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BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of rightwing backlash

theguardian.com

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Re: BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of rightwing backlash

#2

Post by ndsipa_pomu »

This is worrying as the BBC is supposed to be impartial and yet seems to be moving rightwards. There would seem to be a pattern of events: Richard Sharp made a loan to Boris Johnson and then was made the Chair of the BBC which has been described as "an error of judgement". More recently, there's been the criticism of Gary Lineker for calling out the Home Office's use of language (he compared it to Nazi Germany). There certainly seems to be a trend of the right-wing not allowing freedom of speech or criticism of their more toxic policies and lies.

Re: BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of rightwing backlash

#3

Post by dontlaugh »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #2

This is worrying as the BBC is supposed to be impartial and yet seems to be moving rightwards. There would seem to be a pattern of events: Richard Sharp made a loan to Boris Johnson and then was made the Chair of the BBC which has been described as "an error of judgement". More recently, there's been the criticism of Gary Lineker for calling out the Home Office's use of language (he compared it to Nazi Germany). Ther…

There’s been a clear right wing shift since around the Iraq war. It’s only gotten worse under the Tories, with party members in senior positions.

Re: BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of rightwing backlash

#4

Post by madaxe_again »

Of course they won’t. The BBC is a government organ, with the sole purpose of disseminating government messaging. Criticism of government or policy is non-existent, and when it does appear, microphones are cut and apologies are made.

Reminds me of an email I had from the home office recently - “we welcome all positive feedback”.

“If you don’t have approving comments to make, keep your mouth shut” is the ethos of Britain in 2023. It’s rather like Germany in the 1930s.

Re: BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of rightwing backlash

#6

Post by jjbinx007 »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #2

This is worrying as the BBC is supposed to be impartial and yet seems to be moving rightwards. There would seem to be a pattern of events: Richard Sharp made a loan to Boris Johnson and then was made the Chair of the BBC which has been described as "an error of judgement". More recently, there's been the criticism of Gary Lineker for calling out the Home Office's use of language (he compared it to Nazi Germany). Ther…

And don't forget the BBC's political editor exclaimed incredulously "that's quite a charge!" when a politician said that the former PM Boris Johnson has told lies in the past.

BBC often prides itself of having "both sides" of an argument in a debate (as if there are only 2 sides). Not all subjects need to a counter point of view. For example, if the BBC produce a document about black holes I don't to hear from a flat earther who denies gravity exists.

Re: BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of rightwing backlash

#8

Post by gadders »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #2

This is worrying as the BBC is supposed to be impartial and yet seems to be moving rightwards. There would seem to be a pattern of events: Richard Sharp made a loan to Boris Johnson and then was made the Chair of the BBC which has been described as "an error of judgement". More recently, there's been the criticism of Gary Lineker for calling out the Home Office's use of language (he compared it to Nazi Germany). Ther…

BBC presenters are supposed to be politically neutral, so Lineker was right to be criticised (quite apart from the fact he was talking rubbish).

The ex-director general of the BBC Mark Thompson joined that hotbed of right wing activism, the New York Times. You also have ex-Labour minister James Purnell who had a senior role in the BBC.

Frankly if you think the BBC is anything other than the broadcast media wing of the Guardian you are severely deluded.

Re: BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of rightwing backlash

#9

Post by misssocrates »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #2

This is worrying as the BBC is supposed to be impartial and yet seems to be moving rightwards. There would seem to be a pattern of events: Richard Sharp made a loan to Boris Johnson and then was made the Chair of the BBC which has been described as "an error of judgement". More recently, there's been the criticism of Gary Lineker for calling out the Home Office's use of language (he compared it to Nazi Germany). Ther…

Can you think of any ways in which the BBC moved leftwards in recent years? And is it bad for them to adjust in either direction to orient toward neutrality?
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