Any Questions On Radio 4 -- B B C Sham Exposed.

[CrashConnoisseur]

It's on now 1.15pm to 2.00pm. Saturday.

Listened to this on Friday night. Towards the end Dimblebore asks for the next question. A member of the audience then starts to ask a question about Afghanistan. He's interrupted by Dimblebore who says he was expecting a question about the Labour Party. Questioner says that he's asking his own question which is what he submitted rather than the one he was given. Dimblebore gets all flustered before letting him ask his question. Dimblebore is then forced to explain that questioners are given their questions by the show's producer from "those submitted". Panel members make comments about "democracy" and "anarchy" breaking out. Dimblebore then asks the question about the Labour party himself.

Also, huge cheer and squeals of delight from the audience when Grant Shapps mentioned he'd scrapped HIPs.

[moonriver]

Thanks for telling us about this.

Just listened to it.

That was a bit of a shock when the "rehearsed" question was not the one presented.

[Misanthrope]

It's on now 1.15pm to 2.00pm. Saturday.

Listened to this on Friday night. Towards the end Dimblebore asks for the next question. A member of the audience then starts to ask a question about Afghanistan. He's interrupted by Dimblebore who says he was expecting a question about the Labour Party. Questioner says that he's asking his own question which is what he submitted rather than the one he was given. Dimblebore gets all flustered before letting him ask his question. Dimblebore is then forced to explain that questioners are given their questions by the show's producer from "those submitted". Panel members make comments about "democracy" and "anarchy" breaking out. Dimblebore then asks the question about the Labour party himself.

Also, huge cheer and squeals of delight from the audience when Grant Shapps mentioned he'd scrapped HIPs.

Yes. Bit of an embarrasment for the BBC. Good on the Questioner.

Struck me (when the cheers broke out) on the HIPS issue, that the audience little realised how small a price it was compared to the loss in notional wealth to come - ironically assisted by scrapping them!

[Cogs]

I'm not sure what you think was exposed here. Don't get it.

[euroconv]

I'm not sure what you think was exposed here. Don't get it.

What has been exposed is that there is no way of knowing if the questions asked are actual audience questions.

1) The producers can filter out the questions they don't want asked. (This bit we knew about)

2) They can get the audience to ask questions that the prodcuers write themselves. (This bit we now know)

In other words, QT & AQ are simply used to direct the public towards whatever debate/ agenda the producers are in agreement with.

I.E. It's not a free forum.

[billybong]

It's on now 1.15pm to 2.00pm. Saturday.

Listened to this on Friday night. Towards the end Dimblebore asks for the next question. A member of the audience then starts to ask a question about Afghanistan. He's interrupted by Dimblebore who says he was expecting a question about the Labour Party. Questioner says that he's asking his own question which is what he submitted rather than the one he was given. Dimblebore gets all flustered before letting him ask his question. Dimblebore is then forced to explain that questioners are given their questions by the show's producer from "those submitted".

It was always fairly clear that there wasn't any spontaneity in the questions (and probably even the answers although they do act it up a bit) but the revelation that the members of the audience ask questions that aren't actually their own is a new one. No wonder they usually lack animation when reading out "their" question.

It's all very misleading and it takes the biscuit.

The misleading element is compounded when after the panel answers Dimblebore asks the question reader what their point of view is as if having thought of the question they will then have their own very personal opinion on the subject. Some of them do naturally stumble to respond.

There's nothing to say that the BBC haven't "submitted" a few questions themselves.

Edited May 22, 2010 by billybong

[CrashConnoisseur]

There's nothing to say that the BBC haven't "submitted" a few questions themselves.

...or edit submitted questions 'for clarity' so that they have a different slant to the original.

[kzb]

So is it the same arrangement on Question Time (BBC1 TV) do we think? It would explain a lot.

[erranta]

Thanks for telling us about this.

Just listened to it.

That was a bit of a shock when the "rehearsed" question was not the one presented.

Why is it a surprise?

- us nutters have been banging on about, the illusion of democracy and all the other fake cr@p the Elites present to you on TV for years!

Ever wundered why you are constantly offered a "FAIR" Deal etc

- because fair_ground people traditionally include clowns, magicians/tricksters, illusionists and make you pay them to 'take you for a ride'(as per BBC)!

[deflation]

QT is recorded, not live, not sure about 'Any Questions.'

There has to be editorial control otherwise you could just get questions on the same subject all night, very boring. Also, you may just get follow questions to follow up answers, etc..

The fact that people get given questions proves that the ones they write down to ask before the show are anonymous.