Huw Edwards hits back at BBC election bias claims blaming ‘toxic cynicism’
HUW Edwards has snapped at critics who claimed that the BBC’s election campaign coverage was biased.
The veteran broadcaster said the spread of “toxic cynicism” was fuelling complaints about the Beeb.
Edwards, who presents the BBC News at Ten, fumed at the organisation’s critics in a post on his LinkedIn page.
He wrote: “There are many millions watching our coverage worldwide and it really is one of those moments when you feel a great sense of responsibility.
“You are supported by the best news team in the world, and you are expected to deliver a results programme which upholds the BBC’s reputation for quality and fairness.
“But you are doing so in a world where toxic cynicism and accusations of bias (from all sides) are adding to the pressures on the entire team.
“Providing a fair and balanced account of a complex election campaign – with feelings running high on all sides – is difficult enough. Trying to do so while dealing with relentlessly vitriolic attacks is doubly challenging.”
In one instance, social media users leapt on a political correspondent Alex Forsyth for accidentally saying the PM deserved to win a majority.
She said: “They have done a relentless focus on Boris Johnson’s promise to take the UK out of the European Union if he wins the majority that he so deserves.”
One Twitter user said: “The Kremlin would be proud of subtle propaganda like this.”
'CONSCIOUS' BIAS
Edwards also rubbished the suggestion that individuals working for the BBC were pushing their views onto its coverage.
He wrote: “For the record, I have never been asked to change a script (unless there’s a factual error to be sorted) or adopt a slanted line of questioning.
“Yes, I’ve had some very robust exchanges with editors about the stories we cover and some of the choices we make, but the fact that these conversations take place (in the middle of the newsroom, with dozens of colleagues gleefully earwigging) underlines my case.”
He went further: “Any colleague who might try to ‘freelance’ and promote his or her own political views would also be quickly told where to go.
“There are just too many stakeholders in the production process for such ‘freelancing’ to happen or go unnoticed.”
Just today, the organisation came under fire from Labour’s shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald.
When asked by BBC Today programme host Justin Webb whether media coverage of Jeremy Corbyn damaged the party’s campaign, he said: “Don’t get me started on the media, Justin. I’m very worried about our public service broadcaster."
He continued: “We got this wrong, but if the BBC are going to hold themselves out as somehow having conducted themselves in an impartial manner, I think they’ve really got to have a look in the mirror. We’ve got a lot to say about this.”
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When Webb asked whether the Beeb had “consciously” tried to affect the election result, the Labour frontbencher said: “I think you played your part, consciously, yes.”
The government is also in a battle with the BBC, and is currently boycotting its flagship Today programme by refusing to offer guests.
Downing Street says the programme is “irrelevant”.
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