Gosh but it’s been a busy morning for the BBC. What with the UK economy moving out of recession and IDS promising further welfare reforms, the comrades are not happy. So, on Today we have several items aimed at minimising any praise for the Coalition on the economy front (Basically, it’s all to do with the Olympics) and IDS is going to cause millions of poor children to starve to death if one listens to this one-sided “debate” with Alison Garnham, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group.
THE PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE
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I sense we will be having a day of ‘buts’ on the BBC.
I’m so glad you picked up on this, DV, because I am currently watching BBC News 24 and have just had to sit through a DISGRACEFUL smokescreen aimed at deflecting the good news of the 1% growth in the economy… The BBC spent ten minutes warning hellfire and brimstone regarding the closure of the Ford plant in Southhampton. The goon reporter then proceeded to list about six other companies that have gone bust over the last TWO YEARS!! I wonder why he stopped at TWO YEARS?
I am no fan of Sky or RT but the figures of growth have been major headlines on each all morning with analysis from major economists and correspondents. The BBC have a little headline using the words ‘climbed out of recession…’. Absolutely disgraceful bias!
Well said Alex.
There seems to be a standard – rubbish the Government – line tthat the 1.0% growth was down t”one off” factors – the Olympics and recovery after “poor weather” earlier in the summer.
Funny. I seem to remember the BBC saying afetr the Olympics there had been no economic bounce for busines.
When figures were poor in the second quarter there was no mention of “poor weather” as an ameliorating factor.
25pc of the deficit cut, employment up, growth of a per cent, crime down etc… and who do the BBC interview in addition to a cautious Prime Minister, on 1 O’Clock News? ED BALLS driveling on about more needs to be done and analysis from a reporter with an inane grin on his face reporting on falling construction, low confidence in consumer markets and good ol’ Steph talking about growth being slower than ‘we’d like.. ‘.
Then we have a DISGRACEFUL interview with a blue collar worker who has obviously had words put into his mouth by the idiotic reporter interviewing him: ‘wages aren’t going up, it’s still tough with bills going up… we’re not seeing any benefit’ with the reporter egging him on etc etc…. Then we have the Ford crisis next…
They were still at it on the Radio 4 PM programme. “Never mind the good GDP figures,we are going to talk and talk about the Ford job losses and anything else we can which makes things look bad for the economy.” Oh, and we will have somebody from the Coalition on just to show there is no bias, “Hello, Mr Cable ……” Need any more be said?
” why he stopped at TWO YEARS?”
That is year zero for beeboids! nothing bad happened from 97 to 2010.
It is so obvious that the BBC always have “spoiler” stories ready for everything that might show the Government in a good light. Just as they got their retaliation is first over Sa-Vile (although that bit them on the bum). And they always describe Labour statements as “attack” and Government ones as “defend” as a means of elevating their beloved party’s status.
It is so shallow and transparent. Years ago my Dad said all bad b***ards get their dues in the end. I am confident now that the Beeb will be shown for what it is and fundamental changes made to the structure and output.
And don’t Patten’s 13 jobs demonstrate that at best he could spend about 35-40 minutes a day overseeing the BBC? See below. And that he put a weed in the DG’s job so he wasn’t challenged on anything. It’s pitiful.
Register of Lords’ Interests
PATTEN OF BARNES, Lord
Category 1: Directorships
Non-executive Director, Russell Reynolds Associates Inc (company research)
Category 2: Remunerated employment, office, profession etc.
Member, International Advisory Board of BP (energy)
Adviser, Hutchison Europe (telecomms, property, transport)
Chairman of the BBC Trust
Member, European Advisory Board, Bridgepoint (private equity group)
Member, EDF Stakeholder Advisory Panel (electricity)
Category 10: Non-financial interests (b)
Member, Prime Minister’s Business Ambassador Network
Chancellor, Oxford University
Member, Board of Overseers, Sabanci University, Istanbul
Advisory Board Member, St Benedict’s School, London
Category 10: Non-financial interests (e)
International Adviser, Praemium Imperiale, Japan Art Association
Co-chair, India-UK Roundtable
Co-chair, Italy-UK Annual Conference
Member of Advisory Council, The Hague Institute for Global Justice
No doubt the BBC are praying that some Tom Watson smear story against (hopefully a Conservative) politican will deflect attention away from the BBC-Savile story.
