So many great responses here, lots of opinions.Many thanks for those responses. It has led me to consider the left wing bias at the BBC. Some years ago I was interviewed by a research company commissioned by the BBC to look at bias within the corporation. It was 20 years ago, maybe more. At that point the left wing bias was not so obvious. Today it punches you in the face.
In one sense it is fine. We need different points of view expressed. We need to know facts and figures and some of the BBC programmes are great at that. I’m thinking here of the fabulous David Attenborough programmes concerning the environment. But there are many times that the bias is hysterical and far far removed from the reality of everyone living a less sophisticated life north of Watford gap.
I can think of two examples. A past one.Looking back to the election coverage when the conservatives took over power. I watched the coverage which started with David Dimbleby at 10pm when the polls closed. We had had weeks and months of the BBC downplaying the conservative lead and showcasing labour. The opening statements were cautiously but confidently predicting a labour government. As the results came in, the look of astonishment and shock on the faces of the presenters was a picture. Much back tracking and horror that the electorate had not cooperated with the expected result; that is the result expected by the London elite and the BBC.
Another perfect example, for the future maybe,would be a recent survey at the BBC revealed that there was an unusually high percentage of transgender individuals employed at the BBC. One in 50 of the workforce. 417 apparently in one organisation. With such a high percentage of transgender individuals, it’s only a matter of time before the producers introduce more and more transgender characters and topics into everyday television. Is that good or bad. I don’t really know. For the individual out there who is confused, it must be great seeing transgender characters in dramas and soaps, just getting on with their lives. For others, there will be a sense of bewilderment as to why there are so many transgender characters when in real life they meet so few. Some may be thinking why every other programme is focusing on transgender when some of the important issues in their own lives are ignored.
But back to Dr Who. So far there has been much punching the audience in the face. Both blatant and subtle lecturing. It won’t stop me watching it though, but I will be there with my clipboard, counting!
However, the BBC is funded partly by our cash in the licence fee and partly through our taxes. Maybe we should be asking; do we want BBC programming to reflect our lives or change our lives.