The UK must retain a strong independent broadcasting regulator or risk echoing America’s “ultra toxic media environment”, the BBC journalist Clive Myrie has warned.
With Ofcom’s role under new scrutiny and suggestions that former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre, previously sceptical of the value of media regulation, could be appointed as its chair, the news anchor will use a pre-recorded speech, to be streamed on Thursday evening, to make the case for “a clear and transparent set of rules and guidelines that everyone can follow and everyone can see”.
While some observers warn that the regulator is no longer fit for purpose and must adapt to better deal with new digital media, Myrie used the Sir Harold Evans Memorial lecture to defend the fundamental purpose of the model.
Arguing that as a regulated public broadcaster, the BBC “helps bind the country together” he said that in the US “it’s the opinion hosts who can mould and shape minds”, leading to a “trust deficit” that “has serious consequences for the fabric of US society, and the future of American democracy”.
How are we to monster the public into the correct beliefs if any bugger is allowed to say whatever?
Free speech does seem to be turning into THE central battleground of the culture war. Lefties know they’ll ultimately lose if the other side can get to participate. If only we had a PM that would actually legislate for free speech.
Seems to me the rules are quite clear
Enforcement seems to be the issue
Having minds shaped and moulded is one of the things wicked people do to dumb gullible people. It’s NOT what the BBC or any of the good guys do. When we fail to shape and mould it is because our audience is wicked too. Or they could be brought to correct thinking.
Oh, and first we capture the regulators.
No rational person would deny that the US media is ultra toxic, just not in the way Mr Myrie imagines.
‘the BBC “helps bind the country together”’: when was that, exactly?
The BBC binds together a small group of earnest virtue-signallers. Everybody else is just getting the news, listening to Mozart without adverts, or nodding off in front of some dreary soap.
I realised the other day why I stopped watching BBC, even their so called blockbuster dramas. I was persuaded by a couple of people to watch Bloodlands and after 2/4 (I think) episodes I’d had enough.
The basic plot is quite sound and would stand up on its own, but they have to complicate it beyond credibility (I won’t spoiler) and with so many twists and turns it becomes exhausting to watch. They do it to all their dramas, the last one I tried was Bodyguard and I lasted less than 1 episode of that.
Compare that with ITV dramas, currently watching Unforgiven, one of the few programs I sit and watch – a good plot line, the characters are given a bit of life and with a backstory, but its not overdone. We’re still watching old Morse episodes, great TV even when we remember the story.
BiND,
Apart from the BBC being a big old mate’s club, the other problem is that they put all their care into production design and actors. They don’t give a stuff about good writing and direction. It’s mediocre, formulaic writing. You could get people who write porn and Mexican soap operas to do it. Or you get people with some power like Chris Chibnall who write these terrible, deus ex machina things like Sherlock, when the detective format fails horribly if you start doing that.
How often does the BBC make anything culturally significant any longer? I liked Fleabag, but that’s literally the only drama or comedy series where I’ve lasted more than 2 episodes in the past decade or so.
Our toxic media environment in the U.S. has nothing to do with allowing conservative views.
I don’t recall the last time Fox News was egging on arson, violent assault, murder, rape, theft, vandalism, character assassination of average citizens, blackmail, libel, voter fraud, mass censorship, discriminatory denial of service or government surveillance.
Does the BBC know what the word “projection” means? I’m sure it’s in the Oxford dictionary somewhere.
Toxic environments are not caused by allowing offensive speech. They are caused by silencing your opposition and employing the use of force to do so.
The sad part isn’t just that all of this sociopathy is alive and well in our society. Human beings are selfish and they’ll do anything necessary to gain power if they go unchecked (that’s where mob mentality comes from). The truly sad part is that these people think we don’t notice, and that they’ll always get away with it. I’ll have absolutely zero sympathy when the shit hits the fan and these professional instigators lose the respect they once had.