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Politics Today

arthur

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Absolutely RP.
It was truly shocking how the anchors were editorialising the story and basically at times borderline making stuff up. I got the impression they were not so much reporting on the story and it’s obvious ramifications but seizing on it as someone would if they trying to make the maximum political capital out of it.
I hope that sort of partisanship never becomes part of the political discourse over here.
So, following the American example is not a good idea? Could you have a word with Jinx, who seems to think it is?
 

tavyred

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So, following the American example is not a good idea? Could you have a word with Jinx, who seems to think it is?
I don’t think the US way of doing things is permissible over here art. It’s my perception that broadcast news is quite heavily regulated over here in comparison.
 

Mr Jinx

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I don’t think the US way of doing things is permissible over here art. It’s my perception that broadcast news is quite heavily regulated over here in comparison.
Of course. When I say "legal", I mean within Ofcom's (?) rules/guidelines.

Unsure what the guidelines and parameters are in the US.
 

DB9

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I don’t think the US way of doing things is permissible over here art. It’s my perception that broadcast news is quite heavily regulated over here in comparison.
Don't think they have an Ofcom/IBA in the US.
 

arthur

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I don’t think the US way of doing things is permissible over here art. It’s my perception that broadcast news is quite heavily regulated over here in comparison.
Yes. Which makes it a bit dull, rather than biased, imho. I can understand why someone like Jinx, who has an Arron Banks like desire to stir things up for the sake of his own amusement, wants something feistier....
 

elginCity

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We've had that here since the dawn of time. Well since the Sunday Sport, anyway. If people really want to read about ice cream vans found on the moon and really believe it, then let them. Like I said, especially these days, if it's legal then it should be allowed in the public domain, otherwise it'll just go underground.
Nobody has suggested GB News shouldn't be allowed, just expressing disquiet about its format, for the reasons given.
 

RedPaul

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I don’t think the US way of doing things is permissible over here art. It’s my perception that broadcast news is quite heavily regulated over here in comparison.
Yes it is although as a result it is guilty of being too much like 'group think', not helped by the generally similar lives and upbringing that those working in broadcast media have.

I actually think there is a wider role for broadcast versions of newspaper articles. If say Farage made a TV programme on the 'impact of Brexit' and then the following night, Tony Blair made one - I don't see the issue with that. It would improve the debate, and move it on from soundbites.

I accept actually news bulletins are a little different and they should try and stick to 'facts' as much as possible, but then there's lies, damned lies and statistics. What really grates me in TV news is this obsession with vox pops, even on the most uncontroversial of subjects. They just have to ensure they get 2 random people in the street, one to agree about x and then other to argue about it - regardless of whether the actual public opinion as a whole is genuinely 50/50 or actually 95/5, but they need to represent the 5 in the interests of 'balance'.
 

Spoonz Red E

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Don't think they have an Ofcom/IBA in the US.
They used to have a 'Fariness Doctrine'
Cancelled by Reagan, finished off by Obama.


Newspapers and major media have always carried opinion as well as news.
Pure facts can be contextualised by opinion (or spun if you prefer).
Pure opinion doesn't need facts.

American media is poorer for the loss of the Fairness Doctrine.
Right leaning, centrist or left leaning - with almost every news report swamped by the thoughts of opinion panels, real depth in reporting is often lost.
Fox News is appalling.
It has no regard to facts and amplifies rumour and conjecture.
It presents as news but defends itself in court cases as 'entertainment'.
 

arthur

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What really grates me in TV news is this obsession with vox pops, even on the most uncontroversial of subjects. They just have to ensure they get 2 random people in the street, one to agree about x and then other to argue about it - regardless of whether the actual public opinion as a whole is genuinely 50/50 or actually 95/5, but they need to represent the 5 in the interests of 'balance'.
Heartily agree. You'll always find someone to object to something, no matter how sensible the proposal and how small the vocal minority opposing it.

I am still awaiting examples of BBC left wing bias. To pass the time I'll mention a couple of things.

1. The night before the HoC debate on Johnson's deal, the BBC political correspondent highlighted the potential rebellion Starmer faced. Nothing wrong with that - it was true - but she didn't think it worth mentioning that a 1000 page document with huge ramifications for many years to come was receiving less than one day's debate. This despite the fact that she was falling over herself to explain the most basic of facts to her Sunday night audience - "a group of hardline Tory Brexiteers known as the ERG".

2. The use of the word Brexiteer, justifying this by saying that t has become part of normal language. Well, yes, it has, thanks in no small part to the actions of the BBC. This despite this victory being claimed by the Right back in 2016:

Long before June’s seismic result, the Out camp had comprehensively won the battle of collective nouns.

‘Brexiteer brings to mind buccaneer, pioneer, musketeer,’ says Michael Gove. ‘It lends a sense of panache and romance to the argument.’


I don't regard these two episodes as examples of bias, but of mediocrity. As I do the ceaseless reliance on vox pops RP mentioned, the lazy following of agendas set by the Daily Mail, and the appointment of Laura Kuenssberg as political editor. Still, I'd rather have a mediocre broadcast media than a rabid one
 

elginCity

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..... the appointment of Laura Kuenssberg as political editor. ....
She rarely even bothered to disguise her political leaning. Once memorably on prime time News reporting on Labour's costed spending plans pre-2019 GE as "Labour's plan to spend taxpayers money".
 
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