Nothing to see here
Yesterday the BBC finally changed the headline and body text of its story about Lord Trimble’s comments on the impact of a Yes vote on Northern Irish politics, three days after the original and two days after the peer himself told BBC Radio Scotland that it totally misrepresented his views.
Better late than never. But there’s still something not quite right in the image above, and you’ll have to be one of our extra-specially alert readers to spot it.
And while you ponder that, here’s something else interesting.
“Dear [redacted],
Your complaint about our coverage of Lord Trimble’s comments on the Scottish independence referendum has been passed to me for a response. I have watched Lord Trimble’s interview on Daily Politics and listened to his interview on Good Morning Scotland.
It’s clear that our headline was overwritten. Lord Trimble did not say that the Scottish referendum was a threat to peace, he said it was a threat to stability. This was an error which has now been corrected.
The main body of our story was accurate. The quotes were taken from Daily Politics verbatim and gave a truer picture of the point Lord Trimble was trying to make. For that reason I do not believe it would be appropriate to publish a retraction or correction.
Despite the fact that the full context of the story provided a clearer picture of Lord Trimble’s views, the headline exaggerated his position. We apologise for the wrong impression given by our headline.
Adam Smyth
Editor Radio News // News Online
O. 02890338102 M. 07711911546
adam.smyth@bbc.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/ninews“
That’s the text of an email sent to a Wings reader by the BBC not long before the changed version of the story appeared, which DID change the “main body of the story” despite the email saying that it was accurate and gave a true picture.
Of course, there’s an obvious innocent explanation for that – the state broadcaster initially didn’t think the story was wrong (a strange conclusion to draw after Mr Trimble had so unequivocally said “I want to correct what you said… I did not say that, that is not my view”, but we’ll let that slide for a moment), but then changed its mind after Mr Smyth sent his email.
The only problem with that explanation is that the new version of the story carries the exact same “Last updated” timestamp as the version we archived on Saturday did. So what we have is a story that’s been very significantly altered, yet has a timestamp saying it hasn’t, and which BBC email records will also show hasn’t been altered.
We wish we didn’t have to make this reference so often, but that’s straight out of “1984”. The ONLY purpose of the “last updated” line is to disclose when alterations have been made. If you use that line to tell a lie, and at the same time send people emails saying you’ve stuck by the original version of your story while you’ve actually done the opposite, it looks awfully like you’re trying to rewrite history in secret.
At the time of writing, as far as we know, the BBC remains a member of the CBI.
They said that they had updated it on the 2nd of May.
Blatant lie
These ‘Last-dated’ timestamps need their own wee tab so that curious readers can check when the ‘Last-dated’ timestamp was last updated.
‘Last UPdated’. Duh…
CBI, CBI, CBI … CBI, CBI, CBI !!!
Impartial ? The BBC ? On Independence referendum ???
The most corrupt state funded media corp. in the western world currently closing down democracy in Edinburgh, Scotland.
I saw it, I reckon newsniffer would be able to put that one to bed I’ll away and check
Rev: The National Library of Scotland is ‘Collecting the Referendum’. They are looking for help in collecting items related to the referendum. From their leaflet “We can collect and archive only what we find out about, so your information now can make a real difference to how good our collection will be. After the referendum much of this unique material could be thrown out or deleted, making it too late to save.” It is so important that information from the dirtiest political campaign that I have certainly known about in this country, is preserved. Much of Scotland’s history in the past has been airbrushed to obscurity. http://www.nls.uk
They have not updated the date of the change!
1402 GMT on the 2nd May ?
Surely this should be BST which would make it 1502
I wonder if the Scottish Government will be inviting the BBC to cover the independence celebrations with the rest of the world’s press?
I like the link at the side “should the CBI be worried”, glad to see the BBC is not taking sides.
Are they trying to give the impression that they made the amendment just one hour after some “irresponsible junior editor” launched the first page?
What’s with changing,
…he believed the situation in N. Ireland was ‘stable’.
to
…he believed the current political situation was ‘stable’.
?
Cmon noo REV,if nothing else you,ve taugh us to be observant, UK/NI 1st wan NI (only) 2nt wan, dey ah win the booby prize.
Derek Bateman’s defence of the BBC is that stupidity and laziness are a better explanation of their pisspoor and bias coverage than conspiracy. He’s obviously got greater inside knowledge than me and I respect him for his previous work as a journalist and as a campaigner. That said, we’re into different territory here. This genuinely democratic process is the biggest threat to the British State since the Miners’ Strike. Remember the BBC editing the footage to make it appear as though the strikers attacked the police when in fact it was the other way around? They apologised for that too – about five years after the fact. Still, ask anyone who wasn’t politically aware or directly involved and the impression still remains of strikers attacking police – despite miners actually being cleared in court of that very thing.
They are ‘at it’!
But the real give-away (the time stamp)is that they KNOW they are ‘at it’
Anne –
Good for the NLS to start archiving information, that’s a worthwhile cause.
However, we have the WoS website. There’s no reason why this website, along with others, should not remain publicly accessible forever. All you would have to do is pay maintenance fees ( I have no idea what they would be, but surely not much.)
Imagine that, an instantly accessible library of the day to day goings on from institutions like the BBC, as evidenced in this article, here to embarrass them forever and to warn future generations of institutional manipulation.
I couldn’t think of a better legacy to leave for future generations.
They have removed the little mail icon from the amended article.
@Dr Ew
I can’t see any legitimacy in Bateman’s stance. The idea that this is not deliberate is blown out of the water when you ask a simple question: how many times does the alleged ‘stupidity and laziness’ at Pacific Quay result in a headline, an item, a programme which is favourable to independence?
The idea that people are sitting at Pacific Quay saying ‘Look, we’ve somehow become embroiled in a week-long smear on all our outlets against Alex Salmond over Vladimir Putin!’ or ‘Look, our stupidity and laziness has caused us to accidentally fabricate a No grass roots campaign!’ is beyond the realms of the farcical.
