When nobody’s watching
Yesterday, whatever the merits of the actual decision involved, we saw an admirable attitude to transparency and accountability from NHS Greater Glasgow And Clyde in their handling of our Freedom Of Information request about the renaming of the South Glasgow University Hospital. An extremely comprehensive response arrived promptly and without any attempts at evasion.
Today was different, because today we were dealing with the BBC.
Our request couldn’t have been more straightforward or reasonable. All we wanted to know were the most recent available viewing/listening figures for two programmes we pay for, in order to ascertain how successfully they’re reaching the Scottish public.
The BBC, however, has a culture of flatly refusing almost any FOI request, citing the same exemption every time: that the information sought is “held for the purposes of journalism, art or literature”. This is meaningless waffle at the best of times, but in relation to viewing figures it’s entirely nonsensical.
You don’t need to know your viewing figures in order to go and interview John Swinney or Kezia Dugdale. The content of that interview should not be affected by how many people you expect to be watching it. If you’re making a current-affairs show the size of your audience is not “closely associated with these creative activities”. People knowing the viewing figures does not impact on your editorial independence.
We suspect we know why the BBC doesn’t want us to know the stats for Scotland 2015 especially. A little over a year ago, within days of its launch, it was recording figures as low as 22,000 viewers a night. (The BBC is so hardwired to automatically refuse any FOI request that it didn’t even divulge those as the “most recent figures available”, even though they’re already in the public domain.)
Since the refusal to answer this query is so obviously ridiculous and unjustifiable, we’ll be pursuing it with the Information Commissioner. (The BBC itself, unlike most bodies subject to FOI, has no appeal process.) We’re not holding our breath, though. Merely being the people who pay for the state broadcasting service, under penalty of law, doesn’t seem to entitle Scots to even the simplest of answers about its activities.
[…] Yesterday, whatever the merits of the actual decision involved, we saw an admirable attitude to transparency and accountability from NHS Greater Glasgow And Clyde in their handling of our Freedom Of Information request about the renaming of the South Glasgow University Hospital. An extremely comprehensive response arrived promptly and without any attempts at evasion.Today was different, because today we were dealing with the BBC. […]
Well said Rev-
I thought as much myself – gave up on this Labour Unionist Sycophant show ages ago.
Sole purpose appears to be to the rehabilitation of Labour North Britain.
No significance to; or reflection of the current Scottish political landscape at all except for LNB
Would like to know the viewing figs.
What happened to ‘Hate a drink’ from Newsnight Scotland – he was at least good ‘shouty / talkover’ comedy value 🙂
I only have Scotland 2015 on as audio wallpaper, while I’m pursuing more interesting endeavours on my Mac.
Sometimes, for a bit of excitement, I change the channel to Scotland Tonight.
I watched some of this last night for about the third time since it started, mainly since Scotland Tonight isn’t on just now. Alf Young actually quoted Wings over Scotland poll a while back stating that social attitudes between Scotland and England are largely similar.
As a matter of comparison you should send similar request to Channel 4, which is also a public broadcaster owned (for the time being) by us the taxpayer funded by advertising.
For audience figures for Channel 4 News at 7pm
See what they say, and if they are forthcoming then hold that up as a comparison 🙂
The information you requested Rev, must be getting kept in an underground vault and guarded by the SAS as they are too sensitive for public viewing.
Don,t these people know who pays their wages. Roll on independence
“held for the purposes of journalism, art or literature”
Current affairs isn’t ‘art or literature’, so that leaves ‘journalism’.
And, it’s a good few years since there has been much ‘journalism’ at BBC Scotland!
It’s political. They know it, we know it. The only purpose of these programmes is anti SNP/SG/Indy propaganda. All info and statistics relating to these activities is going to be hidden.
BBC: The smugness before the fall.
The BBC does this all the time – it does not answer the question asked.
I sometimes put in a complaint when I can be bothered to see what nonsense they will come up with this time – I live in a household which pays the license as I can’t persuade the others to stop.
The last one I put in was one raised on WoS re Kirsty Wark allowing Murphy to get away with the biggest party…..and specifically complaint about KW’s inability to question him.
First response – K was just trying to explain what he was on about.
Second level response – newsnight has had several different programmes discussing the possible outcomes of the GE.
IOW – waffle
The
Freedom Of Information?
From the BBC? hahahahhahhahaha s’no funny!
The BBC deal ONLY in disinformation with a sprinkling of Unicorns.
Fact.
It’s as ridiculous as it is annoying. I pay for this service and I’d like to know.
Disinformation
noun
false information which is intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by a government organization to a rival power or the media.
Yes, I am pissed off!
The BBC is at war with the people who pay for it and this letter is the equivalent of name, rank and serial number.
To say more would open them to other questioning, and even accountability.
I took this issue up with the UK Information Commissioner over a year ago, without success. The Commissioner ducks it on the grounds that English court judgments have provided the BBC with a very generous interpretation of “the purposes of journalism, art or literature” to hide behind. It has been interpreted to mean almost anything the BBC does, thus providing it with effective exemption from the provisions of FoI legislation, which cannot have been the intention of Parliament. The legislation needs to be changed. The 56 should look for opportunities to address this.
weird little company.
I actually watched an episode of that drivel the other night when they were talking about the ‘problem’ of immigration with regards to the Calais debacle.
The SNP spokesperson gave facts and figures to back up their argument that the British Govt (in the form of T. May) has been telling the public that Calais is ‘under control’ for well over a year now when it patently isn’t.
Then that crazy UKIP guy Coburn went off on an ‘SNP BAD’ rant and Sarah Smith just let him waffle on, smirking all the while. No balance at all – as expected.
They should rename the show to ‘North Britain 2015’.
They are betting on 56 not being enough when the Charter renewal comes up
Completed their survey last week, wasn’t very complimentary about them. They will probably discard my offering as not being positive enough for them.
I had a look at the BARB website ( http://www.barb.co.uk ) thinking that they might be an alternative source of figures only to discover on wikipedia (I know, I know …)
They also indicate that each set-top box they issue to their “watchers” will cover approx 5000 viewers per box. That makes the figure for last year’s programme show that only around 4 1/2 people with boxes watched it 😛
If you want to see the cost of accessing their data it’s detailed in a PDF that’s downloadable from their website at
link to barb.co.uk
32 pages of rivetting stuff
[…] When nobody’s watching […]
And now for something completely different.
link to captiongenerator.com David-Camerons-tea-party
“BBC Scotland”….what a complete and utter misnomer.
What exactly does “for the purposes of journalism, art or literature” mean?
Especially, “for the purposes of”? That could cover just about anything at all, surely.
Seriously, anyone out there able to enlighten me/us?
Can’t wait to see the outcome of your appeal Rev.
You have the facts, now lets see what they do with them.
The BBC’ standard rejection is the legal equivalent catch-all of
“A breach of the peace” – time it was dropped and the BBC made to face up to the questions from its financial backers.
_____
I’ve just been watching a documentary on Al Jazeera called:-
Goldman Sachs…The Bank That Rules The World
It’s a very explosive and informative investigation into the role of one of the most influential banks in the world in the 2008 Stock Market crash and the Greece crisis.
It’s done in typical Al Jazeera style, ie; easy to follow with zero gobbledegook and perfect for all to understand, especially people like myself who have major shut-down-and-switch-off-itis when it comes to anything like this.
I would thoroughly recommend this to everyone, not just those with an interest in the banking and financial sector, as it’s quite an eye opener.
It might be repeated at other later dates but i know for a fact it will be repeated at 2am tomorrow (Wednesday) morning and again on Thursday (6th Aug) morning at 7am.
Catch it if you can, thoroughly enjoyable and educational.
You’ll not see anything like this on the BBC.
So, if the BBC can hide behind the screen of ‘art, journalism or literature’, what other grounds can they ever be challenged on? It appears they have a free hand to do whatever they please without comeback.
I am intrigued that the BBC has no appeals process. This needs addressed, pronto.
There has been too much hiding and evading the truth. A totally corrupt lot – I never watch the BBC now. The bias and evident partisanship shown over the past year or so gies me the dry boak.
Good luck and that with the IC, Rev Stu. Like you say, we are only the people that fund the corporation – what rights have we to question? :-/
Must be a state secret
Can you SMELLLLLLL what the Rev is COOKING? 😀
Previously failed to get any FOI info back from BBC Scotland regarding how much they spent on Scottish Sport in comparison to other areas of the UK “commercial confidentiality” was the excuse despite not asking for specific item breakdown.
It’s time broadcasting was devolved to the democratic scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament.
There is still time to made your views known to the BBC Trust
link to consultations.external.bbc.co.uk by 18 September
That is completely obscene.
