Comments on: The BBC follows the government on the economy http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/07/19/the-bbc-follows-the-government-on-the-economy/ Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Wokingham Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:04:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Julian Nicholson http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/07/19/the-bbc-follows-the-government-on-the-economy/#comment-22980 Julian Nicholson Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:25:28 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1194#comment-22980 What nobody seems to mention is that the governments 40% figure does not take into account a) the public sector pension liability b) the Northern Rock liability, c) or the PFI contracts d) or the Network Rail money. Surely their 40% rule was broken years ago? As for the lack of impartiality of the BBC, thats not really anything new. What nobody seems to mention is that the governments 40% figure does not take into account

a) the public sector pension liability
b) the Northern Rock liability,
c) or the PFI contracts
d) or the Network Rail money.

Surely their 40% rule was broken years ago?

As for the lack of impartiality of the BBC, thats not really anything new.

]]> By: Tim http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/07/19/the-bbc-follows-the-government-on-the-economy/#comment-22565 Tim Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:43:05 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1194#comment-22565 Several times on the BBC they explained the deficit by siting the example that it was equivlent to a household borrowing 40% of its income via loans and credit cards. This is clearly misleading as the true parallell is that the government is borrowing close to 100% of income even when it follows the fiscal rules, as the percentage of GDP consumed by the public sector is say 44% GDP. Several times on the BBC they explained the deficit by siting the example that it was equivlent to a household borrowing 40% of its income via loans and credit cards.

This is clearly misleading as the true parallell is that the government is borrowing close to 100% of income even when it follows the fiscal rules, as the percentage of GDP consumed by the public sector is say 44% GDP.

]]> By: mikestallard http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/07/19/the-bbc-follows-the-government-on-the-economy/#comment-22563 mikestallard Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:16:55 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1194#comment-22563 I am now so fed up with the BBC that I was surprised when they even noticed that the economy was bombing! I actually stayed up last night to watch Newsnight - which is unusual nowadays, I must admit. If you politicise the BBC, which is what has happened, then, when the government changes - and I look forward to a huge change with Labour simply disappearing from the map along with 60s Liberalism - in a year or so, they will be left high and dry. All the great Paxman wannabees will disappear in favour of people who reflect the new times. Their income is already very much on the line after their appalling presumption to everyone who pays them ("We know where you live") and rudeness to a lot of influential people who do not own TV sets. Why should I subsidise a lot of Guardian readers anyway? I am now so fed up with the BBC that I was surprised when they even noticed that the economy was bombing! I actually stayed up last night to watch Newsnight – which is unusual nowadays, I must admit.
If you politicise the BBC, which is what has happened, then, when the government changes – and I look forward to a huge change with Labour simply disappearing from the map along with 60s Liberalism – in a year or so, they will be left high and dry.
All the great Paxman wannabees will disappear in favour of people who reflect the new times. Their income is already very much on the line after their appalling presumption to everyone who pays them (“We know where you live”) and rudeness to a lot of influential people who do not own TV sets.
Why should I subsidise a lot of Guardian readers anyway?

]]> By: Mark Wadsworth http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/07/19/the-bbc-follows-the-government-on-the-economy/#comment-22536 Mark Wadsworth Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:30:01 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1194#comment-22536 Crikey, you're up early! What also irritated me were the headlines in FT and on BBC yesterday saying that 'The Treasury' was going to relax fiscal rules, rather than saying 'The Government' or more to the point 'The Prime Minister'. Crikey, you’re up early!

What also irritated me were the headlines in FT and on BBC yesterday saying that ‘The Treasury’ was going to relax fiscal rules, rather than saying ‘The Government’ or more to the point ‘The Prime Minister’.

]]> By: Kit http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/07/19/the-bbc-follows-the-government-on-the-economy/#comment-22535 Kit Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:05:14 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=1194#comment-22535 And when the BBC wants to talk economics they get Will Hutton or Tony Jupiter! Just contrast BBC economic coverage to US broadcasters - the difference is shocking. The BBC is one-dimensional and dumbed-down. Political bias is one reason but I think they want their coverage to be "accessible". Whereas in the US they want to attract viewers. If anybody from the BBC reads this blog, sadly unlikely, can we have real economists, real business leaders and real financial experts all with holding contrasting positions - it might do wonders for your viewing figures! And when the BBC wants to talk economics they get Will Hutton or Tony Jupiter! Just contrast BBC economic coverage to US broadcasters – the difference is shocking. The BBC is one-dimensional and dumbed-down. Political bias is one reason but I think they want their coverage to be “accessible”. Whereas in the US they want to attract viewers.
If anybody from the BBC reads this blog, sadly unlikely, can we have real economists, real business leaders and real financial experts all with holding contrasting positions – it might do wonders for your viewing figures!

]]>