Bias is a curious beast. I don’t watch Eastenders but I believe that London Mayor Boris Johnson made a cameo appearance in “The Vic”. Big deal, eh? Well, it bothers the BBC who ran an item on it this morning pointing out that a/ Their hero Red Ken never got on despite seeking appearances, b/ That Boris was “a national joke” and c/ Is this how we are going to treat “our coming Tory masters”? d/ It was all simply too awful.
OUR TORY MASTERS
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per http://notasheepmaybeagoat.blogspot.com/2009/10/taking-bacon.html – Take a listen to last night’s http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00mypsk Richard Bbacon 5Live show, the part before the 11pm news made for jaw dropping listening. It seemed that Richard Bacon and guests were discussing whether or not the BBC was now biased in favour of the Conservatives, the only evidence seemed to be that Boris Johnson had appeared on Eastenders and Gordon Brown and Ken Livingstone had not. The discussion also seemed to decide that 5Live itself might now be biased in favour of the Conservatives.
Let nobody be fooled, this is part of the new Labour narrative that they are the underdogs, that everyone is against them and that it just isn’t fair. It is probably only a matter of time before Harriet Harman gets up and threatens to “thcream and thcream ’till I’m thick” unless BBC coverage of the Labour party reverts to the near adulation of the early Blair years.
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I don’t watch Eastenders either, so haven’t seen the item. I do believe that the BBC shouldn’t be allowing politicians on to drama shows such as this, as it’s very easy to accuse them of bias for doing so. What next? Gordon Brown on Eastenders? (I suppose he’s miserable enough.) We on this site would make hay if they did that and I think the same applies to all sides of the political spectrum.
Is this a ‘firing’ offense or a ‘boys will be boys’ offense? They have openly insulted a prominent politician, not his policies although that too is forbidden.
Personally, I feel the celebrities making cameos horse has long left the barn and the BBC will follow the American example. Just think how many times Ed Koch has appeared in films and sitcoms. *
What worries me with the BBC, given their record for stacking appearances with ‘politicians’ whom they agree with and ignoring those they do not, is that once permission is formally given these shows will become as neutral as Question Time.
*IMDB lists Koch 56 times mostly as himself and an amazing eleven times as ‘actor’.
I wasn’t surprised to hear the item on 5Live this morning. Andrew Billen, staff writer and reviewer for the Times newspaper, fits perfectly into the BBC narrative having worked some 10 years for the left-leaning magazine New Statesman. He specialises in paeans of praise for the BBC with 4 and 5 star reviews being the norm. I don’t mind reading a TV column with good reviews in praise of good programmes but, since Billen came to town, variety and interest seem to have deoarted. Like the BBC, he seems to think that everyone should think the same gray thoughts as himself and he’s quite clearly not above the odd sneer at those holding different opinions. He was in good company this morning.
It is quite possible that the BBC will become less biased towards the left as the election approaches in a cynical attempt to appease the Tories and preserve the licence fee. I wouldn’t put anything past the Beeboids.
David,
it bothers the BBC who ran an item on it this morning
Appalling
pointing out that a/ Their hero Red Ken never got on despite seeking appearances,
Typical. Thank God the makers of EastEnders had the good sense to defy those bent BBC bustards.
Let’s all cheer those strong-willed producers who said Ken’s writ didn’t run in Walford, but Boris’s does:
The BBC.
I agree that Johnson shouldn’t have been allowed on, the BBC have really lost the plot.
I wonder how much Boris got paid ?
Troll – no engagement.
you’re calling omte a troll I assume?
He makes a perfectly logical point – you claim the BBC are shilling for red ken asking why he was never on a BBC show, while a BBC show allow the tory mayor on
at worst they’re cancelling each other out
Wasn’t the reason Red Ken was rejected because he was going on “to promote a recycling campaign”.
“The Executive Producer of Eastenders, Diederick Santer said Boris Johnson’s appearance was not political and purely for entertainment.”
Now if the BBC have Boris on and Top Gear they cannot be biased, no sir not at all.
Boris Johnson on EE – car crash tv. What a mug, I couldnt believe it when I see it over at Old Holborns. I feel I have entered some parallel universe.
Hugely hugely embarrasing. What were his handlers thinking??
I suppose now another Cabinet official will complain that the BBC is biased in favor of the Tories for clearly behaving as if Labour will lose the election, and a defender of the indefensible will claim that it’s proof that the BBC is doing a great job because they anger both sides equally.
David P
a defender of the indefensible will claim that it’s proof that the BBC is doing a great job because they anger both sides equally.
Doubtless you’re right.
Almost as daft, in fact, as someone writing that the BBC is upset because the BBC failed to put the BBC’s hero Red Ken onto a series the BBC makes. And that the BBC had the nerve to upset the BBC by putting Boris on the very BBC soap that refused to feature the BBC’s hero Ken.
Focus on the “our Tory Masters” bit, and see if you can engage in an actual debate. Using sarcasm doesn’t actually mean you’re right.
If you wish: That was a spontaneous remark by a guest interviewee, who is the TV critic of The Times, a newspaper run by the very hands-on Murdochs, who have repeatedly criticised the BBC, its funding, and its reach. If I understand David V correctly, he feels the BBC is doing something wrong by quoting a journalist working for Murdoch who makes a joke about the Tories being our new masters.
It may not quite have the serpentine logic of Mr Vance’s belief that the BBC was complaining about a decision made by the BBC in the Boris/Red Ken cameo kerfuffle, but it’s close.
Appearing on Eastenders does make Boris a joke but then he is a joke mayor of a rundown joke city. Maybe Ken refused to do it.
Boris is no more a Tory than my cat. At least he is out of the way in London.
Having seen it, I must say our Boris joins an ignoble list of pols who have been suckered into making total pr*ts of themselves by appeals to their ham bones.
Oddly, he did OK as host of HIGNFI, whilst the likes of Anne W, Bob Marshall thingie, Lembit, etc have died horribly in the chair or as guests.
As to Mr. Livingstone, one usually hears the faint praise of ‘a good face for radio’, but in his case, even that medium is beyond offering assistance.