The BBC and BBC Scotland are state propaganda media outlets whose sole purpose is to manipulate and control the public.
They are accountable to no one.
Apparently this is what we voted for, being brainwashed and being forced to pay for it.
Don’t you just love being part of the UK. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Have you ever noticed the BBC don’t have to tell you anything and won’t
Journalists won’t tell you anything citing the protecting their sources shit
Paul Huthcheons of the Herald on that stupid pointless Labour Party 2015 show complaining about how Police Scotland might be Spying on journalists and shouldn’t be because they should be immune from all scrutiny
But it’s OK for MSPs to be spied on by GCHQ and MI6 because the SNP could be up to anything
Unlike journalists ( Who never ever ever make anything up )
who are paragons of virtue
@Sinky
The BBC are not shy in bragging about how much they pay for English football.
link to theguardian.com
An interesting exercise would be to send a FOI request to NHS Scotland asking how many FOI requests they received from BBC Scotland in 2006 (Labour in control of Holyrood) and last year.
I suspect Ms Bradford has increased her activity recently.
Stu why dont you submitt another FOI reguest.
How many Non Payers of the TV Licence Fee 2013/14/15,now that cant be covered by Art/ Culture/ Journalism.
Im still on 27 letters for non payment, I thought the 28th would be waiting for me on my return from Hols,
Yours Sincerely Gutted BBC.
Took me far too long but just recently cancelled my TV license. Hit them where it hurts. Cancelling is a painless process and doesn’t mean that you will have people on you doorstep harassing you anytime soon.
Here’s the reply I got when cancelling mine, all done through email.
“I can confirm that I’ve cancelled your TV Licence as requested.
I’ve also updated our records so that you won’t receive any more letters from us for almost two years, apart from one further letter confirming this.
TV Licensing don’t permanently stop writing to any address as circumstances change over time, and the occupier may change. We’ll get in touch after this time to confirm if you still live at the address and that your circumstances haven’t changed.
We’ve a responsibility to make sure that everyone in the UK who needs a TV Licence has one and we visit some of these addresses to check that one isn’t required. It’s unfortunately necessary for TV Licensing to visit homes to confirm there’s no television being used as, when we made contact on these visits, nearly a fifth of people were found to require a licence. If we visit your address and confirm that you don’t need a licence we can stop contact for another two years from the date of the visit.”
For less than the price of a license you can buy an Amazon Fire Stick, subscribe to Amazon Prime and Netflix and have as many films and TV series as you could ever want.
The Fire stick also lets you watch catch up TV just by pointing a remote at the telly.
No need to pay for the dubious pleasure of having Government propaganda beamed live into your living rooms and bedrooms.
scotsbob says:
Aye that would be interesting, I am sure they have a standing order for them.If we could get that, we could then of course ,respond.
scotsbob says:
4 August, 2015 at 3:37 pm
An interesting exercise would be to send a FOI request to NHS Scotland asking how many FOI requests they received from BBC Scotland in 2006 (Labour in control of Holyrood)
and last year.
I suspect Ms Bradford has increased her activity recently.
Aye, BBC Labour certainly don’t hold back with their own FOI requests, especially if it involves an attack on the Scottish government. It’s a pity the government could not black-list BBC Labour and refuse FOI requests, on the grounds that it is not a transparent organisation and they have probably overloaded the system with FOI requests already!
Is there a limit to the number of FOI requests from the same organisation per year? There bloody well should be, BBC Labour have seriously abused the system to their own ends, whilst refusing to share their own information.
Is there any info on the number and source of FOI requests made to the Scottish government? It would be interesting to see how many came from BBC Labour.
If BBC Labour keep acting like shit, it’s time the Scottish government started treating them like shit. They are never going to show Holyrood in a good light anyway, so what’s the point in helping them? No more Mr nice guy. Tell them to piss off.
I must admit , this site is responsable for my cancellation of my license. Even now, I wait for you tube videos of bbc interviews to appear on you tube, regardless of quality, before I watch them. I cannot help wondering if the recent announcement by the bbc in a 150mill short fall is in no small part due to wos. I hope so. Just don’t hold yer breath stu!
I am not exactly sure on which of the three grounds for denial they base this on.
1.It certainly is not art.
2.It most certainly is not literature.
3.As the Rev has taught us,there is no basis in journalism at all for most of their findings.They rehash “facts” and figures with no checking whatsoever.
Brian Powell writes, “The BBC is at war with the people who pay for it.” If you attack the BBC you line up next to Rupert Murdoch and Fox News.
Who would gain from destroying the BBC? The extreme right.
In some ways, TV is like a drug. The BBC is a drug dealer. Like many others, my family have kicked the TV ‘habit’. It is one of the best things we have ever done.
We get our news from Wings and The National and a few other Independence websites.
State propaganda can only mess up your mind if you let it.
If you still watch live TV, why not kick the habit, keep your TV licence money, and you too will find its one of the best things you’ve ever done.
Isn’t it disappointing that the BBC will not be able to provide any information on the audiences it gets for its licence in its charter renewal negotiations as to do so would show that they held this information for purposes other than journalism, art or literature.
It will be interesting to see how the Government deals with an entity that won’t supply any figures to show how effectively they spend our taxes.
The hypocrisy of the BBC which complains of Cabinet Office delays over freedom of information link to bbc.co.uk
If they ask me if I have renewed my tv license I’ll tell them I can’t answer, for the purposes of art.
@Dr Jim at 3:31
At least in The Sunday Herald Jim Hutchinson did indicate that it wasn’t just Police Scotland. About 75% of England/Wales forces are doing it too.
Not only that, as I understand it they are not after the journalists per se, but after coppers passing on info without official sanction. Given the way the press twists things, I can see why the Police Forces feel that way, never mind the fact that illegal cash transactions could be involved.
After the hacking scandal, why does the press think we should continue to support them when it is clear that may are severely lacking in the ethics department?
If it is a choice between the police and the press in the ethics standards stakes, I’ll take the former.
Congratulations Thepnr … welcome to the only media club in the U.K. that is GROWING … the NON payment of BBC TAX club! 😀
Ditched my license fee after the referendum. I’d heartily recommend it. Still plenty of other places online to get your news from. And plenty of places online to watch telly programmes which are not live.
Luigi says:
4 August, 2015 at 3:56 pmIf BBC Labour keep acting like shit, it’s time the Scottish government started treating them like shit. They are never going to show Holyrood in a good light anyway, so what’s the point in helping them? No more Mr nice guy. Tell them to piss off.
I wonder if we could force the Scottish Governments hands by saying that the people of Scotland aren’t being represented fairly.
With pressure from the people of Scotland refusing to pay the licence fee we might be able to stop them from even sending Capita and the likes to anyone’s door in Scotland to retrieve it. That might send a real signal to them that this can’t and won’t be allowed to go on. Besides it’s that lot that told us we won’t get Dr Who and Top Gear etc. What if you want Outlander instead??
Caught today a repeat of a Murphy contribution to a London based media audience on June 15 2015.
He said that the SNP had worked out that they had 2 main targets in order to achieve independence:
The destruction of SLAB and the discrediting of the BBC.
Westminster and unionism know full well that BBC Scotland is inherently unionist, hopelessly biased, and its last, best hope, and they must never allow it to be devolved or a “Scottish Six” to exist.
Let the wholly justified discrediting of the BBC continue relentlessly, SLAB is already on its knees.
Who would gain from destroying the BBC? The extreme right.
The bbc are the extreme right
Who would gain? I dare say the people in Scotland who would no longer be forced to pay 150 quid a year for the privilege of being called a virus by a bunch of peados
I will personally dance on the grave of the bbc
ronnie anderson wrote: “Stu why don’t you submit another FOI request. How many Non Payers of the TV Licence Fee 2013/14/15,now that can’t be covered by Art/ Culture/ Journalism.”
No need, ronnie, all the info available can be found here:
link to archive.is
Anyone need help with negotiating your way through that little lot
just give me a shout and i’ll help if i can.
OT I posted this on the Herald about Rangers banning a journalist and the BBC being suitably offended,
Dorothy Devine says…
9:49am Tue 4 Aug 15
..
“People who run the BBC should also be held to account – there are a number of journalists who believe their word is the be all and end all ,who have only a cursory arrangement with truth and impartiality. Considering that we are all forced to pay for the ” impartial ” broadcaster and a plethora of their ” stars” on enormous salaries – many of whom have a tax haven to call their own – I expect them to be answerable to the public. As a non football supporter I find myself fully on the side of Rangers – ban them all Rangers ,let none of them in lest they do what they have done to NHS Scotland ,known to me as the Bradford effect. ”
I was surprised to find I got a large minus score – tell me, did I deserve them?
