Do we need independent impartial media?
Following on from Sky's Political Editors call for Boris Johnson to be 'disposed' of and the BBC's constant battle to try and not allow its pro-EU beliefs to be so blatant, is it time to scrap any public service requirement for news organisations to be impartial?. If for instance we had a system similar to the US where Fox was openly supporting the Republicans and MSNBC and CNN supporting the Democrats would be actually be any worse off. We can cope with newspapers taking a particular political stance so why not TV - after all the requirement for an impartial news service was brought in when we only had the BBC but now there are scores of different channels. Interesting idea. But I don't think it would lead to anything good.We'd end up with the balkanisation of TV where people would be in a bubble only watching news channels they agreed with. It might have problems, but British TV news coverage is by far superior to the USA. Would be nice if the BBC were actually impartial. There already aren't we? You can't make people watch the BBC or TV at all. I barely watch TV.
BBC tends to be Remain. There's Ch4 news and Jon "**** the Tories" Snow. We don't have impartial news reporting now.
I don't see why it can't be like LBC. Let presenters declare their political leanings. I know Nick Ferrari is leave, JOB is rapidly Remain etc. I know how they think and take what they say through that. I'm not saying the news are impartial now. Channel 4 is remain central as far as I'm concerned. But it's nothing compared to the sh*t show that is US news coverage. We should not be going to that model.
It reinforces divisions and would make politics far more divisive than it already is.
You'd have people in a bubble only ever watching news that says what they want to hear. Sky is more of the remainstream media.
/proxy.php?image=https://149366095.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/beth-dispose.jpg&hash=8948a3049901bdf5d91dbb478cebf748&return_error=1 Sky's Beth Rigby Calls on MPs to "Dispose of Mr Johnson" - Sky News’ Political Editor Beth Rigby has written an extraordinary opinion piece for Sky’s website, arguing that “Parliament can, and should, take back control” and “dispose of Mr Johnson should he refuse to sanction a Brexit extension.” Following in the tradition of other Sky correspondents…... /proxy.php?image=https://149366095.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/favicon.ico&hash=a15e75852224e2be2d514614a8a21b19&return_error=1 order-order.com
/proxy.php?image=https://149366095.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/should.jpg&hash=b407ab2971ff124b2758977cc2d6d23a&return_error=1 Adam Claims Sky Views Not An Opinion Piece - Thus is a misrepresentation @GuidoFawkes in a long and detailed article @BethRigby examines the options of the various political factions on #Brexit. She uses the word “should” in the sense of what the rebel alliance should be doing to pursue their goals. https://t.co/vmlfS5LMXZ — Adam Boulton... /proxy.php?image=https://149366095.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/favicon.ico&hash=a15e75852224e2be2d514614a8a21b19&return_error=1 order-order.com Again, though what stops that happening now?
Years ago most of the output was the BBC. Now you can spend your life on news podcasts, listening to your own biased presenters, your own biased media, biased YouTube channels and whatever else. I understand that argument @Sonic67 but I disagree that we should lift the obligation on national broadcasters for their news coverage.
If people choose to seek out podcasts or whatever that align with their views then that's up to them. I don't think we should facilitate the divisive rhetoric we already see by allowing national news broadcasts to be explicitly biased. Outside of idealism, what is the point of an impartial media? It’s a business, not a service, and never will be I would expect the BBC to be impartial, even though they aren't, as they're publicly funded, the rest, if you don't like what they say, you don't have to pay to watch then.