There was a potentially great story here, that a democratically held referendum could demonstrate a peaceful long-term political solution to the NI situation. Far from being divisive, an independent Scotland could serve as an inspirational template as to how constitutional change should happen. Why not write an article on that basis?
Oops sorry, forgot, Scottish independence can only be divisive, disastrous, cataclysmic etc.
The time stamps 14.02/15.02, We’re making progress then,
only a hour of differance from the GMT in London to the
North Britain hemisphere,its noo that long ago we we’re
the Brigadoon country,ffs we’ve outgrown our Jockstap
( sos lasses you,s kin sit that wan oot ).
Nice wee article in the Jewish Chronicle from someone who will be voting Yes in September
link to thejc.com
The new way to avert this crisis and those like it,would be to erase all timestamps. Watch this space.
“So what we have is a story that’s been very significantly altered, yet has a timestamp saying it hasn’t,”
That is very odd, from an information management perspective. Most systems should record what’s being done and amended automatically, as an audit trail. It shouldn’t be possible to play around with the timestamp anymore than it should with a car’s mileometer. At least not without going into the back end of the system.
I see the false story was national news whereas the “adjusted” one is now only relevant to the province of Northern Ireland
There’s a problem with assuming an all-encompassing conspiracy at the BBC.
Basically, you don’t need it, all you need it the people who control the incentives to be in on it, and they’re a much smaller group.
There have been so many studies done on how employees will very quickly adjust their behaviour to match the incentives given, even if those incentives are not blatent.
So we can treat the BBC (as a whole) as compromised, while still not treating the majority of its employees as compromised (much), after all, they’re only doing their job/following orders. (And there are some scarey experiments done on how much people will do under that guise: link to en.wikipedia.org)
I would guess that the date is the date of original publishing, and the time is the time of day of the last update.
Misleading, yes. Lying with the truth? OH YES!
What’s interesting id that they chose to change it on a Bank Holiday Monday, when they are fully aware that readership of “news” is significantly lower than on “regular” days.
@Barney Thomson
Bingo
went back to the 1st of May, no sign of the article at all, just loads on Gerry Adams. Most disappointed in newsniffer there.
Can Lord Trimble’s office be sent a copy of this Wings article?
I am sure they would be interested.
@Training Day
If Derek B is right, then what is BBC Scotland spending our money on that it cannot afford competent journalists?
A company I worked for had terrible problems with shoddy workmanship and an overhead of inspection and rectification. We changed to a system of making the whole thing in “cells” with the output traceable and the cell responsible.
Could the beeb not do the same thing and do away with the overhead of the Kenmore Quarry, the Bossyman and the whole complaints department and let the producers answer for their own faults?
The overall project fear strategy of scaremongering has developed the tactic demonstrated in this story, and repeated in the Scotsman and other union-supporting media. It is to get and maintain the inaccurate alarmist headline till discovered. Then rebuttal and grudging, partial acceptance with the hope that the general public will not notice the follow up. Repeated time and again.
Spread WOS far and wide.
A couple of BBC analysis articles …
link to newsnetscotland.com
link to newsnetscotland.com
I’m beginning think that secret meetings, briefs, conpiracies, etc., aren’t necessary to explain what we see.
A combination of a few well placed key individuals who are committed Unionists, and senior management at the heart of the British establishment are all it takes. Individuals at all levels will know what is ‘expected of them’ and act accordingly with bias. Anyone showing too much neutrality, or heaven forbid, bias to Yes, will be quietly reminded of their career prospects or even moved sidewards.
The evidence of bias is there in the output, crystal clearly, however finding a smoking gun within the organisation’s actual workings and closed ranks will be very difficult.
O/T – Something that was easier to spot than website amendment dates.
I saw a wee brown dog in Edinbugh yesterday, out for a walk with its owner.
It was wearing a nice blue doggy YES jacket.
(Everybody make sure you are all wearing your YES badges 24/7.)
There,s to many examples of Bbc Bias whenever the UK gov
wish, Derek Bateman has blotted his copybook.Bbc has been
central to many Intitutional coverups,
( Miners,Hillsbourgh,)an plenty more beside,s they are a
Corrupt Institutional Mouthpiece & have no place in a
Democratic country ie Independent Scotland, Murdoch would
be hard pushed to emulate the Bbc.
DONT PAY THE LICENCE FEE.
An interesting development with the BBC/MSM has occurred since the opinion polls started turning towards YES.
Deliberate spinning of stories/half-stories against Scottish independence has not really worked as expected. In desperation, they are now trying blatant lies and fabrication. This from our state broadcaster!
This is getting serious!
O/T but Max Keiser on RT’s Keiser Report (Freeview Channel 85) and Stacy Herbert make some strong pro Yes comments interspersed throughout the show today. Preaching to the converted probably with RT though, most no voters probably don’t know RT exists.
BTW, that bastion of free speech the Guardian has apparently run an article suggesting that RT be banned from uk tv.
This is just what you would expect of an organisation whose members were vetted by MI5, which they were, and probably still are.
I’ve said it before, but I think Derek Bateman has had an unreasonably hard time over the BBC’s problems. I think we can agree that the CBI affair is cataclysmically wrong, but it’s a decision from London, not PQ. In fact, the lack of devolution over broadcasting has meant that consistently the BBC still has an institutional regard for Holyrood as a wee pretendy parliament. The Edinburgh QT, with two non-parties in Scotland represented but only two out of six panelists being pro-independence and only one who was an MSP, is a prime example of worst ways that lens can focus their attentions. Combine that with a No campaign that feeds them good stories to churn, a (not unreasonable) bias towards challenging the people proposing the big change (“what if…” stories are easy to write but don’t work too well when it’s “what if…everything stays the same?”) and a generally Establishment mindset. I really don’t believe individual journalists are corrupt – we know the NUJ has protested the CBI decision, after all – and I’m not even convinced there’s a conscious conspiracy amongst editors and managers. What’s more likely is that the culture and conversation in the newsroom is generally somewhat dismissive of the notion of independence and that permeates into the news itself.