Here’s a current example of brainwashing in the UK. The Westminster government want us all to think that paedophilia, as practised by Westminster politicians, is not a current problem and therefore need not be investigated.
The trick used for this is to always use the word ‘historic’ when talking about abuse at Westminster. Even on the front page of the National today we find ‘Edward Heath named in historic child abuse investigation’.
No other crime is given this description by Parliament or the media. Upon hearing/reading the phrase regularly, it is tatooed faintly onto our minds until eventually it is ingrained permanently. This leaves us free to look at current politicians without wondering if they are engaged in child abuse. The tattoo reminds us it was all in the past, long ago.
@shrodingers cat have a recommend
The Charity Song: Spitting Image
link to youtube.com
@Dorothy Devine
Ahh Dorothy, you were posting on the wrong thread. Expect no support there.
That is why in the recent consultation I specifically stated that they should not evade foi in this manner.
It was one of a very long list of suggestions I gave them to improve.
Just received from Lanarkshire Valuation Joint Board a letter re registration to vote. This can be done online. The letter and form provide a reference number and one 11 digit security code number which has a space after six digits.
The number, in two parts, appears in the first box as you type, but is automatically converted to dots in the second box. This is then rejected by the registration website with the message:’security codes must be numeric’.
These people are running elections.
From ico.org:
Will I always get the information I ask for?
Not always. The Freedom of Information Act recognises that there will be valid reasons why some kinds of information may be withheld, such as if its release would prejudice national security or damage commercial interests. For some exemptions the public authority must consider whether the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in releasing it. If it decides that the information cannot be released it must tell you and explain why. Public authorities are not obliged to deal with vexatious or repeated requests or in some cases if the cost exceeds an appropriate limit. In addition the Act does not provide the right of access to personal information about yourself. This is instead available under the Data Protection Act again, subject to certain exemptions, and is known as a subject access request.
So, then. The FOI was:
“Data requested:the most recent viewing/listening figures (average audience per episode) available for “Scotland 2015” (BBC2 Scotland) and “Good Morning Scotland” (BBC Radio Scotland).”
From ico’s statement (above):
“… such as if its release would prejudice national security…”
Not releasing average audience figures per episode of ‘Scotland 2015’ and ‘Good Morning Scotland’… for fear that it would prejudice national security…LOL!
Maybe an FOI to GCHQ and MI5 relating to BBC Scotland’s ‘interests’ in what they call Scottish Labour really are, or why: the SNP is BAD; they treated Mhairi Black’s speech so derisively; Nick Robinson was allowed to tell an outright lie about Alex Salmond pre referendum; Nicola Sturgeon’s trip to China has been ‘non-newsed’; they are repeating stories that Scotland’s NHS, education and police services are so terrible; Scotland’s biggest ever political gatherings in Edinburgh before the referendum and in favour of a Yes outcome were practically ignored; Iain Murray was allowed to lie regarding the ‘opposition”s vote on Osborne’s budget… and on, and on, and on ad nauseam
What? That *would* be a “national security” issue? Oh aye, right ye are, then.
“… or damage commercial interests”
Only damage might be to their own reputation, or Sarah Smith’s ‘remuneration’ when questions get asked about a public service paid for by a license fee under threat of court action airing such a dire offering with pitiful viewing figures. Then there is the fare that is released on the airwaves with Kaywithanee and her chums….
If the audience viewing figures for a show are in the millions the BBC trumpets it far and wide but at other times not so much as a cheep out of them.
Not that I am saying that programmes should be scrapped if they have low viewing figures but for a programme such as Scotland 2015, which I am sure the BBC would see as ‘opinion forming’, it is very relevant to know the viewing figures. Then we can form our own opinion as to just how influential it is – or isn’t.
Ooh Ooh Ooh Please don’t attack the BBC says the Troll
The BBC have no right to be Autonomous we Effing pay for it
The BBC has no right to political opinion, Every opinion pays for it
The BBC have one job..To supply programming and entertainment suitable for the viewing public by consensus of the viewing public of all persuasions reflecting society as a whole
To report news and current affairs accurately
Analysis and inspection being left to an answerable body responsible to the elected Government (so that you can vote them out if they are found to be, lets say ineffective)
The BBC fulfills none of the above criteria in Scotland
The BBC in Scotland is a Self Serving Smirky Sneering Labour Party Mouthpiece and even the NO voters know it now
With Union Jackie Burd as the main news reporting offender
Followed closely by Effing all of them
If this were America there would have been a mass shooting by now, but it’s not it’s North Effing Korea
The request to the BBC seems rather harmless and fail to see why they would want to refuse to give you the viewing figures. Perhaps they would be very embarrassed to divulge the actual viewing figures.
Thepnr, I don’t post often on that site – even less since they ” updated ” it and not to mention the irritant of OBE.
The suggestion that the BBBC is above reproach and their journalists should be treated with respect has become a joke to me.As far as I’m concerned anyone should be allowed to ban them from their premises.
Dig in there, Rev.
The first target to defeat in the campaign for Scottish self determination was the British Labour Party in Scotland. Mission accomplished.
Next target, the propoganda arm of the British State, the BBC in Scotland, also known as the Labour Party (Scottish Branch) spaver connection.
@Stoker 4.45pm
Thanks for the link to BBC FOI requests. Very useful.
To quote part of one the BBC responses about licence cancellations:
“Firstly, I should explain that TV Licensing produces monthly routine management information on the number of licences cancelled both by customers and by TV licensing in the UK as a whole. Due to the way in which our systems operate, this information is not disaggregated by nation or region. Please also note that we do not hold customer demographics data because this isn’t information that we collect for the purpose of TV Licensing.”
If there’s no disaggregation of data or demographics collated, then how come they seem to be able to mobilise Capita the instant that you legitimately and lawfully cancel? I smell sh*te…
The BBC North British Labour section at Pacific Quay, provide an astonishly poor news and current affairs service. Two very recent cases being the way the First Minister’s China trip and Mhairi Black’s maiden speech were handled. The real stories removed and twisted biased propaganda substituted.
Here’s the thing I don’t quite get. They are not really very good at this propaganda and mass manipulation game, are they? By global standards of state propaganda, they are a complete bunch of amateurs!
From London, Scotland and its diverging politics gets largely ignored. Or, when it is featured, the BBC follow the lead and agenda of the MSM. To me it seems more ignorance, arrogance and incompetence rather that sophisticated state sponsored mind control.
The news and current affairs output of Pacific Quay would seem to have a more deliberate anti SNP/SG agenda. That doesn’t mean it’s any more sophisticated! Distinctly unsubtle, ham fisted in fact. Makes you realise whoever is driving the blatant bias and propaganda really is 3rd rate at even that role.
Don’t watch it. Get those viewing figures down to zero. Leave them talking to themselves.
ITV dumbos – ‘Scottish exams are now too easy, but the Maths exam was too difficult’? Make sense of that. Pity about their English, their reasoning and their Maths.
The only channel worth watching is the Parliamentary Channel to see what is really said, not some ignorant, biased ‘journalist’ rehash.
After reading GA Ponsonby’s London Calling, I agree with him that the BBC, is in the business of deflection.
Sounds like a fancy way of saying, ‘F#ck off we’re no tellin ye! ‘
My advice would be to always use the data protection act. I used this tactic with the bc after they released the bank details that Alex Salmond took them to task for in the days before the referendum. This data is ours bought and paid for. FOI requests just don’t hold the same weight. The DPA on the other hand brings the prospect of dismissal from the BBC (as with any employer who is classed as a data collector in the act) and tends to sharpen the response time and quality. In my own experience I was offered same day access and a sit down meeting with their data protection officer. Forget FOI with the bbc unless you like spinning your wheels
From that Guardian article that Early Ball linked to (above) regarding the BBC and its rights to show English Premier League highlights:
“The familiar theme tune to Match of the Day will remain a fixture on the BBC until at least the end of the decade, after the corporation paid £204m to renew the rights for three more years.”
“BBC director general Tony Hall said: “It’s the best and most exciting league in the world. The BBC has made the highlights programme, through Match of the Day, a national treasure, and fans can look forward to enjoying all the drama with us for another three years.””
So that’s £204m for MOTD. Meanwhile, Sportscene, BBC Scotland’s effort at showing the SPL looks to be worth in the region of £9.99 procured from a bargain basement bucket.
What message is BBC Scotland and their ‘flagship’ Scottish football programme giving out? That Scotland’s too wee – small crowds, ‘important’ players don’t want to go there, the football’s second-class; too poor – no money coming in, salaries aren’t great, no money for ‘big name’ players; too stupid – Scots just put up with all the shit, the poor quality of the football, nothing will ever change, it’s all about Celtic and Rangers, and etc….? Even if not intentional, that is the viewpoint that Sportscene and its crap coverage spews out – on a Sunday, not even a Saturday – on those suffering viewers in Scotland.
