Impartiality of BBC?

It seemed to me that just having survived the Easter weekend there was very little for me to comment on as politics seemed to have been on holiday (well apart from Jeremy and the wrong group of Jews but I dare not go down that road!)

Cup of coffee, my turn for the newspaper. Nothing to write home about in the Herald, then I get to the opinion page. Today (Tuesday) it is Chris Deerin. I was enraged at his apparent belief that the BBC fits the idea that it was supposed to live up to – a commonly owned project to “inform, educate and entertain” for the purposes of the public good. He criticises those who complain about the BBC and says the reason it drives these people potty is it is everything they are not:” deliberately impartial, painstakingly measured, minded to interrogate issues from every side”. He does graciously admit that they may not always get it right.

Too damned right they don’t always get it right! On a daily basis we endure the ‘national’ news that mainly imparts what is happening in England. When reporting on issues that have been devolved to Scotland, eg health, education, they often don’t mention that their report applies only to England and Wales. If they do remember to put it in then it comes after the main headline, which is often the only bit people register. Have lost count of the number of people I have spoken to that think the crisis in a service is happening here in Scotland. Very often we have addressed said crisis some time ago and already have measures in place to resolve it.

A major gripe with me the past few weeks has been the broadcasting of English football games in the evening slots and upsetting the whole schedule. Gets even more intolerable when it goes to extra time. Programmes scheduled on BBC Scotland do not necessarily get broadcast in the UK. Surely there is a switch that would allow the English to see their game and leave me alone. I would rather like the option to watch Scotland play though.

Another disservice the BBC have done me is not being able to watch political debate programmes. I know that until we have independence I will not change the way I vote. However, unlike some people I do like to hear what others have to say. No one political party has everything right for everyone. I love a good banter about all sorts of things and often hear a side of the argument that I haven’t considered. I can cope with one of the panellists being a right eejit. What I can’t cope with is the chair person or interviewer who represents the BBC being openly biased or hostile. You would have thought that the SNP being in government for 10 years, reversing social unjusts and leading the way in making society fairer, would have cut them some slack and earned a little respect. It would seem not. The hostility and the sneering just seems to get worse. I see BBC England doing the same to Corbyn. If you do not doff your cap at the antiquated,  British empire attitude of the establishment in the United Kingdoms of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales then you just don’t get a fair crack at the whip.

I know not what BBC Chris Deerin watches but it surely must be a different one from the one on my tv screen. By the way Chris, I am not cybernat but I do use the toxic sewers you talk of such as facebook. For those of us who have a different view from the establishment it is all we are left with to circulate our arguments. When we attempt to put our views over on the BBC we are talked over and talked down.