Rod, Jane and Freddy Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 I complained to the BBC about their website's headline news on Persimmon's latest spin on how well their business is doing while neglecting to give any mention to the recent Rightmove figures. Here is their reply: Dear Rod, Jane & FreddyThank you for your e-mail regarding the article on Persimmon: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5273372.stm I understand you were unhappy with the company being featured as opposed to reporting on the latest news by Rightmove. If I may clarify the BBC aims to look at a variety of companies from within the housing market and is prone to using a variety of sources, in this instance Persimmon had reported strong profits despite recent interest rate rises which the BBC felt site visitors may be interested in reading. If you would like to report bad news on the housing market to the BBC then you can do so via the following e-mail address: uknewsplan@bbc.co.uk In the meantime please be assured your concerns that coverage of the housing market is not balanced, have been registered on our audience log which is made available to senior BBC management and News Editors. Thank you again for contacting the BBC with your views. Regards Tony Brown BBC Information Why would anyone take Persimmon's figures as a sign that recent interest rate rises were having no affect? All seems a bit too early to tell to me, and certainly too early to affect 6 monthly profits calculated up to June 30th, unless you really wanted to spin it of course. I shall start using their uknewsplan address to inform them of all relevant housing market news that they might have accidentally overlooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willy Weasel Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 I complained to the BBC about their website's headline news on Persimmon's latest spin on how well their business is doing while neglecting to give any mention to the recent Rightmove figures. Here is their reply: Why would anyone take Persimmon's figures as a sign that recent interest rate rises were having no affect? All seems a bit too early to tell to me, and certainly too early to affect 6 monthly profits calculated up to June 30th, unless you really wanted to spin it of course. I shall start using their uknewsplan address to inform them of all relevant housing market news that they might have accidentally overlooked. Can the Mods automatically redirect the Blog from this forum to that address? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImA20SomethingGetMeOutOfHere Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Sorry to ressurect this thread, but I've just finally had a reply back from the BBC to a complaint I sent them over a week ago. Text below: Thanks for your comments. Due to the large number of surveys of house prices, we tend to be selective, reporting only the two government house price surveys, and the two largest commercial ones, the Halifax and the Nationwide. In making this choice, we are not taking a view on whether house pirces are likely to go up or down, nor do we have a corporate view on that subject. Original Complaint: COMMENTS: To the BBC news editorial team, I am writing in regard to a story published in the business section of your news website about the building company Persimmon's bullish predictions regarding the UK housing market. Whilst I have no particular issue with this being a newsworthy story I am rather concerned that nowhere on your site have you given any coverage to the most recent set of Rightmove's monthly asking price data which points to a downturn in the housing market, somewhat contradicting your story. In fact most of the major news websites seem to be covering the news about the Rightmove data with little or no mention of the figures quoted in your story. Could you please clarify whether the BBC is committed to balanced reporting or whether it is more interested in producing a never-ending stream of feel good stories about property with a view to boosting consumer confidence in a faltering housing market. If you indeed are trying to pursue the former course of action, could you please tell me why the Rightmove data has not been reported on your site when even the Daily Mirror is carrying the story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 (edited) Due to the large number of surveys of house prices, we tend to be selective, reporting only the two government house price surveys, and the two largest commercial ones, the Halifax and the Nationwide. What blatant bu11shit! - whenever Rightmove's figures are bullish they splash it all over their rubbish website, News 24, 6 O'clock News, 10 o'Clock News and Breakfast BBC News Search results for Rightmove in 2006 News - Rightmove shares rocket on debutProperty website Rightmove has made its debut on the London stock market at an opening value of £425m.. 10 Mar 2006 News - Rightmove unveils float plans Property website Rightmove unveils plans to begin trading on the London stock market next month.. Rightmove, which was set up in February 2000, says its site has 10 million visitors a month. 15 Feb 2006 News - Rightmove halts house pack cash Rightmove had a very particular business model which meant investing heavily in Hips. 26 Jul 2006 News - House pack change hits Rightmove Rightmove, which had identified HIPs as a key profit driver, said the move would cause it to miss market targets. 