Reposted by Jane Mundon
The BBC has long pursued a strategy of appeasing its enemies and alienating its friends.
The result is an endless series of capitulations to those political forces most determined to destroy it
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-bbc-su...
The result is an endless series of capitulations to those political forces most determined to destroy it
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-bbc-su...
The BBC Surrenders to Trump
The capitulation of our national broadcaster to the political forces most determined to destroy it is a worrying sign of things to come
www.adambienkov.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 6:55 PM
The BBC has long pursued a strategy of appeasing its enemies and alienating its friends.
The result is an endless series of capitulations to those political forces most determined to destroy it
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-bbc-su...
The result is an endless series of capitulations to those political forces most determined to destroy it
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-bbc-su...
Reposted by Jane Mundon
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Great to see people catching up on Sir Robbie Gibb's role in setting up GB News - five years after @nafeez.bsky.social explained on @bylinetimes.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Great to see people catching up on Sir Robbie Gibb's role in setting up GB News - five years after @nafeez.bsky.social explained on @bylinetimes.bsky.social
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Also, this is one of many key reasons why Farage and Reform must never be anywhere near political power in this country - it would mean the end of the BBC .
#bbcpm
#bbcpm
Nigel Farage says if the BBC doesn't produce straight news then it has no future
Of course the BBC have been producing straight news for years, it is why its one of the most reliable and trustworthy news outlets globally
Of course the BBC have been producing straight news for years, it is why its one of the most reliable and trustworthy news outlets globally
November 10, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Also, this is one of many key reasons why Farage and Reform must never be anywhere near political power in this country - it would mean the end of the BBC .
#bbcpm
#bbcpm
Reposted by Jane Mundon
This is fkn ridiculous.
The BBC should not be paying Trump a fkn penny.
What the fuck is going on here? Why is anyone even considering allowing Trump to extort cash from our national public broadcaster?
The BBC told the truth.
Trump incited an insurrection.
Fck that corrupt rapist.
#bbcpm
The BBC should not be paying Trump a fkn penny.
What the fuck is going on here? Why is anyone even considering allowing Trump to extort cash from our national public broadcaster?
The BBC told the truth.
Trump incited an insurrection.
Fck that corrupt rapist.
#bbcpm
November 10, 2025 at 4:41 PM
This is fkn ridiculous.
The BBC should not be paying Trump a fkn penny.
What the fuck is going on here? Why is anyone even considering allowing Trump to extort cash from our national public broadcaster?
The BBC told the truth.
Trump incited an insurrection.
Fck that corrupt rapist.
#bbcpm
The BBC should not be paying Trump a fkn penny.
What the fuck is going on here? Why is anyone even considering allowing Trump to extort cash from our national public broadcaster?
The BBC told the truth.
Trump incited an insurrection.
Fck that corrupt rapist.
#bbcpm
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Nearly two years ago, I wrote about the extraordinary influence of former Tory spin doctor Sir Robbie Gibb on the BBC. It's still a helpful backgrounder for what's going on now. New readers start here: www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
How the government captured the BBC
A right-wing cabal, largely unaccountable, is waging war on the principles that made our public broadcaster great. It must not succeed
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Nearly two years ago, I wrote about the extraordinary influence of former Tory spin doctor Sir Robbie Gibb on the BBC. It's still a helpful backgrounder for what's going on now. New readers start here: www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
Reposted by Jane Mundon
A single shared source of truth is essential for a functioning democracy.
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Why American-style polarisation is spreading across the west
New research shows how incentives in the modern media ecosystem help explain rising division and negativity
www.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
A single shared source of truth is essential for a functioning democracy.
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Reposted by Jane Mundon
A study earlier this month found that America’s more fragmented media landscape — particularly the takeoff of cable news — accounts for fully one third of the increase in cultural conflict in the US since the year 2000.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
A study earlier this month found that America’s more fragmented media landscape — particularly the takeoff of cable news — accounts for fully one third of the increase in cultural conflict in the US since the year 2000.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Should Gibb be sacked? yes, obviously. He's an abomination of basic journalistic standards. His GB News channel spreads conspiracy theory & disinformation. His Jewish Chronicle newspaper spreads invented stories. He is plainly trying to undermine the BBC so it's as bad as everything else he touches.
