Democracy in action at the BBC, or should that be democracy inaction at the BBC?

According to the The Register, an irreverent but generally respected technology news site, there’s been a bit of a punch up on the BBC Radio 4 message boards. Apparently:

“Only messageboard hosts will start new threads”. Oh dear. Cue indignation, to which the Beeb replied: “We believe these changes will allow the Today programme to better reflect the thoughts and opinions of its listeners, making it more relevant to its audience”.

Yeah right, replied AH:

No you don’t. You believe that it will enable you to control what people talk about and will also enable you to avoid talking about “sensitive” issues.

“Your thoughts, your views, your space”

What a joke.

Another disgruntled poster adds:

I can see it now.

“How can people be forced to appreciate the benefits of multiculturalism?”

“George Bush. Evil dictator or sexual pervert?”

“Are YOU a victim of homophobia?”

“Diversity. Fantastic or amazing?”

“How can we unite to defeat the right?”

Etc etc.

We PAY for the BBC. We PAY for this service. We generally don’t LIKE the political and ideological agendas of the BBC. So they shut the boards.

Sounds typical of the BBC we all know and love. If you’ve been following this debate please feel free to update this story in the comments.

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12 Responses to Democracy in action at the BBC, or should that be democracy inaction at the BBC?

  1. Simpson John says:

    No doubt those messages come from BBC Bias posters. Certainly sounds like it. And I have never seen any topics like those you suggest. Bias is in the eyer of the beholder.

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  2. AntiCitizenOne says:

    Bias is in the eye of the person who only pays for a service because otherwise they’d go to jail.

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  3. Sarah says:

    You won’t have seen topics like those, John Simpson, because the new regime just started this morning. The Today posters have decamped to other BBC newsboards, and are furious.

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  4. Adrian says:

    Good riddance to it. It was full of ‘9/11 was an inside job’ weirdos and ‘zionist conspiracy’ cranks anyway.

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  5. archduke says:

    “Good riddance to it. It was full of ‘9/11 was an inside job’ weirdos and ‘zionist conspiracy’ cranks anyway.
    Adrian | 16.11.06 – 12:24 pm |”

    what – you mean BBC employees?

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  6. Glynn Jones says:

    The view of the bbc editors [urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/11/todays_messageboards.html]here[/url] and [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/11/todays_messageboards_part_2_1.html]here[/url]

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  7. Ritter says:

    Good riddance to it. It was full of ‘9/11 was an inside job’ weirdos and ‘zionist conspiracy’ cranks anyway.
    Adrian | 16.11.06 – 12:24 pm |”

    what – you mean BBC employees?
    archduke | Homepage | 16.11.06 – 12:48 pm | #

    ROFL!

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  8. Rob says:

    “Diversity. Fantastic or amazing?”

    It’s funny because it is so true.

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  9. Jack Hughes says:

    I have been a regular on the “Today” MB for over a year.

    There have been some regular themes – anti-immigration, anti-muslim, anti-climate-hysteria.

    The debates are always lively – there are plenty of lefties to argue their side.

    It has been quite interesting to see that here are other people who question the twin policies of mass-immigration and multiculturalism.

    I really thought for several years that it was only me and the BNP who were opposed to these ideas. It was refreshing to see plenty of mormal people shared my views.

    The BBC have played a large role in suppressing any discussion of these important matters.

    Its strange that the Today MB is being closed down just at the moment that the BBC is starting to realise that it has a problem.

    The pretend questions on the B-BBC page are copied from a posting of a few days ago complaining about the new format with its stalinist policy.

    The first day of the new format is just as bad as the spoof questions. Its something along the lines of “Peter Mandelson will tell us how much more the edeveloped world should pay to combat climate change. Write and tell us how super this is.”

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  10. Laban says:

    The Register link to “this discussion – possibly the last exercise in democracy you’ll see down at Today.”

    The link now takes you to a blank page !

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  11. skull says:

    LOL • The whole BBC system is biased.

    I was constantly moderated for 7 months even though I never passed a racist comment or swore.
    I was finally banned last week for passing comment on the Muslim woman going in court in a Burqa looked like a dalek!
    Banned for telling the truth!

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  12. AntiCitizenOne says:

    skull,

    You commited thought crimes. Diverse views are not to be allowed.

       0 likes