Further to my complaint to BBC South West concerning MK’s exclusion from the upcoming South West “Question Time” debate, which should take place in late April, I have received the below response from Leo Devine, Head of BBC South West.
Thank you for your recent letter.
As I think my colleague has explained to you already, the BBC South West Television election debate will be broadcast across the entire South West, including parts of Dorset and Somerset as well as Devon and Cornwall.
I am aware that Mebyon Kernow is standing in all Cornish constituencies, which is why the party has been invited to take part in all of the BBC Radio Cornwall constituency debates. However, unlike the other parties included in the regional TV debate, Mebyon Kernow is not fielding candidates in any other part of the region. As with any programme, we have the editorial discretion to make a judgement about limiting contributions in a way that ensures the best understanding for the whole of the audience. For that reason, the debate panel has been limited to those parties that can demonstrate significant electoral support right across the region and/or the UK.
Although we are not inviting you to be on the panel, we would like to invite you to attend; I think it’s highly likely that you will be featured during the recording. We would also like to film a short recorded statement from you to be included in the programme. Zoe Clough will contact you to arrange this.
The BBC is committed to fair and balanced reporting of the General Election; BBC Spotlight and BBC Radio Cornwall will endeavour to report all the significant news developments and strands of opinion as the campaign unfolds. To this end, Mebyon Kernow will feature in our overall television and radio coverage. We also intend to produce a Spotlight film focusing on the party and the nationalist voice in Cornwall. Martyn Oates will be in touch to arrange this.
As in all elections, BBC programme editors will ensure that the views of political parties are reported in a balanced and proportionate way. We believe that our levels of coverage are proportionate.
I am presently taking soundings from the other MK candidates and I will be responding to the BBC later tonight.
Thursday, 9 April 2015
The view from BBC South West
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6 comments:
what a load of biased rubbish from the BBC
Well any publicity is good,but MK should be involved in everything that the other parties are involved in.Thats the only fair way as everyone should have a voice no matter how big or small the party is.
The BBC has a long tradition of bias against Cornwall, here's a chance for that organisation to put an end to it's continuance. I do believe it has a lot to do with the overpaid BBC executives who are influenced by their personal politics. How many Cornish work for the beeb at a senior level?
As a Scot living in Scotland, I can identify with the frustration felt by those living in Cornwall. It is precisely because of injustices such as this that I felt compelled to join MK. We in Scotland have felt the bias from the BBC for a long time and it continues today. My SNP has had a voice recently via ITV across the UK but within Scotland we struggle to have a fair hearing.
John Luckwell.
That seems fair.
What you really want is to have a debate about Cornwall, not the whole of the South West. That's the program to press for.
You should think yourselves lucky that you have a BBC South West and a BBC Radio Cornwall. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland there are NO BBC local radio stations and only country-wide news bulletins.
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