BBC bias

[coprolite]

47 minutes ago, SandyCromarty said:

We all know that the BBC is a uk government institution and with a political appointed ex tory councilor and tory donor as Chairman we can expect nothing else but anti SNP/Independence propaganda, which we pay for for!!!!

You also have to consider that apart from The National the whole of the print and broadcasting media are owned by tories, even down to our local papers so we Independent minded Scots will always be bombarded with mistruths and lies.

It only strengthens our resolve.

I thought this was an interesting contention vis a vis the local papers so have gone to the trouble of fact checking it. There are four groups that between them own pretty much all of local media (and a lot of the national stuff too). 

Reach plc- listed, no controlling party. You could say that people who own shares in public companies are mainly tories and that may well be true. But not obviously owned by tories. As Mirror Group, this had a left leaning reputation. 

Newsquest - listed, but on NYSE. Doubt most investors know what a Tory or a Scotchland is. 

DC Thomson - Privately owned, looks like extended family plus maybe some management. Estimate about 80 individuals. Probably some are Tories. 

National World- prop David "Rommell" Montgomery. Looks like a Tory. Probably is. Former editor of Mirror though and no obvious political affiliation i could find in a few minutes. 

Conclusion - contention not supported by evidence. 

[Dawson Park Boy]

10 minutes ago, coprolite said:

I thought this was an interesting contention vis a vis the local papers so have gone to the trouble of fact checking it. There are four groups that between them own pretty much all of local media (and a lot of the national stuff too). 

Reach plc- listed, no controlling party. You could say that people who own shares in public companies are mainly tories and that may well be true. But not obviously owned by tories. As Mirror Group, this had a left leaning reputation. 

Newsquest - listed, but on NYSE. Doubt most investors know what a Tory or a Scotchland is. 

DC Thomson - Privately owned, looks like extended family plus maybe some management. Estimate about 80 individuals. Probably some are Tories. 

National World- prop David "Rommell" Montgomery. Looks like a Tory. Probably is. Former editor of Mirror though and no obvious political affiliation i could find in a few minutes. 

Conclusion - contention not supported by evidence. 

Interesting!

The Guardian is Labour supporting as is the Independent and the Mirror /Record. The FT is quite left wing 

I understand the Express has recently changed hands to a left wing group but will probably continue taking a right of centre stand.

Actually, I think the Editor is more important than the owners.

The Mail has gone much more centrist since Dacre was replaced by Greig and, on an almost daily basis, goes after Johnson and Carrie with a vengeance greater than most of the leftie papers.

[Paco]

Sky news now giving more coverage of the SG Covid update than BBC Scotland says it all !

They’re now at the stage of showing Covid briefings in full from Westminster, even during the election period, but cut away as soon as possible from Sturgeon to get the opposition leaders on.

I could understand it a little when it was a daily thing. This was the first one for weeks though, and I don’t think there are any more scheduled.

[coprolite]

5 minutes ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

Interesting!

The Guardian is Labour supporting as is the Independent and the Mirror /Record. The FT is quite left wing 

I understand the Express has recently changed hands to a left wing group but will probably continue taking a right of centre stand.

Actually, I think the Editor is more important than the owners.

The Mail has gone much more centrist since Dacre was replaced by Greig and, on an almost daily basis, goes after Johnson and Carrie with a vengeance greater than most of the leftie papers.

I don't know about most of that. I haven't bought a paper in 10years but occasionally flick through a metro on the train. 

The Express did recently get sold by Desmond to Reach (fka Trinity Mirror). I think it's equally as unsupportable to call that a "left wing group", especially with the Express in it. Some titles and individuals will have a stance but it's hard to attribute that to the group. I am unsure as to whether he included "Big Ones" in the sale. 

[Rodhull]

22 minutes ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

Interesting!

The Guardian is Labour supporting as is the Independent and the Mirror /Record. The FT is quite left wing 

I understand the Express has recently changed hands to a left wing group but will probably continue taking a right of centre stand.

Actually, I think the Editor is more important than the owners.

The Mail has gone much more centrist since Dacre was replaced by Greig and, on an almost daily basis, goes after Johnson and Carrie with a vengeance greater than most of the leftie papers.

The Independent hasn't endorsed Labour for a general election in some time. It is more left leaning than most but last specific endorsement was for the Lib Dem/Tory coalition government and for the Lib Dems in the election before that.