November 10, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Should Gibb be sacked? yes, obviously. He's an abomination of basic journalistic standards. His GB News channel spreads conspiracy theory & disinformation. His Jewish Chronicle newspaper spreads invented stories. He is plainly trying to undermine the BBC so it's as bad as everything else he touches.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
The rebellion was led by the politically-appointed members of the board. observer.co.uk/opinion-and-...
The Observer view: political interference at the BBC | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 11:47 AM
The rebellion was led by the politically-appointed members of the board. observer.co.uk/opinion-and-...
Reposted by Jane Mundon
I’ve written to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage urging them to condemn Donald Trump’s attack on the BBC.
The BBC belongs to Britain, not Trump. We must defend it together.
The BBC belongs to Britain, not Trump. We must defend it together.
November 10, 2025 at 11:29 AM
I’ve written to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage urging them to condemn Donald Trump’s attack on the BBC.
The BBC belongs to Britain, not Trump. We must defend it together.
The BBC belongs to Britain, not Trump. We must defend it together.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Robbie Gibb once suggested that reporters should reflect if they were getting more retweets from one side than the other - a braindead analysis that ignores that fair and impartial reporting of education might get more Tory retweets than say, criminal justice.
Stephen really does have the best take on this. It’s not clear that the BBC Board or indeed the rest of the News team really understood the message of the previous reviews, which were about getting detail right. Instead they wanted to know what was ‘biased’ or not like they were blotting out stains.
The impossible dream some people on the British right are chasing is that you can have a BBC News operation that retreats from detail and expertise, that takes dictation from the government, but this will only create incompetence and failure when it suits you:
November 10, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Robbie Gibb once suggested that reporters should reflect if they were getting more retweets from one side than the other - a braindead analysis that ignores that fair and impartial reporting of education might get more Tory retweets than say, criminal justice.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Dominic Cummings, in an earlier incarnation, ran a secretly-funded 'think tank' dedicated to attacking the Beeb while Robbie Gibb glided effortlessly from GBNews to the BBC & started lecturing staff on impartiality. Imagine (cos you'll have to) how the 'left-wing' equivalent would be reported.
November 10, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Dominic Cummings, in an earlier incarnation, ran a secretly-funded 'think tank' dedicated to attacking the Beeb while Robbie Gibb glided effortlessly from GBNews to the BBC & started lecturing staff on impartiality. Imagine (cos you'll have to) how the 'left-wing' equivalent would be reported.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
In 'How They Broke Britain', I do a pretty good job of detailing the depth & breadth of Tufton Street/Tory/Murdoch/Mail attempts to scupper the BBC, even as I castigate some presenters for going too easy on precisely the people who seek the Corporation's abolition. But I should have done more. 1/2
November 10, 2025 at 9:23 AM
In 'How They Broke Britain', I do a pretty good job of detailing the depth & breadth of Tufton Street/Tory/Murdoch/Mail attempts to scupper the BBC, even as I castigate some presenters for going too easy on precisely the people who seek the Corporation's abolition. But I should have done more. 1/2
Reposted by Jane Mundon
A national newspaper journalist went on a British TV channel to claim police stats showed asylum-seekers committed 44% of sex crimes in Dorset.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
November 8, 2025 at 8:39 AM
A national newspaper journalist went on a British TV channel to claim police stats showed asylum-seekers committed 44% of sex crimes in Dorset.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
At the Independent "I was constantly blocked from mentioning the visceral opposition or complacency of the powerful UK and global billionaire-owned media to the urgent climate action that is required."
"Any time I tried to mention this in a column, it was immediately censored."
"Any time I tried to mention this in a column, it was immediately censored."
How the Not-So Independent Media Censors Criticism of Its Billionaire Owners
Former Independent columnist Donnachadh McCarthy on how the UK's billionaire-owned media silences those journalists trying to speak out against them
bylinetimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:30 AM
At the Independent "I was constantly blocked from mentioning the visceral opposition or complacency of the powerful UK and global billionaire-owned media to the urgent climate action that is required."
"Any time I tried to mention this in a column, it was immediately censored."
"Any time I tried to mention this in a column, it was immediately censored."