None of the above should be taken to mean that the BBC doesn’t have to take a long, hard look at itself over this whole issue though. The defence cartoon, the CBI and a lot of non-news department stuff (e.g. Rory the Tory’s Hoary Story) are seriously problematic. My suspicion is that it just doesn’t occur to them that these are problematic and no-one at the editorial or managerial level is checking output to assess how their neutrality is being projected. Again, their view is that the referendum campaign is not yet regulated so balance is not an imperative. On the other hand, the Euro elections (and general political discourse) DO mandate neutrality, so they’re actually obliged to give the SNP no meaningful “national” coverage outside Scotland itself and overall, the anti-independence parties are entitled to much more coverage than the Yes parties who are, by definition, a “national” minority.
If, God forbid, we are foolish enough to vote No, I think we should consider campaigning for devolution of broadcasting before we think about very much else. Without a level playing field, we’re going to have ongoing problems. It will be spun as that Alicsammin trying to turn BBC Scotland into Pravda, but the SG doesn’t need to be involved at all in the regulation. BBC Scotland just needs to be reminded that SCOTLAND IS DIFFERENT and so they need to have the autonomy to set editorial policy themselves based on Scottish needs. Why, for example, couldn’t we have Reporting Scotland as our main national news with a shorter bulletin to let us know what’s happening in England’s education, Wales’ NHS, NI’s policing and UK-wide foreign policy? The current set-up paints Scotland as a region, subsidiary to the “national” news that is almost exclusively about issues to which Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have no real connection.
“There’s a problem with assuming an all-encompassing conspiracy at the BBC.”
I haven’t done that. GA Ponsonby is excellent on the subject on Newsnet Scotland today (the link is a few comments above). His analysis is pretty close to what I imagine the reality is.
Rev these two images are from different locations. The tabs at the top right are different too, news, sport,weather, iplayer/capital and the page is located on different tabs. One is N.Ireland/northern Ireland politics drop down and the other is UK/Northern Ireland drop down.
Perhaps it was always different in these two locations!
“Rev these two images are from different locations.”
No. Same page. Go to the archive version for the original and it tells you the address it’s archived from. Paste that address into the address bar and you get the current one.
@magicpants 11:07am
is this the Guardian report?
link to theguardian.com
There were a couple of rebuttal letters a few days later
link to theguardian.com
When dawn breaks on the 19th September and people wake up to the fact that there has been a resounding YES vote how many of BBC Scotlands Staff will decide that their future lies outside the propaganda industry ? Do you think that any of them will actually return to journalism? and how many will trot out the “I was only obeying orders” excuse?
If I were to be on the board of the new Scottish Broadcaster I would have no truck with any of them. They should also remember that the media industry in Scotland will be fairly small and there will only be room for people with standards.
We should have a sections that deals only with the BBC, and MSM separately, update with new additions on every outrage.
So that we will have an easy identifiable section on each separately that can be easily viewed by all visitors.
They would be archived also, so there is always a copy that cannot be got at.
Easy links to these on the front page, maybe it would make the indisputable point of the bias we encounter, and the failings of these entities.Just saying!
Sorry to go OT but here’s the real story of today for folk who don’t already know.
link to scotsman.com
Seems like the debate has “advanced” even further.
‘We’ll put out a lie and have a correction handy incase we get caught. Just make sure the correction hints at the original lie.
O/T how do I get a snazzy profile pic? I could never be arsed with space invaders.
I stand corrected Rev, just trying to see the positive in everyone.
Does anyone else here think that the BBC is being set up? The Tories are willing to sacrifice it as a price worth paying and, hey, once it is discredited, it’s reputation ruined, they can justify selling it off to their rich chums, for the lowest price. Hurrah, win-win all round. As long as they can con the Scottish public into voting no, that’s all that matters right now.
And as for these SLab numpties at Pacific Quay (the fools), they are being played, do they really think their job is safe after they have sold their grannies to help secure a no vote? Of course not. The labour mafia at BBC Scotland will be tolerated only as long as there is a risk of Scotland leaving the union and as long as they are willing to fight on the same team as the Government in London. In the event of a no vote, with a general election looming, the Labour Loyal at PQ will be out on their ears in an instant, ironically charges of corruption and bias will be enough to prevent any employment tribunals from getting in the way of the mass sackings.
Orwell can also be credited with the “striver” meme.
“a land of peace, and of plenty; a land of harmony and hope. This is our land: Oceania. These are our people: the workers, the strivers, the builders.”
and the need for perpetual war:
“it does not matter if the war is not real, or when it is, that victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won. It is meant to be continuous. The essential act of modern warfare is the destruction of the produce of human labour. A hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. In principle, the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects, and its object is not victory over Eurasia or Eastasia, but to keep the very structure of society intact.”
and with the power of the media to shape thought:
“Power is tearing human minds apart and putting them back together in new shapes of your own choosing.”
Time to resist the brainwashing?
Lesley Riddoch also addressing BBC Referendum coverage over at Newsnet…
link to newsnetscotland.com
“Does anyone else here think that the BBC is being set up?”
I’ve long suspected Labour are being set up. And they appear to be linked to the media up here in a big way.
It’s not useful to introduce the word ‘conspiracy’, implying some sort of clandestine manoeuvring by a secret cadre within the poor old innocent BBC. This is open, in-yer-face, campaigning. The BBC News is broadcast political pamphleteering.
Consider. There must be editorial meetings before each news broadcast is put together. Stories are discussed, and a lead story and running order chosen. This process is explicit and above board. Clearly someone is suggesting – each and every day – that the lead story should be whatever smears Salmond, the SNP or the Yes campaign. And a special rule applies to these stories: they need not be checked for accuracy. Others around the table must nod in agreement.
I’m afraid the idea that there is some other process that gives rise to uniform Unionist propaganda by a most unfortunate chance, and which BBC journalists are too stupid to notice (despite being buried in so many public complaints that they are too embarrassed to put a number on them) strains credulity beyond breaking point.