I would have a bet the filth will not relate to a Labour personality like Charles Lynton or his ex neighbour.
Too true Mr Wisp.
The Beeb always has “stories that they prepared earlier” in the Biddy Baxter tradition of Blue Peter.
These old nags come round regular as clockwork like the unwanted cuddly toys on the Generation Game conveyor belt…or the lurid pink buggy on the baggage carousel if you like.
The “stories” are nursed, fed and watered frequently and continually passed before our eyes as “news analysis and comment”-and round they come like the clapped out old nags/frequent kite flers that they are. If it makes us feel like goldfish, well good!
They are NOT news-they turn out to be the BBCs aspirational legacy, bequeathed shibboleths, old canards-a pinko Marxiod bucket list for the terminally cancerous and putrid BBC.
So-euthanasia, aborting, congestion charges, charging personal trainers to run in parks…the BBC will run these old nags until we notice, and hopefully “set up a cheridee/write to Uncle Ed to Fix it for them.
As to Child Poverty-Humph seemed exercised by this….how much did he put in the CPAG bucket as they went on their way “business class” back to Leeds for a conference or what have you?
Tell you what Beeb…`owzabout you get an eccentric Yorkshire DJ that you employ(Moylesy anyone?) …let HIM set up a cheriddee to relieve children of their “poverty” for you then blow the bugger up with our money for 50 years…and let him do the f***whatever he likes as long as you sprinkle the stardust on his cap as the cameras roll?
Works for me …”as it `appens”
‘Adviser, Hutchison Europe”
All things considered, such as these guys, Hague Inst. etc might be in turn well advised to ditch his services PDQ.
Of course the you-said-no-I-didn’t-yes-you-did debate vis-a-vis Newsnight is great in that it hugely embarrasses the BBC and will leave a trail of corpses in its wake. But at root it is just the BBC doing what the BBC loves doing best – talking about itself. For the rest of us – who really gives a stuff about the commissioning process for Newsnight or any other BBC programme.
If only the air-time and print and electrons that have been consumed on the topic of the Newsnight editorial process had been used to highlight BBC’s role as the mouthpiece of the Labour Party. That is a far far bigger scandal. And heads should certainly roll for that – but won’t.
In contrast, BBC-NUJ puts false positive spin on statistics re-BBC’s own radio performance.
This phoney headline pushes Dab radio results, but not the overall radio listening figures – where there is a general decline.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20069706
A non BBC-NUJ appraisal:
“Radio listening down as commercial and BBC report mixed results”
http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/radio-listening-down-as-commercial-and-bbc-report-mixed-results/4004459.article?
The local BBC radio this morning was full of them placing as much doubt, uncertainty and bad news into the good news as possible.
From claiming that the increase in growth, which would probably be less than 0.6%, was entirely down to the Olympics (and is in spite of, and not because of government policy) Then they had the vox-pops of the clueless of Maryport as they stagger to the off-licence to spend their benefits money, (which HAS gone up!).
“Do you feel better off?” “Do you believe we are at the end of the recession?”
Of course the economically inept reply to state that they do not feel any better off and that we must be in recession.
So The BBC’s only way to portray doom and gloom is to use unemployed idiots from a run-down northern town, to contradict independent economic experts who have studied the actual figures?
I mean, when you have spent years working hard through school and college, dedicated your self to getting a first in economics and statistics, worked in banking, finance and economic institutions for years, and years, analysing trends and developments in economic theory and statistics, then after proving yourself in the field, been appointed to an independent body tasked with giving the government the real figures…. I am sure that you would appreciate being upstaged by an alcoholic from Maryport who cannot make her giro cheque stretch to another bottle of Red Square as a way of “serious” economic analysis by our “serious” state broadcaster!!!
Now we learn that the increase was a full 1% far greater than the BBC doom-mongers had been fearing!
I mean seriously. Is this how LOW the BBC have to stoop to kick ANY feelgood factor out of a set of very good economic figures?
The BBC manages to turn 1% growth into a continuing economic depression!
This has to be a record! How the hell can anyone take the BBC’s news seriously?
