Of the hundreds of emails we received that mentioned trust...
10% said they have experienced a loss of trust
2% said they are concerned about declining trust
People in power, including journalists and politicians, should be really careful what they wish for because once the BBC is gone, it won’t ever be replaced and we shall all be worse off. I for one would never forgive a political party that took it down.
I don’t agree with woke nonsense about not saying “women” when that is clearly what you mean [in November the BBC upheld 20 impartiality complaints after presenter Martine Croxall altered a script she was reading live on the BBC News channel, which referred to “pregnant people”]. We shouldn’t all have to change our use of the English language to salve the feelings of a few people. A bit of common sense is needed all round.
Sarah RobertsAlrewas, Staffordshire
The debacle over the doctoring of President Trump’s Capitol speech illustrates this perfectly. The censoring of Martine Croxall for correctly using the term “pregnant women”, a split-second decision, only underlines the hypocrisy.
I’m very fond of the BBC, warts and all, and would be very sad if it were no more. It’s a national institution and offers a range of dramas, documentaries etc. Like school teachers, the BBC leans to the left, but the public are grown-ups and can sort the wheat from the chaff. I trust them far more than the money men and far right. If it ain’t broke, don’t mess with it.
And for what it’s worth, I don’t think we should have sold the trains, British Gas and Royal Mail, either.
Marilyn ShortLondon
There’s also a growing sense that editorial authority isn’t as unquestionable as it once was. High-profile legal threats and lawsuits involving major broadcasters, including cases brought or threatened by figures like Donald Trump, feed a wider perception that big media institutions are no longer beyond challenge. Regardless of where people stand politically, that chips away at the idea of automatic credibility.
All of that helps explain why loss of trust doesn’t come out of nowhere. That doesn’t automatically mean the BBC has no value, but it does mean it can’t rely on legacy or moral authority alone any more.
A fairer, modern funding modelCilvil, not criminal, enforcement of the licence fee.Real accountability and transparency when things go wrong.
Public service broadcasting still matters, for news, regional coverage and areas the market won’t serve well, but people need to feel that the standards demanded of the public are matched internally.
The resignations last year of the director-general, Tim Davie, and CEO of news Deborah Turness were very regrettable. The BBC should have mounted a much stronger response to the recent attacks on it. The BBC is the moral compass of this country and represents the very best of it. It is our greatest educator. May the glorious BBC continue its great work. What it presents and creates is priceless.
The two things I am most proud of as a Brit are the NHS and the BBC. Sadly, both have suffered in recent years by underfunding, the risk of commercial interference and a hostile press highlighting their mistakes and ignoring all the amazing things they do.
The public needs to be reminded of all the other great things that the BBC does, such as children’s programmes, Bitesize, helplines for parents and those with specific issues, funding orchestras and choirs, roadshows, supporting aspiring new musicians of all genres, working with the Open University, fundraising for charities and so much more. All these things have a positive impact on the people of this country.
Veronica LeaderCapel St Mary, Suffolk
Something has changed in the last five years and I don’t know what, but my trust in the BBC has been undermined.
Nigel HartshorneMacclesfield, Cheshire
Does it have a future? Not in its present form. What do you love about it, what could it do better? Nothing. Stop being so blatantly biased in its reporting.
Which programmes justify the licence fee, and which feel out of step? None.
Via subscription? No. Or using a new model entirely? Adverts at the end of programmes, never during them.
Chris WilsonHastings, East Sussex
I fervently hope a new top management team can find a way to restore the BBC’s reputation and return them to their Reithian ethics. We need public service broadcasting. So many broadcasters are solely interested in maximising profits for their shareholders or pushing the political agenda of their owners. A public broadcaster should aim to give us news that has been fact-checked, is as fair and unbiased as possible and gives us a trustworthy picture of what is actually happening in the world.
Social media seems to be dangerously divisive and full of fake news. It would be disastrous if this were all we are left with should the BBC fall. I am watching developments with trepidation.
The BBC is absolutely vital for Britain and our democracy. We must stand up against the hate campaigns orchestrated by extremist politicians and fostered by elements of the media. The BBC is also a very important factor in our country’s standing in the world. It is essential to find a way to fund the BBC without it being subject to political pressure.
David BirdGuildford, Surrey
I have always felt protected by the BBC, shielded from the worst malevolent forces. The British people are, at their core, a peaceful and diverse nation. The BBC constantly tries to representthese values. But the BBC is still managed by real people – and people are flawed. Who isn’t?
All organisations are naturally imperfect and those, such as the BBC, can only navigate the unsettled waters of this world as best they can, and be as accountable as is reasonable to be. I believe they still, by and large, understand that their role is to inform and comment with minimal bias.
Katherine ParrIsle of Wight
Annie MooreCalcot, Berkshire
My confidence in and admiration for BBC correspondents is undiminished; the recent outcries, first over the Gaza film and the editing of the Trump speech,were the usual examples of “any stick to beat the BBC”.
Elsie MathiesonCastle Cary, Somerset
Hence then, the article about a question of trust was published today ( ) and is available on Radio Times ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( A question of trust )
Also on site :