Sorry galamcennalath, I just noticed you’re post of that very article…oops!
‘your’…even.
Thanks for that Bugger – it is a really good wee article.
As quite a few people above have mentioned the timestamp is wrong but what they missed was if the timestamp had been updated to the time of correction the story would have beem bumped to the top of the news stories at the time of update, more people would have got to read the story and realised the BBC had made an error.The BBC would probably had to issue an apology with the story to explain the bump.
By not changing the timestamp it’s been buried.
anyone catch the BBC news on sunday and their coverage of the Sunday Herald jumping ship and openly supporting a “YES” vote the news reader went to BBC Scotland for comment my oh my they missed a opportunity there the comment from the scotch person should have seen her with the usual sack cloth & ashes stuff when reporting a bit of good news for the “YES” camp this would have set the scene because she went on to do everything to talk down and more or less rubbish this news that they were obliged to report ,as all other news outlets were on it, she even dug up circulation figures to back up her sneering report more or less nothing to see here good old aunty on the ball as usual
Vote No BBC isn’t interested in Yes vote opinion. Their income stream is assured by law but as discussed on WoS a while back, all they are doing in Pacific Quay is watching the polls and keeping the NO vote in line. It works too as I have heard their vote NO or else stuff parroted around this workplace everyday, including their threats of violence like this very unpleasant pack of BBC lies over Trimble.
Completely OT but I have just found 2 Thomas Paine quote which I wish to share,
I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.
Thomas Paine
and.
“Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
Thomas Paine”
Kind of perfect eh?
Vronsky
I’m afraid the idea that there is some other process that gives rise to uniform Unionist propaganda by a most unfortunate chance.
You’ve never worked at the BBC, have you? Or if you have, temporarily, or short-term contract, never sat in an executive meeting.
Some of the things you pin-point go <nem con. Why? Because they’re the very foundation of the BBC’s culture.
No one needs to discuss outcomes openly – objectives are already agreed as policy, that pressure laid on executive shoulders from above, and in turn laid on the shoulders of those below, the foot soldiers who follow orders.
Taught to believe the BBC is “the best broadcaster in the world” they learn arrogance early, and tend to respond to complaints as if insulted. Listeners are as “punters.”
Grouse Beater
Former BBC Executive
@Vronsky,
I was about to say that Derek had a point, now I’m not so sure. Fair comment. Just to say though, it’s a complicated argument.
Vronsky
It’s not useful to introduce the word ‘conspiracy’
You have not worked for the BBC, have you. Or if you have, then only in a minor capicity, perhaps short-term contract.
Executive meetings have no need to discuss conspiratorial outcomes. The cultural is part and parcel of their training and the pressure laid upon them by senior colleagues, house policity, which they in turn lay upon the shoulders of their junior staff.
Conformity is the watchword.
When told the BBC is the “the best broadcasting company in the world” you do not question that belief nor the BBC’s ethos or ethics, processes, nors culture.
Thus you respond to viewer complaints with a degree of in-built arrogance, the viewer a nuisance or misled. One might deploy all the learning one has to explain why the viewer is wrong, but it isn’t an apology, and it doesn’t alter the process internally. It is merely PR.
On major political isues there is Special Branch and MI5 to placate. Some of the journalists around the table atre MI5 and MI6.
There is “no conspiracy” as you call it because what is done is natural, on behalf of the British establishment.
@ Oui Things – The link for the Gravatar change was in 2013 Off Topic but cant find it now. However if you go to
link to wordpress.com
You can Get Started there, just follow the instructions and have a picture/photo ready.
Why WordPress? This forum is linked to WordPress so once you do the business there then your Gravatar will change.
Sorry Stuart – delete the first post at 12.10. It got cut off at my end of the line as if deleted. Many thanks.
Another wee victory this morning.
Well done to everyone again. Really looking forward to it and hope it is a success.
link to kickstarter.com
One other thing to note. The original was highlighted and linked to both the Scottish and NI news websites. The corrected version is not readily visible anywhere – you have to search for it.
The truth is just to be buried as it is “old news” from the 2nd of May.
Alba4Eva says:
Hi, a brilliant intro, now I can’t wait to see it! Great.
If the EBC were on trial in any court in this country would the evidence available be sufficient to convict them of bias? For NO and against YES.
Answer. GUILTY! On both charges. That is my honest opinion.
Sentence: banned from reporting news, disbandment of the news department.
BBC Question Time. When the programme comes from rUK (9 times out of 10) there is usually an all Unionist panel. Unionist politicians discussing the issues of the day in Unionist language and offering their Unionist views and solutions. In Scotland there is an alternative narrative concerning the issues of the day!
Is it not reasonable to suggest for balance, when Question Time comes to Scotland there should only be pro-Independence panelists?
I’m not being totally serious here, but is that suggestion really any worse than us having having the 90%-ish Unionist only episodes?
Perhaps a more reasonable demand would be to get Question Time banned when the panel isn’t balanced in the run up to the Referendum!
link to bbc.co.uk Eleanor Bradford, another BBC in Scotland scourge of the Scottish NHS and SNP Scots.gov. BBC Vote NO cunning plan, undermine confidence in Scottish health care. Newsnet had a report on how BBC NHS freedom of information requests are normally around ten a year but as soon as SNP Scots.gov were elected, their FOI’s on the NHS shot up to over 110 a year or a month or something like it.
Eleanor’s also building a house in Strath Spey, “small cottage ” sorry.
link to homebuilding.co.uk
@Grouse Beater
“On major political issues there is Special Branch and MI5 to placate. Some of the journalists around the table are MI5 and MI6.”
Thanks Grouse Beater – that explains a lot – “Enemies of the State”.
In nearly every other EU country, manipulation of the truth to suit a political aim is illegal. If this was Germany, Finland or Ireland, the BBC would be shut down.