Oh, and then there was last Saturday’s BBC Scotland’s eulogy to its very own Sportscene programme ‘celebrating’ its 40th year on Scotland’s TV screens. And there was Archie – “I’m a proud Scotbut, vote No to that independence shite, the UK is pure dead brilliant so it is, vote Labour, SNP BAD!” – McPherson telling us how great Spotscene was/is. Well, no it isn’t, McPherson. It is pure unadulterated pish which shames Scotland. Or is that its function?
Pravda GB is Scotland’s enemy number 1.
If we want independence, we must completely destroy Pravda GB first.
“we’ll be pursuing it with the Information Commissioner. (The BBC itself, unlike most bodies subject to FOI, has no appeal process.) We’re not holding our breath, though.”
Wise not to hold your breath.
The Information Commissioner is as rotten to the core as the rest of the establishment.
Flagships sink,
Pillars of the community crumble,
State broadcasters are judged by the way they report the above.
I’d like to think we’re not heading for an Orwellian future.
Come on journalists, don’t be weirdos to the end.
ronald alexander mcdonald,
“If they ask me if I have renewed my tv license I’ll tell them I can’t answer, for the purposes of art.”
On every issue, we must beat the establishment at their own game, or better still, stop playing by their rules.
We have been too nice to them for too long.
The BBC surely knows its ratings for Scotland 2015 because it claims to know its global audience reach, surely a much more difficult number to arrive at.
In May 2016, it claimed 308 million people …
Source: link to bbc.co.uk
Need a laugh? Enjoy this delusional nonsense from Ken McQuarrie in his 2013/2014 review of BBC One Scotland …
“Authoritative, impartial and informed news coverage, across all of the BBC’s news outlets, has been and will continue to be the hallmark of our approach to Referendum reporting.”
Source: link to gov.uk
In it, McQuarrie claims Scotland 2014 was set up with around 50 new temporary staff including 14 graduate trainees but provides no audience numbers.
Although its clear that despite the puff copy, the graphs in it show steady declines in BBC Scotland TV & radio audiences across the 4 years indicated.
Cannae believe that 22,000 figure! Surely it should be shelved and john smith’s daughter booted? Pathetic audience figures.
Oh, look. The great communicator BBC Scotland has gone all coy and secretive.
“If producers refuse your dramas and investment, I hope you will not go to the press.” Ken McQuarrie
“Are you telling me that you, the head of BBC Scotland, do not have a veto?” Me
Worth a reboot: link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
Another example of BBC giving two fingers to its paying customers.
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
O/T
link to caltonjock.com
I suspect the BBC are not releasing their “2015” viewing figures because, in reality they are similar to Slabbers membership, utterly embarrassing and would lead to serious cost questions.
They are hiding the figures deliberately because they cannot justify the amount spent, on what is essentially a Slabber Broadcast Slot, in relation to viewing figures.
For the last three weeks I have been working in a house (construction) where radio scotland has been on almost all day, every day. What I have noticed is, when ever they have expert opinion, either in studio or on the phone, the accent is always non regional. Often with the sound of private education. The subject matter can be anything from migratory ducks to book reviews. This is conditioning to make us believe that Scotland needs outside help to make the right decisions.
It has terrible format and their presenters have an awfull habit of using the word “LISTEN” all the time. Waste of money.
BBC Scotland create sports programmes for central Glasgow, and news programmes for women in Edinburgh.
Some years back the Entertainment department created a half-hour for the Chinese community – no, not a comedy show, or a recording of Madam Butterfly, or even tales of Chinese acrobats, but a news programme.
It had a lot of international news content … unlike BBC Scotland’s provincial news, the bosses of which rejected calls for a strong injection of international content to elevate it above ‘Stoneybridge council rescue cat stuck up tree at ‘.
Hoo haar!
A Lesson in Erasing Scots History – See It Now:
Documentary on discovery of Franklin’s sunken ship, Erebus, NOW showing on Channel Four.
Thirty minutes in and not a single mention of the key figure in the story, Scots doctor and explorer, Dr John Rae, yet…
…so far the narrator has quoted and read enumerable passages from Rae’s diaries and journals.
How the hell do you recount a famous incident in geographical exploration and manage to erase the key Scots historical figure in it?
It’s the equivalent of a documentary on Stanley that omits any bloody mention of Livingstone!!!
Read the real story here:
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
BBC Scotland and its award-winning Reporting Scotland for “best news programme”… (Yes, honestly! The Royal Television Society Scotland (ROFL!) says so):
BBC Scotland has won a string of prizes at the Royal Television Society Scotland awards.
Reporting Scotland won the award for best news programme and was praised for its “natural authority”.
The judges said the programme highlighted the “wide-ranging skills of the BBC team in reporting, investigation and commentary”.
The awards recognise excellence and innovation in television across a range of genres and crafts.
… can fuck right off with their see-through agenda against the SNP that is so obvious only a blind person couldn’t see it!
Tonight’s award-winning top story from the award-winning news-manipulators at award-winning (mis)Reporting Scotland concerned Scottish students sitting a maths Higher that was of such difficulty that the pass mark was lowered.
And?
Well, exactly.
Yes, it potentially was a cock-up, but the lowering of the pass mark should, at least in theory, equate to a standard respectable to what would have been attained with an easier paper but with a higher pass mark.
But, no, Reporting Scotland has to go with doom, gloom, Scotland’s education is in dire straits, pure rubbish so it is… so what has gone wrong, then, SNP BAD?
Ah, but the sneaky arses got away with ‘being fair, impartial and unbiased’ by giving a less-than-ten-seconds account of some of the good news they seem so desperate to supress. ‘Real’ news, such as:
Scottish students attaining a record number of Highers, up 5.5% on last year; Higher English passes are up a remarkable 17.7%; Higher modern languages passes have risen by an outstanding 15.2%; Advanced Higher passes have increased by 4%; Awards, National Certificates and National Progression Awards are up a massive 22.8%.
WTF are those figures of excellence not given prominence? Why concentrate on the maths minor-story?
By the way, the following is what is not being transmitted into people’s living rooms:
The pass rate for the new Maths Higher was 70.8%, similar to that of previous years.
And, by some strange quirk in the Matrix, the Good Ol’ Boys from the likes of the Times, Telegraph and Daily Mail are also going with the exact same tale of the lower maths paper pass mark and ignoring the positives of the substantial up-tick in other subjects.
Stupid is as stupid does – Agenda-led, SNP BAD propaganda, blatant manipulation of news by the pro-UK union anti-Scottish independence UK media is as agenda-led, SNP BAD propaganda, blatant manipulation of news by the pro-UK union anti-Scottish independence corrupt UK media does.
BBC Scotland, you and your ‘award-winning’ Reporting Scotland’ are a shameful and dishonest disgrace being perpetrated upon the people of Scotland. But we, the people, and in ever-increasing numbers, are on to you. We know what you’re up to. And it’s not acceptable. Not one fucking little bit of it. Your evil deeds will never be forgotten, nor forgiven. Your time’s up. It’s only a matter of when, not if.
… Cat stuck up a tree at 9…
In the Herald.
You can only choose from the menu!
link to archive.is
BBC is still London centric in its UK national current affairs programmes.
Despite being the third force in UK politics, since the General Election out of 35 panellists on BBC TV’s Question Time only three have been SNP representatives or sympathisers.
When is The National featured on newspaper reviews?
When do pro independence commentators appear on UK wide TV programmes?
Dal Riata: Reporting Scotland won the award for best news programme and was praised for its “natural authority”.
And the judges on the panel worked with which broadcaster?
The sooner more people see exactly what the bbc stands for, and who for, the better.
So much out there to watch, on ‘Open Culture’, and The Archive site too…see archive.org. All free and updated fairly regularly. We are spoiled for choice what with Netflix as well.
No need for bbc propoganda, though many are joined at the hip to the mediocre, mind knumbing crap they spout. Still, great that many are ditching the beeb as well.
Currently reading ‘London Calling’ by GA Ponsonby. This is a fraction of the nonsense the BBC get up to, and have been getting up to for a long time now.
Oh and if like me, you like short films, see ‘Short of The Week’. Some very good contemporary films of all genres.
They are a ferkin disgrace stu. Go get em!
Grouse Beater says:
4 August, 2015 at 9:33 pm
“BBC Scotland create sports programmes for central Glasgow, and news programmes for women in Edinburgh.”
It is people like you who would ensure another No success in another referendum. As a Yes voting woman from Edinburgh your regular sneering and patrionising comments are just plain childish. We won’t win independence without winning over No voters. Comments like yours are less than helpful and are beginning to put me off this site.