[SandyCromarty]

2 hours ago, Tattie36 said:

Can you imagine what the Yes vote would be even if the media were genuinely impartial? I had an argument on another forum with a guy who claimed the the P&J was a pro SNP paper. If you have ever had the misfortune to read it, or it’s sister paper the EE, that is very obviously pish. He cited the fact that Alex Salmond and some other ex (disgruntled) SNP advisor had columns as proof.

The Press and Journal, previously owned by the Daily Mail is now owned by the low profile DC Thomson family who are worth £1.4 Billion, with that amount of money I would say it would be a safe bet that they do not vote Labour, Lib Dem or SNP.

[Detournement]

Emily Maitlis disintegrating on contact with reality. 

[SandyCromarty]

2 hours ago, coprolite said:

I thought this was an interesting contention vis a vis the local papers so have gone to the trouble of fact checking it. There are four groups that between them own pretty much all of local media (and a lot of the national stuff too). 

Reach plc- listed, no controlling party. You could say that people who own shares in public companies are mainly tories and that may well be true. But not obviously owned by tories. As Mirror Group, this had a left leaning reputation. 

Newsquest - listed, but on NYSE. Doubt most investors know what a Tory or a Scotchland is. 

DC Thomson - Privately owned, looks like extended family plus maybe some management. Estimate about 80 individuals. Probably some are Tories. 

National World- prop David "Rommell" Montgomery. Looks like a Tory. Probably is. Former editor of Mirror though and no obvious political affiliation i could find in a few minutes. 

Conclusion - contention not supported by evidence. 

When I mentioned local newspapers I was referring to those known as the provincial press in Scotland not mainstream.

You refer to Reach PLC which is predominantly mainstream with publications such as The Daily Record, Daily express, The Mirror and Daily Star.

I was referring to local papers such as our Inverness Courier one of 14 local newspapers, of the Highland News and Media Group, here in the Highlands which is owned by Sir Edward Baron Iliffe Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron with a family wealth of £200Million, his grandfather was Conservative MP for Tamworth.

 

[BigDoddyKane]

I prefer reading local newspapers from anywhere and watching local news nowadays, I find it more interesting and you find some good stories at times

They are generally not as depressing as the main news

Edited May 11, 2021 by BigDoddyKane

[Dawson Park Boy]

34 minutes ago, BigDoddyKane said:

I prefer reading local newspapers from anywhere and watching local news nowadays, I find it more interesting and you find some good stories at times

They are generally not as depressing as the main news

Yes, they tend not to be very political but just report on what’s happening with the local council in a fairly factual way.

Also, it’s interesting to read the local Court reports and birth, deaths and marriages.

They also do a lot of stuff from years back which is interesting.

The only time politics comes in is in the Letters pages and our paper gives a good balance in the letters selected.

 

[strichener]

57 minutes ago, SandyCromarty said:

When I mentioned local newspapers I was referring to those known as the provincial press in Scotland not mainstream.

You refer to Reach PLC which is predominantly mainstream with publications such as The Daily Record, Daily express, The Mirror and Daily Star.

I was referring to local papers such as our Inverness Courier one of 14 local newspapers, of the Highland News and Media Group, here in the Highlands which is owned by Sir Edward Baron Iliffe Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron with a family wealth of £200Million, his grandfather was Conservative MP for Tamworth.

 

Highland News and Media Group isn't owned by Iliffe Media Group Limited, they are the minor shareholder and the company is ultimately owned by S A Printing Group Limited.

[coprolite]

1 hour ago, SandyCromarty said:

When I mentioned local newspapers I was referring to those known as the provincial press in Scotland not mainstream.

You refer to Reach PLC which is predominantly mainstream with publications such as The Daily Record, Daily express, The Mirror and Daily Star.

I was referring to local papers such as our Inverness Courier one of 14 local newspapers, of the Highland News and Media Group, here in the Highlands which is owned by Sir Edward Baron Iliffe Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron with a family wealth of £200Million, his grandfather was Conservative MP for Tamworth.

 

Reach is the biggest publisher of local newspapers in the UK and publishes more than 14 in Scotland. I don't know how the circulation of the Paisley Daily Express or Kilmarnock Standard for example compare with the Invenesian ones. 

Newsquest covers the Glasgow Herald. Edinburgh Evening News is in National World (along with the hootsman which is really local to Embra, despite pretentions). Dundee (courier) and Aberdeen (P&J) are with DC Thomson. I think that probably accounts for about 30% of local news already. 

Illiffe has a minority stake in the Teuchters, with some guys called Fowler holding the majority. 

