The Media Club · 17 March 2023 · 54 min
Impartiality and the BBC: where do we go from here?
- BBC Impartiality
- Gary Lineker Suspension
- BBC Local Radio Cuts
- BBC Singers Closure
- BBC Independence
- Social Media and Journalism
- BBC Funding
- Public Service Broadcasting
In this special episode of The Media Podcast, host Matt Deegan is joined by a panel of independent experts—Roger Bolton, Dr Graham Majin, and Faraz Osman—to examine the BBC's ongoing impartiality crisis following the Gary Lineker suspension and the leak of WhatsApp messages showing Downing Street pressure on BBC journalists. The panel discusses the historical evolution of impartiality, the role of social media in polarising debate, and the challenges of defining and enforcing due impartiality. They also cover the BBC's biggest strikes in a decade over local radio cuts, the proposed closure of the BBC Singers, and the broader question of the BBC's future funding and independence. The episode includes a deep dive interview with Freya Parr on the BBC Singers' closure and a media quiz.
Key takeaways
- The BBC is facing a crisis over impartiality following the Gary Lineker suspension and leaked WhatsApp messages showing Downing Street pressure.
- The panel debated whether impartiality is dying or evolving, with differing views on the role of social media and public trust.
- The BBC is undergoing its biggest strikes in a decade over local radio cuts and regionalisation plans.
- The BBC Singers, a 99-year-old choir, is facing closure, sparking outcry from the classical music community.
- The episode also covered ITV's potential exit from public service broadcasting and the appointment of Alison Hammond as new Bake Off presenter.
In this episode
- Introduction and News Round-up
- Main Panel Discussion on BBC Impartiality
- Deep Dive: BBC Singers Closure
- Panel Continues: BBC's Future and Quick-fire Questions
- Media Quiz
- Outro and Plugs
Notable quotes
“We suppress our views and it's a massive effort to do so.”
“He must give them the untainted information they need to make up their own minds.”
“It's due impartiality. You don't have to be impartial between somebody who says two and two equals five and somebody who says two and two equals four.”
“The whole saga has been a bit of an insult onto the BBC audience.”
“I think impartiality is dying. We are watching it die right here, right now.”
“That's too extreme.”
Discussed
Mentioned or recommended
- Truthophobia: How the Boomers Broke Journalism
- Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch
- Match of the Day
- The Great British Bake Off
- CITV
- ITVX
- BBC Singers
- W1A
- BBC World Service
- BBC Radio Humberside
- BBC Northern Radio Orchestra
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- BBC National Orchestra of Wales
- 95th Academy Awards