Reposted by Jane Mundon
This is in such incredibly bad taste.
Yes, Nigel Farage made an actual promo video of his poppy performance in Walton-on-the-Naze today.
November 9, 2025 at 8:53 PM
This is in such incredibly bad taste.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Scrapping the cap entirely is both good policy *and* good politics.
Half measures will "save" some money short-term, but will piss *everybody* off and still leave very large numbers of children suffering from a policy designed to make them poorer.
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Half measures will "save" some money short-term, but will piss *everybody* off and still leave very large numbers of children suffering from a policy designed to make them poorer.
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Food vouchers, free milk and two-child cap: Reeves weighs up help for families
Ministers' long-awaited child poverty strategy is due this month - and it's closely tied to the Chancellor's Budget
inews.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Scrapping the cap entirely is both good policy *and* good politics.
Half measures will "save" some money short-term, but will piss *everybody* off and still leave very large numbers of children suffering from a policy designed to make them poorer.
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Half measures will "save" some money short-term, but will piss *everybody* off and still leave very large numbers of children suffering from a policy designed to make them poorer.
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Reposted by Jane Mundon
I agree with @arusbridger.bsky.social about BBC governance. Although v hesitant about another rearrangement, the single corporate-style board is massively flawed, not least because there needs to be some distance for the governors/board members from editorial decisions
Michael Prescott and Sir Robbie Gibb both bailed out of journalism years ago, and enjoy lucrative careers in corporate PR. And now they are the arbiters of BBC editorial standards. Go figure www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
The BBC has bigger impartiality problems than its coverage of Trump
It is the BBC’s entire governance structure–rather than individual stories–that should cause most concern
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 7:46 AM
I agree with @arusbridger.bsky.social about BBC governance. Although v hesitant about another rearrangement, the single corporate-style board is massively flawed, not least because there needs to be some distance for the governors/board members from editorial decisions
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Memo to Donald Trump
There is no link between paracetamol in pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children.
But Trump, the felon, is a danger, spreading hate and poverty, threatening other countries, sending troops to US cities; ignoring laws and treaties and climate change.
There is no link between paracetamol in pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children.
But Trump, the felon, is a danger, spreading hate and poverty, threatening other countries, sending troops to US cities; ignoring laws and treaties and climate change.
No link between paracetamol in pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children, review finds
Wide-ranging review finds no convincing connection after Trump said women should ‘fight like hell’ to avoid painkiller
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Memo to Donald Trump
There is no link between paracetamol in pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children.
But Trump, the felon, is a danger, spreading hate and poverty, threatening other countries, sending troops to US cities; ignoring laws and treaties and climate change.
There is no link between paracetamol in pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children.
But Trump, the felon, is a danger, spreading hate and poverty, threatening other countries, sending troops to US cities; ignoring laws and treaties and climate change.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
An essential precondition for authoritarianism is the neutering of sources of real news.
November 10, 2025 at 8:41 AM
An essential precondition for authoritarianism is the neutering of sources of real news.
Reposted by Jane Mundon
"On top of that, I’d wonder why such close editorial scrutiny should have been entrusted to three key people who themselves rejected journalism in order to enjoy lucrative careers in corporate and political communications."
This is worth a read:
This is worth a read:
November 7, 2025 at 2:51 PM
"On top of that, I’d wonder why such close editorial scrutiny should have been entrusted to three key people who themselves rejected journalism in order to enjoy lucrative careers in corporate and political communications."
This is worth a read:
This is worth a read:
Reposted by Jane Mundon
Michael Prescott and Sir Robbie Gibb both bailed out of journalism years ago, and enjoy lucrative careers in corporate PR. And now they are the arbiters of BBC editorial standards. Go figure www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
The BBC has bigger impartiality problems than its coverage of Trump
It is the BBC’s entire governance structure–rather than individual stories–that should cause most concern
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Michael Prescott and Sir Robbie Gibb both bailed out of journalism years ago, and enjoy lucrative careers in corporate PR. And now they are the arbiters of BBC editorial standards. Go figure www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
Reposted by Jane Mundon
At least some people’s lives have improved in Donald Trump’s America.
November 9, 2025 at 1:39 PM
At least some people’s lives have improved in Donald Trump’s America.