19 Jul 2006 News - House prices move above £200,000 Rightmove collates asking prices for houses placed on its own website over the previous month. The sample size is quite extensive, as Rightmove claims to display around 35% of all homes for sale. 20 Feb 2006 News - Weak house sales hit Countrywide It said its remaining stake in Rightmove was worth £95.5m. 14 Mar 2006 News - Property market 'still buoyant' Rightmove said that in the four weeks to 9 April prices in England and Wales rose by 1.1 18 Apr 2006 Edited August 30, 2006 by jp1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goat Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Here's an interesting question, is it possible to suggest stories for BBC news? Would anybody like to suggest that they do a special report on the apparent collapse of the US housing market and the likely effect on the US and world economies? Could be a very important story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattsta1964 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 What blatant bu11shit! - whenever Rightmove's figures are bullish they splash it all over their rubbish website, News 24, 6 O'clock News, 10 o'Clock News and Breakfast Yeah. The BBC is a disgrace these days. They have totally lost their impartiality. It has been hijacked by a bunch of Nu Lab control freaks. Serious journalism? Where is it? Searching questions are right out of fashion in the Beeb. It's a sort of Stalinism without the gulags and assassinations......yet Well! Unless you're a Brazilian electrician living in Stockwell anyway. Here's an interesting question, is it possible to suggest stories for BBC news? Would anybody like to suggest that they do a special report on the apparent collapse of the US housing market and the likely effect on the US and world economies? Could be a very important story. That's a very very good question! I haven't heard it mentioned on the BBC AT ALL! Not on R4 or the televised news. I wanted to write to Newsnight asking why they don't seem to cover any stories about the housing market. I searched the BBC website for about 1/2 an hour, just to try and find a contact e-mail address or any point of contact. In the end I had to do it by making an official complaint!!!!!! Just to get a bloody address for Newsnight! Can you believe that! Useless fekkn tossers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shedfish Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Here's an interesting question, is it possible to suggest stories for BBC news? Would anybody like to suggest that they do a special report on the apparent collapse of the US housing market and the likely effect on the US and world economies? Could be a very important story. i already did, the other day... they've chosen to ignore me also got a reply about a complaint i made the other day, saying the same platitudes as the replies above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattsta1964 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 i already did, the other day... they've chosen to ignore me also got a reply about a complaint i made the other day, saying the same platitudes as the replies above What a bloody disgrace eh! That really pisses me off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Here's an interesting question, is it possible to suggest stories for BBC news? Would anybody like to suggest that they do a special report on the apparent collapse of the US housing market and the likely effect on the US and world economies? Could be a very important story. Its nigh on impossible to even suggest anything for their "Have Your Say" never mind news stories [unless its so inoffensive its dumb "Have you been on holiday?", "Food. Have you ever eaten any?" or about Islam] Actually it's pretty hard even to get a "Have Your Say" post past their NuLab censors moderators - they have "to get the balance right" when publishing posts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shedfish Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Its nigh on impossible to even suggest anything for their "Have Your Say" never mind news stories [unless its so inoffensive its dumb "Have you been on holiday?", "Food. Have you ever eaten any?" or about Islam] Actually it's pretty hard even to get a "Have Your Say" post past their NuLab censors moderators - they have "to get the balance right" when publishing posts i tried that too. in the end i had to take on a kind of "Disgusted of Dickweed" role, posting on bloody irrelevent have your says asking if there was something else everyone thought we should be talking about... they really have been like Pravda since Greg Dyke went in the Purge and i'm not gettin enough... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy-g Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 On another tack, I'm not surprised Persimmon made money. Their homes are the worst on the market. I know lads in the building trade, and that is the one builder none of them would by a house from. Utter junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattsta1964 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Its nigh on impossible to even suggest anything for their "Have Your Say" never mind news stories [unless its so inoffensive its dumb "Have you been on holiday?", "Food. Have you ever eaten any?" or about Islam] Actually it's pretty hard even to get a "Have Your Say" post past their NuLab censors moderators - they have "to get the balance right" when publishing posts Have your say! LOL! What's your opinion on socks? Do you wear them? What's your favourite colour and why? Tell us about YOUR experiences. What's your favourite beauty spot? (This one is actually on there at the moment...Who gives a s*it) Useless communist numpties. Really worth the license fee innit? For fekks sake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 What really pees me off is you can't complain to any body about the BBC. You can only complain to the BBC itself. Remember "I want it now" I still haven't received a second reply to my complaint. I got the usual fob off, but they won't contact me at all. Some BBC news is a propaganda. Simple as. (And I would have never thought I'd say that). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolaftershave Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 What happend to the BBC? Its the old stories that are Bearish, this one is a delight to read. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3167777.stm "If we see large scale job losses then this could be the catalyst for the housing market falling of its perch," Mr Higgins told BBC News Online. This article is 3 years old, I think the BBC have been told to just keep the public delusional and happy. CAS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Ever since Kelly the BBC have been govt lapdogs - their news output isn't worth spit, let alone a license fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolaftershave Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Can the Mods automatically redirect the Blog from this forum to that address? If this blog was saved as a printable file... I would print it out and post it myself. We need a spot on this site for "print and send (post / email" protest and complaint letters. This place has a load of members... even a letter a month would be loads of mail. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shedfish Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 (edited) bloody good idea - provided we could distract everyone from dicussing "God's perspective on BTL" of course - stellar the omniscient landlord... (mods, if you go with the idea of posting this thread.. please remove just this one post of mine first. from the point of view of credibility it would be better to inhale helium before giving a speech) i have been looking for some meaningful way to respond to Kirsty Allsop's comments on HPC, if anyone has an idea (see this thread) Edited August 30, 2006 by Shedfish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassfarthing Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 What blatant bu11shit! - whenever Rightmove's figures are bullish they splash it all over their rubbish website, News 24, 6 O'clock News, 10 o'Clock News and Breakfast BBC News Search results for Rightmove in 2006 All the examples you provide are concerned with Rightmove as a business (shareprice, acquisitions etc) and nothing to do with their surveys, so in fact, none of this is "blatant bullsh1t" at all. Maybe the BBC have reported Rightmove surveys but these ain't examples of them. I find the BBC to be very even-handed about the news. The idea that they have an agenda, or are ordered to pump out the government line is absolutely laughable. They were full of stories the other week about the IR rise and how it was likely to affect HPI. You were all drooling then. Both the left and the right in this country accuse the BBC of bias, so they must be getting something right. You can legitimately accuse the Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror of toeing an editorial line, but the Beeb is crawling with watchdogs and committees and ombudsmen ensuring that they report as fairly as they can. The problem is that their is precious little HPC-friendly news to report in the UK at the moment. I don't actually think some of you WANT an unbiased BBC. You want it to be a mouthpiece for HPC advocates and spinmeisters like RB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shedfish Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 I find the BBC to be very even-handed about the news. The idea that they have an agenda, or are ordered to pump out the government line is absolutely laughable. They were full of stories the other week about the IR rise and how it was likely to affect HPI. You were all drooling then. I don't actually think some of you WANT an unbiased BBC. You want it to be a mouthpiece for HPC advocates and spinmeisters like RB. after all they wouldn't dare force the DG to stand down for daring to be different over the Hutton report. that could never happen at the BBC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImA20SomethingGetMeOutOfHere Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 All the examples you provide are concerned with Rightmove as a business (shareprice, acquisitions etc) and nothing to do with their surveys, so in fact, none of this is "blatant bullsh1t" at all. I'm afraid they're not: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4724858.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4918170.stm (see the last paragraph) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bidin'matime Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 And you dont hear anything like this one from Evan Davis (from Sept 2004) these days: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3701070.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shedfish Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 a cracking article - can't argue with the reasoning either... i suppose to their credit they do leave the pages up as 'orphans', but you do really have to look. here's a screenshot of the AMERICAS page from the weekend, after a week of such (otherwise widely reported) hoohah about the US economy. see if you can spot the link... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bidin'matime Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 See also this one from May 2004 - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3744041.stm See if you can find a more recent reference to a property crash in the BBC site. Note also the comments at the end - not sure that they would make it through the sensors these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.