The BBC’s coverage of our recent civil disturbances has been a bit woeful at times. I’ve felt that they have blithered on about the pernicious influence of social media without questioning whether their own coverage of events has any kind of influence on them.
Tonight it all went a bit silly when they chose to take a report from a Tim Hart, who gave a rather breathless report in which he got the names of most of the streets wrong, misreported that the buses had all stopped at 3pm and claimed that looters had thrown rocks at him.
Compare this with what I’d seen Nicky Getgood Tweet at around the same time
[quotetweet tweetid=101018907225243648]
So, while the BBC choose to take reports from somebody apparently really here for the cricket, who plays up the drama and excitement they clearly feel for the situation, my friend is quietly reflecting on just one of the small tragedies that are being played out on our streets tonight. This really annoyed me.
Quite a few people picked up on just what a poor report this was and, suitably emboldened, I made the following complaint through the BBC website
Some time a little after 9 tonight the BBC News went to a Tim Hart, who was described as a freelance journalist.
He quite evidently didn’t know Birmingham, proceeding to get the names of more streets wrong than he did right. He also claimed that there had been no buses running from the city centre since 3pm, something contradicted by many people locally.On my way home from work at 5pm this evening I saw a number of buses coming from the city centre. A city centre that wasn’t on some kind of lock down, as this reporter suggested.The report was delivered in a breathless fashion and the reporter seemed somewhat hysterical about what he had seen.At a time when people feel worried about what is happening in their city it would be nice if the BBC was a bit more selective about who it chooses to report on its behalf.We do have some very fine journalists in Birmingham. Many Brummies, this one included, would have appreciated it if you had used one of them.
According to the BBC website, I’ll have a response in ten days.
Just picked up on this, didn’t see the report but getting major street names wrong for a local report is pretty bad. Will be interested to see their response!
Just picked up on this, didn’t see the report but getting major street names wrong for a local report is pretty bad. Will be interested to see their response!
Just picked up on this, didn’t see the report but getting major street names wrong for a local report is pretty bad. Will be interested to see their response!
Thanks Nicky. I’ll be sure to post it when it comes.
Did you get the response?