Are the BBC telling porkies?

[greenishfing]

I watched the local news on the BBC last night (Yorkshire area)and one of the main stories was about the local rhubarb crop and the "fact" that the warm weather was affecting the rhubarb crop here in the "Rhubarb triangle".

Then they moved to a vineyard in North Yorkshire where they were complaining that "climate change" was not letting the sap in the vines go down so that they could prune the vines.

I live in an area of Yorkshire which is much milder than North Yorkshire and my vines are even more protected by being in greenhouses. At the beginning of January I did a single cut on each of my vines to make sure the sap was down and the vines wouldn't bleed. Satisfied with the results a week later I pruned the vines.

Why, I ask myself, do an outdoor vineyard in North Yorkshire have problems?

Or is this possibly the BBC, with some hidden agenda, telling porkies and spreading false propaganda??

Maybe I wouldn't be quite so cynical if it wasn't for the fact that in the 80's I spend a few months in Beirut and listened to the BBC World service. I lived only a couple of streets away from the infamous "Green Line" but the coverage of the war in Lebanon bore no relation to the facts. On days when they were reporting that all was peaceful I would hear constant shells and on quiet days the opposite.

Does anybody else suspect that the BBC are strangers to the truth?

Any examples?

Or am I just a paranoid cynic?????

[Thelma Sanders]

It often seems, to me, to have its own agenda.

You obviously notice more if you don't agree with their point of view

[jackarmy]

Thought the whole point of the bbc was that "they dont have a point of view"

Maybe a "cynical Paranoiac" ? GF

[bearded bloke]

My rhubarb started coming up before Christmad, so some of it may be true ...... GYO Shropshire correspondant

[boatsman]

It seems the BBC has a motto: Don't confuse me with facts, my mind is made up.

[Thelma Sanders]

Thought the whole point of the bbc was that "they dont have a point of view

They really aren't supposed to, but they do have one....notably about climate change. Only their (ie it must be true) view is allowed.
BBC apologises for Radio 4 show that mocked climate science | Environment | The Guardian.

The BBC Complaints unit:we do not consider the programme met our required standards of accuracy or impartiality in its coverage of climate change science. As previously stated, we also recognise that in giving voice to climate change sceptics, it failed to make clear that they are a minority voice out of step with the scientific consensus – which we would normally expect on the occasion when we include such viewpoints

They felt the need to apolise for airing a show that didn't agree with their view! However when there's a Climate change programme on, they never make clear that some scientists don't agree with that point of view, do they?
They have to at least mention both to remain unbiased.

[jackarmy]

Unfoutrunatley Thelma it just carries on and on
The way they close ranks to cover up the goings on of James Saville and the like to cover their own bare buttox only infuriates the licence payer even more , seems the beeb and fifa may be more than just friends lol.

[chrisdb]

Slightly off-topic... but I agree. I no longer pay any attention to the BBC news.

The thing that gets me is that they don't ask any deep and meaningful questions in their news coverage. Everything has to be dumbed down into very rapid soundbites, and they think impartial in general means:

(i) sounding sceptical about everything
(ii) taking the average of mainstream views as their reference "truth", for some idiosyncratic definition of "mainstream"

Point (ii) is the "middle ground fallacy" - sometimes one or both sides is just plain wrong, provably wrong, and it does no-one any favours by ignoring this fact because it might upset some people.

In my experience, they are worst when it comes to foreign affairs and economics, since the averaged political middle ground in these areas bears so little resemblance to reality it just isn't funny. And instead of the BBC actively dissecting this nonsensical political discourse and pointing out its faults, they instead spend all their time attacking Labour from the right and the Conservatives from the left.

/End of rant

[Martin H]

I'm afraid I have to agree too. The BBC seems to decide on a "narrative" for every topic, then select pictures, commentators and reviewers to support the house view. You see it in their reporting on wars, on climate, on politics. Especially on politics: any challenge to the post-Thatcher neoliberal consensus (the current "overton window") is loudly derided.

[Stamets]

I had several rhubarb crown (The Sutton) orders placed in August 2015 with an ETA November 2015 - January 2016. No sign in December therefore i rang one company to be told to wait until January as the weather has been too mild etc.

Both companies refunded me within the last fortnight as the mild weather effected crops! Being impatient i am having them sent from Holland.

I understand where you are coming from regarding the BBC News. I lived in the Golan Heights, IL for just over two years in the 90's and the news on BBC World very rarely reflected the reality on the ground.

However, news reporting has changed a lot with the advances and access to technology.

[chrisdb]

I'm afraid I have to agree too. The BBC seems to decide on a "narrative" for every topic, then select pictures, commentators and reviewers to support the house view. You see it in their reporting on wars, on climate, on politics. Especially on politics: any challenge to the post-Thatcher neoliberal consensus (the current "overton window") is loudly derided.

Ah, a fellow pinko commie type, I see. They did use to have some more diverse points of view, especially in some of the online blogs, but I think there's been a purge over the last few years since everything seems to more on message recently.

For example, Paul Mason no longer works for or blogs for the BBC.

[veggiechicken]

My rhubarb started coming up before Christmad, so some of it may be true ...... GYO Shropshire correspondant

My Livingstone rhubarb didn't die back (or as we say here - Dai bach) over winter and the normal rhubarb has been popping up for weeks.
.........From your GYO South Wales Correspondent.

[chrisdb]

My Livingstone rhubarb didn't die back (or as we say here - Dai bach) over winter and the normal rhubarb has been popping up for weeks.
.........From your GYO South Wales Correspondent.

My rhubarb has been showing signs of green for weeks, but is still at the tiny leaf/shoot stage.

[Ananke]

No rhubarb changes here in Glasgow.......don't get me started on the BBC though

[alldigging]

Rhubarb was up before Christmas. Not very big now but it started far earlier than it should have done.
This was boxing day.
It's in there - I was taking photos of how wet everything was on my plot...