Complaints about media coverage

[OhThereItIs]

Name changed for this.

I've been really frustrated since the weekend about the mass media framing of the protesters at Pride. Particularly the headline use of the pejorative term "anti-trans" protesters instead of a more accurate term such as “lesbian” protesters, “gay” protesters or “anti-transactivism” protesters.

“Anti-trans” is shorthand for “anti-transgender”, not “anti-transactivism” and would be widely understood by readers as the former, which is not an accurate representation of the protest.

This adjective inaccurately frames homosexuality as hostile to trans people, which has a negative impact on both lesbians and trans people, and serves to undermine what appeared to be a genuine, heart-felt protest on lesbian erasure and the hostility they are receiving for being exclusively homosexual.

If anything, this coverage exacerbates the hostility towards anyone that says they are exclusively same-sex attracted. And I would argue is irresponsible reporting towards the protesters, lesbians in general, and also trans people as tensions escalate.

Is anyone else complaining (or willing to complain) to newspapers and the BBC about their biased and descriminatory coverage?

And I apologise if I've used any banned words!

I agree I thought it was shocking.

I Would if someone could pretty much spell out how to (I have a new born and 5 year old and still in the juggling stage!)

I complained to the Guardian on Monday about their coverage.

I sent a direct email to Patrick Greenfield the reporter (who seemed to have lifted the whole thing from Pink News ) and I also sent a complaint to the 'Readers Editor' (Paul Chadwick). You may have noticed they are both men (oops - making assumptions there!) and I haven't heard anything back from either.

For context, I have been a Guardian reader for nearly 30 years and I explained to the Readers Editor how disgusted I was that the Guardian of all news providers would choose to produce such a one-sided view of what happened on Saturday.

I'm glad I won't be the only one!

Here is the link to complain to The Independent:

independentnews.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

That one is just an online form, so pretty straight forward.

They've used "anti-trans" to mean lesbian or anti-transactivism in a number of articles:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anti-trans-protest-london-pride-parade-lgbt-gay-2018-march-lesbian-gay-rights-a8436506.html

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-pride-lgbt-anti-trans-protest-transphobia-a8442366.html

My MP voted against gay marriage and is very traditional conservative.

I have been surprised at the support I have been given on this issue. This is not the first time they have written to ministers on my behalf. They have written again to Penny about the bomb and other threats and to remind her of the definition in the Equality act of sexual orientation is a protected characteristic.

BBC Online has a simple complaints form too:

ssl.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/?lang=en&reset=&uid=307617398

Their coverage is very biased, in my opinion.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-44757403

Mirror news group complaints are by email. Who to email depends on whether you think the article and video (which states that the group "appear to be protesting against transgender rights") are factually inaccurate or merely biased/offensive.

"If you notice a factual inaccuracy in the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Sunday People or Mirror Online that does not directly relate to you, please email [email protected]"

"If you have any general concerns or comments about any item in Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Sunday People or Mirror Online that you would like to bring to the Editor's attention, please email [email protected]"

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/calls-london-pride-organisers-resign-12879839

The Mirror is also covered by IPSO (the Independent Press Standards Organisation). They are more specific about how to complain, as you need to decide which part of their Editors Code of Practise you believe it breaches (e.g. Accuracy, Descrimination).

www.ipso.co.uk/make-a-complaint/

There were a lot of complaints to the BBC by transactivists, because the BBC did report more fully after the 'anti trans' headline. I do suggest complaining to them, because the complaints from TRA will have an impact and the bbc will be even less likely to use the feminist voice. I would write and say, 'thanks fir accurately reporting the activists' quotes, BUT..' because if we don't complain it looks like we don't mind.

The Guardian one is flagged as "opinion" but is particularly bad.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/09/anti-trans-protesters-pride-banner-march-london

As Hornets states above, the Readers Editor Paul Chadwick is the person to contact.

[email protected]

You can also get in touch with the readers’ editor’s office by phone on +44 (0)20 3353 4736 between 10am and 1pm Monday to Friday UK time.

There's full instructions on how to complain here.
www.theguardian.com/info/2014/sep/12/-sp-how-to-make-a-complaint-about-guardian-or-observer-content

Metro is an online form too, and helpfully shows you the code of conduct first before you can fill lin the form.

www.readerseditor.dmgmedia.co.uk/?publication=metro.co.uk%2Freaderseditor

metro.co.uk/2018/07/10/as-a-cisgender-lesbian-at-pride-i-was-ashamed-to-see-such-blatant-transphobia-within-my-own-community-7697271/

Yes Pratchett. I agree we have to say something, because the protesters' voices are being drowned out by transactivists who are badly misrepresenting the protest.

Is there anyone else worth contacting?

When the Board of Pride London and prominent feminists describe it as anti-trans, the media isn't just free to do the same, they could be accused of bias if they didn't describe the protest as anti-trans.

So we can only read this protest as a deliberate attack on trans women.
solidaritystatement650530505.wordpress.com

When the Board of Pride London and prominent feminists describe it as anti-trans, the media isn't just free to do the same, they could be accused of bias if they didn't describe the protest as anti-trans.
So we can only read this protest as a deliberate attack on trans women.
solidaritystatement650530505.wordpress.com

This is tosh. The media needs to give right to reply to the protestors if they report Pride's comments in a news story. Unfortunately Indie and Guardian are not IPSO members so can't be subject to complainants process for breaking guidelines for balance.

Pride is a fallible organisation just like any other as its reaction shows.

They are biased because they deliberately ignore what the protesters themselves tell them is the reason for the protest.

You need to speak up and be counted if you want to change the narrative.

And when Trump described the crowd at his inauguration as bigger than Obama’s the press could be described as bias for not doing the same? Snappity don’t you think the press should report the facts rather than regurgitate propraganda?

When the Board of Pride London and prominent feminists describe it as anti-trans, the media isn't just free to do the same, they could be accused of bias if they didn't describe the protest as anti-trans.

Don’t be dense snappity, surely you know what ‘free press’ ‘defamation’ and ‘fact checking’ are!

I complained to the BBC and had this reply:
We’ve reviewed the article and note that it’s the behaviour during the protest by the group Get The L Out, at Pride in London, that’s described as “anti-Trans”. This is in the context of noting that the organisers of Brighton Pride have said that behaviour such as that seen by the group at Pride in London wouldn’t be tolerated at their event in Brighton.

The article also notes Get The L Out saying their protest in London was "on behalf of all the lesbians intimidated, threatened and silenced by the GBT community."

The Pink News branded female protestors as transphobic, yet yesterday's projection stunt was deemed controversial.

I complained to one of the organisations mentioned above on the basis of inaccuracy. They came back to me saying that X Y and Z had described the protest as anti-trans - apparently that is enough justification for this news outlet to call the protest anti trans in a very misleading headline. No quotation marks, no examining of the issues etc.

I am shocked they positioned themselves on the debate and in such a goady way, too. The response was basically "yeah we know our headline and reporting were misleading and biased but we don't care because we have taken sides and we are not going to address any of the points you have made".

Why not mysogonistic if the same rules of reporting apply? Or why not controversial for the women?

'Is it just the women?'

Usually news outlets put quotes in quotation marks and attribute them to a third party, they do this to avoid defamation accusations/claims.

I note that the independent put ‘anti-lesbian’ but simply stated the protest was anti-trans... so... if they are claiming they are quoting another organisation then the question is why did they not attribute the quote to the third party and frame it in quotation marks? Clearly they are able to do this because the did it re ‘anti-lesbian’....

It is basic journalism TBH... fact check, protect the reputation of the business and protect against defamation claims...