BBC Balance

Accusations of being "far left" and "Marxist" say more about its accusers than about the BBC. But I have for years been critical of the BBC too - for different reasons. One of those reasons was nicely on display for a few hours this afternoon.

On the BBC news web site, the TWO TOP WORLD NEWS STORIES were...

Student guilty of Palin hacking
A former US student could face up to 20 years in jail after being found guilty of hacking into Sarah Palin's e-mail account.

Wayward Woods fails to make cut
Tiger Woods misses the cut for only the sixth time in his professional career following a second-round 79 at Quail Hollow.

Only these two stories were highlighted.

And this on a page that had almost 50 stories from around the globe. Which included...

Mutinous troops attack Sudan army
Prostate cancer vaccine approved
Senate begins Wall Street battle
Kurd rebels 'attack army outpost'
Somali blasts kill 'at least 30'
Rwandan leader snubs US lawsuit
Protesters confront Greek police
US warns of Delhi attack threat
UN warns on early Congo pull-out
World Expo 2010 opens in Shanghai

...and many more.

Anyone support the BBC's priorities as they stood for a couple of hours?

Don't these top stories depend on hits?

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
Don't these top stories depend on hits?

No. It's an editorial decision.

As far as READ hits are concerned:

* BP under fire over US oil spill
* Fat Americans a 'security threat'
* Hundreds strip off in Lowry shoot
* Escort girl claims cast cloud over French football
* Student guilty of Palin hacking
* Protesters confront Greek police
* Rwandan leader snubs US lawsuit
* US warns of Delhi attack threat
* Japan police hunt 'bee rustlers'
* Brazil jail for US nun's murder

These were the most read stories in that time period.

Originally posted by FMF
Accusations of being "far left" and "Marxist" say more about its accusers than about the BBC. But I have for years been critical of the BBC too - for different reasons. One of those reasons was nicely on display for a few hours this afternoon.

On the BBC news web site, the TWO TOP WORLD NEWS STORIES were...

[b]Student guilty of Palin hacking
A former ...[text shortened]... many more.

Anyone support the BBC's priorities as they stood for a couple of hours?[/b]

Like the rest of the global media they report what they're told to, what they're paid to, and whatever they can get for minimum outlay. See 'Flat Earth News' by Nick Drake and have any remaining respect you may have for these organisations painlessly removed.

Originally posted by FMF
Accusations of being "far left" and "Marxist" say more about its accusers than about the BBC. But I have for years been critical of the BBC too - for different reasons. One of those reasons was nicely on display for a few hours this afternoon.

On the BBC news web site, the TWO TOP WORLD NEWS STORIES were...

[b]Student guilty of Palin hacking
A former ...[text shortened]... many more.

Anyone support the BBC's priorities as they stood for a couple of hours?[/b]

Its very simple, they're showing what the people want them to show.

stories about tiger woods are popular with the general population, stories about social unrest in sudan aren't (most people in the uk probably don't even know where sudan is).

Originally posted by generalissimo
Its very simple, they're showing what the people want them to show.

stories about tiger woods are popular with the general population, stories about social unrest in sudan aren't (most people in the uk probably don't even know where sudan is).

Devils advocate (see Spirituality) might argue that stories to attract new readers / browsers from the search engines and trivia sites might invite a larger audience to the more serious content available here - and often not as available in as good quality elsewhere. They might come for passing interest and get interested enough to stay.

After all the more seriously minded browser / reader is not going to pay attention to these items - in a crowded media world I for one simply stop noticing it is there.

However the list of the items most read differs markedly from the initial list of serious topics and suggests that people are more attracted to stories with a colourful aspect. So regardless of the headliners, people who stop and read are still heading away from the heavy duty news. I am not sure what the BBC could do to change that and the BBC is not going to thrive by ignoring the majority. It has stuff for the minority but that is subsidized in effect by what the majority want.

Japan hunts bee rustlers could be interesting

MOST POPULAR STORIES NOW

Read

* Google admits wi-fi data blunder
* UN urges halt to Bangkok clashes
* California 'must slash spending'
* Japan gets shirty about PM's look
* US postman hoarded 20,000 letters
* Obama: No more cosying up to oil
* How long do honeymoons last?
* Libya crash boy set to fly home
* US Church set for gay ordination
* In pictures: Kabul rises again

Ha! 5.5 out of 10 for the USA! (Counting that the Kabul story wouldn't be in the top 10 if it weren't for the US.)

USA! USA! USA!

Originally posted by zeeblebot
Ha! 5.5 out of 10 for the USA!

The U.S. is a key market for the BBC. They may also be seeking to exploit disenchantment amoung Americans with their own mainstream media. I remember back in the 90s a bit of a tiff over how certain BBC TV stories were pulling their punches on some U.S.-related stories and one the reasons for it that emerged was that the BBC were selling reports, footage, and talk-to-camera segments, to U.S. media customers - and they pays their money and they takes their choice.

maybe the list looks different in your neck of the woods. BBC might be geolocating us.

Originally posted by zeeblebot
maybe the list looks different in your neck of the woods. BBC might be geolocating us.

let's see then:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/ at the time indicated on this post, here in Indonesia, the BBC's web site ...

BP chief backs future of oil drilling
UN urges halt to Bangkok clashes
Australia hails solo yachts girl
Libya crash boy set to fly home
Deadly bombing hits Iraqi stadium
California 'must slash spending'
US Church set for gay ordination
Atlantis launches on final voyage
Google admits wi-fi data blunder

and yet no room for...


Indonesia 'uncovers plot to kill president'

Militants planned to kill President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, police said Indonesian
security forces say they have uncovered a
militant plot to assassinate the president
and kill foreigners in a Mumbai-style attack.

Originally posted by zeeblebot
MOST POPULAR STORIES NOW

Oh. Wait. The most popular stories?

What does that have to do with the BBC's sense of balance?

Surely that's only relevant to its 'customers' priorities and interests?

So, what about the bee rustlers??