– http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20080765
‘Do you feel better off’?
When the country and its people have been living widly beyond their means, financing lifestyles and spending programmes through mountains of debt, a serious ‘adjustment’ has to take place i.e. a drastic drop in living standards, whilst the debt – public and private – is reduced.
Now is it sheer ignorance that makes the BBC ask that sort of question, or blind adherence to the tax/borrow/spend ethos of their political brethren, or both?
Whatever it is, it’s nothing short of irresponsible to give the people in this country – many of whom still hang on the ‘trusted’ BBC’c every word – any kind of expectation that living standards can rise ad infinitum, regardless of the economic situation.
BBC urinating all over the growth figures (check the Live Text feed on the right of the website!):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
Unbelievable!
PS. Olympics Help UK Return To Growth headline is, without doubt, aimed at stealing The Tories’ thunder, as it were. If this were Labour it would be Sing Hosannah and Lord of the Dance etc… Appalling!
BREAKING NEWS: Finger-on-the-pulse Daily Politics show have as their first story: the worrying situation that there aren’t enough women in the board rooms within the 250 FTS companies; there must be more equlity in British companies (forget merit p that is no excuse!). Their second story? The Tories’ nasty public sector pensions reform.
And the news that we have, at last, some type of growth? Well, no (Tory) news is good news!
I heard a programme being trailered (is that a verb?) the other day which asks the question (I paraphrase) ‘Would the banking crisis have happened, and would the country be in so much debt, if women had been in charge? How would an economy free of testosterone be managed?’
Obvious answer censored by the feminoid Beeb: ‘By PMT-fuelled women making irrational decisions whilst biting off the heads of everyone around them’.
It looks like the BBC are in all out war with the Government.
They must realise that when the full extent of the horror of Savile and others is revealed, even this wet pro-EU administration will be forced to take an axe to it, and that will be the end of the gravy train for an awful lot of overpaid left wing, Common Purpose un-employables.
On News 24 every Lefty has been called upon to denigrate the growth, Ed Balls, Will Hutton, Builders union et al, with any pretence of impartiality being discarded.
The BBC are desperate, and will now go balls out to topple the current mob using any method fair or foul.
The Tom Watson question at PMQ’s yesterday SHOULD be headlines across the MSM, but it’s not; One can only surmise that a D notice has or was issued, and the question got through under Parliamentary privilege.
Lobbing this grenade into the HoC shows how rattled Labour must be, because without the BBC they would almost certainly never hold power again, so this distraction technique was a pretty desperate gamble.
My guess is that it will come back and bite Labour on the arse with such ferocity that an arse transplant will be needed.
Anyway, I’ve got my tin hat on, a bucket of popcorn and a six pack ready and look forward to watching the implosion of the left wing establishment – But it’s going to be messy – Be Warned!
“…an arse transplant will be needed“.
There’s a plentiful supply of arses in the Labour Party… and beyond.
Balls being interviewed on news24: A few probing questions; but NEVER a follow up to press home a good point. For instance, a few weeks ago the deficit in 2008, before the crisis, the IMF says was to be over £70B a year. Balls has always stated, ‘I do not believe there was a deficit’. He is not challenged as to why he is in denial? Easy time again for Labour under the BBC.
He was on with Andrew Brillo Neil on BBC and Adam Bunter Boulton on Sky at lunchtime, telling blatant lies and even trying to deny stuff he said on the Andrew Marr show last year even though the footage is in the public domain.
Lying Denying Edward Balls, the best ally the Tories have got!
Only if they hold him to account for it at every opportunity, which they won’t. They don’t seem to realise how important the propaganda war is when trying to catch the attention of this country’s electorate.
See what Boulton does with Balls.
Boulton’s body language says it all. His persistent questioning is what the BBC hacks only ever do with Tory politicians.
The tragedy here is not that the BBC is predictably acting as a “spoiler” in respect of the GDP figures. It is that there is always uncertainty as to their accuracy – and always has been. Taking such figures as gospel is a mistake since, by and large, 1. they’re always subject to revision in the light of more info (as the last set were): 2. there is always a fairly large error factor (between the 3 methods of measuring GDP) and 3. there are dubious assumptions.
