Bbc Reply

[Monkey_Boy]

Last week the BBC posted a VI article, you remember the one written by Dan McLoed;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4244560.stm

Well I posted a hasty complaint to the beeb on their website;

"I found this article extremely biased and poorly researched. I also felt that it was bordering on becoming an advertisement for the estate agent who wrote the article. The last line disclaimer does little to dispel misleading nature of the article."

Just got an emailed reply;

Dear Monkey_Boy

Thank you for your e-mail regarding a BBC News article on the property market.

I understand you found this article biased, poorly researched and bordering on advertising.

The BBC does not support any viewpoint; instead we seek to provide sufficient information to enable our audience to make up their own minds based on the facts. The BBC's Charter and Agreement allow it independence from political pressure and the Licence fee gives it independence from advertising, shareholder or other commercial interests. The BBC is not allowed under the terms of its Charter to actively promote political parties or activities.

Our Producer's Guidelines state: "The notion of impartiality lies at the heart of the BBC. The BBC serves the nation as a whole recognising and responding to all different tastes, views and perspectives". Programme makers aim to reflect, inform and stimulate this multiplicity of interests with a diverse range of quality programmes.

Under the terms of the BBC Charter, no BBC service funded by the Licence fee or grant-in-aid may carry advertising. We avoid giving publicity to any individual person or product, firm or organised interest except in so far as it contributes to providing effective and informative programmes. On the occasions when products are included will be in order to plausibly represent realism and not for commercial gain.

Nevertheless, I realise that you may hold a different view on this occasion. Therefore, please be assured that your comments have been registered and have been added to a daily log that is made available to the BBC News web production teams and senior BBC Management. Your feedback is more than welcome and will help shape future programming decisions.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us with the strength of your concerns.

Regards

Paul Kettle

BBC Information

Looks a bit like a standard letter with a few words changed here and there, but at least it will go into the statistics and might discourage them from publishing similar in the future.

[OzzMosiz]

I'd respond to them and ask if you can write an article for publication on their website as to why you believe houses are a poor investment in the short term. See what they say then!!

[jimmy]

This is what I got back: (ever so slightly different wording)...

Dear "Jimmy"

Thank you for your e-mail regarding a BBC News article on bbc.co.uk.

I note that you consider this report on the housing market to be

inappropriate. Further, that it resembles an advertisement rather than a

news feature.

I would like to reassure you of the strict editorial and commercial

guidelines which govern all BBC services. In offering articles and features

on bbc.co.uk - and contributions to our radio and television programming -

no one company or individual is given undue prominence. Our aim is to

provide expert comment and analysis for the topic under review.

I hope that I have been able to allay your concerns.

Please be assured that I have detailed your comments in the daily audience

log. This internal document is made available to production teams and

senior management.

I have also forwarded a copy of your e-mail to the relevant bbc.co.uk site

owner.

Thank you for taking the time to contact BBC Information and express your

concerns.

Regards

Anne Lavan

BBC Information

[OzzMosiz]

Please be assured that I have detailed your comments in the daily audience

log. This internal document is made available to production teams and

senior management.

I.e. available but no one bothers reading it!!!

[Monkey_Boy]

I'd respond to them and ask if you can write an article for publication on their website as to why you believe houses are a poor investment in the short term. See what they say then!!

Don't know I'd feel confident enough (in my writing ability) to suggest that... Perhaps someone like DrBubb should approach them.

Is it me or when you complain do you always seem to get back a very verbose reply which makes you feel a bit silly for only writing a 3 line complaint...

[The Masked Tulip]

Gerald Kaufman is the MP you need to contact about Beeb things. He has got a bee in his bonnet about the Beeb - quite rightly so IMPO - and is always taking them to task.

[Killer Bunny]

Gerald Kaufman is the MP you need to contact about Beeb things. He has got a bee in his bonnet about the Beeb - quite rightly so IMPO - and is always taking them to task.

Also, he hates Gordon so he might be delighted to stick the Beeb with an anti-GBrown moan

[libitina]

Gerald Kaufman is the MP you need to contact about Beeb things. He has got a bee in his bonnet about the Beeb - quite rightly so IMPO - and is always taking them to task.

His contact details are here:-

http://www.locata.co.uk/cgi-bin/webdriver?...c_result&id=280

[red]

Don't know I'd feel confident enough (in my writing ability) to suggest that... Perhaps someone like DrBubb should approach them.

Is it me or when you complain do you always seem to get back a very verbose reply which makes you feel a bit silly for only writing a 3 line complaint...

I certainly feel it would be worth writing an alternative article backed up with hard facts (graphs, data) that dispels a few myths. Maybe a collective effort from a few hardened HPCers..?

Still awaiting my BBC reply but having read those in this thread, I shan't hold my breath for anything more than a standard 'objection to article' reply. :angry:

[IMD]

Gerald Kaufman is the MP you need to contact about Beeb things. He has got a bee in his bonnet about the Beeb - quite rightly so IMPO - and is always taking them to task.

Kaufman is still alive?

Hang on, nix that... Kaufman was ever alive?

[Guest magnoliawalls]

Dear Miss Walls

Thank you for your e-mail regarding a feature on bbc.co.uk.

I note your concerns over the article 'How to read the local house market'

and the associated estate agency link.

Please be assured that I have detailed your comments in the daily log. This

internal document is made available to web production teams and senior BBC

management.

I have also forwarded a copy of your e-mail to the relevant bbc.co.uk site

owner.

Thank you for taking the time to contact BBC Information and express your

concerns.

Regards

Anne Lavan

BBC Information

I am surprised that we seem to have recieved individual responses.

[Loanshark]

Having worked for ITV i can tell you that 'proper' viewer complaints are taken VERY seriously i would imagine the BBC is the same.

[Free Thinker]

I still haven't received a reply

Is anyone else still waiting?

[red]

I still haven't received a reply

Is anyone else still waiting?

Yup. No reply either. I was a little harsh, though...

[bears all]

Having worked for ITV i can tell you that 'proper' viewer complaints are taken VERY seriously i would imagine the BBC is the same.

A mate of mine used to work for a BBC department fielding telephone complaints, and he said their attitude was thoroughly cynical, ie all the public are nutters, who do they think they are bothering us throbbingly sophisticated media types with their provincial gripes.

Having said that, I emailed the BBC yesterday with some observations about a Radio 4 programme and actually had 2 emails back from one of the producers directly addressing the points I'd made ....

[Loanshark]

A mate of mine used to work for a BBC department fielding telephone complaints, and he said their attitude was thoroughly cynical, ie all the public are nutters, who do they think they are bothering us throbbingly sophisticated media types with their provincial gripes.

Having said that, I emailed the BBC yesterday with some observations about a Radio 4 programme and actually had 2 emails back from one of the producers directly addressing the points I'd made ....

Believe me a LOT of 'nutters' phone in to complain about TV shows but if it is a 'proper' complaint it can have an effect.