113 Responses to OPEN THREAD

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  1. JohnA says:
    July 2, 2009 at 6:48 pm

    Anyone following the USpoliical scene has observed endless Obama gaffes and stupid policies.

    Obama's economic policies look like a disaster, California is bankrupt and the US is heading down the same path. All this will be made far worse by policies on cap-and-trade imposing heavy costs on consumers re carbon warming, and huge costs on health that still reach only a third of the uninsured.

    Obama's foreign policies are weakness to US foes, harshness or rudeness to its allies.

    All this is showing up in the opinion polling.

    http://tinyurl.com/m49rlr

    A lot of people seem to be finally recognising Obama for the anti-American, anti-business creep he always was.

    Not much of this filtering through on the BBC, though. I wonder why – they are always unbiased in their reporting, aren't they ?

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  2. Craig says:
    July 2, 2009 at 6:52 pm

    John,

    Yes indeed. I should have detailed what I've covered. I began around June 4th & have covered all the political interviews carried by the 'Today' programme, 'The World at One' and 'The World Tonight' (including 'Westminster Hour'). I'm pretty sure I've recorded all the interviews for 'PM' too. I've now added the 'Politics Show' and 'Marr', and covered most editions of 'Newsnight' and 'The Daily Politics'. I am trying to be ever more systematic, so as to avoid the pitfalls you identify.

    *************************

    Bias coefficients are calculated by adding the Interruption Coefficient (number of significant interruptions/length of interview) to the Questions Coefficient (number of questions/length of interview). The former shows how aggressive the interview is, the second suggests where the balance of power lies in the interview. Not a perfect guide to bias of course (especially the second), only suggestive. But if the same criteria are applied to every interview something of value might be revealed.

    **************************

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  3. Craig says:
    July 2, 2009 at 6:54 pm

    Though a month provides only a small sample to track individual interviewer bias, the ones to watch are Shaun Ley of the ‘World at One’, whose interviews with Conservatives Chris Grayling & William Hague each score a bias coefficient of 2.7, in marked contrast to 1.6 for both Labour’s Gordon Brown & Peter Hain, & a paltry 1.2 for David Miliband.

    Jon Sopel can always be relied on for bias, scoring 4.6 for his Theresa May interview, with Yvette Cooper coming second with a much lower 2.6 and Vince Cable on 2.1.

    Glenn Campbell of the ‘Politics Show: Scotland’ and Adrian Masters on its Welsh equivalent, ‘Dragon’s Eye’ are shaping up to be particularly shameless in their treatment of Tories (with a 5.8 and a 5.2 for Campbell & a 5.6 for Masters). Campbell also clearly prefers Labour and the Lib Dems to the Scots Nats too.

    Keep your eyes too (I’m sure you will) on Emily Maitlis, who scores highly against UKIP and the Tories, but is gentler with Labour and the Lib Dems.

    Carolyn Quinn is also going to be one to watch, as is Anita Anand.

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  4. Craig says:
    July 2, 2009 at 7:03 pm

    Sorry about this, but here is my spreadsheet (Hotmail will only allow bits of it at a time). Hope it's not too confusing!!

