So, I was on a BBC programme this morning and I thought I would share my experience with you. The programme is called “Sunday Sequence” on BBC Radio Ulster and it is covers a range of topical issues from moral, political, theological points of view. I was on to discuss the issue of how Northern Ireland (and by extension the UK) responds to the recession – is it right to have “British jobs for British workers”. Also on the panel to discuss this was a local economist, John Simpson, and the head of the Equality Commission, Bob Collins. (He was in Dublin, where he lives, natch).
I arrived in time for some green room hospitality. Having checked to ensure Jo Brand was not hiding anywhere – eavesdropping in on me – I had a coffee and chatted with Mr Simpson ( a decent cove who was my Economics lecturer years ago when I was at University). We were called into the studio just after 9.30am and went “live” shortly thereafter. I felt it was a good natured debate and I was allowed to express my anti-EU opinion together with my contention that the State has a duty to ensure the economic well-being of its citizens ahead of foreign nationals. The other two contributors did not really agree with my view but at least I was given the chance to state it, without interruption. Time flew by and after 15 mins that was it. I thanked the host – William Crawley – my fellow studio guest Mr Simpson – and strolled out into a fresh Spring Sunday morning. Was there bias? Not really and indeed I would single this programme out for being true to Reithian values insofar as it is not as rampantly biased as most others!
Are you sure it was actually broadcast, David?
Or did listeners actually hear: “I’m sorry, we’ve lost live feed, so here are some traktor production figures….”
you got a link for it Ddavid? I’d like to hear,
cheers
Here’s a link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jcxjk/Sunday_Sequence_22_03_2009/
about 62 mins in.
I agree that it was a good discussion, mainly because there wasn’t a stridently anti-Conservative participant. Contrast it with the WATO interview today where peter hain was allowed to pillory Conservative ideas relentlessly and not forced to explain his own party’s ideas.
I notice, David, that your opponents’ only recourse, when presented by you with the crux of the dilemma, was to redefine the point in such a way as they could give a politically correct answer.
This sounds like the kind of thing that should be on the national network, on a local station it may well give the BBC the cover it needs, a facade of impartial reporting where the BBC allows this kind of thing but only to a limited audience, when the complaints come in about one sided bias they can point to programmes like yours and say ‘look we did this’ which of course is only partly true but as we know the reach and audience figures are far smaller than they would be if it were broadcast on radio 4 for example.
I hope I am wrong, maybe I see dark manipulation where non exists.
Gordon Bennettt,
Thanks for the link! I wish there had been more time for me to examine the corruption of the job market by the EU but if you note, that was were the conversation ended.
That rare thing – a balanced BBC discussion of politics and economics – is certainly worth a post of its own. In fact, it should really be made front page news on the BBC website itself!
Cool.
That’s all we’re asking for at the end of the day, the ever-elusive additional point of view.
Nice appearance, David Vance. gordon-bennett is right about Bob Collins spinning away. He sounded to me like a Bible-banger who always has a handy Scriptural passage to be spun as relevant to the day’s topic.
I think John Simpson agreed with where you were going more than you seem to think he did. I got the impression he was trying more to speak to the primacy of the bottom line, rather than disagreeing with your point that, all tangible things being equal, the employer will naturally look at the intangibles. If I understood your point correctly, that is.
I listened to some other segments of the Sunday Sequence, and I say William Crowley’s thoughtful behavior made the presenters I usually hear on the World Service seem like petulant children, and the highly-paid stalwarts of Today seem like shallow, prancing show ponies. Get this guy on and send Justin Webb to France.
What an interesting programme – apart from the ear-shattering cacophony inserted between discussion segments. What are they thinking of?
Nice to know that people can have a reasonable, intelligent discussion and exchange of views without the usual knee-jerks and claptrap of overheated BBC presenters. Mind, they have a long tradition of excellent journalism there.
I seem to remember that there was significant unemployment in Belfast and other NI places long before the recession and that this was exacerbated by the influx of Latvians etc, so much so that unemployed local graduates without a career opening could not in some cases even get a shelf-stacking or cashier’s job in a supermarket. The effect of the recession must be dreadful there.
But it remains the case that inward EU immigration cannot be stopped unless we quit the community, except for possibly tightening the limited restrictions the UK has put on Rumnaians and Bulgarians.
UK of course chose almost uniquely not to impose (time-limited) restrictions on the EU accession 10 a few years which changed everything. And not for the worse unless you are an enthusiastic local jobseeker.
It is only the remainder of countries and all the forms of migrants that can be varied. That and how we deal with asylum seekers.
At least it’ll put paid to the risible nonsense about you being a martyr. Even for an insatiable egotist like yourself, that was a stretch.
Time for school, Scott.
Good to see some specks of light in the overall BBC darkness.
I hope it’s not a case of:
If you can see light at the end of the tunnel, you’re facing the wrong way.
Just a pity the BBC ensured you were outnumbered 2:1!