After Independence we are going to see a totally different and truthful take on world politics aswell as the politics at home.
heedtracker
I have a theory that Bradford is getting paid by Labour and fed “exposes” as well as the beeb.
Thanks Grouse Beater – that explains a lot
You’re welcome.
(Apologies for rushed post, sent walking between offices.)
People have short memories.
They forget BBC Scotland Controllers, Alastair Milne, and Hetherington were removed – swiftly – when they demanded greater autonomy, fiscal, and programmes editorially.
When Special Branch discovered the Zircon Spy Satellite documentary was about to be broadcast by BBC Scotland, they removed the recorded tapes before transmission, (BBC gave token resistance) Thatcher having denied such a spy-in-the-sky satellite existed, or was every funded by the taxpayer.
We also forget BBC Scotland promised to set up a major studio in Edinburgh to coincide with the new Parliament, was given the land cheap from the city council, whereupon they reneged on the deal, sold the land for many millions of pounds, (now a cinema complex) returned not a penny to the council, and skedaddled off to Glasgow where they reside in their vast annual interest earning mausoleum.
Controllers since are a “safe pair of hands.”
As someone said previously, a nice wee tab on the site, especially for the BBC. No shortage of stuff from here, Newsnet and Prof Robertson and we can be sure there are lots more to come from our state broadcaster.
Hope the Rev has a disaster recovery plan and backup copies of everything on this site as the British State must really hate it.
@ goldenayr, here’s the Newsnet report from Aug last year and oor Eleanor has a fantastic NHS FoI request work rate, from practically the day SNP took office, national and local too. It’s a like whistle blown for kick off. Fair enough it’s great to have a such a dogged newshound relentlessly er, newsifying how shite Scotland is at health care and how we should all vote no and keep paying for the world’s best ever broadcaster etc
link to newsnetscotland.com
The misleading “headline” could be put down to an institutional and inbuilt bias at the BBC. If you are charitably inclined and prepared to accept that then there is no conspiracy. However, the “timestamp” is different. That is clearly a calculated and deliberate misrepresentation of the truth. The “timestamp” didn’t default to what was published; it wasn’t a lazy oversight, it couldn’t be anything other than willful, purposeful and premeditated.
The question should be asked:
Why did BBC Scotland renege on its Edinburgh studios (producing drama as well as news) and withdraw to Glasgow?
Because they were informed the Parliament would always be small beer, probably not permanent.
Allocating a major studio enterprise nearby was tantamount to reinforcing in the public mind Scotland was on its way to independence.
“BBC Bias” and “BBC Be Damned” at grousebeater.wordpress
I think that the gist of Derek’s article though, was that there is bias, just that it wasn’t some ‘conspiracy theory’ I think he’s right on that point.It’s willful, but the origins can be more complicated than we think.
@ iheartscotland says:
It is willful – it is institutional, it is commercially based too, but make no misake, it is a joint decision based on internal prejudices, and notions of statehood.
O/T but its all Europe after all…..is this really allowed?
Ms Davidson said the party, which won one Scottish seat in the last European Parliament election, would appear on the ballot paper as: “Scottish Conservatives – No to Independence”.
Maybe the BBC is full of unionists and Labourites?
I wish the BBC good luck collecting their licence fee from nearly half the Scottish population the event of a NO vote.
Or wives / husbands / partners thereof ? It’s a community within themselves. And don’t care for outsiders like Derek etc….
iheartscotland says:
Er Maybe!!
Maybe the BBC is full of unionists and Labourites
Only staff working to programme policy, ethos, and London HQ strict diktat.
With few exceptions, such as local news, all programme proposals – that’s all departments – must be submitted to London for approval or rejection. Many never reach that stage because memos state London is already making the programme idea, or one similar, or wishes none produced.
The more I read about the BBC the more curious I became. The BBC has a Mission and Values section on their website:
link to bbc.co.uk
Here is one of their values:
“We are one BBC: great things happen when we work together.”
I would suggest that embraces the Better Together ethos, and the Labour Party One Nation concept. All of these are not in the best interests of the people of Scotland.
The BBC also has many policies, but this one stands out for me:
BBC Declaration of Personal Interests Policy.
link to downloads.bbc.co.uk
It has a definition: High standards of objectivity, integrity, fairness and honesty must characterise the BBC’s relationship with the outside world.
So the BBC acknowledges they are different to us earthlings.
The BBC has some Purpose Priorities
link to bbc.co.uk
The BBC Trust, after public consultation, has divided this remit into five specific priorities:
“The first one is to Provide independent journalism of the highest quality.”
Hmm..that’s questionable.
So, they have priorities with a purpose. Compare that to SLAB slogan, “Powers with a Purpose”
The BBC are out of control.
How does BBC Scotland fulfill its mandatory quota of independent productions?
Not well, but what it does manage it manages slyly.
It imports productions from London registered companies and calls them Scottish productions. Why?
I can tell you.
“Because there isn’t sufficient producing talent in Scotland.”
Quote – unquote.
Even if that assertion were true – it most certainly is NOT – it remains a self-fulfilling prophesy. No commissions for indigenous talent, no opportunity to develop skills.
@Les,
Forgot the sarcastic smiley thing.I do realise how inbred they are. 🙂
@Grouse Beater
Enjoyed all your posts on this subject. Intriguing stuff from a former insider. Keep them coming.
Are there still folk paying the propaganda tax?
O/T, but I thought folk might need cheering up.
link to tradeunionsforyes.net
@ Democracy Reborn
Enjoyed all your posts on this subject. Intriguing stuff from a former insider. Keep them coming.
Thank you.
I find Bateman’s analysis too tame, too conciliatory, probably respectful of colleagues. I was brought straight into the BBC at 35 – still rebellous, still subversive, privy to what the BBC was up to in Scotland – diminution of funds and staff, drama reduced to a rump subject to HQ approval, constraints on UK-wide transmissions, removal of education department, one of the oldest UK department, tasked with promoting Scottish history and culture – and I saw first hand its “processes” for Northern Ireland, as well as London’s unwavering attitude to “the provinces.”
