Bbc In Generous Mood

[Upstream]

Another smug trick from the BBC is to have an item on the 'News', say for example "The Soaring Cost of Jellied Eels". And lo' and behold, they tell you that there is a BBC documentary ON THAT VERY SUBJECT later on.

 

Edited to add:

 

And wouldn't a website by the BBC about the Island just be a bit like Manxman Black Pages. All scandal and gossip and nasty things some would rather not know about.

 

Maybe Roly could get the job doing the website for them.

[simon]

Here is an item from the Manx Radio website today:

UK recession not affecting Island

 

The Isle of Man's traders are escaping the worst of a recession which is threatening to ruin Christmas for UK stores. A downturn in consumer spending has left many shops looking at gloomy sales forecasts, but shopkeepers in the Island are reporting brisk trade. Strand Centre manager John Gladstone says he hasn't noticed any fall in the number of people out shopping and he is optimistic about the festive season. With a few days to go to Christmas, he says this year's figures are looking promising.

 

This is pure conjecture. No actual figures are quoted. It's hearsay. The content doesn't support the upbeat headline (which also vaguely reminds me of the newspaper headlines from The Sims.

 

The story is lazy and vague. If the UK is 'in recession', as the headline claims, then statistical evidence should be sourced. I'd like to see that claim verified and backed up in the item. Slow retail sales (reported) does not equal a recession - as the business editor should know. AFAIK the UK is not in recession - which has a strict meaning (2 quarters decline in GDP).

 

Also - if this, so called, recession, is " not affecting Island " ... then why are the Isle of Man's traders only " escaping the worst" of the recession. The implication is that they are still somewhat affected. This is a logical contradiction surely. If the, so called, recession is not affecting the island then surely there should be absolutely no impact on retail sales

 

PS - and the site doesn't work properly. If you resize the text in the browser, then some of it vanishes behind other bits.

 

EDIT: I posted this because I think it's fairly typical.

[happy camper]

Simon, you're absolutely right. This means nothing and is just a 'good news' puff piece from the Strand centre. I thought that when I heard it on the radio this morning, thought it was a total waste of time Manx Radio 'covering' it.

[parchedpeas]

Spookily enough, i just read that on the Manx Radio site and came here to whinge about it.

 

One man in the Strand shopping centre says that HE hasn't noticed any drop in trade, so by the rigorous standards applied in the Manx Radio newsroom that means that the WHOLE ISLAND is trading better than the recessing UK.

 

I would love to find out who wrote that article - firstly, the Strand Shopping centre is not where shopping starts and ends. It's not representative of trends across the Isle of Man, it's not even representative of trends in Douglas!

 

Has anyone from Manx Radio spoken to shops in Peel and Ramsey to see how they are trading? Have they chuff.

 

Secondly, the UK is NOT in recession. 'Recession' is a strictly defined term as previously quoted. Using wooly language in a lead article on the 'National Broadcaster' is pretty poor really.

 

It's clearly a slow news day and the news editor has decided to rustle up a Christmas story to keep everybody cheerful. Not really worth getting my knickers in a twist, but when there are REAL and PRESSING concerns about the people who rule over us on this fair isle it is pretty depressing when our tax-funded broadcasting service decides to run worthless stories like the one that i just read at the expense of getting off their bums and going out and chasing the REAL news.

[simon]

It seems ironic to me that the govt and local media are calling for better BBC news reporting of the IOM. Given that the local media has, for whatever reason, taken such a cautious approach to the reporting of local stories. Already the UK and Irish media is now providing much more comprehensive coverage of current affairs here.

 

Manx Radio and the local press have both resisted reporting on - going stories until those on - going stories reach some conclusion (they say). The reality is that the local media has not been forcing these issues onto the agenda - or reporting these issues as on going stories.

 

Maybe they should be careful what they wish for. Better BBC coverage of the IOM (even starting with a web page) would provide a conduit for local stories. Imagine that FMCR, Crumlin, Billy and co had been emailing the local BBC webmaster with stories to tell.

 

All of which is without bias. I still have no idea as to the truth re all these recent political stories.

[sam_iom]

Simon - you put it so well!

How could Manx Radio put out such an unsound story. Where are the facts? No news is better than an item like that. The news edior really should think twice before running such badly written, under researched stories

Have you thought about going in there and showing them how to do it??

[simon]

Have you thought about going in there and showing them how to do it??

Lol You are Kolley Kibber and I claim my five pounds.

[Declan]

Simon - you put it so well!

How could Manx Radio put out such an unsound story. Where are the facts? No news is better than an item like that. The news edior really should think twice before running such badly written, under researched stories

Have you thought about going in there and showing them how to do it??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

See I, romantically perhaps, cling to the notion that it is a journalists job to follow up tip-offs and sources not to wait until the story has gained critical momentum elsewhere.

[simon]

See I, romantically perhaps, cling to the notion that it is a journalists job to follow up tip-offs and sources not to wait until the story has gained critical momentum elsewhere.

Yeah. Maybe Manx Radio is ahead of the game by referencing, as fact, the UK "recession" - which has yet to be reported or announced anywhere elsewhere. Possible I suppose. In which case they would have an international economics scoop. John Moss, who gets his words wrong, should be working for the IMF or the BOE. Or the BBC It's really unforgivable for the business editor to get the details so wrong.

 

Um. Actually - I think they were just not really thinking about what they were trying to say. It was lazy and complacent reporting. They used the word without actually considering its meaning. The item was written to a 5 minute formular. This is typical.

 

I suppose that the only good argument for giving these clowns any licence fee funding would be based on the idea that the reason they report so poorly is because they are under funded.

 

But my belief is that funding isn't the issue.

 

EDIT - I'm genuinely sorry to keep banging on, on this board, about Manx Radio. It's just that I find them hugely complacent and inept and wish that the station was working under some sort of a public charter. It's a pity - because there are a few really good people working at the station.