BBC guilty of pro-Europe bias, its own inquiry finds
Anthony Browne The Times - 28 January 2005
THE BBC has been accused of failing in its duty of impartiality and promoting an institutional pro-European Union bias in a damning report that it commissioned. Written by an independent balanced panel of eurosceptics and europhiles, it clears the BBC of deliberately trying to bend its coverage in favour of the EU and against eurosceptics. However, it said that there was substance to the concern that the BBC “suffers from certain forms of cultural and unintentionial bias” and that, despite the good intentions of producers, “nobody thinks the outcome is impartial” .
The committee examined a range of BBC output and found bias spread unevenly, with Radio 4’s Today programme and BBC TV’s Politics Show highlighted for criticism. Eurosceptics, including Conservative politicians, claimed that the report vindicated their longstanding complaint that the BBC was biased against them.
It is also likely to be a setback for the Government’s struggle to win public opinion before next year’s referendum on the European constitution.
The report, commissioned to find out if complaints by eurosceptics were justified, says that BBC news suffers from an “institutional mindset” that leads to a “reluctance to question pro-EU assumptions”.
The BBC complaints unit has in the past four years upheld seven complaints of bias in favour of the EU, but not upheld any complaints of anti-EU bias.
It says that BBC journalists are often ignorant about how the EU works; they portray the EU largely through Westminster politics and fail to show how much of British policies originate in Brussels. It also criticises managers who “appear insufficiently self-critical about standards of impartiality”. The report concludes that “the BBC is getting it wrong, and our main conclusion is that urgent action is required to put this right”.
A BBC news spokeswoman said that the report found no deliberate bias, although the BBC’s governors said they would formally respond only after BBC management, led by Helen Boaden, head of news, had a chance to study it and report back. The spokeswoman added: “This is a serious piece of work, and we will take it very seriously.”
Timothy Kirkhope, the Conservative leader in the European Parliament, said: “Most people who watch the programmes have known this for some time. It is a matter of great importance for the British public, and very politically sensitive ahead of the referendum. The BBC has to give an impartial view. The question now is how are they going to redress the balance, and how long will it take?”
Gary Titley, the Labour leader in the European Parliament, said: “It’s beyond belief. I am stunned anyone could come to that conclusion. The BBC is too often chasing the Daily Mail agenda.”
The Today programme was criticised for not challenging assertions made by Gordon Brown in an interview that three million jobs depend on the EU, and that detaching from the EU would not be good for the economy.
The Politics Show was criticised for suggesting that a guest presenter opposed to the euro for economic reasons was really more concerned about losing British pubs.
A BBC Scotland news report was also quoted for suggesting that it was racist to oppose the euro.
THE BIAS PANEL
CHAIRMAN: Lord Wilson of Dinton. Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, since 2002; Secretary to the Cabinet; Head of Home Civil Service 1998–2002
EUROPHILES: Sir Stephen Wall. Adviser to Archbishop of Westminster, 2004; Head of European Secretariat, Cabinet Office 2000–2004; Ambassador to UKREP 1995–2000; Board member of Britain in Europe.
Lucy Armstrong. Chief Executive of Alchemists
EUROSCEPTICS: Rodney Leach. Director, Jardine Matheson since 1997; Chairman Business for Sterling since 1997.
Nigel Smith. Managing Director, David Auld Valves Ltd, Glasgow, until 2004; Chairman, the No-euro Campaign 2002-2004; Chairman of the Scottish Referendum Campaign for Yes vote 1997; Scottish Constitutional Commission 1993–04
© The Times