Post by Teddy Bear on Dec 12, 2010 17:28:45 GMT
While we know he's absolutely correct, he might have made a more convincing argument if he would have checked out our site and got more facts beforehand
Jeremy Hunt accuses BBC of institutional left-wing bias... just days after two presenters rudely mispronounced his name
By Gerri Peev
Last updated at 3:40 PM on 12th December 2010
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said the BBC is stuffed with Labour and Liberal Democrat voters, accusing the corporation of institutional bias just days after its flagship presenters muddled his name up with the ‘c-word’.
The Cabinet Minister - whose surname was mixed up with an expletive by Radio 4’s James Naughtie and then Andrew Marr - said he believed most BBC staff voted Labour or Liberal Democrat and not Conservative.
He also revealed the broadcaster’s insistence at pressing ahead with its Panorama programme about FIFA corruption on the eve of England’s World Cup bid had been a ‘nightmare’.
Mr Hunt said the BBC had shown institutional bias over the last few years and warned it was out of step with public opinion.
He told the Observer newspaper: ‘I think the BBC does recognise that on certain very totemic issues of the last decade it was out of step with where the public are, whether it was on Europe, on immigration or our approach to Northern Ireland.’
Mr Hunt said he believed few BBC staff were Tory voters.
‘I think if you were to discover how people vote at the BBC, there are probably more who vote Labour or Liberal Democrat than vote for the Conservatives,' he said.
The Culture Secretary, who has tried to teach the BBC about its wasteful spending by imposing a licence freeze on it until 2017, also had praise for the broadcaster.
He said the BBC ‘is one of our crown jewels. It produces fantastic TV programmes’ and has ‘probably the most respected news service in the world'.
Last week the corporation insulted the Cabinet Minister – who is seen as a future leader – after his name was changed to the C-word by two of its most senior broadcasters live on air.
While Mr Hunt has tried to laugh off the apparent blunder, he said his parents did not find it funny.
Making his way through the student protesters outside parliament last week, Mr Hunt said he was ‘called "Tory scum" for the first time in my life and I am sure not the last. There were no c-words.’
His parents tuned in to hear their son on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme last Monday, and Mr Hunt said: ‘I think my parents took a bit of time to see the funny side.’
Meanwhile Mr Hunt is also known to be furious about the BBC’s decision to broadcast its expose of alleged corruption at FIFA days before he headed to Zurich with the Prime Minister, Prince William and David Beckham to make a convincing pitch for England to host the 2018 World Cup.
England received just two votes and the accolade went to Russia.
Mr Hunt said the decision to broadcast the programme was a ‘nightmare’ and one that damaged the bid.
Labour today hit back at Mr Hunt’s criticism of the BBC’s institutional bias.
Ivan Lewis, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said: ‘Jeremy Hunt's unwarranted attack on BBC staff is another thinly-veiled attempt to undermine the corporation's independence.
'By pandering to the Tory right he is once again putting his burning political ambition ahead of good judgement. It follows on from David Cameron's recent comments that cuts to the BBC are "delicious".
'The arrogance of the Tories is never far from the surface but they should be very careful about using one of Britain's great institutions as a political football.’
By Gerri Peev
Last updated at 3:40 PM on 12th December 2010
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said the BBC is stuffed with Labour and Liberal Democrat voters, accusing the corporation of institutional bias just days after its flagship presenters muddled his name up with the ‘c-word’.
The Cabinet Minister - whose surname was mixed up with an expletive by Radio 4’s James Naughtie and then Andrew Marr - said he believed most BBC staff voted Labour or Liberal Democrat and not Conservative.
He also revealed the broadcaster’s insistence at pressing ahead with its Panorama programme about FIFA corruption on the eve of England’s World Cup bid had been a ‘nightmare’.
Mr Hunt said the BBC had shown institutional bias over the last few years and warned it was out of step with public opinion.
He told the Observer newspaper: ‘I think the BBC does recognise that on certain very totemic issues of the last decade it was out of step with where the public are, whether it was on Europe, on immigration or our approach to Northern Ireland.’
Mr Hunt said he believed few BBC staff were Tory voters.
‘I think if you were to discover how people vote at the BBC, there are probably more who vote Labour or Liberal Democrat than vote for the Conservatives,' he said.
The Culture Secretary, who has tried to teach the BBC about its wasteful spending by imposing a licence freeze on it until 2017, also had praise for the broadcaster.
He said the BBC ‘is one of our crown jewels. It produces fantastic TV programmes’ and has ‘probably the most respected news service in the world'.
Last week the corporation insulted the Cabinet Minister – who is seen as a future leader – after his name was changed to the C-word by two of its most senior broadcasters live on air.
While Mr Hunt has tried to laugh off the apparent blunder, he said his parents did not find it funny.
Making his way through the student protesters outside parliament last week, Mr Hunt said he was ‘called "Tory scum" for the first time in my life and I am sure not the last. There were no c-words.’
His parents tuned in to hear their son on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme last Monday, and Mr Hunt said: ‘I think my parents took a bit of time to see the funny side.’
Meanwhile Mr Hunt is also known to be furious about the BBC’s decision to broadcast its expose of alleged corruption at FIFA days before he headed to Zurich with the Prime Minister, Prince William and David Beckham to make a convincing pitch for England to host the 2018 World Cup.
England received just two votes and the accolade went to Russia.
Mr Hunt said the decision to broadcast the programme was a ‘nightmare’ and one that damaged the bid.
Labour today hit back at Mr Hunt’s criticism of the BBC’s institutional bias.
Ivan Lewis, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said: ‘Jeremy Hunt's unwarranted attack on BBC staff is another thinly-veiled attempt to undermine the corporation's independence.
'By pandering to the Tory right he is once again putting his burning political ambition ahead of good judgement. It follows on from David Cameron's recent comments that cuts to the BBC are "delicious".
'The arrogance of the Tories is never far from the surface but they should be very careful about using one of Britain's great institutions as a political football.’