Cal Thomas: The biased broadcasting corporation
In a recent scandal that has rocked the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), two high-ranking officials resigned following the revelation of a controversial edit to a speech by former President Donald Trump. The edits, which spliced together different parts of Trump’s January 6, 2021 address, created the misleading impression that he was inciting violence against the Capitol. This incident has reignited discussions about media bias, particularly within the BBC, which has historically been viewed as a reputable source of news. One email from a London correspondent suggested that the first “B” in BBC should stand for “bias,” reminiscent of the moniker “Clinton News Network” used by conservatives to critique CNN during the Clinton administration. This comparison underscores a growing sentiment that major media outlets are increasingly perceived as serving specific political agendas rather than providing impartial news coverage.
Critics argue that the editing of Trump’s speech was not merely a mistake but a deliberate act intended to shape public perception negatively. This sentiment echoes concerns over the BBC’s editorial practices, particularly its coverage of contentious issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict and climate change, where allegations of bias have persisted despite internal reviews. A recent survey highlighted by David Pickering of The Conversation revealed that trust in the BBC is heavily influenced by political identity, with stark differences in perception between left-wing and right-wing audiences. The BBC’s credibility has been further questioned due to its establishment of an LGBTQ desk aimed at promoting favorable narratives on transgender issues, raising alarms about editorial independence and the suppression of dissenting viewpoints.
The BBC’s challenges are compounded by its funding model, which requires viewers to pay an annual TV license fee, a practice that has faced criticism, especially as many question the relevance of traditional television in the age of streaming. Efforts by conservative members of Parliament to abolish the license fee have stalled, reflecting a broader reluctance among politicians to relinquish financial control over public broadcasting. Former director general Tim Davie’s assertion that the BBC “owns” its narrative encapsulates a troubling mindset that prioritizes institutional interests over journalistic integrity. As the BBC grapples with its identity and public trust, many are calling for a more balanced approach to reporting, including the hiring of journalists with diverse political perspectives to ensure fair and accurate coverage. This incident serves as a critical reminder of the responsibility media organizations hold in serving the public and maintaining credibility in an increasingly polarized environment.
Two friends email from London about the
editing scandal
that led to the resignation of two top officials from the British Broadcasting Corporation. The resignations followed exposure of the splicing together of two parts of a speech by President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021.The edits made it look and sound like the president was urging his followers to violently attack the Capitol.
One emailer said the first “B” in BBC should stand for bias. That reminded me of what some conservatives called CNN during the Clinton administration (the Clinton News Network), because of their perceived bias.
The second writer said the edit was only a “mistake.” It wasn’t a mistake. It was deliberate and it was made with the intention of having viewers accept their desired negative opinion of Trump. In another country and in another era, this would be called propaganda. If this sounds like the editing of the CBS “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris to make her sound articulate, it should. Both flowed from the same liberal worldview.
Kudos to the
London Daily Telegraph
for practicing real journalism and exposing the edit of the Trump speech.
During World War II the BBC was a trusted source of information. It sent coded information to the French resistance and took other actions in support of the war effort. This was accurately depicted in the film “The Longest Day.” In recent years, the BBC has seen its level of trust decline.
A survey conducted by David Pickering of
The Conversation
, a news organization that calls itself “dedicated to facts and evidence,” noted that “Trust in the BBC is heavily conditioned by political identity.” The survey of 11,170 people in the UK “showed striking differences between how people with left-wing and right-wing party affiliations felt about the broadcaster.”
The editing incident isn’t the first time the credibility of the BBC has been called into question. Several internal studies have found the organization to have reported unfairly on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The studies changed nothing as the pro-Palestinian bias has continued. It is the same when it comes to their reporting on “climate change.”
A
Wall Street Journal
editorial notes the BBC has had an LGBTQ desk within its London headquarters to make sure stories were favorable about transgender issues. Stories that did not reflect the BBC’s “liberal orthodoxy” were suppressed, notes the Journal.
On top of this, streamers and owners of television sets are required to pay an annual
TV license fee
of £174.50 (about $230) per year for a color license and £58.50 ($77) for a black-and-white license, a compulsory payment used primarily to fund the BBC’s television, radio and online services.
Does anyone still own a black-and-white TV? And on top of this, viewers must watch endless commercials, some of which are more entertaining and creative than the programs.
Efforts by some conservative members of Parliament to eliminate the TV license fee have failed. As in America, politicians are reluctant to give up money.
Tim Davie
, the now-resigned director general of the BBC said in a statement: “This narrative will not just be given by our enemies. It’s our narrative. We own things.”
Right there you have the reason so much of the media in the UK and the U.S. are held in low regard. They think they “own things,” instead of exercising a responsibility to serve the people fairly and accurately. As with other exposures of bias, I suspect little will change within the BBC unless it follows the example of the new president of
CBS News
and begins hiring reporters with a conservative worldview who will presumably report conservative ideas fairly and accurately.
Readers may email Cal Thomas at
tcaeditors@tribpub.com
. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).
