Did you catch the item on Today @ 7.50am concerning planned government cutbacks in higher education? What struck me was the sympathetic attitude Naughtie took when interviewing Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University College Union and this contrasted with the outright hostility then shown towards Andrew Haldenby of Reform. Not a trace of bias there, right?
A HIGHER LEVEL OF BIAS
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Higher education in England only.As usual,Naughtie fails to point this out.
The elephant in the room – should we be shoving 50% of school “graduates” through the university system? – was, yet again, ignored. God forbid anyone should state out loud that university education is for an academic elite: it’s not there to do remedial work (to make up for our failing schools) nor is it there to replace, for instance, trade schools or apprenticeships.
UMBO: should we be shoving 50% of school “graduates” through the university system? – was, yet again, ignored. God forbid anyone should state out loud that university education is for an academic elite:
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As Kingsley Amis put it succinctly years ago: “More is worse”.
I don’t expect that view to be given an airing on the BBC. Hah! That would be “elitist”, don’t you know?
I noticed how positive the BBC have been in spinning this story. On Radio 5 Vicki Pollard stated that “of course we can do a degree in 2 years”. Now without looking I’m betting like all beeboids Ms Pollard has a degree is some pointless arts subject.
However, SOME people go to university and study subjects that require a lot of intelliegence and hard work (like medicine and enginering) and those subjects require the time.
Had the Tories suggested this you just know the beeboids would be up in arms as would the students union.
Good point above from ovic60 that this is yet again a Scottish dominated UK Government cutting funding to English universities whilst the Scots go on spending with the English tax payer writing the cheques. Not enough we bailed out the failing Scottish banks.
Oh and since when was Mandy put in charge of higher education?
Douglas Alexander allowed 45 minutes to prattle on about Climate change on Radio 5 with Colin Murray, a man (I think) who makes Nicki Campbell look like a towering intellect.
Is it just me or have the BBC simply shut any Tory voice out since Copenhagen? I haven’t heard any Tory voice on Radio 5 for days.
Like you, I felt extremely nauseous by Colin Murray’s interview with “Wee Dougie”, though I just thought that CM was out of his depth and unable to get a grip on a politician who didn’t want to be interviewed. Like his boss, Dougie seems to have the ability to waffle Labour party soundbites seemlessly without pausing for breath.
As far as the Tories are concerned, they’re keeping a low profile because they have no policy on AGW – they must know its a load of rubbish but know they’ll be pillororied as Deniers by the Liberal Establishment if they speak their minds.
Martin – In the case of “Global Warming” – it does not matter which party the BBC interview – they are all the same . If the BBC were seriousley unbiased we would see alot more of this politician.
http://climaterealists.com/index.php?id=4397&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+co2sceptics%2FOnRA+%28CO2sceptics+News+Blog%29
In a very few years time the highly skilled craftsmen in a host of trades will have retired. There are so very few young people willing or able to replace them. Those that persevere and learn a trade that only time and practice can perfect can look forward to a good future. My son has an order book full till June 2010 and needs no bank loans or state handouts. Each year his business grows.
To find good keen young labour is very very difficult. So distorted is our system that it is considered preferable to go to some third rate university to study drivel rather than take up a real trade.
But then the farmers, fishermen , craftsmen,skilled engineers and small business people are the hardest class for the state to break and turn into docile serfs.
Independence is in their DNA and they are the people the liberal elite really fear. They do not fear poorly educated students in media studies.
I heard that interview this morning. Why was the Labour spokesman only given about two sentences to explain the policy?
You can always tell what the BBCs views are on how they conduct a “debate” – if its something they disagree with, endless time is spent on picking people to poke holes in the policy. Usually the policy or inititive is not even explored in depth and all we hear is a “headline”.
This happens quite often with any proposed conservative policy, where the BBC usually allow Labour to attack it without the listener getting to know exactly what the policy entails.
If you want to hear a long interview with a conservative it will be either Tim Yeo on “global warming” or a conservative spokesman attacking the policies on Iraq.
Think of a subject and you can usually guess how the BBC spins it.
Isreal v Gaza – Hamas spokesman
Global Warming – Greenpeace or some other undemocratic NGO
US Republican – Democrat spokesman
etc.
Naughtie is the Chancellor of Stirling Uni (my old uni – thank God Diana Rigg was in the chair then!) He is therefore interviewing when there is clear conflict of interest and should NOT have done the show!
Just listened to the Archers, With that child wanting to not go to college, why no mention from the parents about the current problems with poor education and no job at the end of it. Serious debt etc?