The most dubious assumption is that, broadly speaking, the wage bill of the public sector is taken as part of GDP. Ridiculous of course since any government can (and did, certainly from 1997 to 2010) increase GDP simply by employing more drones.
The BBC has produced quite a good and simple guide to measuring GDP. Any analysis of or journalistic comment on the GDP figures should come with a massive warning that the quarterly figures – particularly after the decimal point – are probably crap and the ones before the decimal point should be taken with a large pinch of salt.
It’s possible that a 12 month rolling average might be a more accurate indicator of what’s happening but, even then, I’m doubtful. What I’m more or less certain though is that the quarterly figures on their own are junk.
I believe that a new version of 1984 is in the pipeline. I assume nobody here has ever read it, or would understand newspeak. Basically the conributors’ here want the BBC to parrot the Govt line (unless its a Labour Govt of course) and not query or question. Therefore we should be fed a diet of constant good news which would do Goebbels or Mao proud.
BBBC is allowed to question, but nobody else is because they don’t share the somewhat iconoclastic view of the world.
One set of figures is pretty meaningless which is why a recession is measured over quarters. And it’s not looking good upstream according to the IMF who warned the UK about cutting to deeply.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/9594682/IMF-cuts-growth-forecast-for-UK-in-gloomier-global-outlook.html
Here’s the reality. The jobs being created are so poorly paid that those employed have no real disposable income to help kick start the economy. The continued slump in construction is a direct consequence of cutting the deficit which in most cases amounts to not spending on capital projects like Schools.
So we have thousands of skilled workers out of work, some just getting by but few earning money to spend.
If you honestly believe we are out of the woods, I’ll wager Vance’s next BBC appearance fee that the triple dip recession will hit this time next year.
This is from Investment Week warning of the Triple Dip in an article dated 30 JUNE.
Economists have warned the UK could suffer a triple-dip recession next year after the recovery effects of the Olympics wear off.
Read more: http://www.investmentweek.co.uk/investment-week/news/2195080/uk-faces-tripledip-recession#ixzz2AJPK0qS6
So the BBC is just reporting what has been a common view for the past 5 months that we remain on course for the iceberg. Get the blinkers on!
I read the first sentence from the above excreta and immediately stopped. Why? Because that was sufficient to deduce the cynical tone of your post. Please don’t insult our collective intelligence.
Bullseye for me then!
Bullshit from you more like. As always.
True the little fool actually thinks he is being clever sad really !
Today’s Telegraph:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jeremywarner/100020953/enjoy-your-moment-in-the-sun-while-you-can-mr-cameron-its-unlikely-to-last/
Biased Telegraph as well?
Erm so why are you bringing up a private paper run without threat or tax as biased ? it can be a bloody biased as it wants !
Prole, my response to your post:
dole says:
October 25, 2012 at 1:15 pm
The jobs being created are so poorly paid that those employed have no real disposable income to help kick start the economy.
—————————————————–
1. ‘Those employed’ buy food.
2. Buying food helps the economy.
3. Hope this helps.
Where do you get the the idea that anyone here thinks that nobody else ‘is allowed to question’?
Who has stated or even hinted that ‘we are out of the woods’?
Yes, “One set of figures is pretty meaningless” so why the tsunami of bashing coverage when that one set is down but not when it’s up? (not treating them the same suggest one thing…what is it?…ermm, bias? Yes, that’s it, bias.
Also, can you direct me to your criticism of the explosion of part-time employment and fall in positions for skilled workers (or were they filled by immigrants?) that the UK enjoyed under New Labour.
Looking forward to your reply,
Span
So, Prole, the £50bn a year the country has to find in debt interest even before it makes a single widget – where do you think that came from?
And if you re-instated that element of the government’s capital spending which has been cut, what would YOU cut instead?
And how would you reduce the structural deficit?
And how would you reduce the level of unemployment given net immigration is still running at 250,000 per year (NB – creating more public sector jobs a la Brown Balls is not considered a viable answer).
If you do not care for this web site and its content you must be pretty stupid to keep reading it. Go back to the Daily Mirror. You will not be missed.
Je ne comprends pas le lingo,
Will someone offer a translation ?
