Another day, another accommodation by the BBC of the Fake News right: if someone at the Corporation thought that giving a platform to those who want to see it wiped off the map would mollify them, they have another think coming. Worse, it is clear that many who watched BBC Breakfast this morning were not even slightly impressed by having the show’s paper review turned into a Tory Party Election Broadcast.
One of the Beeb’s bookers seems to have thought that inviting one of the rabble who works in the service of the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines at the Guido Fawkes blog might be A Very Good Idea. But it is clear that the appearance of replacement teaboy Tom Harwood has gone down like the proverbial cup of cold sick.
The complaints were not slow in arriving. “I watched [BBC Breakfast] in utter disbelief, some Guido Fawkes toad called Tom Harwood was allowed to sing the virtues of the Johnson govt/No Deal Brexit … he was peddling lie after lie unchallenged” … “Tom Harwood the Guido Fawkes guy, giving it lie upon lie, upon lie on BBC breakfast about how good a no deal Brexit will be, and how the government are doing a marvellous job, without question from the two shills on the red couch. It was like watching a live action press release” were typical. And typically damning.
Some were taking it further. “Complain online to BBC providing a platform for extreme right wing Guido Fawkes. I just did … The [BBC Breakfast] paper review is not there to promote agencies of hate and bigotry”. Some wanted an explanation: “Tom Harwood peddling his Guido Fawkes nonsense without challenge. This is outrageous BBC. He's supposed to be reviewing the Sunday papers not peddling his right wing opinions. This is ridiculous bias, who makes these editorial decisions?” Who indeed?
There was more. “Yes shameful bias from Tom Harwood of right-wing lobby group Guido Fawkes on [BBC Breakfast] - more or less a PEB for the Tories” … “The normalisation of right wing propaganda outlet Guido Fawkes is as fascinating as it disgusting to witness” … “Really, [BBC Breakfast] featuring a 'reporter' from Guido Fawkes. Are you kidding? Could you possibly crawl up the Tories’ bums any further? Switching off now”.
The lack of balance worried some. “It's probably time that before these self interest groups (whoever they are) come on the news that they declare exactly who they are and who funds them... but the Guido Fawkes guy on [BBC News] this morning was there with absolutely no balance ... none whatsoever”. Not a good look.
That concern was shared by Gary Foskett: “It's all very well inviting children from the Guido Fawkes political nursery on to public *service* broadcasters for the odd outing, but you can't allow them to dump hard right bullshit all over the place without any comeback or challenge. This is not the way to bring up Britain”. Well, quite.
Staines said one undeniably true thing recently when he asserted “The Guidoisation of British politics is complete” in response to his hero Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson becoming Prime Minister. It seems the Guidoisation has infected the BBC as well.
When a borderline Fake News site is allowed to set the BBC’s agenda, we are truly lost.
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4 comments:
Tim, why not submit a FOI request to the BBC asking them how they select "press review" participants and which individuals are responsible for the selections? They might be willing to come clean.
Then again they probably won't. Media cowards are like that.
It's been tried before and failed so don't waste time. Besides which, I can imagine GDPR being an issue.
He has been a guest on Newsnight several times. On his last outing he predicted BJ leaving in October and then winning a GE in 2020 with a landslide. Joy.
They ignore FOI's, they swat away complaints. The BBC are a law unto themselves
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