BBC apologises to Greens over dodgy poll reporting
The BBC has been forced to apologise after completely leaving out the Green Party from its poll coverage earlier this month – despite the Greens being ahead of the Lib Dems.
A Green Party activist complained to the BBC after a graph on Andrew Neil’s Daily Politics show (December 5th) depicted the Lib Dems on 7%, but not the Green Party ahead on 8% – in what campaign group MediaLens picked up as a shocking example of BBC bias.
The figures came from a YouGov/Sun poll, although the mistake may have stemmed from the fact that YouGov still fails to include a Green Party line in its polling images.
Here’s the graph:
And here’s the complaint response:
Dear Mr […]
Reference CAS-3051133-06B3VY
Thanks for taking the time to contact us in regards to the Daily Politics show on 05 December.
I understand you were frustrated with the lack of Green party coverage in the recent poll.
I have raised your concerns with the programme who explained that this was an error; the Green Party’s polling of 8% should have been included in the graph. I am sorry for the mistake and appreciate you taking the time to contact the BBC.
Thanks again for bringing this to my attention.
Kind regards
Molly Dobbin
Let’s hope this sets a precedent that leaving the Greens off poll coverage won’t be accepted in the BBC anymore. If you spot anything like this happening again, make sure to complain here. We’re still waiting for an on-show apology from Andrew Neil…
More shocking bias from the BBC News:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27330849
The Greens need to take advantage of social media – shockingly Murdoch and the BBC aren’t keen on a party that refuses to kowtow to major companies!
Here is what I did.
1. Search for the BBC Daily and Sunday Politics Facebook page
2. Sent them the following message:
“On the Andrew Neil show earlier this month (5th December) you displayed a graph of voting intentions and missed out the Greens despite the fact that they were polling higher than the LibDems – who were shown. I hope that this was a one-off oversight and you will ensure that such biased reporting does not happen again.”
3. Sat back and awaited a response.
4. Let other people know.
Hardly an “error”. Its inclusion would have spoiled the impression they wished to broadcast and foster. As for the faux “apology”, as insulting as the original distortion. But that’s the ‘Glorious BBC’, the news with integrity. THEIR news. THEIR now everyday dishonesty.
And this is now going to be corrected…? Oh, I see Ms Dobbin doesn’t mention the BBC doing anything about it at all. She writes as if it’s a minor slip, rather than a serious misrepresentation of a poll to millions of people by a public service broadcaster funded out of public subscriptions. (I’m not a member of the Green Party, by the way.)
Well said.
Very well said, this must not happen ever again