Letter to New Statesman on BBC

Nick Robinson derides Andrew Adonis for claiming the BBC has decided to back Brexit, "without presenting a shred of evidence", but offers none in its defence (Another Voice, 6th April, 2018). Instead, he counters criticism of the corporation`s alleged lack of impartiality with the suggestion that the alternative is "a British Fox News". Would this defence not have been more convincing if Robinson had given examples of programmes, or presenters, challenging the governments`s Brexit strategy with figures showing how the British economy is likely to suffer after leaving the EU? He doesn`t even mention the undeniable fact that the BBC`s Question Time has given far too much air-time to Ukip MEPs, and too little to MEPs from the other opposition parties.

       Robinson chose to ignore other criticisms of his generous pay-master, especially those relating to the interviewing techniques adopted by both himself and by his Today colleague, John Humphrys. Their use of repetition and interruption, especially when questioning Labour supporters and trade union leaders, adds more fuel to the allegations of bias, and has become as embarrassing as their feeble attempts to explain the gender pay gap at the BBC.

        It is little wonder Robinson did not attempt to justify this public owned corporation`s profligate pay policy, when the 2017 report by the National Audit Office revealed that the number of BBC managers earning over £150,000 was still increasing, despite the corporation`s pledge to reduce it by 20%? The BBC`s website reveals a list of over one hundred senior managers earning above that amount. Perhaps he would claim that such inflated pay packages were needed to fend off the likes of Rupert Murdoch, just as the presenter of a football highlights programme has to be paid millions to ensure football fans watch the programme?

     To make matters worse, the BBC is at the heart of another tax avoiding scandal, with HMRC investigating tax returns of around one hundred current and former presenters. It would seem the BBC is its own worst enemy, and until it delivers "due impartiality" and curbs its profligacy with public money, it deserves every criticism!