    Programme Date Interviewer Interviewee Party Length of time TOTAL
    Newsnight 24.06.09 Jeremy Paxman Philip Hammond Conservative 3.59 6.7
    Newsnight 29.06.09 Jeremy Paxman Liam Byrne Labour 4.08 6.1
    Politics Show: Scotland 28.06.09 Glenn Campbell David Mundell Conservative 2.42 5.8
    Dragon's Eye 14.6.09 Adrian Masters Jonathan Morgan Conservative 4.14 5.6
    Politics Show: Scotland 14.6.09 Glen Campbell Bill Aitken Conservative 2.51 5.2
    Daily Politics 15.06.09 Andrew Neil Jo Swinson Lib Dem 3.12 5.1
    Today 8.6.09 John Humphrys George Osborne Conservative 7.06 5
    Newsnight 30.06.09 Jeremy Paxman Michael Gove Conservative 3.56 5
    Newsnight 30.06.09 Jeremy Paxman Vernon Coaker Labour 2.49 4.8
    Daily Politics 16.06.09 Andrew Neil Jeremy Hunt Conservative 4.08 4.7
    Politics Show 21.06.09 Jon Sopel Theresa May Conservative 2.58 4.6
    Newsnight 29.06.09 Jeremy Paxman Theresa May Conservative 2.59 4.6
    Today 8.6.09 Sarah Montague Nigel Farage UKIP 3.16 4.4
    Today 30.06.09 Sarah Montague Michael Gove Conservative 2.05 4.4
    Newsnight 3.6.09 Emily Maitlis Nigel Farage UKIP 3.25 4.3
    Newsnight 4.6.09 Gavin Esler Liam Byrne Labour 4.32 4.2
    Today 11.06.09 John Humphrys Liam Byrne Labour 6.53 3.8
    Today 30.06.09 Sarah Montague Ed Balls Labour 8.01 3.7
    Politics Show: Scotland 14.6.09 Glen Campbell Kenny MacAskill SNP 8.24 3.5
    Today 10.6.09 John Humphrys Andy Burnham Labour 5.43 3.5
    Daily Politics 15.06.09 Andrew Neil Stephen Ladyman Labour 2.58 3.5
    Daily Politics 17.06.09 Andrew Neil Ben Bradshaw Labour 10.17 3.4
    Westminster Hour 21.06.09 Carolyn Quinn Douglas Carswell Conservative 3.25 3.4
    Today 9.6.09 Sarah Montague John McFall Labour 3.38 3.3
    Today 8.6.09 John Humphrys Nick Griffin BNP 6.14 3.3
    Today 10.6.09 John Humphrys Andrew Lansley Conservative 5.02 3.2
    Today 5.6.09 John Humphrys Douglas Alexander Labour 8.03 3.2
    PM 15.6.09 Eddie Mair Bob Ainsworth Labour 8.34 3.2
    World Tonight 19.06.09 Ritula Shah David Winnick Labour 3.13 3.2
    Today 30.06.09 Sarah Montague Bill Rammell Labour 4.38 3.2
    Today 8.6.09 John Humphrys Harriet Harman Labour 6.53 3.1
    Daily Politics 19.06.09 Anita Anand Louise Bagshawe Conservative 4.21 3.1
    Newsnight 22.06.09 Emily Maitlis David Lidington Conservative 1.31 3.1
    Newsnight 10.6.09 Gavin Esler Phillip Hammond Conservative 4.1 3

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  5. Craig says:
    July 2, 2009 at 7:04 pm

