Is the BBC Avoiding Critical Topics Like U.K Bankruptcy?

setmefree2

Is this the same poster on HPC?

http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=104924

If it is - he's posted as a newbie there too. Sheepmoney - strange user name.

mymatebob

overlander wrote: »

Its not the BBC's job to decide what news to release based on the markets or peoples reaction its function is to report the news regardless. For example yester EVERY single major news channel ran with the story of the whistler blower who claimed he has documents that links brown with this disaster. But pop over to the BBC NOTHING not even a mention. Before you start saying they are waiting for the facts rubbish that is not for them to decide.

Not sure I get this, are you suggesting that news organisations, in this case BBC News, should not be checking facts before publishing them?

StevieJ

Audience profile is interesting, 4.3 million US visitors a month to their website. WOW

http://www.quantcast.com/bbc.co.uk

Cleaver

amcluesent wrote: »

>And I like you Mr Cluesent, so it'd be nice to debate the evidence<

LOL. Who replied to a posting with a dismissive - 'I love this kind of wacky stuff.' Crikey, it was Cleaver! Knock me down with a feather, etc. etc,:beer:

Yeah, that's a good point actually.

But do as I say, not what I do. Erm...

Wookster

setmefree2 wrote: »

1)Our trade deficit is shrinking
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7291521.stm

Actually our trade deficit is still negative, just a bigger negative than a smaller one.

setmefree2 wrote: »

2) Our levels of government debt are better than most other economys. Furthermore, economys with less debt than the UK are in a worse sitaution than us in regards to falls in GDP and unemployment.

Well we will run at a 9% budget deficit in 2009 and similar in 2010. Second only to the US iirc. It is simply not sustainable. And the spending & bailouts continue to grow. Painful choices will have to be made in the near future.

setmefree2 wrote: »

3) Economys with large numbers of savers such as Japan and Germany are worse off than us.

True, but thats because they are also dependant on exports for their business. When the cycle turns and demand grows they'll recover quickly. The UK by comparison will be paying off debt (personal and corporate) for many years to come - thats cash that can't be spent locally on consumption.

setmefree2 wrote: »

4) Everyone is suffering from falls in tax revenue

Yup. That means that borrowers will be competing for ever more scarce resources. Borrowing will be easier and cheaper for the more prudent...

setmefree2 wrote: »

5) A weak currency has helped increase our exports - see 1- trade deficit is shrinking.

Might be bigger but its still negative... we just aren't paying our way and the negative trade balance means that the devaluing currency has an overall negative effect on people's pockets.

overlander

mymatebob wrote: »

Not sure I get this, are you suggesting that news organisations, in this case BBC News, should not be checking facts before publishing them?

No they should check the facts but that should be the end of it. The story was simple a former HBOS employee who already has brought down a senior figure has claimed he has documents to bring down brown. Thats the story, this guy has already brought down a senior figure so you can be pretty sure he does have documents. For the BBC to totally ignore this shows their bias.

chrisweb

setmefree2 wrote: »

You don't have to watch he BBC. There are plenty of other channels geared to a more knowledgeable audience - try Bloomberg or CNBC.

EDIT However, I don't think you'll find them reporting that the UK is going bankrupt either. Sorry to disappoint.

I don't get Bloomberg or CNBC in the UK, if I can I don't know where. Whether I can or not is not the point. The BBC is the biggest news broadcaster in the U.K and also paid for by the tax payer so has a responsibility to report news properly.

In the U.S CNBC and Bloomberg did give people with alternative views airtime who did say the dollar would collapse, U.S is effectively bankrupt etc. One example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMCvTFwetWc

Even Channel 4 gives airtime to more alternative thinker on the prime time broadcasts, but not the BBC.

It is not neccesarilly about reporting bankruptcy in the U.K, but also looking at some of the poor fundamentals of the U.K economy. Maybe you disagree with those fundamentals and I respect that opinion, but it doesn't mean the other opinion, which is held by a significant number should be ignored. Is that not fair?

chrisweb

overlander wrote: »

No they should check the facts but that should be the end of it. The story was simple a former HBOS employee who already has brought down a senior figure has claimed he has documents to bring down brown. Thats the story, this guy has already brought down a senior figure so you can be pretty sure he does have documents. For the BBC to totally ignore this shows their bias.

Yeah I saw this guy getting interviewed on Channel 4 news.

overlander

chrisweb wrote: »

Yeah I saw this guy getting interviewed on Channel 4 news.

He was on every single news channel and paper except the BBC.

chrisweb

setmefree2 wrote: »

Because the problem is global - so any analysis must be global. The UK is not coming out of recession until the US has.

I'm not disputing that but it still doesn't mean the U.K might be in worse shape, and if a lot of people are saying this with facts to support it then it should be covered.

Just because all Brown says is "Its a global recession" does not mean its the only viewpoint the BBC should broadcast in the main news bulletins.

I haven't seen any coverage on the BBC that says we are going to have a super quick recovery

The lunchtime broadcast today said just that and I've heard it plenty of times. Regurgitating the government forecasts for a sharp recovery.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hq216/BBC_News_at_One_16_02_2009/ - 7 minutes 20 seconds in. That prediction will likely be regurgitated again and again by the BBC until that prediction is proven wrong, like the last one was.

If you want a different opinion - try a different channel.

BBC is paid for by taxpayers without choice. I want better coverage and given its the biggest news broadcaster and I think the public deserves better. I don't see biased news on the BBC having any defence whatsover.

However, I don't think you'll find one that says we are going bankrupt. Do you think that is because the UK is not going bankrupt and is infact any suggestion that it is is just scaremongering?

Maybe it is scaremongering, but anyone who predicted a house price crash was labelled a scaremonger, and they also got next to nothing in terms of prime time news broadcasts, these same people now still don't get airtime.

There are facts and a growing number of people supporting the viewpoint then that opinion should be given airtime. If the proof adds up that the U.K economy is not going bankrupt then why not address the issue and point out the facts on both sides and let people make an educated decision.

However, the topic is avoided as much as possible and to the best of my knowledge has never been covered on a BBC news broadcast apart from when David Cameron said it - and I'm not even sure if that was covered, I couldn't find it.