O/T (to some extent)
When Nobody’s Watching
@ manandboy says at 4:49 pm ”Here’s a current example of brainwashing in the UK. The Westminster government want us all to think that paedophilia, as practised by Westminster politicians, is not a current problem and therefore need not be investigated. The trick used for this is to always use the word ‘historic’ when talking about abuse at Westminster. Even on the front page of the National today we find ‘Edward Heath named in historic child abuse investigation’. No other crime is given this description by Parliament or the media. Upon hearing/reading the phrase regularly, it is tatooed faintly onto our minds until eventually it is ingrained permanently. This leaves us free to look at current politicians without wondering if they are engaged in child abuse. The tattoo reminds us it was all in the past, long ago.”
Spot on manandboy. A study of history tells us that sexual abuse of minors has been perpetrated since the beginning of time and powerful establishments such as the BBC and Westminster are currently known to have been covering up for such individuals in the recent past (and even now of course).
As you say the word ‘historic’ is used to lull us all into a false sense of security as paedophilic activity didn’t just end suddenly in the 1980s / 90s ….. conveniently when the so far named are all ten feet under, other than Janner.
(Just Jimmy Saville?)
link to lrb.co.uk
Westminster and the BBC are now ‘renowned’ for hiding (information) behind a veil of secrecy in relation to the paedophile activities of their employees. Secrecy and freedom of information don’t sit well together in such circumstances. Providing public access to information held by public authorities … a key concept of the act … whether it relates to recent available viewing / listening figures or names of known paedophiles seems to fall into their off-limit category.
The BBC Freedom of Information Con.
link to bbc.co.uk
Sorry about o/t, but this wee site gets a mention..????
link to favrify.com
Carol: As a Yes voting woman from Edinburgh your regular sneering and patrionising comments are just plain childish
What? Are you a joke contributor?
The BBC patronises its viewers. Sheesh! I sat there week in, week out in production meetings and listened to the drivel. They talk about ‘housewives doing the ironing’ and how to hold their attention.
There was a time a presenter with a hard Scots accent was booed off the radio – research Cliff Hanley at the BBC –
Get your facts straight, then we can discuss the situation.
Sinky says:
“Despite being the third force in UK politics, since the General Election out of 35 panellists on BBC TV’s Question Time only three have been SNP representatives or sympathisers”
Interesting fact. Thanks.
And, how many irrelevant LibDems have been on in the same period?
Or, for that matter the completely and totally irrelevant UKIP in the same period?
I seem to remember a year ago, when the Libdems had similar number of MPs to SNP now, they would appear almost every week.
What can we do? IndyRef2. Work our arses off to get a good majority. Then get to Hell out of it!
OT. Does anyone know if STV GE 2015 Election night coverage is available anywhere. I would like to relive the night but not with the BBC Scotland coverage which was dire. Many thanks for any help.
@ Lady Arbroath 1320
Nothing to say on the topic, but, loving the new moniker. Elevated without having to donate a few million squids!! Well done, touches forelock, your Ladyship 🙂
I suggest an FOI to the BBC asking it how many FOIs it has recevied to date, and what precentage of them has it answered, and how many has it refused to answer the question given with its standard refusal.
Suggest readers should “check out” the latest analysis of BBC “Scotland” bias
On Newsnet Scotland..”Foresic exposure” of their continuous propaganda against
SNP and Scottish government.
Dal Riata
“BBC Scotland, you and your ‘award-winning’ Reporting Scotland’ are a shameful and dishonest disgrace being perpetrated upon the people of Scotland. But we, the people, and in ever-increasing numbers, are on to you. We know what you’re up to. And it’s not acceptable. Not one fucking little bit of it. Your evil deeds will never be forgotten, nor forgiven. Your time’s up. It’s only a matter of when, not if.”
Yes Dal and the time is now. The Labour party has been hung drawn and quartered by this site and now is the time to focus on the greater enemy which is the BBC.
Alert readers should post every lie they see written by the BBC, the Rev has to take them to task for every failure and we will slice and dice.
Who says the ordinary person has no power? Bullshit we have power, we have influence, we ARE a movement and important.
Change is necessary to rid us of the corruption. The BBC is corrupt, there is no doubt. Be rid of them so as we may be free from state propaganda.
I still can’t get over Radio Scotland’s masthead statement that came up in regular jingles after the referendum “Radio Scotland a station like no other..”
If Carlsberg took the piss..
Jeremy Corbyn affirms the Iraq war was illegal, (endorsed by UN directive) and therefore Blair might well be culpable.
When was the last time we heard a Labour MP talk as direct as that?
The BBC IN Scotland
……….Not
BBC Scotland
When Wings Over Scotland is the most read online newsy type site in the known universe (Scotland) why do I keep hearing the BBC constantly punting The Ferret
Now I know the BBC don’t like us but they keep acting as if the Ferret is the same crowd funded type online media
That makes me smell a really big Rat, so if anybody knows anything that sounds like what I’m thinking it smells like
Give’s a shout
I did a bit digging into whether these figures could be legally be exempted or not from FOIA requests and found that there is actually precedent for this type of case in the form of a request made some years ago to the BBC which they refused on the same basis outlined in the OP. The request was in regards to BBC Wales viewing figures and the appeal decision by the ico can be found here link to ico.org.uk
The case is not a carbon copy but the legal issues are the same.
From the decision regarding viewing figurse request – “Therefore, having considered the nature of the information, the purposes for which this information is held, its relationship to strategic obligations and goals,and its relationship with the creative process, the Commissioner’s view is that the dominant purpose for which this information is held is other than journalism, art and literature.”
And again “• viewing figures are not held for the purposes of journalism, art or literature
• In the particular circumstances of this case, the BBC is a public authority under the Act; and the BBC should now deal with the information request within the scope of the Act.”
I would imagine that this decision has clearly escaped the data protection officer for BBC Scotland’s memory somehow but does set a clear precedent. There are a few exceptions that are noted toward the end of the decision but given that the BBC have clearly been told that viewing figure accessibility does not fall under derogation they have no business continuing to operate in a way that they know does not satisfy their legal obligations in the opinion of the data commissioner. Quote the case to them and tell them that the clock started running when they received the original request.
@manandboy
Great post and also an excellent addition to it by Petra.
It makes you sick doesn’t it? The idea that people not only would abuse vulnerable children but that the establishment would cover it up for them. How evil would you have to be to do that? If I found out someone was abusing a child I would do something about it not cover it up to protect the guilty parties. I just don’t understand how any human being could do that.
Got a nasty letter the other day about not having a TV licence. I have got to 53 without ever having owned a TV. I also hardly listen to the radio now as the BBC bias over the last year or so just makes me angry.
If you phone up to tell them, not having a TV is the last of the many options presented and comes under the “anything else” category. I tried this and was kept waiting for ages on the line. I gave up and tried the “I would like to buy a new licence” option and lo and behold the phone was answered on the second ring.
Apparently, giving them this info will only stop me getting pestered for 2 years. I don’t have a gun either but I don’t keep being harassed about not having a licence.
It is the tone and assumption that everyone has a TV and that if you don’t have a licence then you are automatically a criminal that I find offensive.
I’m not even sure that I trust the BBC weather forecasts now.
I was watching the BBC this morning and while they told us about the government selling some RBS shares for less than they paid, they failed to inform us how RBS kick started the £375 billion quantative easing programme, of the sale of hundreds of billions of RBS assets, and the near £4bn in profit set aside last month to pay for various RBS misdemeanors..
@ Carol 10.14 Dont get your knick nacks in ah twist, Grouse Beater relating what go,s on at BBC,& he would be the cause of ah NO vote in the next Referendem SHEESH.
Try reading the post.
Hey Stephen. BBC Scotland are like no others. They get paid by the taxpayer for setting their own agenda and broadcasting unionist messages from HQ in London. Can’t be many stations like that gotta hand it to them.
@geeo
Good find, Geeo = a wee laugh to cheer us all up. Read it all through to the last line – readers of this very site will get a knowing feeling, ha ha!
It’s a belter. Rev Stu’s knocking them all dead, which is why Wings is rarely mentioned by the Scottish media. Mind if I repost it here?
link to favrify.com
@Dr Jim
A Ferret does look suspiciously like a rat. but hey that’s just me.
Ronnie: Grouse Beater relating what goes on at BBC
Thanks, Ronnie. Yes, I was quoting BBC sources.
The Beeb gets its facts from listener surveys.
Each section of society is put into categories, kids, youths, early teens, late teens, young adults, et cetera, and ethnic orientation.
