and facts about those stories it can pack in without the distraction of pictures. It numbers maybe -- 20 stories to TV's six or seven?

But the cultural bias isn't just about how stories are covered, it's about which ones. Of course you know this -- if a correspondent doesn't rate it, or isn't interested, it doesn't get in at all.

I don't agree with Andrew Marr, I just posted the quote on the other thread because I think that there's a big difference between what he actually said and 'innate liberal/left bias.'

I completely agree with policywonk about the Evening Standard. They have been truly vitriolic about Ken for years.

I think JV's off polishing this.

fair point stuffit. But I'd be interested to see whether any Tories can detect it - Swedes said she couldn't on the previous thread.

Feeling very left out because of all the refs to the other thread, which I can't find.

lol JV! I was anxious, I must confess. I'd hate to take credit for your shag-pile.

I think in general, that I have genuinely, never noticed a liberal bias. I do notice, however, that in a round-table scenario or debate, right-thinking liberal people tend to freaking thrash fuckwits right-wingers. But that's just, you know, life. The BBC can only document that reality, you know.

Oh sorry tttttthhhhhhhrrrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaaadwwwwwwwwooooooooorrrrrrrmmmmmm it's here

I know that as long as the BBC get complaints from both sides -- it's happy. It makes sense to me.

It's hard to detect because unless we get all news agency feeds chez nous then we don't know what's being left out.

But yes, I agree, generally on domestic political coverage they will be enthusiastically fair.

Oh that one. Was looking for 'sick at heart etc'

Thanks OBM

Flipping heck its too big to read. Will just lurk then.

JV - Congratulations from Smith Square Victoria Street.

am complete interloper.. didn't read the other one at all

if I'm repeating stuff I will skulk off

Combustible that;s not the right image. The real one has an engraving on it which says
"To our darling Boris. Wreak Fucking Havoc and Destruction! We'll foot the bill. All our love, the c**ts at the Bullingdon."

How can anyone dislike Newsnight Review. I have fond memories of Germaine Greer discussing Hermione (from the Harry Potter book/film) in a feminist context.

oh go on Threadie, crack a smile at my adolescent mockery of your new freaky name

Do you know it was raised on the porn thread?

I absolutely INSIST that everyone read every bloody post on the other thread. I did some very drunken good work on there.

Thready, I can't believe you did the dereg-rereg-namechange shuffle. Rookie error, love.

what's the extra w for?
supporting dubya or something?

I dislike Newsnight Review. Germaine Greer once slated something I'd made: she had a point to make about something else and totally shredded me because a tiny part of my film pertained to her long-simmering fury about something entirely unrelated.

I still smart with fury and school-level embarrassment, thinking about it now.

well, maybe not 'smart', but that's entirely due to the Pin Gridge.

Threadie?
Christ, do you think she's ... trying to cut her w off herself?

Does anyone live near Threadie? I'm worried.

To be fair to Newsnight Review, it's not about news, it's about the arts, so I don't think there is the same need for balance. You just want people who can talk thoughtfully about art, music and literature and there probably is a slight left-wing bias in that group.

Agree with onebat (from previous thread) about Evening Standard.

I fear also that this election was rather closer to the voting on Celebrity Big Brother than to a genuine political process. I think for many voters it was about the likeability of the characters (in the most superficial sense), not about how they might be planning to run the capital.

This is why we have a problem with democracy at the moment.