Shooting Times & Country Magazine
BBC coverage of rural issues misses the mark
Survey reveals viewers are losing faith over ‘unbalanced’ portrayal of life in the countryside on flagship shows Countryfile and Springwatch
Countryfile, Springwatch and even
The Archers have been slammed by rural audiences for their unbalanced portrayal of life in the countryside. A survey conducted by the Countryside Alliance found that the overwhelming majority of the rural population do not have faith in the BBC’S coverage of rural issues.
Springwatch and Autumnwatch were among the least well-regarded programmes, with more than 90% of respondents saying that they did not properly represent rural issues. BBC news was also heavily criticised, with 92% of those completing the survey expressing their dissatisfaction with the reporting of rural issues. The flagship rural affairs programme Countryfile did little better, with 89% of viewers criticising its coverage of country life.
The best-performing BBC show was Farming Today, which is broadcast on Radio 4 during the less-than-prime-time slot of 5.45am to 6am on weekdays. However, even this programme found favour with fewer than 50% of listeners.
The Archers, which was originally established in collaboration with the then Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to disseminate information about good practice to farmers, has long been a staple of rural households. However, it too has lost much of its support among country folk, with only 20% of respondents saying it properly represented rural life.
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: “The BBC must appreciate that the minority rural audience does not feel fully represented. There is a desire for rural programming for the countryside, not just about the countryside. In short, rural programming should not only take into account what urban viewers may find of interest and it needs to showcase the value of important rural activities like farming, shooting, hunting and angling.”
Shooting Times readers were keen to point out that rural broadcasting had been hollowed out across all channels over the
THEY SAID WHAT
“It needs to showcase the value of important rural activities like farming and shooting”
past few decades. One reader, Peter Croy, said: “Looking back, there was some great rural coverage. In the 1960s, there was Jack Hargreaves and Out of Town, then in the 1980s there was One Man and His Dog, and even 20 years ago Clarissa Dickson Wright and John Scott had a TV series.”