The French people are using direct action against the Left-wing useful idiots for Islam.
Go after the people responsible for this mess like this, the useful idiots.
If want to receive any intellectual credibility from the many intelligent contributors of this site then, please, adhere to the most fundamental precept of academic etiquette: Never refer to the national press for corroborative or substantive evidence to back up your claims. Journals, papers and primary source data will do nicely.
On the point about the benefit cuts, interesting that the BBC went to all the trouble of sending a reporter to Blaenau Gwent to find families where large numbers were unemployed, when they could have followed their usual Londoncentric approach of overrepresenting ethnic minorities at every opportunity. Of course the feckless fast breeding foreigners must be kept well hidden from the listeners, while they hope to garner sympathy for the hard done by showcasing the benefit dependent of the former mining communities of Wales.
I heard this classic Beeb fest of vanities.
1. Remind me again-who`s been in power in Blaenau Gwent now since Nye Bevan types and before?…wouldn`t be Labour would it?
2. Tell me this too-the likes of Michael Foot and neil Kinnock would not have been Labour MPs for such areas would they?…let alone blow ins like Peter Tangoed Hain..surely not!
3. And this-any possible chance that the bloated, feather bedded and fully devolved gasbags of the Welsh Assembly might have a question or two to answer-or is it all the fault of the toffs in London then? Need I ask!
Do have a listen to the pub wallah who suffers from anxiety and depression…and must sink a few pints for the BBC reporteres benefit!
His reason-bleeding obvious boyo!
He`s got a disability health check next day…that`s why!
You callous bastard IDS…the anxious pisspot would be head of diversity in Cardiff by now, had you not pressured him into a health check-oh , Lord I need a pint now!
Will the Tories kindly leave me a tab behind the bar here-it`s all the States fault since 2010, you know!
yes and it’s where Labour managed to lose a massive majority by imposing an all wimmin shortlist in 2005, and again lost in 1 2006 bye-election.
In a constituency where a sheep with a labour badge gets elected, that’s quite an achievement!
The Labour parties women shortlist should be full of people like Harriet Harman and then we wouldn’t have a labour government ever again.
BBC News 24 are not keen on today’s GDP figures.
How do I know? Well our news presenter has a chat with Charles Levy of the think tank The Work Foundation.
And Mr Levy reckons the underlying situation of the economy is poor – he refers to that left wing buzz word ‘growth’.
Not that the BBC introduce The Work Foundation as left leaning.
Let’s refer to the Gruan for the heads up on their outlook.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/oct/27/thinktanks-brains-for-hire
The Work Foundation
“Prefers to be called an “independent research institute”, since it crunches the numbers on existing policy and trends, and presents its findings to help people make decisions, rather than making policy suggestions. Headed by Will Hutton, who is now leading the Fair Pay Review, so even though it is strongly associated with New Labour, it has influence.”
[October 2010]
And the BBC balance? Well although our presenter questions the talking head from this ‘independent’ think tank the questions asked really only serve to help him get his negative message across.
Oh… and he thought the BBC introductory piece was very good – ie it was in line with negative take on things.
Funny how left wingers always praise the Beeb.
Seems the only good thing this past quarter was the Olympics.
So we take it that Mr Levy and the Beeb both want to ‘go for growth’. Perhaps we should hold an Olympics every quarter? Somehow I have a feeling that wouldn’t do much for the deficit. But is the Work Foundation concerned about getting the deficit down? Are they a fiscal prudence minded outfit?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/oct/22/work-foundation-thinktank-bought
“Work Foundation thinktank declared insolvent and sold”
[October 2010]
It seems that like much of the New Labour dream party all paid for on borrowed cash it turned a bit pear shaped and left a big expensive mess to be cleared up by someone else. But those concerned are still in denial. Just like the BBC.
When was Will Hutton actually right about anything?
Does anybody know why comments are not allowed on BBC Economics editor Stephanie “floundering” Flanders blog today?
If the audience can’t say anything nice, don’t let them say anything at all.
‘anybody know why comments are not allowed’
They want to hear our views.
Unless they are pretty certain they won’t.
Then you can’t make ’em.
It’s a ‘unique’ thing.
Brothers, we are not alone !
Just found this little gem on The Speccie, from a former beeboid employee.
