BBC won't have links to abortion info on its Action Line

[ValWiggin]

... because they believe it is a “contentious issue” and doing so might “imply the BBC supported one side or another.”

www.bpas.org/about-our-charity/press-office/press-releases/women-s-healthcare-bodies-call-on-bbc-to-reverse-stance-on-abortion-information/

I don't see how simple factual info to a legal and necessary service is "supporting one side". The link includes the letter asking that they reverse their current stance on providing links to information about abortion, co-signed by British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas), Brook, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, Family Planning Association (FPA), Marie Stopes UK, the Royal College of Midwives, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Which suggests that the BBC have been influenced by a pressure group?

Agree.

Thing is , BBC certainly used to be quite open to criticism. I've got them to change things myself, by explaining why I thought they were very very wrong.

To me, pushing back seems a better strategy than burning down my own national institution.

Thanks for the link oxytocin am really tempted to cancel now I know I can get a refund! Only ever watch a bit of catch up, never live. Think I'd rather spend the money on netflix or amazon prime, given the BBC is constantly throwing women and girls under a bus.

This thread was started about abortion.
Now it's about trans.

No it isn't. People are just giving examples of controversial subjects that are being linked by the BBC.

Fair enough, ZuttZeVootEeeVro, it's not fully about trans.

But people are citing trans issues as part of their argument.

It's just I've noticed a rise in the "burn it all down" responses to any issue, that's gone along with the drowning of MN feminist boards in trans issues.

It might just be this year's kneejerk reaction to everything, rather than the trans stuff being causal.

No; people are comparing the way the BBC have handled other controversial subjects.

OK, fair enough, just an eg of a controversial subject.

My point about the "burn it down" reactions remains unchanged.

How did that become the response to everything? Who does it benefit?

Leaves Murdoch/others with nothing to do. They can simply watch and laugh while we destroy institutions into which we do have some input (as I say, I've found the Beeb responsive to criticism) and come rushing into their arms.

Someone started a thread to suggest boycotting Women's Hour the other day. Yeah, ta, don't think I will.

The thing is I've complained to the BBC in the past and only received the run around and non-answers in reply. I simply don't have time for that as what they would probably describe as a 'busy mum'. If / when I cancel my license I'll tell them why. If they change how misogynistic they are I might go back.

Are there any subscription services that are good in terms womens/girls rights (both content and in terms of promoting work by female directors / writers etc) ? Any information out there on this that anyone knows about?

That's your response to an hour-long, prime-time dramatisation of the need for safe, legal abortion, in a widely watched series, is it Ineedacupofteadesperately?

Phrases involving babies and bathwater come to mind.

BTW, jolly good idea supporting work of female directors and writers, etc.

It's the other part of your post I have the problem with.

No, that's my response to a range of issues that I have problems with the BBC (including, but not limited to the Savile cover up) and their unwillingness to engage with me in a constructive way. I'd just rather spend my money on something else.

I'm not saying there isn't some good content on the BBC (I like Call the Midwife) but it's not enough. Plus often you can get the best BBC stuff elsewhere. (e.g. lots of cbeebies stuff on amazon prime)

Phrases involving babies and bathwater come to mind.

Hmmm. Everyone is entitled to spend their money how they wish. This isn’t the only example of crap behaviour towards women by the BBC & while you might have received satisfactory responses before, most of us here haven’t. There’s a whole thread on the BBC you should read, for perspective

Everyone is entitled to spend their money how they wish.

Sure.

And I'm entitled to say, "Be careful what you wish for".

And you're entitled to ignore me saying it.

That's how life works.

And you're entitled to ignore me saying it.

I’m also entitled to respond to you saying it.

That’s how conversations on forums works.

Indeed.

... because they believe it is a “contentious issue” and doing so might “imply the BBC supported one side or another.”

The BBC really do seem to think this is the 1950's.

Glosswitch article in NewStatesman:

'The BBC should treat abortion as a healthcare procedure, not just a plot point for Call the Midwife
The BBC, rightly, has links on its website to advice from organisations like Stonewall, Mind and Beat. So why did it refuse to link to abortion advice?'
(extract)
"...The alternative to safe, legal abortion is not the absence of abortion; it’s the torture of compulsory gestation, or it’s illegal, unsafe abortion. There is no neutral option, no world in which unwanted pregnancies must neither continue nor end.

This is annoying if, say, you’re a broadcaster who wishes to highlight the terrible consequences of backstreet abortion while maintaining an aloof detachment from the whole abortion “debate”. This is the position in which the BBC now finds itself, having aired an episode of Call The Midwife in which one character dies of the consequences of an illegal termination.

Such deaths were not rare occurrences prior to the 1967 Abortion Act, with an estimated 50 to 60 women losing their lives every year. The BBC is, one presumes, very sad about this, although not so sad as to be actively in favour of the solution." (continues)

www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2019/02/bbc-should-treat-abortion-healthcare-procedure-not-just-plot-point-call

The BBC have now reversed their failure to list abortion advice, but in a very round about way.

So for instance it isn't listed on the Action Line home page (even though gender identity is - what % of people seeking advice on this compared to women seeking advice on abortion) www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

But it is now one of the links if you work out you need to go via the Call the Midwife links. But even then it isn't clear, as they list it as part of NHS advice re pregnancy. And the link is to NHS advice not to any abotion clinics or helplines www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1KhLYgXHRxyw67mkGRRXQ3R/information-and-support-pregnancy-related-issues

That’s not good enough. There needs to be a proper and obvious link to abortion services. They’re infuriating

This was a good article about it:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/15/call-the-midwife-women-abortion-bbc-information

The BBC has taken a side. It is not ours

That's a very good article by Suzanne Moore. And shocking to see it's so close to home for her, with her mother having almost died from a backstreet abortion.

Contentious..fuck off with your blatant fucking misogyny. Ugh. They just don't care at all.

Suzanne Moore’s article is brilliant.