If you detect barely supressed anger – you are correct!
(I like your moniker.)
O/T but interesting.. The Lesser Spotted Flipper, may be making and appearance soon (Yes Haddington, posted this on FB…)
Yes Haddington
I learned a couple of days ago that Alistair Darling MP and Chairman of Better Together will be taking part in a referendum debate with Jim Eadie MSP (SNP) for Edinburgh Southern. This is happening on Thursday the 8th of May; 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Craiglockhart Parish Church, Craiglockhart Drive North, Edinburgh, EH14 1HS.
Given the overall reluctance of Better Together to actually debate the question of independence; any one in or near Edinburgh should take advantage of Alistair Darling taking part in an actual public debate. I sure we all have loads of questions for him. Please spread the details to those in Edinburgh.
….
I think it started off with a few biassed people in a few key positions.
Those who spoke out were assigned less newsworthy tasks and so got less exposure, so when promotions or other plum jobs came up, their names were not on the list.
After a while the attitudes are entrenched and the biassed culture is ingrained.
I wonder how many of those who left signed non-disclosure agreements. Can we do an FOI or is it standard practice?
Grouse Beater.
Liked all your posts,very revealing. It is a very sad reflection on our society when our public service broadcaster can not be trusted. Hopefully this will change after Sep 18.
@Grouse Beater,
A nation needs to hear it’s own voice, that’s why almost every small nation (or even France and Germany) supports it’s own film and television industry. We need our stories told
@ CameronB Other cheery news, Aberdeenshire council have lifted their ban on Scotland flags on “their” property. There is still no Saltires anywhere on any Aberdeen City council property currently owned by SLab cooncillor Wullie Young. Oddly enough Jamie Oliver’s restaurant on Union Street has at least two big Saltires outside. Irony alert!
Imagine a Scotland where noone can tell us to take down our nation’s flag?! Sigh.
Also, that Oliver restaurant is great food and pretty good value, especially for a lot of kids, who think Jamie is actually cooking their lunch.
link to archive.today rule Britannia, for but a few more weeks.
There can be no doubt, save for personal denials, that the BBC is wholly, deliberately & egregiously biased & corrupt. Spare me the pathetic budget cut excuses. This corporation receives over £300 million EVERY year, from Scotland alone. Compare the blatant lies & misleading copy to the painfully accurate & researched work of Rev. Stuart Campbell, a bloody one man blog, working out of his living room/office. And funded not by the threat of jail time but by good will.
The images in this segment, may appear to some, to be a minor detail. Excluded for context, they are. But they are but one item of evidence that continues to reveal repeated, concerted propaganda delivered to convince the BBC audience to reject independence.
It does this by regularly smearing the office of First Minister. In doing so, it smears everyone who voted for the party that was democratically given the authority to do so. So if you voted SNP, then the BBC is treating you like a brainless half wit.
I’ve worked inside corrupt companies. Folks are right. There isn’t a secret book or a manual that tells you how to behave or toe the line or do what you need to do to keep you job or hell, even get promoted. Insidious organisations don’t operate like that. It’s much more sophisticated. Learned behaviour, group think, visual & audible cues, authoritarian directives are some of the mechanisms for achieving corrosive, destructive, cult like behaviour.
So if one dares to speak up, fail to keep on message or criticise, the repercussions are usually swift & decisive. One can forget about job security & career progressions. And if working in a small sector, the fear of losing remuneration plays heavily in the minds of those wondering if its time to make one’s true concerns known.
This is how the BBC gets away with its institutional corruption. And for those of you who don’t work there, well there always the threat of jail time for those who think not paying the license fee might make the BBC sit up & take notice.
Thus, it disregards complaints once you can be arsed jumping through its complicated procedures & you never achieve recourse. Its designed like that from within to protect what goes on inside.
The public have been brain washed by this corporation for decades. The comfort of watching natural history programs or period dramas masks the shocking structural & behavioural norms inside.
So when folks like Bateman & other apologists attempt to make excuses for the BBC, I’m not only unimpressed, I’m shocked at the naivety of supposedly educated people who should know better.
It’s refreshingly open blogs like this & Newsnet Scotland which despite its awkward editorial control, that seeks to reveal the truth by pointing out the fact based evidence to prove that the BBC is truly rotten from top to bottom & right into its core.
Thanks Archie [not Erchie]
@GrouseBeater 2:09
He does have a BBC pension and has probably signed a confidentiality contract as part of the parting package.
He is sailing close to the line and maybe that is what appears to be holding him back?
@ Grouse Beater 2.09pm
Again, v.interesting.
From what you say, the sub-text of the BBC’s approach could be crystallised as ‘lie down and be a region again’?
Agree with you re Bateman. Lots of respect for the guy & I enjoy reading his posts. But there comes a point when the evidence in front of you is so overwhelming, that it strains credulity to breaking point simply to attribute the bias to lack of resources or such like.
O/T but if you know any undecided and believers in the ‘union’, you should show them this – picked it up from the Rev’s twitter.
link to youtube.com
We need our stories told
I agree completely – that’s why I arrived with my Los Angeles company colleagues, $1 million in investment, two films, two television series, and one animation set up, some productions, after due meetings there with Donny Munro and others, to be established on Skye and got …
… a 20 minute interview.
I had already met over lunch the man I used to know, now Controller. After the customary tour of the new building – an outsider would never know by its lifeless, cold architecture it was a “creative” company – I heard him say as he shook my hand:
” If we turn down your proposals, I hope you won’t go to the poress.”
I replied, “Are you telling me you don’t have a veto?”
And I was right.
Worth another read on this subject:
link to opendemocracy.net
@Grouse Beater – it’s a goddam shame that more folk don’t know that.
This is of course deliberate to prove to the natives that we are a talentless bunch.
Of course BBC Londinium always has a token Jock and other minority groups but god help you if you get above your station.
The same happened with the film studio that Sean Connery tried to get set up in Scotland.