By that method the Beeb discovered house-locked housewives and pensioners were the greatest number of listeners for BBC Radio Scotland, and so began shaping programmes for them. It is hard to recall any programme especially aimed at the young to have them become loyal listeners.
Since the Referendum there’s been an identifiable move away from the flippant and the jokey towards the more serious topic. The general opinion of the intelligentsia of BBC Scotland as currently conceived remains one that isn’t complimentary – it’s not much brighter than a schools broadcasting unit. It aims to ‘educate’.
That signifies there’s something inherently off-key in the material choosen, and the way they choose to present it.
I tried recently to obtain info from the BBC via an FOI re the number of political articles published on the website, and only available under the ‘Scotland’/’Scottish Politics’, section which allowed comments AND the number of political articles published under both the UK wide section and Scottish sections which allowed comments.
The BBC refused on the basis they did not hold this information but also bizarrely referenced the stock lines re an exemption due to the information being held for journalistic, artistic or literary purposes.
Appealed to the ICO and the BBC then clarified that the information was not held so the usual claimed exemption did not apply and went on to say it would be impossible to tell me how many political articles published in the Scottish only section of the site did/didn’t allow comments.
It’s quite bizarre that the BBC were granted such a seemingly wide ranging catch all exemption under FOI which other, more important public services, haven’t been provided with.
Imagine if Eleanor Bradford submitted an FOI to NHS Scotland and they were able to refuse almost every request on the basis that the information requested related to the provision of medical care, the administration of health services and/or the care and treatment of patients.
Hi Grouse Beater.
It always makes my day, when the efforts of the citizens of Stoneybridge are recognised on a web site of such mass appeal as this one.
However, we have to ask why ‘Visit The Yetts of Muckhart’ – and, indeed, the corresponding bodies for ‘Muckhart’ and ‘The Pool of Muckhart’ – were so dependent on Stoneybridge to further their media presence.
link to youtube.com
__________________________________________
Hi geeo.
That Irn-Bru graphic is a cracker! Shared already!
@Juan P
Yes it’s unacceptable. Yet we accept it. Solution is to stop paying the license. They give us nothing and they get nothing in return.
Mmmm, Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971:
2 Demands and threats regarding payment.
(1)A person who, not having reasonable cause to believe there is a right to payment, in the course of any trade or business makes a demand for payment, or asserts a present or prospective right to payment, for what he knows are unsolicited goods sent (after the commencement of this Act) to another person with a view to his acquiring them [F2for the purposes of his trade or business], shall be guilty of an offence and on summary conviction shall be liable to a fine not exceeding [F3level 4 on the standard scale].
(2)A person who, not having reasonable cause to believe there is a right to payment, in the course of any trade or business and with a view to obtaining any payment for what he knows are unsolicited goods sent as aforesaid—
(a)threatens to bring any legal proceedings; or
(b)places or causes to be placed the name of any person on a list of defaulters or debtors or threatens to do so; or
(c)invokes or causes to be invoked any other collection procedure or threatens to do so,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F3level 5 on the standard scale].
Is the BBC covered by the Laws of the UK, or is it exempt?
@Dr Jim at 11.35 pm
When BBC Scotland and Severin Carrell in the Guardian are promoting the Ferret, as Thepnr alludes to, there’s something of a rat smell to it.
@geeo at 10.22 pm
That @favrify Irn Bru-meets-Englishman infographic is a belter! Maybe his granny was a Fanny as well, like…!
Re: The Ferret.
I know Peter Geoghehan’s (sp?) name from the Herald/Sunday Herald.
However…
I would question WHY their group felt that another online news outlet was needed, when we already have…
link to newsnet.scot
link to newsshaft.com
link to scotsindependent.scot
link to thescottishindependent.com
link to commonspace.scot
link to bellacaledonia.org.uk
And, of course, this site.
Why a separate organisation, which is already raising questions of ‘independence’ from the MSM?
I remember, many years ago, when a new, commercial, local radio station opened; the Head of News was BBC in Scotland trained. He always said: “The BBC is a great place to work – if you like walking around with a knife between your shoulder blades”.
He clearly did – first chance he got, he was back there. Fast-forward a decade and I was covering, as a freelance, a Scotland rugby tour to North America.
I didn’t do broadcasting work, but stuck to the written media, however, my former local radio acquaintance, now high up in Queen Margaret Drive, where the BBC was then located, telephoned me and asked me to cover the tour for the BBC.
There was one incident in the opening game which drew a lot of attention, so, at 3am, on the other side of North America, having been rudely awakened from sound slumber, I was live on the telephone to Glasgow.
Any way, tour over I came home and submitted my invoices. Every media outlet I had worked for paid-up, in full, at the pre-agreed rate – except BBC Scotland. Who certainly didn’t pay me the extra I was due for doing a live insert to a news broadcast.
I never worked for them again and never will.
My partner’s daughter works behind the cameras in the industry. She used to work for the BBC and her mother would despair of the self-obsession of the BBC staffers she met through her daughter.
Her daughter now works on the team which produces Outlander and is, in her mother’s words: “A lot happier and back to being my daughter”.
The BBC in Scotland is a serious and vicious virus.
Gerry 11.29
Good work.Many thanks.
ot, sort off
Hello again !
It was September last year that we were humbled by your faith and generosity that
enabled us to get iScot off the ground.
Although the original target was woefully short of our ambitions (primarily due to
competing projects) I hope you’ll agree that we’ve fulfilled our promise of
producing a quality pro Scot publication.
It’s been an exciting and challenging time for our small team and again we find
ourselves looking to Indiegogo and our friends to help support us through to phase 2
of our journey.
We need to pay for additional professional journalists, graphic artists and
photographers. Our on line presence needs paid support as the work load is quite
challenging to maintain it as we’d like it.
However our stretch goal is to be able to secure enough funding to enable us to
create a TV advert that can be broadcast some weeks before the 2016 election. We
think more people need to buy the magazine and discover for themselves what an
independent grass roots publication should be. This would be the first ever crowd
funded advert.
So please forgive my directness when I share our link to Indiegogo below. I hope
you can circulate to as many like minded people you feel comfortable sharing with as
I know your efforts make a huge difference.
link to indiegogo.com
I realise some of you have already visited and I thank you again for your valued
support.
Sincere best wishes
Ken
The Herald has copied your story.
Not only breaking the ‘news’ but making the news.
Maddox gave Ian Murray – Neil Hay’s details, breaking the Official Data Act.
The Guardian ferreting for cash. Have they no shame?
Eppy: Got a nasty letter the other day about not having a TV licence. I have got to 53 without ever having owned a TV.
I’m in the same boat, Eppy, and after answering three of the standard warning letters decided to give up.
The latest states they will arrive at the house to investigate. Fair enough. If you have no TV there is nothing they can do but register the fact. What’s the alternative? Spend a fortune taking you to court only to prove the same thing?
Don’t worry. Let them get on with it.
Will Podmore says
“Who would gain from destroying the BBC? The extreme right.”
I thought about that for a long time Will and…nothing absolutely nothing, you dont seem to understand the depth of feeling of the people in Scotland that a company that forces us to pay for its lies under pain of the law only to ignore any reasonable request allows no right of reply (peculiar to Scotland),read Grouse Beater complaint re a palpable outright lie perpetrated by BBC Scotland
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
that company has nothing, nothing at all I would miss if I didn’t have it,
The BBC is “bubblegum for the eyes”and designed to subdue the masses, as a communist I would have thought you would have seen through them.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT OUR FRIENDS!
btw Thepnr
Irene cancelled (proud of her)our licence before the referendum
tisk tisk Alex. 🙂
_______________________________________________________________
@me 🙂
I have a question
Has anyone seen John Boothman and Brian Donahoe in the same room at the same time?
jus askin sa’ll 🙂
___________________________________________________________
Carol says
“It is people like you who would ensure another No success in another referendum. As a Yes voting woman from Edinburgh your regular sneering and patrionising comments are just plain childish. We won’t win independence without winning over No voters. Comments like yours are less than helpful and are beginning to put me off this site.”
Going by your assertion Carol we shouldn’t say anything bad about David Cameron in case we upset a Tory,
That was a ridiculous assertion, we pay for the bloody output we have an ABSOLUTE right to criticize it,
And I speak as someone who has had a run in with GB!
heres and idea
GET OVER YOURSELF
people don’t read this site to get flower arranging tips!
