Medi@W@tch

Help Fight anti-Independence bias in the media

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) coverage of the 1997 Scottish Parliament Referendum appeared to be far from impartial. As well as unbalanced reporting, there were complaints that the World Service had been particularly 'London metropolitan', often taking a severely negative stance over the issue of Scottish Home Rule. The BBC in London time and again demonstrated themselves unworthy of the trust (and licence fees) of the people of Scotland and illustrate why it is essential for a Scottish Parliament to have responsibility over Broadcasting legislation in Scotland.

It is a glaring anomaly of the Scotland Bill that Gaelic Broadcasting is within the remit of a Scottish Parliament, yet English (sic) Broadcasting which covers some 95% of airtime is not. Clearly the former is seen as cultural (and therefore uncontroversial) while the latter is political (and hence very controversial). In this age of electronic mass media who would deny that TV and Radio in whatever language have a massive influence on reflecting and shaping our cultural aspirations? Is it right that London should retain extreme control over this major part of our lives?

As Ruth Wishart pointed out in The Herald (2 March 1998), to watch BBC news programmes you would be forgiven for thinking that Scotland did not exist. If the BBC existed solely to serve the "national region" of England then this could be excused - but it is not. The BBC has a remit to reflect and serve the cultural diversity of the UK, yet this is being used as an argument AGAINST devolving broadcasting to a Scottish parliament. Beat that for twisted logic !! To have Scottish news tagged on as a 2-minute addenda to the London news is an insult.

Scotland has a 30 minute 'regional' news programme but it's output is decidedly parochial. What do we expect when its budget and remit are defined by bounds set it by London? It is time for BBC Scotland and the viewers representative body (The Broadcasting Council for Scotland) to take a pro-active aggressive stand against their London bureaucracy. Why not give BBC Scotland responsibility for Irish and Scandinavian input to the World Service? Give it an international dimension, and help it out of its parochial mindset.

BBC Scotland is currently constrained whichever way it turns. In scheduling it has to seek opt-out permission from London. In financing, it has to go cap in hand to its London masters, and incidentally, just over 50% of the licence money raised in Scotland is actually spent in Scotland !! Within the very tight constraints set by London, BBC Scotland does an admirable job, but it is not enough, particularly with the new political landscape in Scotland.

Recent events also bring into question the supposed "independent" nature of Scotland's media. If you want to help promote fairness in the media then read on, and use all the information and addresses below to your advantage.

On these pages you can find useful contact numbers AND email your complaints direct.

Let me know how you get on. Why not save this page, and refer to it again when you are off-line ?

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

BBC TV reporting of party Conferences is shamelessly biased, both in hours of TV coverage and in the tone of 'reporting'. Listed below was the TV coverage (for each party) transmitted in Scotland during the Annual Conference week and during the budget week (Nov 28th 1995). (The same proportions also existed in following years)


         Party       Support    TV Time in Scotland

        -------      -------    ------------------

                               Conf 1995/ Budget 1995 / Spring Conf 1996

   Liberal Democrats   ~10%     16+ hrs    3x10min      5hrs10min

   Labour Party        ~52%     20+ hrs    3x10min      4hrs50min

   Conservatives       ~13%     22 hrs     3x10min      5hrs15min

   SNP                 ~25%      4hrs      3x5min       ZERO-NIL-ZIP

Perhaps someone from the BBC could explain how this is serving democracy ? Why should our licence fees be used to distort the democratic process ? .

BBC Letters,
Westminster On-Line,
BBC Points of View, TEL: 0181-576-4560 or
Scottish Television (STV)
You can also make a complaint by telephone. When phoning ask for the Duty Officer to log your complaint. BBC London is where the real decisions are made, so it is better to complain to them first.

BBC (London) TV TEL - 0181-743-8000
BBC (London) Radio TEL - 0171 580 4468
BBC Scotland TEL - 0141-339-8844
Scottish Television - 0141-300-3000
Channel 4 - 0171-306-8333
Channel 5 - 0345 050505

You could also try Serious Programme Complaints, if you believe that a BBC Broadcast has contained a specific and serious injustice or inaccuracy or a serious breach of accepted standards. Write with brief details to :

Head of Programme Complaints, BBC Broadcasting House, London W1A 1AA

The Programme Complaints Unit will reply in 10 days or will advise if it takes longer. If you are not satisfied with their reply you can ask for your complaint to be considered by the Complaints Appeal Committee of the Governors.

The Committee will consider certain categories of programme complaints which raise important issues in which public interest are involved. A regular complaints bulletin is published and includes an account of the Programme Complaints Unit and findings of the Complaints Appeal Committee.

If you don't trust the BBC to be impartial, then for completeness I include other organisations who might take your complaint more seriously.

The Broadcasting Complaints Commission, PO Box 333, London, SW1W 0BQ, TEL - 0171 630 1966

The BCC will investigate complaints from those who feel they have been treated unfairly or that their privacy has been unjustifiably infringed by a radio or TV programme.

Broadcasting Standards Council, 5-8 The Sanctuary, London, SW1P 3JS, TEL - 0171-233-0544

The BSC will investigate complaints about violence, sex and matters of taste and decency on radio and television. You could also try the Broadcasting Council for Scotland.
Broadcasting Council for Scotland, The Chairman, Queen Margaret Drive, Glasgow, G12 8DG, TEL - 0141-339-8844

I believe when it comes to Scotland, the supposed integrity and political neutrality of the BBC in London should be scrutinised. For further controversial comment of the BBC's political stance, read Colin Campbell's regular columns in the Scots Independent newspaper.

Newspapers
The daily press too can hardly hold themselves up as impartial. Stories are so often 'spun' and too often reporters are card-carrying members of political parties misusing their journalistic integrity and concealing their political allegiances ,to score cheap political points. For some scintillating spin why not try the Daily Record or The Scotsman !

Are you fed up with media bias ? Well, take part in Medi@W@tch. If you see anything that bugs you, why not write to the papers or TV Stations concerned ? Remind them that statistically up to 30% of their readers are SNP supporters, and that in the interests of democracy and free-speech their views should be considered too.

BUT REMEMBER, KEEP IT SOBER, DON'T RANT AND MOAN - BE CALM AND COLLECTED.

Here are a few emails to get you started. Remember, whether emailing or FAXing, include your address and phone number.
eMail the letters page.............NOW !!
- The Herald - FAX 0141-552-2288
- The Scotsman FAX 0131-226-7420
- Evening Times - FAX 0141-553-1355
- Daily Record (Subj: Letters) - FAX 0141-242-3340
- The Sun - FAX 0141-420-5247
- Scotland on Sunday - FAX 0131-220-2443
- The Sunday Mail
- 'Scottish' Sunday Express - FAX 0171-922-7964
- The Mail On Sunday
- The Independent - FAX 0171-293-2056
- Daily Telegraph - FAX 0171-538-6455
- The Guardian - FAX 0171-837-4530
- The Economist
Check the individual newspapers website (use a search engine) for up to date addresses as these can change at shot notice.

If you have any comments (good or bad) on these pages contact webmaster@freescotland.com .
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Medi@W@tch

Help Fight anti-Independence bias in the media

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

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eMail the letters page.............NOW !!