Author Archives: David Vance

None so totalitarian as the BBC;

The BBC is using laws designed to catch terrorists and organised crime networks to track down people who dodge the licence fee, it emerged yesterday. The publicly-funded corporation uses the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), designed by the last Labour government to fight terrorism, to catch those who evade paying the £145.50 fee. Now, however, its ability to use sweeping surveillance powers could be stopped by a new review announced yesterday by culture secretary Sajid Javid. Mr Javid’s independent inquiry into TV licence fee enforcement will examine the corporation’s use of covert surveillance operations on those it thinks have not paid the obligatory licence fee.

Well then, the weekend beckons and so time for a new one of these for your edification!

I got back from France late Monday evening and caught the BBC “Today” programme running a story about the “racist” song released by Mike Read in support of UKIP. The BBC oozes visceral contempt for UKIP and whether one supports them or not, this bias is self evidently wrong. Is it possible that UKIP’s views on our continued membership of the EU and its focus on enforcing immigration limits are so at odds with the BBC hive?

Hi all. Sorry for the lack of posts but I have been across in France for the past several days and came home to power cuts!!! The floors is yours….

When you are reading this, I should be in Paris and so beyond the reach of the BBC! Here’s a new thread to see you off into the weekend. I’ll be back Monday night.

Alan has already covered the BBC onslaught against Lord Freud today. I wish to point out two further thoughts. First, isn’t is SO convenient that the BBC blasted this on the same day that the Government announced the biggest fall in unemployment in YEARS and at the same time as Miliband was given heat for dismissing the concerns of English voters re “English votes for English laws”. Oh, and then there was this….from Guido.

Who is the nasty Party?

I commend this YOUTUBE post to you. Here is the background.

“In the run-up to the BBC’s application for the renewal of its Royal Charter – i.e. the legal device by which the BBC has the right to demand a tax of £145.50 of every inhabitor of a U.K. dwelling with a colour TV – the BBC’s adherance to its present Charter’s conditions will come under scrutiny – in particular, the onorous requirement for political impartiality.

This video – the first in a series of fifteen entitled “Educating Rona” – serves to assist that debate. It features acknowledgements, both implicit and explicit, by more than thirty serving and former BBC staff – including: three editors of the agenda-setting “Today” programme; two director-generals; and several news editors, producers, and reporters – which indicate that there exists within the BBC an institutional Left-wing bias.

The full list of acting/former BBC staff whose comments are reproduced include:”Today” reporter Robin Aitken; “Panorama” producer Gerard Baker; former “Newsnight” reporter Joan Bakewell; former director of news Helen Boaden; former “Feedback” presenter Roger Bolton; “The Moral Maze” presenter Michael Buerk; “Top Gear” presenter Jeremy Clarkson; former “Newsnight” political editor Michael Crick; documentary presenter Sebastian Foulks; former diplomatic correspondent Freddie Forsyth; “Woman’s Hour” presenter Jane Garvey; director-general Tony Hall; former “Panorama” producer Steve Hewlett; former director of news Peter Horrocks; former “Panorama” producer Anthony Jay; director of editorial policy and standards David Jordan; former documentaries commissioning editor Richard Klein; former “Today” editor Rod Liddle; former “Today” editor Tim Luckhurst; former “Good Morning Sunday” presenter Don Maclean; Radio 2 presenter Simon Mayo; former political editor Andrew Marr; former “Today” editor Roger Mosey; former BBC governor Dame Neville-Jones; former “One Man And His Dog” presenter Robin Page; former “Newsnight” presenter Jeremy Paxman; former news producer Nick Pollard; former business editor Jeff Randall; political editor Nick Robinson; former “Crimewatch” presenter Nick Ross; former “Talking Politics” presenter Dennis Sewell; former head of current affairs Samir Shah; former news anchor Peter Sissons; former director-general Mark Thompson; “Today” presenter Justin Webb; former Online science editor David Whitehouse; and creative director Alan Yentob.”

Here you go and as requested, a new open thread. Detail the bias here please!

What a bit of luck the BBC can slide its hand into our wallets and extract that license tax. Just imagine if it had to finance THIS sort of indulgence itself…

The BBC has spent more than £220,000 on iPhone lessons for staff. Figures have revealed the corporation spent licence fee payers’ money teaching 783 employees how to properly use the gadget over a period of three years. This works out at a cost of nearly £300 per person.

Anyone else watched Darragh MacIntyre’s 30 minute undermining of Nigel Farage on Panorama? Shocking bias. As someone else has pointed out, what a PITY the Panorama team never did a similar job on Jimmy Savile.