“• As for Fraser’s praise of the BBC, it may well have once been the envy of the world do dah, do dah; but those days disappeared around the time Alvar Lidell hung up his dinner jacket & stopped reading the WW2 news.
For at least 30 years ( and I know having worked for it twice) the BBC has been a socialist-sympathising, buck-passing, bureacratic labyrinth of toadies, malignant Trots, bien pensant Guardian readers, EU fanatics and ( we now learn) Paedo protectors. Nothing to be proud of there! And to add insult to injury we pay for these freaks.
Its time the whole stinking midden was torn down, starting right at the top with that smug monument to Catholic comp[lacency Lord Fatten. (Appointed by his chum Dave).”
It did resonate.
But may I, in the spirit of recognising shared toil from every concerned quarter, also embrace all fair sisters, such as the fair Ms. Tracy above, to your rallying cry?
Just to ensure none of the new loons rising get all all-inclusively distracted?
*BBC LEFT-WING CONSPIRACY KLAXON, WOO-WOO-WOO* sorry just trying to fit in here.
Don’t forget the licence fee as well.
http://www.lexic.us/definition-of/chickenshit
What on earth are you gibbering about, you lewd, crude, rude type of pre-chewed food dude?
Do not apologize: “woo-woo-woo” is the intellectual level readers expect from defenders of the BBC on here.
Talking of economic news:-
“Compulsory redundancies on the cards at the Guardian”
Read more at http://www.thedrum.com/news/2012/10/25/compulsory-redundancies-cards-guardian?#5xl5ZpB2gljpZ5Vc.99
IDS’s thoughtful reform of the welfare system, where he tries to get to the root causes of long-term unemployment and welfare dependency, really riles the ‘if-you-see-a-problem-throw-more-money-at-it’ Labour/BBC ideology.
So today it was no surprise that they brought in that shining example of political impartiality on the subject, the state-funded charity ‘Child Poverty Action Group’ (also mentioned somewhere above).
But it was the quote bBBC chose to use on its news bulletins when it trots out (no pun intended) the inevitable ‘but the head of blah-blah-blah charity says….’
The quote on this occasion was ‘The government should not be penalising children for the family planning decisions of their parents’.
I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or turn to some old Monty Python scripts for comfort.
BBC, you are a joke.
Anthony Reuben (Business reporter, BBC News), in his biased article Does it matter that the UK is out of recession? wrote this gibberish:
The economy contracted 0.3% in the first quarter and 0.4% in the second quarter, so to avoid growth in the year as a whole there will have to be a considerable contraction in the fourth quarter.
?????
Take a page grab.
They only come here to say how much offence they keep getting, but you never know… on occasion I get a sneaky suspicion a few stealth editors lurk for free tips.
It makes more sense if you include the previous paragraphs:
“Regrettably, economic growth remains a lot flatter than this headline growth figure suggests,” said Prof James Mitchell from Warwick Business School.
“This remains the longest lasting depression in economic history.
“Research we’ve undertaken indicates that there’s no more than a one-in-three chance that economic growth in 2012 as a whole is positive.”
The economy contracted 0.3% in the first quarter and 0.4% in the second quarter, so to avoid growth in the year as a whole there will have to be a considerable contraction in the fourth quarter.
The tone of the article as a whole is unnecessarily negative, but I read that final paragraph as casting a bit of scepticism on the professor’s statement.
‘The longest lasting depression in economic history’.
Strong language, this, indicating potential bias.
http://www.creditwritedowns.com/2009/02/what-is-an-economic-depression.html
‘Though there is no widely accepted definition for an economic depression, according to an article in The Economist, there are two rules of thumb found widely on the internet. One is a decline in real GDP exceeding 10%, and the other is a recession lasting 3 or more years’.
That last bit is a bit ambiguous – for example, does the economy have to be in a contiunuing recession, quarter on quarter, to qualify?
Cost of living the next attack by Labour using the BBC. On Sky news is Labour MP in waiting Rowena Davis, says the next labour attack will be about he ‘cost of living’. So what has the bBC news been doing today, interviewing people i shops asking about the ‘cost of living’. So the bBC already briefed by Labour HQ and doing their biding.