Impartiality is in the BBC’s DNA. So said the head of BBC News a decade ago. You would not get this impression watching the organisation’s news coverage today. This is a serious problem for a broadcaster, whose world-renowned reputation was painstakingly built on providing reliable and informed reporting free from political bias.
For BBC News producers and presenters, not allowing their own political views to become known to viewers and listeners used to be a point of pride. Creating challenging and stimulating programmes and conducting combative interviews without making obvious a presenter’s opinion was central to the role of a BBC journalist. The reasoning behind this was to enable viewers to form their own opinions.
But today the political beliefs of BBC employees are often blatantly obvious. The distinction between analysis and opinion has been eroded. The age of social media also encourages people, including BBC employees, to air their views at the click of a button.
The result has been a steadily increasing stream of complaints over one-sided BBC coverage, most notably in the way the broadcaster presented Britain’s withdrawal from the EU and stories like the Black Lives Matter movement.
This has prompted Tim Davie, the BBC’s new director general, to take action. Last month, he issued new guidelines to staff, particularly those working in news, warning them against publicly expressing personal views on contentious subjects. Davie also warned staff not to attend marches and demonstrations that were controversial or political in nature as this could risk creating the perception of institutional bias. He stressed it was unacceptable for high-profile BBC presenters to earn large sums working for private companies in their spare time while working for the organisation.
Some BBC journalists have criticised these new guidelines. Journalistic trade unions have attacked them as a breach of the human right to free expression. Davie’s response made clear that producers and reporters had the freedom to be campaigners on social and political issues but not while working for the BBC.
Despite the outcry in some quarters, what Davie has is trying to do is revive the spirit of the Producer's Guidelines, a booklet traditionally handed to new recruits of the BBC to remind of them of their special responsibilities when working for the national broadcaster.
Some media commentators have portrayed Davie as capitulating to government pressure. It is true that British governments of all political colours have historically had an antagonistic relationship with the BBC. In many ways this is a good thing, given the BBC’s responsibility to interrogate and hold those in power to account on the public's behalf.
But complaints of biased reporting also come from beyond Whitehall. Now, the BBC itself is acknowledging the truth of much of this criticism. Perceived bias in the coverage of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU caused the former head of BBC News, Fran Unsworth, to admit that the broadcaster needed to work much harder to reflect the views of all sections of British society, not just the “London bubble”.
The BBC needs to reflect the views of all sections of British society, not just the 'London bubble'
It is not government pressure, but rather failure by the BBC to intervene earlier which now poses the biggest threat to its future. Many in the BBC understand this. Veteran political interviewer Andrew Marr sees the responsibility he has as presenter of a high-profile weekly political programme to address a wide range of political views in the country. Marr says of his feelings of responsibility: “Every time I step into the studio on a Sunday morning, I remind myself that the people who are paying for it and who are watching include people who voted for UKIP (a eurosceptic party) to members of Momentum (left-wing pressure group) and everything in between.”
The BBC’s new director general understands that if the corporation fails to defend its reputation for impartiality, it risks losing not only its national and global reputation but also its income. All citizens in the UK who watch or records programmes on any TV channel must pay the annual TV Licence. This unique system funds the BBC and is precisely why the corporation is obliged to reflect a diverse range of opinions, tastes and cultures.
There are many private media companies that would love to replace the BBC with a US model of competing private broadcasters each with their own political outlook. If the BBC abandons the impartiality at the heart of its identity and appeals only to certain sections British society, it will lose the argument for publicly funded, impartial journalism. This would be a disaster not only for the Britain but also for those that admire the BBC across the world.
David Powell is a media analyst and former journalist with a range of pan-Arab broadcast media, including BBC Arabic
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
WHAT FANS WILL LOVE ABOUT RUSSIA
FANS WILL LOVE
Uber is ridiculously cheap and, as Diego Saez discovered, mush safer. A 45-minute taxi from Pulova airport to Saint Petersburg’s Nevsky Prospect can cost as little as 500 roubles (Dh30).
FANS WILL LOATHE
Uber policy in Russia is that they can start the fare as soon as they arrive at the pick-up point — and oftentimes they start it even before arriving, or worse never arrive yet charge you anyway.
FANS WILL LOVE
It’s amazing how active Russians are on social media and your accounts will surge should you post while in the country. Throw in a few Cyrillic hashtags and watch your account numbers rocket.
FANS WILL LOATHE
With cold soups, bland dumplings and dried fish, Russian cuisine is not to everybody’s tastebuds. Fortunately, there are plenty Georgian restaurants to choose from, which are both excellent and economical.
FANS WILL LOVE
The World Cup will take place during St Petersburg's White Nights Festival, which means perpetual daylight in a city that genuinely never sleeps. (Think toddlers walking the streets with their grandmothers at 4am.)
FANS WILL LOATHE
The walk from Krestovsky Ostrov metro station to Saint Petersburg Arena on a rainy day makes you wonder why some of the $1.7 billion was not spent on a weather-protected walkway.
WWE TLC results
Asuka won the SmackDown Women's title in a TLC triple threat with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
Dean Ambrose won the Intercontinental title against Seth Rollins
Daniel Bryan retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles
Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women's Championship against Nia Jax
Rey Mysterio beat Randy Orton in a chairs match
Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre
Natalya beat Ruby Riott in a tables match
Braun Strowman beat Baron Corbin in a TLC match
Sheamus and Cesaro retained the SmackDown Tag Titles against The Usos and New Day
R-Truth and Carmella won the Mixed Match Challenge by beating Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
RACE CARD
5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB); Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA); Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA); Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA); Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T); 1,400m
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