Also the money – our money – spent on the Premiership – the ‘best’ league in the world, compared to the crumbs chucked at Scottish football, is another case in point.
@ Panda
He [has] a BBC pension and probably signed a confidentiality contract as part of the parting package.
I have neither, having forsaken the pension, and refused to sign the Official Secrets Act.
I left a few years before Bateman and so have less loyalty to good, decent staff, (foot soldiers) trying to do their best. In the end you have to choose: change for the greater good or loyalty to past acquaintances. Clearly, I did not choose for my own benefit.
There is much that is of quality about the BBC but it doesn’t translate to Scotland’s needs.
This post checked for identity clues by GHSQ
I loathe the BBC, they’re openly biased, after independence a good clear out is required, as we start afresh with the SBC.
O/T
Looking at the Daily Records politics page I actually thought it was the Telegraphs Scottish politics page ,with just about every story an anti independence or we hate Alex Salmond story.
No mention of the £10 million quid wasted on the inquiry of the disgusting Iraq war, forced upon Scots by the Daily Records party, Labour, nor the countless lives lost to boot.
link to dailyrecord.co.uk
An interesting article in the Belfast Telegraph, as NI could suffer if Scotland gains independence, according to the Telegraph, but, NI residents are even more worried about the UK leaving the EU, under Westminster rule.
link to belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Well done Paul Flynn MP. there is at least one labour MP who still has principals and a backbone.
Wales should be proud of him much respect to Paul Flynn.
Unlike our spineless labour MPs who are the lowest of the low and sold out their principals, if they ever had any, and destroyed the Labour Party in the process.
@Archie[not Erchie] trying out your advice on gravatars
@ Grouse Beater
So good to hear some of the inside story on the BBC. I wondered when Alistair Milne was evicted by Thatcher whether there was some dark practice going on. The issue with Greg Dyke was much more obvious during the Iraq War and Andrew Gilligan’s report and the David Kelly death. Nasty stuff. I once (in the 70s!) read a BBC booklet advising potential writers not to touch Scottish History themes as they wouldn’t be broadcast. Disapproval of the “Scottish Kailyard” you see. Kail is quite fashionable now though.
Pennies may be slowly dropping about Grouse Beater here. Or on the other hand I could be completely wrong….
Political situation and current political situation stable is the only differences I have spotted but that was a two second glance Rev
@Capella
I wondered when Alistair Milne was evicted by Thatcher whether there was some dark practice going on
Yes. Indeed, he was forced out, a combination of BBC mandarins and Thatcher.
Milne wrote about it on retirement. Am too busy to check exact remark, but his cri de coeur was: “Such ugly, brutal people.”
Later, he wrote dismissing Birt’s – “Mr Armani Man’s” bead counting setting one department against another, peppering the place with middle-management who create nothing, as “A load of balls.”
I once (in the 70s!) read a BBC booklet advising potential writers not to touch Scottish History themes as they wouldn’t be broadcast. Kailyard?
Much depends on whose hands the material is in for adaptation. But kailyard was the public excuse. (They are making a movie now of “Sunset Song.” Kailyard? No!)
Our novelists are respected worldwide, and sell worldwide. Only Rowling gets screenplays made of her books, Rankin sporadically.
I think one of the main problems with BBC’s output is it has copied US commercial television in content, subject matter, standards, and presentation. Death, in my opinion.
It sells hamburgers, same as everyone else on the block, only it claims its hamburgers are the best on the block.
RTtv ch85 Keiser Report Episode 597:
Today’s RT program inspired by Tommy Sheridan.
Tommy’s tweeting RT’s Keiser Report’s Stacy Herbert.
Well done oor Tommy, more grist to the mill.
In this episode of the Keiser Report, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert discuss the Scottish Independence movement by looking at some English politics and economics facts, some in Scotland are against.
quote1: 3minutes in, Max Keiser’s direct quote “As far as the economy goes……given the size of Scotland and its economic potential it could be highest GDP per capita in the world, higher than Qatar.”
quote2: 27minutes in, Stacy Herbert’s direct quote: “That’s our episode about Scottish Independence, if you want to see the OTHER side look at BBC, all UK media are against Scotlands Independence.”
quote3: 27:40 minutes in, Max Keiser’s direct quote: “Scotland as Independent State could be highest GDP per capita in the world, just need to take that step.”
ps:
RTt3 Keiser Report repeated today at 17:30pm.
Programs can be seen archived on RT.com.
pps:
Max Keiser US stock broker, hedge fund founder, financial pundit, co-founder Hollywood Stock Exchange.
Stacy Herbert US tv presenter, producer, writer.
Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert are married couple.
Keiser Report:
Markets! Finance! Scandal! ‘Keiser Report’ is a no holds barred look at the shocking scandals behind the global financial headlines. Max Keiser and co-host Stacy Herbert lift the lid on world economics.
Papadox
I have just posted a couple of things on next thread.
Shows the video of the bust up in the committee room. Our old pal Mr Roy in attendance. He is also lap dog on Chairman Davidson’s committee for talking down Scotland.
@kenny
It is part of the BBC’s role to de-emphasise and erode the political differences between the countries that make up the UK in the interests of the Westminster elite.
Autonomy of broadcasting risks those interests and so cannot be allowed to happen at more than a superficial level.
MD
It is part of the BBC’s role to de-emphasise and erode the political differences between the countries that make up the UK in the interests of the Westminster elite.
The official recognition of Scotland by the BBC is … it is “a province.”
You can imagine how long I stared at that memo dumbstruck when I received it.
That’s a key reason BBC Scotland has shown itself so utterly unprepared for the Referendum, the grass roots movement behind it, and its consequences.
The first thing I noticed about the two BBC webpages was the change in the Menu bar.
The left webpage shows the Home Nations under the UK tab; on the right webpage the Home Nations have been promoted to their own tab.
