Tag Archives: BBC

BBC use loophole to censor publication of Royal Wedding costs

3:00pm Mon June 6th

The BBC have used a controversial exemption in the Freedom of Information Act to block the publication of the costs incurred during their wall-to-wall coverage of the Royal Wedding. Legislation provides that the broadcaster can refuse to release information held “for the purposes of journalism, art or literature”.

Records of appeals to the Information Commissioner show the loophole is used repeatedly by Auntie to rebuff awkward questions. While the corporation claimed it needs ”a private space in which to produce our content”, campaign group Republic has criticised the BBC for sending more than 1,000 staff to cover the event — five times more than Sky:

“An exemption introduced to protect the independence of the BBC was not intended to shield the corporation from legitimate scrutiny.”

Do the BBC have something embarrassing to hide?

One Show ask David Cameron: “How do you sleep at night?”

7:37am Wed March 9th

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Were reports that David Cameron’s appearance on the One Show gave him a “comfy end to a bumpy week” submitted before the programme ended? As credits were cued to roll, Matt Baker smiles icily before asking the Prime Minister:

“Just very quickly, how do you sleep at night?”

Baker clearly meant it as a barb — just listen to co-presenter Alex Jones’ shocked gasp:

Paxman eat your heart out.

Editorial balance! BBC article uses “savings” and “cuts” in the same headline

9:27am Tue March 8th

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Last week Liberal Conspiracy revealed that BBC bosses had instructed reporters to give prominence to the word “savings” in news coverage rather than “cuts” in order to provide greater, erm, balance to government announcements. With the edict leading to arguments in editorial meetings it seems the bright sparks at BBC Wales have hit upon a workable compromise: use both words in the same headline!

This article on Flintshire Council’s budget describes “£12m savings cuts”:

Let Liberal Conspiracy know about others for their “BBC ‘savings’ vs ‘cuts’ watch”.

When will they learn? Defence Review speech is latest victim of telephoto lenses

3:33pm Tue October 19th

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David Cameron has become at least the fifth senior public figure to have private documents revealed by news photographers since May 2008. The prime minister was photographed holding a copy of his defence review speech which appeared to suggest that the budget has been cut by 6% less than expected. The repetitive nature of the error is such that one wonders whether the “gaffe” was a deliberate ruse to leak a more favourable headline figure. Indeed, snapper Steve Back has warned government press officers:

“I have told Downing Street before that the quality of lenses and digital lenses means that we can read ministerial papers.”

Scrapbook has had a look back through the archives:

Photo gaffe no. 1 (May 2008): Caroline Flint reveals government fears about the housing market. The then minister for housing decided to stroll in front of the press pack with figures projecting that UK house prices could fall “at best” by 5-10%. The note from officials stated grimly ”We can’t know how bad it will get.”

Photo gaffe no. 2 (April 2009): Britain’s most senior couter-terrorism officer decides to share a highly confidential memo with the world’s press. By far the worst error of its kind in the UK, Bob Quick subsequently resigned after the blunder forced police to move forward with an operation prematurely.

Photo gaffe no. 3 (September 2010): The BBC was forced to defend its impartiality after director general Mark Thompson revealed details of a private meeting between a senior Auntie official and Andy Coulson. The note laid bare discussions with Number 10 about a series of programmes on government cuts.

Photo gaffe no. 4 (October 2010): Danny Alexander is caught reading a briefing for the Comprehensive Spending Review including “lines to take” for ministers. The two pages disclosed show the coalition expects 490,000 public sector jobs to be shed by 2014-15.

Photo gaffe no. 5 (October 2010): David Cameron gives us a sneak peak of his Commons address for this afternoon.

Have we missed any other photographic cock-ups?

Let us know in the comments or on Twitter.

Disgusted of Salisbury

10:33am Tue August 31st

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When asked as to his “reading material of choice” the new Tory MP for Salisbury John Glen tells ConservativeHome:

“I read most of the main political blogs each day and all papers – especially the Daily Mail headlines in order to anticipate some of my email correspondence for the week ahead!”

This reminds Scrapbook of an anecdote related by a man who worked responding to complaints at the BBC. He was exasperated by the preponderance of letters that were variations on a theme of: ”I didn’t see [programme name] but I read in [the Mail or Express] that it was absolutely disgraceful!”

The staffer confessed he had drafted (but not dispatched) several responses which read:

“Well I didn’t read your letter but I heard that it was complete b****cks”.

Weather presenter gives BBC News colleagues the middle finger

3:34pm Tue August 17th

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Tomasz Schafernaker doesn’t appreciate sarcasm when it comes to his meteorological abilities:

Embarrassing, but not as funny as James Dagwell’s “wet cat” joke.

Hat-tip: Tim Jonze

UPDATE: To our amusement it would appear TS has form for this kind of thing. Watch him throw a strop after producers leave him hanging:

BBC relaunch news and politics pages

4:56pm Wed July 14th

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If you haven’t been on the BBC News website today you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Auntie have redesigned their online news offering for the first time since 2003. Writing on the Editors blog, news chief Steve Hermann outlined the changes:

“a fresh, updated design, with more space for the main stories of the day
better use of video and images
clearer and more prominent labelling and signposting of key stories, whether you are on the front page or a story page
a better indication of which are the most recent headlines
easier ways to share stories with others, for those who wish to, on social media networks”

Up yours, Murdoch!

BBC newsreader kidnapped and forced to bear children

9:20am Thu September 10th

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Scrapbook has obtained exclusive footage of Jonathan Charles, the BBC newsreader imprisoned in a broom cupboard in Broadcasting House nearly two decades ago under the orders of then director general Michael Checkland. It is alleged Charles was forced to provide services “of a personal nature” to a succession of BBC bosses:

Apologies to anyone who saw this already on Liberal Conspiracy.

Some things are too good not to blog.

Tag Archives: BBC

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