BBC bias. Boris 51.5%: "tight margin". Hollande 51.7%: "clear victory"

[longfingernails]

The left-wing propoganda spouted by the BBC really is relentless.

I am disappointed that they got off with a cash freeze in the licence fee. A 75% cut would have been far more appropriate.

Often political reporting is the interpretation of actual result vs. expectations so for Boris, that was a tight margin. The morning of the count people were talking about six point leads, yet we had hours and hours of 'too close to call'. Boris' result is also a worsening of his position four years ago.

In France there was real speculation about where Le Pen's votes would go and all talk ahead of the poll was of Hollande's 'slim lead'. The Socialist result there is a major turn around on the last presidential election. So it was a clear victory in those terms.

Plus there is a news angle to talking up/linking the Greek & French left-wing stories.

IMO it isn't political bias, it's about news. Of course there is a news spin on it, otherwise it would be boring.

Totally agree with PullUpAPew. Everyone expected Boris to win by a country mile, so he performed less well than expected against Livingstone. But everyone was convinced that Sarkozy and Hollande were neck-a-neck, and therefore 51.7% made it clear that Hollande was the winner.

It's really not bias.

oh LFN, you do make me laugh.

I think it is bias.

I agree with pullupapew that how the margin is interpreted depends on expectations, but the characterisation of the margin itself as "tight" or "clear" does not serve that end. For Boris, it would have been just as accurate to say something along the lines of "a clear majority though smaller than expected at some points during the campaign"; or in France "a tight majority following LePen's lack of endorsement of Sarkozy".

Or they could just dump subjective language in the main news and headlines, and leave it to longer commentaries only.

Nonsense. Everybody expected Hollande to win comfortably.

And in any case, it's fine if the Times or Guardian impart spin to a story.

When the BBC does it, we have to pay for the political bias (inevitably to the left), without any choice to opt out.

'Or they could just dump subjective language in the main news and headlines'

but that would mean letting the people make up their own minds.

You're right. It's insidious, chronic and very clever left wing bias. If you're a Conservative voter working for the BBC you're virtually treated like a leper. Drives me mad - I shout at the Today programme all the time.

'Drives me mad - I shout at the Today programme all the time.'

For your own health, please turn it off and pick up the Daily Mail. That will calm you down.

Claig - thanks for your input. Actually I pick up my copy of The Economist instead for sensible, balanced, properly informed, pithy and intelligent analysis and I suggest you do the same.

Interestingly the Daily Mail described how Boris won by a 'blond whisker'. Maybe they're also politically biased against the Tories?

And ConservativeHome describes how Sarkozy was 'swept from power'. Maybe they have left wing bias too?

Good points, PullUpAPew

It is how political reporting goes, it's how it is. I don't understand why people get their knickers/underpants in a twist really. Basically 'Boris won by a small bit' is less exciting than 'Mayorla race cliff hanger'.

If you're so clever as to run every story through your own political filter anyway, what difference does it make? Surely everyone is capable of that - or do you assume you are operating at a more sophisticated level than the 'average' reader/viewer?

Edith your suggested headlines may be factually correct but they are a bit zzzzzz so I am assuming you don't work in print journalism!

The depths to which the left go to defend the BBC are not really surprising, really - if I were left-wing, I too would go out of my way to promote Guardian TV.

They were dealing with very different sized populations though. The numbers of voters who swung both these elections must have been much much higher in France therefore it WAS a much stronger result.

yoou didn't hear Eddie Mair ripping into Chris Bryant the other day then, lfn?

Oh god, LFN its not all a conspiracy. The Tories had a shit election, the media reported it. The Mail had the same slant as the beeb.

Sorry your team took a bashing, happens to them all at some point.

But given two years ago Cameron was way higher in the polls with the beeb reporting news then too, I don't see why they are to blame for his bad results now.

The example of how the subjective words could have been used the other way round wasn't intended as an example of an actual headline. It was meant to illustrate how the words could be used the other way round with same accuracy but different effect and, because of that, how the selection is an example of editorial preference.

Nonsense. Everybody expected Hollande to win comfortably

\link{http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140539/France-elections-2012-Will-David-Cameron-pay-Francois-Hollande-snub.html\Dave didn't}

Oh I have missed our looney right-wing conspiracy theorist!

Yes but the key point is the editorial preference to characterise the mayoral result as tight was consistent across both the Mail & the beeb so isn't proof of left wing bias.

What is interesting is how the rw of the tory party is claiming the mayoral result to be proof of Boris' popularity & an indication that all Cameron need do is adopt a more Boris-esque policy approach. But really what the result shows is how badly Ken did, any other decent Labour candidate would have won. Cameron knows that but is not likely to say it!

IMO the internal tensions in the tories are the most interesting thing to watch now.

You are so right but then if they really reported on the impending doom it would distract you from building your underground refuge and prepping for world economic collapse/tsunami/asteroid hit/lights out/EMP/HAARP. Take your pick.

Someone's tin foil hat must have slipped this morning.

8-10% of all people suffer a mental illness.
8-10% of Americans watch FOXYNEWS.

MY dad's Labour through and through, he's convinced the BBc have a tory slant. HAs done for at least my lifetime.

He only has to hear the first few sentences, then declares in disgust: "Typical BBc, always on the side of (insert current tory leader).

I think, depending on your own leanings, and depth of feeling, you always see the news as biased.

Astr0naut, show your dad this. It is the Director General of the BBC saying that there was a 'massive' lean to the left at the BBC

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308215/Yes-BBC-biased-Mark-Thompson-admits-massive-lean-Left.html