# 386 -war - This is how the BBC respond to complaints.

I complained to the BBC that Caroline Quinn’s Radio 4 program called ‘ How to make a Brexit’  on Tuesday 8th January was bias in favour of the EU.

Dr Richard North did a detailed analysis of the programme’s bias, on his blog EU Referendum, and the applicable post is here:-

http://eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=85884

 Here is a copy of my complaint:-

I have been complaining over 25 years about the BBC’s bias over its reporting of the EU as you show clear bias for remaining in. This programme clearly set out to show every possible obstacle to us leaving and did not offer a balance by giving equal coverage to the many advantages to us leaving and how it can he safely achieved. It also contained many distortions of the truth and outright lies. Something I know you will argue is that over time your reporting on the EU is balanced even if this or other programmes weren’t. However it is impossible for you to make this point as your reporting over time is also heavily biased in favour of remaining with the status quo that is in the EU. Your Royal Charter demands balance and yet on the EU and much else your reporting is very one sided. Again it is known that you have received soft loans, of many millions, from the EU and your reporting on this subject, of national importance, is a disgrace and clearly biased in the EU’s favour. This programme should be removed from the ‘I’ player, as you did with a far less controversial programme by Quentin Letts on the Met Office which did challenge the science of Climate Change, or you should broadcast a programme that concentrates on how we can safely leave the EU and why it is to our advantage to do so. The main contributor to the programme should be the leading EU expert Dr Richard North whose popular campaigning blog ‘EU Referendum’ is at the forefront, through his Flexcit plan, of explain how we can and why we should leave the EU. I await your reply with what you propose to do about this disgracefully very biased programme which clearly set out to support the case for us remaining in the EU.

Here is the BBC’s reply to my complaint which as I suspected talks about balance over time but appears to address a programme I didn’t actually complain about!!!

Dear Mr Warry
Reference CAS-3640767-3TQG85 
Thanks for contacting us about our midnight News Bulletin on Radio 4 as broadcast January 02, I understand you felt the programme was biased in favour of the EU.
I appreciate the time you have taken to share your concerns with us and I am sorry about the delay in responding to you.
BBC news editors are charged to ensure that over a reasonable period they reflect the range of significant views, opinions and trends on particular issues. The BBC does not seek to denigrate any view, or to promote any view. It seeks rather to identify all significant views, and to test them rigorously and fairly on behalf of the audience.
In dealing with any controversial matter the BBC is required to give a fair and balanced report. Balance cannot simply be judged on the basis of the time allocated to the representatives of either side of an argument however. One spokesperson may make his or her points concisely while another needs rather longer to explain a point of view.
Account also needs to be taken of the way a subject is covered over a period of time; perfect balance is difficult to achieve on every single occasion while overall it is a more achievable goal.
Nevertheless, all complaints are sent to senior management and programme makers every morning and I included your points in this report. These reports are among the most widely read sources of feedback in the BBC and ensures that your complaint has been seen by the right people quickly. This helps inform their decisions about current and future programmes.
Thank you once again for contacting us.
Kind regards
Ashleigh McFarlane
BBC Complaints
 
 While I’ve learnt that complaining to the BBC is a pretty pointless exercise I will be writing back pointing out their error. However this does PROVE BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT that the BBC is beyond censor with a total disregard for balance and knows that it can get away with broadcasting its ‘Guardianist’ view of the world uninterrupted.

Until the public at large rise up and protest then the BBC wins and we lose.