More On That Mythical Impartiality Thing

Like discussion of unicorns, discussion of ‘impartial media’ would make a good topic for a first-year undergraduate philosophy seminar.  We’re not sure what, if any, practical application it can have though.

On the subject of unicorns, LBC's James O'Brien doesn't want right-wingers appearing on the BBC:

"Left-wing radio commentator James O’Brien has slammed the BBC for hosting right-wingers like Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, equating it to giving a platform to people who believe in unicorns, whilst admitting “routinely” breaking BBC impartiality rules when working there."

Meanwhile, James Delingpole laments the bias of the BBC's flagship programme, Question Time:

"Just in case any right-wing questions slip through the net, host David Dimbleby is on hand to make sure that left-wing MP Diane Abbott gets her statutory 25 minutes half flirting with Dimbleby while explaining why it’s all the government’s fault, while Nigel Farage and Jacob Rees-Mogg get five seconds between them to reply that actually it’s a bit more compli…"

And finally, we thought that the BBC was institutionally anti-Brexit, but Raymond Snoddy in the Radio Times thinks different, arguing that the BBC has not given enough space following the referendum to anti-Brexit arguments:

"Given Parliament has yet to take the formal decision to leave the EU, following the end of negotiations, Lord Adonis is making a strong point when, in his formal complaint, he accuses the BBC of breaching its Royal Charter, which governs everything the BBC does and says BBC news must show due impartiality. Already, he says, it has meant the BBC giving “scant” coverage to anti-Brexit marches.  

"Former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger sees parallels with the BBC coverage of the Suez crisis in 1956 – when it was found afterwards that even Panorama had “skirted around” the fundamental issues.  

"Rusbridger argued in the New Statesman magazine recently that those who still believe that Brexit would be an economic and foreign policy disaster for the UK are being portrayed by the BBC as “undemocratic extremists”. They are, Rusbridger says, allowed a voice “only if repeatedly challenged, and balanced by fervent Brexit hardliners”.  

"I believe it is in everyone’s interest that, if the UK is going to leave the EU, it should be in the light of the best, most comprehensive and accurate information possible."

Which goes to show that you can't please everybody.