Ofcom tells BBC to get tougher in war on bias

OFCOM yesterday ordered the BBC to address ‘widespread’ concerns about biased coverage.

Research commissioned by the watchdog found the corporation was more than twice as likely as other broadcasters to get complaints about impartiality.

The media regulator called for the BBC to provide ‘greater clarity’ in how it deals with these concerns, with Ofcom’s chief executive saying the corporation must be ‘much more transparent and open with its audiences’. Dame Melanie Dawes added: ‘Viewers and listeners tell us they aren’t happy with how the BBC handles their complaints, and it clearly needs to address widespread perceptions about its impartiality.’

The comments came as her watchdog published a report – How Ofcom Regulates the BBC – which warned the number of complaints about impartiality ‘remains high’. Ofcom’s research found that 39 per cent thought the BBC had issues with bias, compared with 15 per cent for other broadcasters. Some 26 per cent felt it provided ‘misleading content’ – more than double the 12 per cent for rivals.

The report also included excerpts of interviews with members of the public. One said: ‘The BBC kind of paint the conservative movement and conservative thinking as kind of far-Right without a proportional counter-version of them on the Left. Therefore, the BBC has a Leftleaning bias which is something that they are not supposed to do because as the public service broadcaster it alienates an entire population.’ Others, however, accused the corporation of being ‘progovernment’ and ‘pro-establishment’.

A BBC spokesman said: ‘Ofcom rightly recognises impartiality is a complex area, audiences hold us to a higher standard than other broadcasters, and we have a good record of complying with broadcasting rules. We will work with Ofcom to make further improvements.’