A BBC journalist goes up against her viewers over Jeremy Corbyn, and loses… dramatically
BBC political correspondent Vicki Young went up against her viewers over Jeremy Corbyn, and lost… dramatically. After someone told Young to ‘f*ck off’, she appeared to suggest the Labour leader was to blame on social media:
Corbyn says he never indulges in personal abuse – sadly one of his supporters has just told me to F off. #labour
— Vicki Young (@BBCVickiYoung) August 7, 2017
But BBC viewers were quick to call her out:
Read on...
I think Jeremy Corbyn should be harangued until he personally apologises to you on behalf of someone he's never met, Vicki. pic.twitter.com/mMm5E88O2M
— 🕊CrémantCommunarde #GeneralElectionNow (@0Calamity) August 7, 2017
Responding to widespread criticism, Young claimed:
Not saying Jeremy responsible. Man said it to me in the audience today just before J said no personal abuse. That was my point nothing more
— Vicki Young (@BBCVickiYoung) August 7, 2017
Unfortunately for Young, no one was having it:
Stop pretending this wasn't worded to make it sound as if Corbyn is to blame, either that or you've no comprehension of sentence structure.
— JAWWAD 🌻 (@JAWWADMUST) August 7, 2017
Hardly a one-off from the BBC
Perhaps BBC viewers would give Young the benefit of the doubt if the broadcaster wasn’t systemically and abjectly biased against the progressive movement Corbyn represents. A major content analysis from Cardiff University revealed that the BBC is pro-business and conservative-leaning in its coverage. No matter which party is in power. Another study on the coup against Corbyn by his own parliamentary party in June 2016 shows similar bias. The BBC gave double the airtime to Corbyn’s critics than to his allies at the start of the coup, according to content analysis by the Media Reform Coalition and Birkbeck, University of London.
So people are suspicious when Young, a former Lib Dem press officer, seems to suggest that Corbyn is to blame for someone swearing. Even when there are obviously rude people on all sides of the political spectrum.
During the general election, the BBC’s biased content was offset to a significant extent. Electoral law forced broadcasters to give the Labour leader a fairer hearing. But the bias appeared stronger in other ways. Behind the scenes, the BBC reportedly instructed staff to cover for Theresa May when she pulled out of all her local BBC interviews. Our public service broadcaster also censored a song calling May a “liar” that reached the Top 10 in the charts. When one of the artists behind the hit song appeared on the BBC, he said an editor had told him “not to go too heavy on the Tories”.
The BBC also censored clothing supportive of the Labour leader and photoshopped Corbyn next to a terrorist. It broadcast the edited image of Corbyn next to Osama Bin Laden right before the election.
Fooling no one
Given the context of consistent bias, BBC viewers saw right through Young’s comment on Corbyn. Failing to find any substantial dirt on the Labour leader, the establishment continues to resort to smear-by-association. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are free to partner up with murderous dictatorships.
With Labour ahead in every poll except one since the election, the powers that be look increasingly desperate.
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Featured image via Matt Cornock
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