Ukraine

Hehe, well I think Channel 4 are still quite decent, haven't watched it in a while mind, but I have a lot of respect for a show like Dispatches which seems to try to stick to the facts. BBC is the worst of the ones you mentioned IMO because there's this creepy Leftist undercurrent to them, yet they still claim to be impartial, which is why I think they should be a subscription service. Bias and activism are absolutely fine by me as long as you're honest about it, then you know exactly where you stand with someone, like the Pro-Israeli chap I posted earlier.

Nick

 

The only outlet I know of that seems to have any attempt at balance on Palestine and Israel is the Guardian - which many won't read on some kind of principle.

 

That's impressive.

We have a Russian lady in our company - a recent joiner. Her sense of national shame does her credit. But she knows that speaking out would have direct consequences for her family. Horrendous.

 

Just for balance, many in the centre and on the left note that the BBC has moved quite far right in thew past 2 decades - evidently so with the appointment of quite a few openly right wing lead political journalists and not a single openly left wing journalist. That fact alone - that it is apparently OK to be right wing (and quite far in a couple of cases) while being openly left wing and a BBC journalist is verboten, should tell uis something. The suggestion that the BBC is left is made repeatedly but without substance - but is an article of faith for the right. And like all mud stories, throw enough of it, and some sticks.

In their main news broadcasts:

Does the BBC run stories sympathetic to unions, say? Almost never.

Does the BBC run stories of the huge infiltration of Russian, Putin-friendly funds to the Conservative party? Almost never.

Does the BBC run stories about the state of poverty in the UK? A little. But I'd argue nowhere near enough given the extreme crisis we have - and now, only because the cost of living crisis is hitting the middle class so it has become a concern for conservatives too. Local news has some stuff on the extent of food banks fairly regularly - but almost nothing about the economic causes.

Does the BBC run stories friendly to the Stop the War Coalition? Never.

Does the BBC run stories of disgust about the criminalisation of refugees? Yes - but typically very late, and under pressure. They have been called on this repeatedly.

Did they call out the pro-Brexit lies of the Brexiteers? No.

Are they giving a voice now to those pointing out how catastrophic Brexit is to Britain? No.

Do they give voice to those saying: "no one cares about parties. Move on from parties". Yes - pre-invasion last week, almost daily.

I could go on for a long time.

If by right wing, we mean that they run stories which are sympathetic to gay and trans people perhaps? Or highlighting the extreme dangers of climate change? Then fine: I agree they do. I don't think of those as being right / left though.

So, objectively I find that they are only left if your starting position is quite far right right. Notably their refusal to hold the current Government to account and reticence to run obvious stories of government corruption and ciminality is noted - and the reason for it is understood: there is a legitimate fear that the hard right will win and will inflict further huge damage on Britain (the old canard that the right are patriotic is well exposed here) and will close this once excellent insitution in it's current form (precisely because they hatre the scrutiny that a truly independent media might bring - which is why they attack it with dishonesty so constantly), with the reptition of the lie a staple of the Conservative controlled/friendly media (Murdoch press, Daily Express, the Daily Mail, the Telegraph); "the BBC is left wing". There is no evidence of this - though quite a bit going the other way, as I've set out previously.

Just for balance.

 

If you don't trust the BBC then don't watch their news.. Simples. We are lucky to live in a democracy which allows us lots of news channel choice. I have been following their Ukraine coverage which has been thorough. Very good on the spot reporting from Clive & Co in Kyiv and Jenny in Moscow. I'm not sure how Jenny is allowed to be so honest about Putin whilst she's there but she speaks freely (so far)
When Kier Starmer was being harassed in the streets, the BBC reported that it was a 'Jimmy Saville' protest ignited by Bo Jo. That was blatent lies because I watched the scenes on a different channel which showed the lefty protesters shouting 'traitor' at Starmer because their actual complaint was Starmers support for lock down measures.
The news we need is truth, not filtered nonsense but I'll respect Jocko's relevant complaint and get this topic back to Ukraine.. Slava Ukraini

 

I was responding to a point which I consider to be deeply biased propaganda. To add a different perspective. It has nothig to do with whether I will watch the BBC or not. I despair at the descrruction of yet another fine British institution by people who claim to be patriotic - and are no such.

I'll disagree with your Starmer view: I saw it too. These were hard right protestors shouting 'paedophile' at Starmer the day after Boris had repeated a lie promoted on literal fascist websites about him. It is revisionist to suggest that any of these people were lefties. I am no Starmer fan. But what happened happened, and the connection was made directly by many people around Boris who unusually decided on this, they could no longer keep quiet.

And yes, having also made my point - again in response, I'll happily get back to Ukraine.

 

My source was from utubes Mahyar Tousi who gives unbiased media observation. I'll accept that Kier Starmer received abuse from many angles but as Mahyar pointed out, it wasn't as The BBC portrayed it.
'The media lie about what happened to Starmer' Mahyar Tousi utube.
(Apparently the protesters were 'corbynites')

 

Those protesters were probably a mix of left and right, TBH. Frankly, I think such people do a disservice to both sides and shouldn't be classed as either, since they lack any cohesive political ideology. I'm pretty sure I recognise the voice of James Goddard at the start of one of the clips tho, who is about as far-right as one can get in Britain nowadays, strictly ethno-nationalistic and clearly subscribes to anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. And I think the chap with the stupid hair is a "lefty" crackpot from Speakers Corner.

Nick

 

The fact that 'apparently the protestors were Corbynites' might cause you - as clearly they weren't - to reverify your statement that Mahyar Tousi gives unbiased media commentary. He is strongly libertarian, and is very far from unbiased. You might agree with him - but that's something else entirely. Personally I find him interesting, but deeply simplistic. And routinely misses context, simplifies matters - and clearly as here, misrepresents the facts.

 

Can you imagine how horrendous it must be to be Russian right now, if you are not bought into the KGB line? It might seem like the whole world is lining up to hate you...though actually I think there is a fair level of understanding that not all Russians are the same here (including many in their compulsory military). It has been heartening though to see how many though have joined protests across Europe, standing in solidarity with their Ukrainian friends.

Hear a nice story yesterday about a Swiss fella living in the Netherlands, who like many of us perhaps, was feeling entirely helpless. So he's taken some time off work, got hold of a van, agreed with the NL authorities that he can take a load of kit out and bring back some refugees for resettlement in their new Ukraine scheme.

While it might look a bit token, it's also a bit like a Dunkirk response... I have every sympathy

 

I wasn't there so I can't verify 'the facts' and I doubt you can either.
We can all interpret the news how we personally see it.

 

I'm reading that a Russian billionaire living in the US has put up a one million dollar reward for anyone that takes out Putin.
He had worded it like a wild west poster as in "dead or alive" but was asked to rewrite the post with less murderous intent