    Daily Politics 17.06.09 Andrew Neil Michael Gove Conservative 8.59 2.9
    Daily Politics 17.06.09 Anita Anand Ben Bradshaw Labour 1.35 2.9
    Today 3.6.09 James Naughtie Harriet Harman Labour 7.14 2.8
    Daily Politics 22.06.09 Andrew Neil Martin Salter Labour 5.11 2.8
    Today 25.06.09 Sarah Montague Bridget Prentice Labour 2.46 2.8
    Westminster Hour 28.06.09 Carolyn Quinn Panjit Dhanda Labour 3.14 2.8
    Newsnight 3.6.09 Emily Maitlis Nick Clegg Lib Dem 5.14 2.7
    Politics Show: Scotland 21.06.09 Glenn Campbell Richard Cook Conservative 3.29 2.7
    World at One 22.06.09 Shaun Ley William Hague Conservative 3.33 2.7
    World at One 24.06.09 Shaun Ley Chris Grayling Conservative 2.59 2.7
    Today 27.06.09 John Humphrys George Osborne Conservative 6.47 2.7
    Dragon's Eye 14.6.09 Adrian Masters Carwyn Jones Labour 6.18 2.6
    Today 8.6.09 Sarah Montague Nick Clegg Lib Dem 3.45 2.6
    Daily Politics 18.06.09 Andrew Neil Stuart Bell Labour 4.53 2.6
    Newsnight 25.06.09 Kirsty Walk Jeremy Hunt Conservative 1.55 2.6
    Westminster Hour 28.06.09 Carolyn Quinn Mark Field Conservative 3.05 2.6
    Newsnight 3.6.09 Emily Maitlis Shaun Woodward Labour 7.31 2.5
    Newsnight 10.6.09 Gavin Esler John Denham Labour 3.51 2.5
    Today 5.6.09 Evan Davies Barry Sheerman Labour 2.39 2.5
    Daily Politics 19.06.09 Anita Anand Yasmin Qureshi Labour 4.03 2.5
    Westminster Hour 21.06.09 Carolyn Quinn Tom Harris Labour 4.31 2.5
    Today 23.06.09 Jim Naughtie Nadine Dorries Conservative 2.28 2.5
    Today 23.06.09 Jim Naughtie Alan Duncan Conservative 4.33 2.5
    Newsnight 23.06.09 Jeremy Paxman John Mann Labour 2.01 2.5
    Politics Show 28.06.09 Jon Sopel Yvette Cooper Labour 8.04 2.5
    Politics Show 28.06.09 Jon Sopel Nick Clegg Lib Dem 2.42 2.5
    Politics Show: Scotland 28.06.09 Glenn Campbell Jim Sillars SNP 3.14 2.5
    World Tonight 3.6.09 Ritula Shah Geoffrey Robinson Labour 2.12 2.4
    World Tonight 4.6.09 Robin Lustig Harriet Harman Labour 3.29 2.4
    Marr Show 14.06.09 Andrew Marr Michael Gove Conservative 8.01 2.4
    Today 19.06.09 Evan Davies Jack Straw Labour 5.09 2.4
    Daily Politics 15.06.09 Anita Anand Mike Russell SNP 2.56 2.4
    Daily Politics 17.06.09 Anita Anand Michael Gove Conservative 2.53 2.4
    Politics Show: Scotland 21.06.09 Glenn Campbell Nicola Sturgeon SNP 10.12 2.4
    PM 23.06.09 Eddie Mair Peter Kilfoyle Labour 2.5 2.4
    World Tonight 8.6.09 Ritula Shah Ed Balls Labour 3.48 2.3
    Politics Show: Scotland 14.6.09 Glen Campbell Wendy Alexander Labour 8.05 2.3
    Newsnight 9.6.09 Jeremy Paxman Jack Straw Labour 5.37 2.3
    Today 22.06.09 Evan Davies Harriet Harman Labour 4.35 2.3
    Today 10.6.09 Ed Stourton Boris Johnson Conservative 3.56 2.2
    Today 3.6.09 Sarah Montague Nick Clegg Lib Dem 7.35 2.2
    Today 9.6.09 James Naughtie David Miliband Labour 12.37 2.2
    Today 11.06.09 John Humphrys Philip Hammond Conservative 3.11 2.2
    Today 17.6.09 Sarah Montague Chris Grayling Conservative 3.19 2.2
    World at One 30.06.09 Martha Kearney Nigel Griffiths Labour 2.27 2.2
    World Tonight 5.6.09 David Eades Geraldine Smith Labour 3.36 2.1
    World Tonight 5.6.09 David Eades Phil Woolas Labour 3.42 2.1
    Marr Show 14.06.09 Andrew Marr Harriet Harman Labour 7.55 2.1
    Politics Show 14.6.09 Jon Sopel Vince Cable Lib Dem 6.2 2.1
    Today 3.6.09 James Naughtie Caroline Lucas Green 4.18 2.1
    Politics Show 21.06.09 Jon Sopel Sadiq Khan Labour 3.38 2.1
    World Tonight 22.06.09 Ritula Shah Susan Kramer Lib Dem 2.31 2.1
    World Tonight 24.06.09 Robin Lustig Michael Mates Conservative 3.38 2.1
    World at One 25.06.09 Shaun Ley John McFall Labour 2.34 2.1
    Marr Show 28.06.09 Andrew Marr Ed Balls Labour 17.15 2.1
    World at One 30.06.09 Martha Kearney Liam Byrne Labour 4.19 2.1

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  6. Craig says:
    July 2, 2009 at 7:04 pm

