Cal Thomas: The biased broadcasting corporation
In a recent email exchange between two friends in London, a significant scandal involving the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was discussed, highlighting the network’s controversial editing practices that led to the resignation of two high-ranking officials. The incident revolves around the editing of a speech by former President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, where the BBC spliced together parts of his address, creating an impression that he was inciting violence against the Capitol. This manipulation of content has raised serious questions about the BBC’s editorial integrity, with one correspondent asserting that the first “B” in BBC should stand for “bias,” drawing parallels to how some conservatives once labeled CNN as the “Clinton News Network” during the 1990s.
The discussion further delves into the implications of this scandal, with one emailer dismissing the edit as a mere “mistake,” while the other argued it was a deliberate act aimed at shaping public perception of Trump negatively. This incident is not isolated; it reflects a broader trend of perceived bias within the BBC, particularly in its reporting on contentious issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and climate change. A survey by David Pickering revealed that trust in the BBC is heavily influenced by political affiliation, indicating a significant divide between how left-leaning and right-leaning individuals view the broadcaster. The erosion of trust in the BBC is alarming, especially considering its historical role as a reliable source of information during World War II.
Moreover, the BBC’s funding model, which requires viewers to pay an annual TV license fee, has come under scrutiny, especially in light of its perceived bias. Critics argue that such a fee, which is mandatory for all television owners, is unjustified when the content may not reflect a balanced perspective. The BBC’s leadership, including the now-resigned director general Tim Davie, has faced backlash for their admission that the network “owns” its narrative, further alienating audiences who expect impartial reporting. As calls for reform grow louder, the conversation around the need for a more diverse range of perspectives within the BBC’s newsroom has intensified, suggesting that without significant changes, the organization’s credibility may continue to decline.
Two friends email from London about theÂ
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 theÂ
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 ofÂ
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.”
AÂ
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 annualÂ
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 ofÂ
CBS News
 and begins hiring reporters with a conservative worldview who will presumably report conservative ideas fairly and accurately.
Readers may email Cal Thomas atÂ
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).