_________________________________________________________
@ME 🙁
Sorry I cant let this go
of all people to be defending GB (not that he needs defending) I would be the last person you would expect to stand up, but that facile comment by Carol has really got my blood up,
you are not very clear about the nature of wings,
This site supports and allows free comment (up to a point) and all Rev Stu moderates is ad Hominem attacks, this sites very breadth of different people and backgrounds is its strength,
there are people who’s ability to dissect an issue and reveal to us all a simple truth such as Doug Daniel, people who can remind us of our humanity such has Mark Franklin, people who can highlight the flaws in the unionists argument such as Peter Bell, people who can show the facile the humorous the ironic,
I had a brother in law (sadly passed away) who knew Sean Connery personally
I will say this much …ever since the SNP announced in Holyrood 3 odd years ago that there was going to be a Referendum, a lot of the deviousness and secrecy has certainly come to light; especially of those areas that act as ‘functions’ of the state.
Keep it up, Rev …they must be cursing you, as well as this rather interesting period within our time.
John: that facile comment by Carol
Nae problemo, pal.
Clear to me she’s not read a damn thing I’ve ever written about the BBC. Alternatively, since I don’t recognise the name, maybe she’s stirring things up.
We expect views to be opposed now and then – the risk we take going public – but completely misinterpreted? Poo!
Grouse needing defending???
I didn’t know you could blow coffee through your nose at such velocity, but apparently you can. 🙂
The BBC strategy doesn’t seem to working. In fact it’s putting up the SNP vote.
The MSM from London from ignoring, are now attacking Scotland as well, ie Police/Education. On Cameron’s orders. Cameron starves children. Westminster/Unionists starve, abuse and kill children. So they and their associates will be £20 a week better off. They tax evade £Billions.
@ Carol (10.14pm).
As someone who has never had any beef with Grouse can i just say –
R U AVIN AH LARF? Are you Ian Murray in disguise?
If you’re genuine you must be a very sensitive wee sole.
I’ve lost count of strange names appearing on WOS and making similar claims to yours against various regular WOS posters and i’ve deliberately never responded to one of them until now for a very good reason.
I remember one such character spouting the same nonsense over the Rev criticising “Rangers” and i still can’t understand why some people think that is far more important than the fight for Scottish independence.
Are we expected to believe them? If relatively petty issues are that important to any individual then maybe they should be taking a good look at themselves and their priorities.
We are a very broad church here on WOS and there are some people who need to accept that, we are not mindless Orcs, it’s what makes us us and it’s what helps make WOS so successful.
I read plenty of pish on here but NOTHING will ever come between me, WOS and the fight for Scotland’s independence, NOTHING.
😉
Will Podmore says
“Who would gain from destroying the BBC? The extreme right.”
I thought about that for a long time Will and…nothing absolutely nothing, you dont seem to understand the depth of feeling of the people in Scotland that a company that forces us to pay for its lies under pain of the law only to ignore any reasonable request allows no right of reply (peculiar to Scotland),read Grouse Beater complaint re a palpable outright lie perpetrated by BBC Scotland
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
that company has nothing, nothing at all I would miss if I didn’t have it,
The BBC is “bubblegum for the eyes”and designed to subdue the masses, as a communist I would have thought you would have seen through them.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT OUR FRIENDS!
btw Thepnr
Irene cancelled (proud of her)our licence before the referendum
tisk tisk Alex. 🙂
_______________________________________________________________
@me 🙂
I have a question
Has anyone seen John Boothman and Brian Donahoe in the same room at the same time?
jus askin sa’ll 🙂
___________________________________________________________
Carol says
“It is people like you who would ensure another No success in another referendum. As a Yes voting woman from Edinburgh your regular sneering and patrionising comments are just plain childish. We won’t win independence without winning over No voters. Comments like yours are less than helpful and are beginning to put me off this site.”
Going by your assertion Carol we shouldn’t say anything bad about David Cameron in case we upset a Tory,
That was a ridiculous assertion, we pay for the bloody output we have an ABSOLUTE right to criticize it,
And I speak as someone who has had a run in with GB!
heres and idea
GET OVER YOURSELF
people don’t read this site to get flower arranging tips!
_________________________________________________________
@ME 🙁
Sorry I cant let this go
of all people to be defending GB (not that he needs defending) I would be the last person you would expect to stand up, but that facile comment by Carol has really got my blood up,
you are not very clear about the nature of wings are you Carol?
This site supports and allows free comment (up to a point) and all Rev Stu moderates is ad Hominem attacks, this sites very breadth of different people and backgrounds is its strength,
there are people who’s ability to dissect an issue and reveal to us all a simple truth such as Doug Daniel, people who can remind us of our humanity such has Mark Franklin, people who can highlight the flaws in the unionists argument such as Peter Bell, people who can show the facile the humorous the ironic,
I had a brother in law (sadly passed away) who knew Sean Connery personally, he used to tell us how he and Sean grew up together,he never came over as bragging just matter of fact kind of way, I was never totally convinced that it was true until one day when I was staying with my sister who lived in Hartfordshire with my brother in law when he received a Christmas card from none other that Sean Connery, in the envelope were 4 tickets to see the premier of Diamonds are forever at the Odeon in Leicester Square, unfortunately I didn’t get to go as I had to return home for Christmas, the premier was on the 30/12/71 as I recall,
I didn’t particularly like my brother in law but I did respect him,I think if I had known him as an adult I would have liked him better but as a kid I found him intimidating, Grouse Beater reminds me of him.
_____________________________________________________________
Dr Jim says
“When Wings Over Scotland is the most read online newsy type site in the known universe (Scotland) why do I keep hearing the BBC constantly punting The Ferret”
Up until you had said that I had never heard of “The Ferret”
so having looked I found this
“The Ferret is grateful for financial support from Co-operative UK.”
nuff said
here it is archived
link to archive.is
You weren’t asked because you might have been disappointed, we saved you the trouble…be grateful and suck it up!
link to archive.is
One would think that a complete political geek, like myself, would tune in every night to BBC 2’s ‘Scotland 2015’. I did so during the Referendum, but afterwards, and especially since the General Election I boycott it completely.
Why?
This programme is so out of touch with reality, it reminds me of Miss Haversham, a Dickens character. Miss haversham was spoiled by her father, she had a secure income without having to work for it. She was besotted with a man who it turned out was a complete con artist, who lied and cheated on her and stood her up on their wedding day. Instead of facing up to reality and her changed future, Miss Haversham had all the clocks in her mansion stopped to the exact time that she received her ‘Dear John’ letter on her wedding day. She had been getting dressed when she stopped to read the letter jilting her so from that day onwards she just wore that one shoe and her wedding dress day after day for the rest of her life. The wedding breakfast was left on the table, including her wedding cake, which only the rats came to eat. She only allowed a few select guests to call on her and they were quickly dropped if they ever mentioned her wedding disaster or her refusal to face up to her new reality. Miss Haversham has her curtains drawn to keep out all light and her life is spent brooding on the past. Her humiliation turns eventually to anger and resentment and thoughts of revenge.
BBC2’s ‘Scotland 2015’ came to mirror exactly Miss Haversham that I now cannot see Sarah Smith without seeing her dressed in a mouldy wedding dress, wearing one shoe, surrounded in darkness, all the clocks stopped, the new reality, the new future firmly locked out.
The Labour Party: jilted by Scotland on 8th May 2015.
And another thing! 🙂
I mentioned earlier how BBC knows who listens to what and when – well, they even know roughly the time ‘housewives’ (their term) actually do the ironing and so adjust what pop music to play them at that moment.
Honest Moses!
Before my time, but some folk here will remember BBC radio used to broadcast a programme called, ‘Housewives Choice’ – they dropped the patronising title but that doesn’t mean they are not patronising still!
@Cuilean
Yeah! The BBC Scotland had ‘Great Expectations’ for this but it has failed.
@Grousie said
Before my time, but some folk here will remember BBC radio used to broadcast a programme called, ‘Housewives Choice’ – they dropped the patronising title but that doesn’t mean they are not patronising still!
—————————————————————
I had to suffer it when I was younger and what about this? It still grates to this day. 🙂
link to youtube.com
@ Grouse Beater Carols a pop up with her infantile comments ,we,ve dealt with many of her kind in the past & no doupt will deal with many more in the future.
As the Stilt Walker says,Upwards n Forwards & leave the Clowns behind.
Am wie you Grouse
The page is written the die is cast Wingers will be here tae the last.
Macart: Grouse needing defending???
I am a very sensitive person, you know. Sniff. (I hope no one reads that- D’oh!)
The BBC is an obnoxious construct, and has been from day 1, when it was nationalised, and headed by Lord Reith.
Reith was always held up as maintaining values of honesty and rectitude. To this day some still refer to “Reithian” values. These values were only applied to others, though.
Let’s just say that today he would have been investigated along with Heath and Saville. Add to that his stated admiration for Hitler and Churchill, and you see where modern BBC comes from!
I’ve long been suspicious of anything on BBC. Even in the so called Cold War I listened sometimes to Radio Moscow on short wave, in the Gulf War it was Al-Jazeera and so on.