    Newsnight 5.6.09 Kirsty Wark Peter Hain Labour 7.46 2
    Politics Show 14.6.09 Jon Sopel Ken Clarke Conservative 8.17 2
    Today 6.6.09 John Humphrys Caroline Spelman Conservative 5.55 2
    Today 3.6.09 Sarah Montague Lord Falconer Labour 3.49 2
    Politics Show 21.06.09 Jon Sopel Ming Campbell Lib Dem 4.58 2
    Westminster Hour 21.06.09 Carolyn Quinn Norman Baker Lib Dem 3.57 2
    World Tonight 22.06.09 Ritula Shah Mark Field Conservative 2.58 2
    Daily Politics 22.06.09 Anita Anand Lord Puttnam Labour 4.46 2
    Daily Politics 26.06.09 Anita Anand Quentin Davies Labour 4.52 2
    Today 30.06.09 Jim Naughtie Ken Livingstone Labour 2.47 2
    World at One 14.6.09 Martha Kearney Ed Balls Labour 4.3 1.9
    World at One 14.6.09 Martha Kearney Michael Russell SNP 2.19 1.9
    Daily Politics 15.06.09 Andrew Neil Ian Gray Labour 2.12 1.9
    Politics Show: Scotland 28.06.09 Glenn Campbell George Foulkes Labour 4.34 1.9
    World Tonight 6.6.09 John Humphrys Tony Wright Labour 5.01 1.8
    World at One 14.6.09 Martha Kearney Michael Gove Conservative 5.16 1.8
    Today 22.06.09 Evan Davies Stephen Pound Labour 3.23 1.8
    World at One 24.06.09 Shaun Ley Nick Harvey Lib Dem 2.22 1.8
    Marr Show 28.06.09 Andrew Marr Vince Cable Lib Dem 6.5 1.8
    World Tonight 2.6.09 Ritula Shah Peter Kilfoyle Labour 2.26 1.7
    World Tonight 8.6.09 Ritula Shah Tom Harris Labour 2.35 1.7
    World at One 19.06.09 Shaun Ley Richard Cable Labour 2.41 1.7
    Today 22.06.09 Evan Davies Lord Hattersley Labour 4.49 1.7
    World Tonight 22.06.09 Ritula Shah Martin Salter Labour 2.33 1.7
    Westminster Hour 28.06.09 Carolyn Quinn Matthew Oakeshott Lib Dem 3.54 1.7
    World Tonight 17.6.09 Ritula Shah Michael Fallon Conservative 2.58 1.6
    Today 18.06.09 Ed Stourton Vince Cable Lib Dem 4.14 1.6
    Politics Show: Scotland 21.06.09 Glenn Campbell Tom Harris Labour 4.37 1.6
    World at One 23.06.09 Shaun Ley Gordon Brown Labour 19.02 1.6
    World Tonight 22.06.09 Ritula Shah John Mann Labour 1.27 1.6
    World at One 24.06.09 Shaun Ley Peter Hain Labour 5.04 1.6
    PM 24.06.09 Eddie Mair Paul Farrelly Labour 2.55 1.6
    Today 25.06.09 Sarah Montague Dominic Grieve Conservative 5.07 1.6
    Today 26.06.09 Sarah Montague Barry Sheerman Labour 2.58 1.6
    Politics Show: Scotland 28.06.09 Glenn Campbell Jim Wallace Lib Dem 2.55 1.6
    World at One 14.6.09 Martha Kearney Jim Murphy Labour 3.21 1.5
    World Tonight 15.6.09 Robin Lustig Michael Mates Conservative 3.19 1.5
    Today 17.6.09 James Naughtie Alistair Darling Labour 10.12 1.5
    Newsnight 19.06.09 Kirsty Wark Tony Wright Labour 3.37 1.5
    World Tonight 19.06.09 Ritula Shah David Willetts Conservative 3.26 1.5
    World at One 29.06.09 Martha Kearney John Healey Labour 5.32 1.5
    Today 29.06.09 Evan Davies Lord Mandelson Labour 7.12 1.5
    PM 23.06.09 Eddie Mair Sir George Young Conservative 2.21 1.4
    Today 24.06.09 Evan Davies Lisa Nandy Labour 2.07 1.4
    Politics Show: Scotland 14.6.09 Glen Campbell Richard Baker Labour 3.11 1.3
    Today 24.06.09 Evan Davies Keith Vaz Labour 3.14 1.3
    World at One 26.06.09 Brian Hanrahan Ed Balls Labour 4.58 1.3
    World Tonight 15.6.09 Robin Lustig Nick Clegg Lib Dem 2.55 1.2
    Daily Politics 19.06.09 Anita Anand Lord Gilbert Labour 4.34 1.2
    World at One 25.06.09 Shaun Ley David Miliband Labour 4.21 1.2
    Today 29.06.09 Evan Davies Keith Vaz Labour 3.58 1.2
    Today 18.06.09 Jim Naughtie Hilary Benn Labour 6.32 1.1
    Daily Politics 16.06.09 Andrew Neil Ming Cambell Lib Dem 3.55 1.1
    World Tonight 2.6.09 Ritula Shah Roy Hattersley Labour 3.07 1
    Today 12.06.09 James Naughtie Yvette Cooper Labour 5.45 0.9
    Today 24.06.09 Evan Davies Vince Cable Lib Dem 3.35 0.9

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  7. Craig says:
    July 2, 2009 at 7:05 pm

    And that's more than enough for me.
    A glass of wine is on the cards now!

