BBC responds to complaint about Woman's Hour

[thatdamnwoman]

I complained about the fact that Woman's Hour has failed to cover the trans issue and the consultation. This is what I've got back:

^This is an update to let you know that we had referred your complaint to the relevant people and regret that it may take a little longer before we can reply. Please do not contact us in the meantime.

Although we reply to most complaints within 2 weeks we cannot achieve this every time. It depends on what your complaint was about and how many others we are handling, or may sometimes be due to more practical issues. For example a production team may already be working on another programme or have gone on location.

Please don’t reply to this email because it’s sent from an account which can’t receive replies. If you do need to get in touch, please use our webform instead at www.bbc.co.uk/complaints, quoting your reference number.

For full details of our complaints process please visit: www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/handle-complaint/.

In the meantime thank you for contacting us - we appreciate your patience.^

So maybe sometime after the consultation deadline passes I'll get a response. I've gone from staunch BBC / TV licence supporter to someone who doesn't give a damn.

It's a stitch up. You know we are being stitched up.

It is like Women's Hour has gone back to the sixties, when it was all about how to be a good, little wifie.

I can't be pissed to listen to it anymore, as it is no longer relevant to women.

As for the consultation, if stonewall and schools are encouraging primary school to take part, I despair.

The letter you have had is a lie. The BBC are driven partly by wanting to drive through trans orthodoxy, but mainly through fear. They are afraid there'll be hundred of TRA complaints, obviously, but they know that TRA won't let go, they will pursue it through all the stages until it gets to Ofcom. Covering 'gender', for WH would mean (will mean) much deeper understanding of the law and various related statistics, and much more research into the backgrounds of contributors, because they are preparing everything with the expectation that it will have to be defended to Ofcom. They say they aren't afraid of TRA complaints or TRA backlash, but they are, it's as simple as that. They think they can offset that by putting it out after the consultation.

It will still be worth listening to because we can still pressure our elected representatives. But whatever reason they tell us, it' because they are afraid TRA will find some reason to go to Ofcom and could win.

There's quite a bit of 'pre' pressure too, lobby groups, transactivism, contacts, handmaiden etc.

But the main ingredient that is stopping it is an editor of quality: someone able and prepared to stand up and say, thanks for the advice, Editorial Policy department, but I stand by my story.

That does make sense Charlie

The letter you have had is a lie. The BBC are driven partly by wanting to drive through trans orthodoxy, but mainly through fear.

WH interviewed Aimee Challenor in the summer alongside a parent (likely connected with the charity Mermaids).

Aimee Challennor was introduced as just a young person who had gone through a tough time in seekeing acceptance of their gender identity.

No mention of AC's position within Stonewall, The Green Party or the clearly influential role AC has with BBC reporting, Transport for London, Pride London campaigns etc.

This was only a few weeks before AC's father was convicted of raping and torturing a young girl.

I really can't see the BBC as being a frightened victim in this as it has been one of the most important driving forces behind it all.

TRAs are able to intimidate so thoroughly because they have the entire establishment on their side, starting with the BBC.

There's a thread about this ... those who tweet might like to do so, those engaged in the complaints process might like to point the BBC back to those responses...

mobile.twitter.com/BBCWomansHour/status/1048181962647724033?s=19

It's not a victim exactly, but it was groomed very early on. It contributed seed funding to the lobby organisation that became All About Trans, and granted transactivists access to its complaints staff, editorial policy staff and decision-making process that is almost if nor completely unprecedented of any political group. In addition, it has had regular friendly meetings with Trans Media Watch and Helen Belcher of that parish. Things have slowed down in terms of access to lobbyists but the damage is done, the reporting guide is written, the relationships are established, key TRA have the phone numbers and email addresses of key BBC figures. So when TRA complain (as they are now), of being silenced by the BBC, it's because of the odd occasion where they don't get the preferential treatment they are accustomed to.

All this - is in the public domain, some of it very well documented, some of it chance remarks - because they are shameless and never thought anyone would go looking.

However what's replaced that cosy schmoozing is a keen knowledge of the complaints and complaint style the BBC will face if they piss off the borg.

The BBC knows that women will not complain in the same vexatious and often groundless way. Or, at least, that's what it thought. And is very frightened of a complaint going to Ofcom and being upheld. It's just cowardice, and in the case of the white male management permasludge, a disregard for women generally.

can't we complain though?
on what grounds could we make an official complaint ?