What’s weirder is that although Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have sub-tabs when you click on each tab (Northern Ireland only showing 1 politics sub-tab, but Scotland and Wales also split regionally); there are no sub-tabs for England.
Its as if the BBC have suddenly been told to focus on the Home Nations other than England AND they have to treat England as one unit with no regional division.
A bit weird.
On-topic, with a wee twist – want to see how many people actively engage in posts other than the most recent.
Was curious about the etymology of the hashtag #newsnicht any why it was chosen – didn’t find the answer to that, but did discover (this is news to me, apologies if it’s not for anybody else) that Newsnight Scotland is being axed this month in favour of “Scotland 2014” which… er, basically looks like it will be the same. Presumably this is essentially a rebranding exercise the BBC is going through to distinguish Scottish political matters. We still get English Newsnight.
Of course, with Paxman retiring it won’t be the same anyway. I know he’s not exactly the blue-eyed poster boy for the Yes campaign,, but there’s no doubt he’s been entertaining over the years – especially when his intergalactic condescending sneer is fired at Westminster politicians.
I’m also curious about what will happen after a Yes vote in terms of Scottish programming. Yes, we’ll set up the “SBC” in place of the EBC and likely enough most of the inhabitants of PQ (the ones not in a gigantic huff) will simply move over (or they might just change the sign above the door and everyone will go to work as normal). What I’m really asking though is what will the culture be like? What kind of programming might we expect? Certainly I think there would need to be a change to reflect the political mood and aspirations of a freshly independent nation – but what exactly might that look like? Answers on a postcard if anybody has ideas and/or comedic comments in this direction…
Here is a copy archived on the 4th of May clearly still showing it was last updated at 14:02 GMT on 2 May 2014
link to evernote.com
And while we’re archiving:
link to flickr.com
collates various Yes & Naw images relating to the referendum.
[…] today, I started thinking it would be about bias having read that the BBC has yet again caught distorting truth into an anti-independence lie, even as it tried to cover up it’s corruption and claim it had done nothing of the sort. It […]
The BBC? Conscious propaganda? Surely not.
“In 2006, BBC1 and BBC2 showed 15 programmes with the word “Britain” or “British” in the title. Last year they showed 516.”
link to standard.co.uk
@RogueCoder –
Don’t know if this will be of any use, but FWIW, I want to see a national broadcaster which is capable of accommodating the work of writers/poets like James Kelman, Tom Leonard, Agnes Owens, Kathleen Jamie, and actively encourages new writers by guaranteeing mass-media exposure.
If they can allow space for veteran artists? that will encourage others. As things stand, we have entire generations of serious, mature artists going to their graves without anyone (outside the tiny urban bubbles) noticing or caring. And it’s all because these artists are not ‘on-message’ with the whole corporate neo-liberal shite that the MSM outfits have been coerced into promoting/believing.
These same arguments have been raging for the past century and we seem to make so little progress. MacDiarmid did his bit, but ended up falling-out with everyone. Kelman did his bit, and ended up getting dogs abuse from the MSM in his own country, even when he won the ‘Booker’. TBH, I don’t know why anyone in their right mind would want to be an artist of any kind in Scotland right now, but it’s a measure of the commitment and confidence of these people that they just keep going regardless.
When we vote Yes – and we will – it’s all up for grabs, and you’re right to ask the question. The problem is that ANY serious acknowledgement of unorthodox thought/art, in any medium, seems less likely now than at any time in my life (and I’m 50) – I just can’t imagine (or maybe I just can’t remember?!) what that feels like.
We’ve been drowning in liquid shite for decades. Voting Yes will help us at least break the surface and get some fresh air, but after that…?
I hope you get some decent responses, and sorry if mine appears negative, but I’ve been in and about the ‘art/lit’ business too long – as it stands, it bores and depresses me. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens, but not expecting to see any significant change to the status quo for many years – too many bed-bugs in the framework, and they’ll never shift unless someone takes a flame-thrower to the whole fucking thing.
What the BBC does in Scottish politics is indefensible and unforgivable.
The BBC IS the leader of the No campaign.
Heavens forbid, but if there is a No vote on 18th September, it will be the BBC that won it.
Just as all YES voters should be united in support of Alex Salmond against the concerted and vicious smear campaign against him, they should be united in opposition to what the BBC is doing to democracy in Scotland.
BBC apologists like Derek Bateman should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
If he has any sense and is a true supporter of YES, Derek Bateman should not mention the BBC at all in any of his articles because he is obviously biased in the matter.
In these fraught times,I really hope the BBCs motto doesnt have a high irony factor these days, hmmm 🙂
link to en.wikipedia.org
Can anyone explain why the impartial BBC is saturating Scotland with programmes about the creation of the UK, the Georgians, the arrival of the Hanoverian kings, the role of Balmoral in the queen’s life etc? All propaganda to support the No campaign.
Presumably there is a major documentary series about Scotland’s independent traditions still to be announced to maintain impartiality. A major Bannockburn programme to be broadcast on 28 June perhaps?
Incidentally Lucy Worsley must gather the Yes campaign 1000 votes every time she appears.
Tory Lord Patten, was very very very quiet at the BBC !
I thought the Torys would clear out the UK Labour’s trolls.
Nothing, very strange.
Must’ve been beneficial to the Tories and Libs, to keep the BBC’s Labour management, personnel inplace! Can’t figure it out.
In the real world business world, I’ve seen companies put their own people in place, getting rid of incumbents.
Political parties put their own people into all influential public-funded organisations management. This is the norm. Nothing said nothing reported!
These people have proven loyalty to the party, and self-starters not requiring spoonfed daily political instructions!
Just like at the BBC!
And just like political parties, when taking over a government! They appoint they’re own. Nothings ever said!
If the party loyalist are good loyalists they get financially rewarded by the mechanism called House Of Lords. At £330 per day, making £75,000 per year minimum for doing nothing!.
With that type of money on offer, most party hacks and unscrupulous types would toe the party line, regardless of right or wrong.
Not good for Democracy! Very bad for Democracy!