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  8. JohnA says:
    July 2, 2009 at 7:10 pm

    Craig

    Very helpful replies – thanks. That list of progs looks pretty comprehensive.

    Do you keep a spreadsheet of the results ?

    ………………….

    How about –

    1 Sending a copy of your analysis (and spreadsheet) to the Chairman of the BBC Trust, asking for immediate comments as you intend to publish the list within 10 days. Don't be aggressive – just matter-of-fact. "Do these figures square up to the Charter requirement to be impartial ?"

    2 Copy your letter to Ofcom's DG.
    (and tell the BBC Trust Chairman you are copying)

    3 Publish with or without a BBC reply. (Better if there is no reply !) This would actually be a fairly easy process compared with all your work on analysis. All you need to do is draft a short covering note with definitions and list of progs covered. Don't make any assertions of bias – just say the figures are worth examining.

    4 Publishing would simply be a matter of emailing the news editors at various newspapers and journals.

    5 The fun bit would be to copy all the stuff to commentators in the media who we know would be critical of the BBC. Not hard to think of half a dozen. And they could ask – if amateur tracking shows clear bias – whgat the hell are all the BBC editors and managers being paid for under the Charter ?

    I would be very happy to give a hand on this – the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Plus – your work is too good to be hidden !

    And if it was made clear that the results would be published month-by-month, there might actually be an effect in constraining the BBC in the run-up to the election.

    Again – great work you are doing there, quantification across large numbers of interviews definitely shows the pattern of bias. Solid figures are stronger than anecdotal evidence, I think.

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  9. Craig says:
    July 2, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    Thanks John.
    Those are great suggestions & I will follow through on each and every one of them, starting this weekend. Your help and further advice would be greatly appreciated.
    I think I might change the name 'Bias Coefficient' back to 'Interruption Coefficient', as this would (as you suggest) avoid the assertion of bias!
    What surprised me today, as I hadn't previously thought of it, was the air-time percentages outlined above & the astonishingly high amount of air-time given to Labour. Even though they are the government, & will be interviewed more often as a result (perhaps) the sheer disparity of treatment is shocking – though many bloggers here have suspected it very strongly for ages! That will prove a useful statistical weapon in our favour, I think.
    I'm off now for some wine-drinking, a shower & an early night, but if anyone who's still awake can see any other potential pitfalls please let me know.

    And, of course, thanks for David & co for letting me clog up this thread!!

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  10. GCooper says:
    July 2, 2009 at 7:56 pm

    Congratulations Craig and many thanks John A.

    This sort of initiative puts meat on the bones of the countless complaints made here about BBC bias and cannot be brushed aside with the sweeping nonsense posted by BBC trolls and employees, dismissing us as 'Right wing nutcases'.

    A further thought is that Craig's excellent analysis deserves its own website – or at least a more prominent position here than to be lost at the tail end of a neglected thread.

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  11. North Northwester says:
    July 2, 2009 at 8:11 pm

    Craig, that is awesome!

    I think it's the breakthrough we've been waiting for.

    If it fits your strategy, why don't you publish the results on a blog – given that we fellow B-BBC types are many and some of us are read a lot; David himself and others, it would receive many links and much publicity.

    And it would be there; a finger in the eye of the metropolitan Marxian elite who want to rule our minds EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

    Drink deep, sleep well, and good luck.

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  12. JohnA says:
    July 3, 2009 at 2:55 pm

    Craig

    As well as the preponderance of interviews with Labour, there also seems an undue number of interviews with LibDems ?

    As many have already commented – the BBC treats the LibDems as if they were the main opposition party.

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  13. Craig says:
    July 3, 2009 at 5:18 pm

    John,

    You're right. I've just finished working on Wednesday's figures, and the Lib Dems get barely less air-time than the Conservatives. Both got way less than Labour.

    1 July 2009 (The Daily Politics, Today, PM, The World at One, The World Tonight & Newsnight):

    SNP: 2 interviewees
    Lib Dems: 4 interviewees
    Conservatives: 5 interviewees
    Labour: 11 interviewees

    SNP got 7.59 minutes of air-time
    Lib Dems got 11.16 minutes
    Conservatives got 14.45 minutes
    Labour got 47.37 minutes

    In percentages, the amount of air-time for each political party is:

    SNP 9.42%
    Lib Dems 13.85%
    Conservatives 17.94%
    Labour 58.79%

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