Michael Buerk: BBC staff read Guardian "like their bible"

[longfingernails]

Yet more confirmation of what we all know.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1372559/Left-wing-shallow-oh-politically-correct--verdict-BBC-Michael-Buerk.html

But surely the whole Miriam O'Reilly debacle just demonstrates that political correctness was/is not the BBC's guiding principle? They should not have dismissed her on the grounds of her age - fairly clear-cut. The fact they dismissed her regardless doesn't fit at all with the article's assertion that BBC is a hotbed of left-leaning "correctness gorn mad" individuals.

The article reflects Buerk's view - fair enough. It doesn't make it fact, and the reality of the way the BBC has recently acted implies it isn't fact.

Ageism is an acceptable prejudice to the left.

Indeed, an encouraged prejudice.

As well-reasoned arguments go, you're not doing your best here, I have to say. Have you any evidence at all, other than the fact it would help your case against the BBC if it were true?

I am left-leaning, I do read the Guardian. I don't think discrimination of any type whatsoever is acceptable. I'm not alone in this. The Guardian Bible doesn't say "Be nice to the disabled, treat the old like shit".

The elderly vote Tory. The left despise them for it.

In any case: shouldn't the media preferences of the BBC reflect the media preferences of the country at large?

Most of them shouldn't read any newspaper at all. Amongst those who do, the Mail and the Sun should dominate. After that, the Times and Telegraph. A small rump could read the Guardian and Mirror and Express.

As someone that would probably describe themselves as 'right-leaning' I have to say that I don't find much in the BBC output to get all that upset about. I'm mostly an R4 listener - where Mr Buerk himself hosts the interesting 'Moral Maze' - and I think if there is a left agenda, it's not exactly in your face . (Wasn't it a BBC man that outed Blair's 'sexing up' of the Iraq dossier?) Humphrys & the gang don't give any politician a free ride, from what I've heard down the years. Exception being 'The News Quiz', of course, where only left-wing comedians making anti coalition jokes can currently be found

If they all read the Guardian, isn't that because that's where all the media jobs are advertised?

chil - I agree entirely. John Humphries seems to dislike all politicians equally. And political jokes tend to be at the expense of the current Government - when Labour were in power, they were the butt. It's swings and roundabouts.

lfn - I sort of admire your ability to believe that if you write something down, it becomes true. "The elderly vote Tory. The left despise them for it." - what simplistic nonsense. Life is seldom quite so black and white.

LFN, what is the cut off point when we change to Tory voting? I am really quite concerned about this( being older than the average MNer). DH is older than I am - worried that he may have already turned.

"Exception being 'The News Quiz', of course, where only left-wing comedians making anti coalition jokes can currently be found"

No right wing types could make you chortle as the News Quiz lot do. Rightwingers have no sense of humour or self awareness as exemplified by longclaws who's getting tedious now in sucking up to the big boys in the playground. Yawn. Get your talons into something meatier OP.

Aren't they entitled to read what they want in private without you mithering about it?

And as for you, believing what you read in the DM is "fact"...

My late Father and my 83 year old Mother never have and never would vote Tory. My Father despised Thatcher and every spiteful and nasty thing she stood for.

As for the Sun would any right thinking person read that simplistic rubbish unless all your intersted in is "slebs". If the BBC reflected the Sun we could have half the news content dedicated to Linsay Lohan and Paris Hilton.

BTW any decent thinking person despises anyone who votes Tory, age has nothing to do with it.

I take that as a personal insult. You've still never said who you vote for.... Whoever it is, I shall depsise you for it on principle.

'a left-wing culture means the national broadcaster has been cast ?adrift of the overriding national sentiment? on issues such as climate change.'

'Buerk also accuses BBC reporters of an ?uncritical love affair with environmentalism?.

Spot on. Sounds left wing to me. But the masses rumbled it all years ago.

I don't despise anyone who votes tory newwave that's as absurd as lfn's ramblings. I dislike hypocrites.

If an uncritical love affair with environmentalism makes someone left-wing does that mean Prince Charles is a socialist?

Chil1234, I think it is fair to say that Michael Buerk is a man who knows of what he speaks.

The environmentalists are elitists. Billionaire Teddy Goldsmith was a leading light in the Ecology party, as well as some former Tories. Eton educated Sir Jonathon Porritt was also in the Ecology party.

The following is from wikipedia:

'The Green Party was originally formed as PEOPLE, or the Ecology Party, in Coventry in 1973, with the first edition of Manifesto for a Sustainable Society as the party's statement of philosophy and policies. This document was inspired by Blueprint for Survival, published by The Ecologist (then edited by Edward Goldsmith). The party changed its name to become the Green Party in the 1980s.'

Socialists are puppets. As Buerk says 'the overriding national sentiment' of ordinary people is not to believe the BBC over climate change.

Ordinary people rumbled the billionaires over environmentalism many years ago.

Sorry, I don't think Teddy was a billionaire. His brother, James, was a billionaire.

Was it a socialist who said something about being a 'cab for hire'?
Was it socialists who provided 'light touch reguulation' for the bankers and then bailed them out with the people's money?

Is this what you mean by environmentalism, conservationism and protection of wildlife?

www.independent.co.uk/news/royals-shooting-passion-draws-bad-blood-1315283.html

I like Buerks candour. Speaking of broadcasters he once said ....we dont work very hard and we are very well paid. that sort of candour is very rare.

The moneyquestio is treated as though it was covered by the official secrets act.

I girl doing tv regional news was asked the direct question and answered
"92 grand a year." I suspect she was was given a rollocking for her honesty.

The sensitivity around the dosh question is because the TV license is paid by rich and poor compulsorally. (The BBC Trust told me the knew it was "a sensitive issue.")

I say this as someone who likes the BBC. But feels they should come clean on the money issue.

I am so disappointed with Jeremy Hunt.

The BBC could have been cut by at least 50% over a 5 year period.

Instead, they have gotten away with a cash freeze (a pathetic 16% cut in real terms), and are free to peddle their far-left propoganda without sanction.

longfingernails, plus ca change.
It's always the same. The BBC is a protected institution. They will still be left wing,, they will still warn us of climate change, and nothing will change.

If they weren't protected and paid for by the licence fee, how would they be able to influence the public about climate change, the EU, and anything else that the intelligentsia thinks the public should believe in?