So you have supported your contention that the whole of the press is owned by Tories with an example of a small part of it being influenced by a guy whose grandad was a tory MP. 

This isn't the clincher you think it is. 

[SandyCromarty]

22 minutes ago, coprolite said:

Reach is the biggest publisher of local newspapers in the UK and publishes more than 14 in Scotland. I don't know how the circulation of the Paisley Daily Express or Kilmarnock Standard for example compare with the Invenesian ones. 

Newsquest covers the Glasgow Herald. Edinburgh Evening News is in National World (along with the hootsman which is really local to Embra, despite pretentions). Dundee (courier) and Aberdeen (P&J) are with DC Thomson. I think that probably accounts for about 30% of local news already. 

Illiffe has a minority stake in the Teuchters, with some guys called Fowler holding the majority. 

So you have supported your contention that the whole of the press is owned by Tories with an example of a small part of it being influenced by a guy whose grandad was a tory MP. 

This isn't the clincher you think it is. 

Ok I'll admit defeat and conclude that all newspaper owners are non profit making communists and Labour supporters and have absolutely no political affiliations.

[coprolite]

Just now, SandyCromarty said:

Ok I'll admit defeat and conclude that all newspaper owners are non profit making communists and Labour supporters and have absolutely no political affiliations.

Nice strawman

Is it not more interesting to note that a good half of the press has no proprietor pushing an agenda and then speculate as to why they would adopt the position they do?

If you do want to change that situation then it probably helps to understand it as it actually is and to not blame it all on the big tory bogeyman that controls everything. 

[Billy Jean King]

How does a newspaper settle on a political position then. Are you saying each incoming editor gets the opportunity to lead the paper in whatever political direction they see fit ?

Editors are appointed in accordance with requirements set down by the ownership. I'm sure if I for example went for an interview for the post of editor of the Daily Mail the owners would have a full resume of my political leanings before I walked through the door. A left leading editor simply would not get that job.

Nice strawman
Is it not more interesting to note that a good half of the press has no proprietor pushing an agenda and then speculate as to why they would adopt the position they do?
If you do want to change that situation then it probably helps to understand it as it actually is and to not blame it all on the big tory bogeyman that controls everything. 

[Dawson Park Boy]

My local, the Falkirk Herald, was part of Johnston Press but is now part of National World.

[Dawson Park Boy]

2 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

How does a newspaper settle on a political position then. Are you saying each incoming editor gets the opportunity to lead the paper in whatever political direction they see fit ?

Editors are appointed in accordance with requirements set down by the ownership. I'm sure if I for example went for an interview for the post of editor of the Daily Mail the owners would have a full resume of my political leanings before I walked through the door. A left leading editor simply would not get that job.

The Daily Mail has recently become much more central in its politics with the new editor but, obviously, a lefty editor would never get the gig.

[jakedee]

I thought this was an interesting contention vis a vis the local papers so have gone to the trouble of fact checking it. There are four groups that between them own pretty much all of local media (and a lot of the national stuff too). 
Reach plc- listed, no controlling party. You could say that people who own shares in public companies are mainly tories and that may well be true. But not obviously owned by tories. As Mirror Group, this had a left leaning reputation. 
Newsquest - listed, but on NYSE. Doubt most investors know what a Tory or a Scotchland is. 
DC Thomson - Privately owned, looks like extended family plus maybe some management. Estimate about 80 individuals. Probably some are Tories. 
National World- prop David "Rommell" Montgomery. Looks like a Tory. Probably is. Former editor of Mirror though and no obvious political affiliation i could find in a few minutes. 
Conclusion - contention not supported by evidence. 

D.C. Thomsons, an employer, that when I left school, depending on which one you attended, you were advised not to bother applying for a job.

[coprolite]

55 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

How does a newspaper settle on a political position then. Are you saying each incoming editor gets the opportunity to lead the paper in whatever political direction they see fit ?

Editors are appointed in accordance with requirements set down by the ownership. I'm sure if I for example went for an interview for the post of editor of the Daily Mail the owners would have a full resume of my political leanings before I walked through the door. A left leading editor simply would not get that job.

I think historically the proprietor has had much more of an influence than they do now. 

The position of the papers is now more about a marketing niche than any sort of principled stance. 

[coprolite]

1 hour ago, jakedee said:

D.C. Thomsons, an employer, that when I left school, depending on which one you attended, you were advised not to bother applying for a job.

Agree they're definitely not in the same category as the plcs. 

My first thought when they took over Aberdeen Journals was that at least the parocihialism would be safe.