What effect has greece had on your decision to leave euro?

[tzijlstra]

Why on earth is it the responsibility of the media to educate us? The information is out there, so we should seek it out, and as L00b says, if we demonstrated to the media that we were interested then no doubt they'd report it more. I'm pretty sure that what you mean is "why don't the mass media agree with me" (ie. you).

 

I think it's scandalous that children's education contains very little content on the structure of the EU. But if it did, then there would be outcry from sections of the population about how it is pro-EU propaganda and that since we shouldn't have any part of the EU, therefore it shouldn't impinge on our children's educations.

 

You can't have it both ways.

 

You are right, to an extend. But an example: Yesterday I watched the 10PM BBC news and there was a piece on Afghanistan. It started with: ten Afghan soldiers (the good ones) were killed in a blue on blue incident, an American air attack on a cross-roads accidentally killed ten soldiers in a sad case of mistaken identity. The rest of the piece, all of it, was about how bad the Afghans had it due to Al Qaeda.

 

Now, call me cynical, but that smells of biased news to me. The story that was important, yet another massive friendly-fire hickup was snowed under by 2 minutes of reporting on how bad Al Qaeda are.

 

I am not saying that Al Qaeda are nice guys here, I am saying that there is bias in the news.

[mattleonard]

I am not saying that Al Qaeda are nice guys here, I am saying that there is bias in the news.

 

Absolutely, but I do think that there are two dangers: a) deciding that because a viewpoint either isn't represented in the news, or isn't emphasised to the degree that I would like, therefore assuming that that particular omission is evidence of bias, rather than entertaining the possibility of one's own viewpoint being wrong, or b) assuming that because a media outlet has a known bias, therefore automatically and uncritically disregarding the content of the news they are reporting as propaganda. Obviously an exception applies to the Daily Express

[tzijlstra]

Absolutely, but I do think that there are two dangers: a) deciding that because a viewpoint either isn't represented in the news, or isn't emphasised to the degree that I would like, therefore assuming that that particular omission is evidence of bias, rather than entertaining the possibility of one's own viewpoint being wrong, or b) assuming that because a media outlet has a known bias, therefore automatically and uncritically disregarding the content of the news they are reporting as propaganda. Obviously an exception applies to the Daily Express

 

Russia Today

[mattleonard]

Russia Today

 

Fair enough, I think we can reasonably bundle Russia Today with the Daily Express ;-)

[Harrystottle]

Why on earth is it the responsibility of the media to educate us?

 

Because it is in the BBC's Royal Charter? From the BBC website:-

 

 

"our mission.

To enrich people's lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain"

 

Bearing that in mind, how would you say the Beeb has done in regard to informing and educating the public re the EU, over the past 40 years?

[mattleonard]

Bearing that in mind, how would you say the Beeb has done in regard to informing and educating the public re the EU, over the past 40 years?

 

Much better than most media outlets - particularly on Radio 4, where they know that their audience are interested in current affairs. But even if it hadn't done, that wouldn't mean that it hadn't produced programmes that informed, educated and entertained. Just not the ones that you would like them to.

 

---------- Post added 21-07-2015 at 14:57 ----------

 

And even if they had failed to live up to their charter, it still wouldn't demonstrate that they had kept the public deliberately under-informed.

[L00b]

Because it is in the BBC's Royal Charter?

Hang on a minute.

 

You didn't specify that your earlier point applied to the BBC only, you were on about mass media in general (most of which isn't subjected to the BBC's charter).

 

Before looking at a straw in the BBC's eye, you might want to check out the baobab in those of the Murdoch press and TV outlets

Edited July 21, 2015 by L00b

[Harrystottle]

Hang on a minute.

 

You didn't specify that your earlier point applied to the BBC only, you were on about mass media in general (most of which isn't subjected to the BBC's charter).

 

Before looking at a straw in the BBC's eye, you might want to check out the baobab in those of the Murdoch press and TV outlets

 

Well quite so. But Murdoch could say his company, his rules. People pay for his product; if they don't he goes bust. He has no duty to educate and inform, the BBC does.

 

And it doesn't.

[mattleonard]

Well quite so. But Murdoch could say his company, his rules. People pay for his product; if they don't he goes bust. He has no duty to educate and inform, the BBC does.

 

And it doesn't.

 

Last time I checked, I was paying for the BBC's product.

[Harleyman]

Ive changed my mind. think i would vote to leave. Its a failed experiment , europe.

 

---------- Post added 06-07-2015 at 14:15 ----------

 

European union i mean, not single currency.

 

Well it was a failed entity long before the EU. Two major wars in 45 years. whole cities destroyed, untold millions dead