It was then I realised, that not only were downright lies coming from the BBC, there were whole tranches of world events suppressed entirely.
The BBC rightly made uk suspicious of German propaganda during WW11, but theirs was far worse, and more insidious than anything from William Joyce (Lord Haw Haw).
They have the world convinced of their probity and excellence in journalism. What better propaganda can there be? “We don’t tell lies” The biggest lie of all right there!
Fast forward to BBC in Scotland……..
It really is a sad state of affairs when a member of the public who does not even live in Scotland, is more politically astute on Scottish matters than any of Scotland’s leading so called journalists and news outlets, who only report anti UK stories when forced to.
Can they really all be that crap, or are they deliberately not looking for any negative unionist stories.
Scotland must be one of the most politically repressed and media manipulated countries in the world, which apparently is what we voted for.
You would almost be forgiven for thinking, they’re taking the piss out of us.
ooo er i wish you luck with that Rev but pissing in the wind comes to mind when it comes to dealing with the real BBC and not the facade they put across of good old caring auntie beeb
They have got the regulations and regulators in their back pocket,one of the biggest problems facing these islands is this type of behavior.
Its the biggest lie perpetrated on the people of the UK and all covered by the veil of public broadcaster,nice little scam for putting your rich pals in high paid public funded jobs in which they have to do very little.
Schrödinger’s cat 7.15
I really like the advert idea.
@Grouse Beater
Get a grip man! 🙂
Call Me Dave:
“I had to suffer it when I was younger and what about this? It still grates to this day”
Ha, ha! Excellent! Didn’t know it was on YouTube. 🙂
Channel Four at it too: omitting entire mention of famous Scot explorer Dr John Rae from last night’s documentary on discovery of doomed Franklin’s sunken ship, even implying Franklin discovered the North West Passage, not Rae, and without a bloody ship!!!
A waste of a programme – but perhaps made by indie company.
Real story here:
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
A couple of folk have mentioned The Ferret – like ThePNR I suspect a rat. Does anyone know the background of Peter Geoghegan who seems to be their spokesperson?
Like Alex, if this site is being punted by bbc Scotland then I am immediately suspicious.
I hope the iScot can get to its ambitious target – it’s a really good quality magazine and deserves our support:
link to indiegogo.com
Jeremy strikes back! Over to you Tony.
Good old labour..A party united will never be defeated! 🙂
link to archive.is
@Grouse Beater
😀
Cuilean sads
“BBC2’s ‘Scotland 2015? …. Miss Haversham ….. mouldy wedding dress, wearing one shoe … The Labour Party: jilted by Scotland”
Very good 🙂
link to aceshowbiz.com
@ Dr Jim I hope you dont mind Jim I,ve copied your post 9.22am to Scot2.scot all Regions.
link to legislation.gov.uk
Try again, this time lodging the request with BBC Scotland and from an address located within Scotland. The exemption they are abusing doesn’t exist here, as far as I can tell.
Given the BBC have a clearly defined commercial wing, BBC Worldwide, then commercial interest can’t exist.
They could justify the expense for a program with laughably low viewing figures based on their obligation to serve minorities. That’d beg the question about it not being online or at a slot that could be recorded. It’d also call into question the wages paid to its presenters.
It seems that Rev Stu’s FoI about the hospital renaming has been “borrowed”/claimed by Ross Greer of the Scot Greens and is being reported as such by Herald and Daily Redcoat without crediting Stu as the enquirer. (Over on Twitter)
Tsk, integrity somewhat lacking methinks
Who was the former BBC journalist who said that he hadn`t seen the BBC ramp up the level of propaganda since the Iraq war? Think he works for Channel 4 now.
I`m not sure what can be done about the BBC if the SNP are just going to take daily punches from them without hitting back? Why they didn`t listen or react to calls of bias is beyond me.
Surely an inquiry of some sort should have been done post referendum and it`s obvious conclusions of bias released under a shit storm no doubt but almost everything the SG does these results in a shit storm by the UK media anyway.
The Scottish Parliament`s findings could have been used to embarrass the BBC worldwide and pressure placed on Westminster who ultimately control the BBC.
Westminster and the BBC are fighting a war here to control information in anyway possible and in doing so denying Scotland and its people DEMOCRACY.
Lets swamp Call Kaye`s phone in and ask her why the BBC in Scotland thinks it can deny Scotland one of the pillars of any democracy. Truthful reporting of facts without endless spin in one direction and burying of information deemed in any way to be harmful to unionism.
The BBC IN Scotland’s Radio Station are discussing the fall in newspaper readership in Scotland and the move to Web based News……..Que more Advertisement of the Ferret .
RE: my post at 2.32am this morning.
“Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Re: The Ferret.”
The post is now out of moderation and visible.
Col @10.47
Dont waste your energy, no matter how early I call, eg as soon as the lines open, I can never seem to get in in front of the unionist callers who seem to have a speed dial direct line to Kay (with a e)
I have called dozens of times and not once have I got on,
of course I was stupid enough to tell them my real question/point and unless your Rev Stu you have absolutely no chance of getting on.
And of course when they know your true allegiance I think the note your name so it will flag up if you call again.
Let’s just say that today he would have been investigated along with Heath and Saville.
Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile‘s surname is spelled like this – and my emphasis is there as a mnemonic.
I am a very sensitive person, you know. Sniff. (I hope no one films that- D’oh!)
So Grousie, you are Sewer in disguise?
Old news I fear (but still important that the issues are kept in the public eye)
link to theregister.co.uk
link to whatdotheyknow.com
link to whatdotheyknow.com
Regards the Scotland 2015 viewership, why not conduct a poll?
(God knows how you can a representative one, mind)
Handclapping: Sewer in disguise?
Waiting for my monogrammed Ultima bra mailed in brown paper package.
I cannot add much to what many here have said about the BBC, I can only speak for myself,” I am sick to death of it.
Their propaganda seeps through all programs in Scotland one way or the other.
I guess they work hand in hand with GCHQ to ensure their output, measures up.
@John King…I used to phone ‘Call UKaye’ a lot and got on a few times up until the Referendum. After that, no return calls to speak..yet Unionist trolls like the tractor female from ‘Sheffield’ on constantly.
Good contributors like ‘George’ from Inverurie, the erudite ex-teacher, and ‘Morag’ from Dundee have been virtually silenced, despite their wide and penetrating political insights…..nothing to do with that they all are or were pro-Yes.
Unfortunately saw Jackie Bird and Weevil Anderson doing their contrived double act on RS… Jackie head on one side with smug smile..’So Weevil what about Police Scotland spying on ‘journalists’..
Cue said Weevil grinning maliciously ‘erm ur Yes Jackie..’ then follows character assassination on SG for attacking Brits for allowing (unaccountable)Secret Service for spying on Scottish MSPs but not attacking (law enforcement)Police Scotland . Subtext: SNP are hypocrites…
It’s like watching an episode of ‘Mrs Brown’…the lines are telegraphed a mile off…and it’s about as funny.
Here’s an odd thing. The BBC are bumming about 9 million people watching a cake show last night.
No secrecy there.
orri says:
5 August, 2015 at 10:24 am
link to legislation.gov.uk
Try again, this time lodging the request with BBC Scotland and from an address located within Scotland. The exemption they are abusing doesn’t exist here, as far as I can tell.
————————————————–
The exemption does exist but the OIC has already ruled previously against the BBC using it in relation to requests regarding viewing figures as I put in my earlier post. The solution here is to quote the ruling as precedent to the BBC and retain the original request and timeline. The Act is more or less the same uk wide but the more powerful Data Protection Act is actually the one to use. There’s a good reason why data collectors such as the BBC routinely direct people away from the DPA and toward FOI. It’s subtle but important.
You can see the ruling I am referring to from the OIC here
link to ico.org.uk
What would be interesting is to ask the BBC why they are continuing to abuse the derogation exemption having already been told from the OIC that “viewing figures are not held for the purposes of journalism, art or literature ”
The BBC should have taken this past ruling into account in the way that they dealt with the Rev’s request but failed to. That is negligent at best or perhaps even deliberate disregard of known precedent at worst. If it is the latter then there is a case to be answered by the data protection officer at BBC Scotland who I think is still Alan Small.
hadrianswall
Cannot track down any full coverage of Election night by STV. I do have the Quicktime 1.76GB BBC coverage which I can put up for you to download. I agree it is somewhat dire, but it has the advantage of watching and listening to the despairing shrieks of the usual biased suspects as reality hits them. Good fun.
The original is just over 8 hours. I have the follow ups too on my iTunes. I will tick the email box and if you want it I will work out a way to get one or all to you.