BBC puritanical bias

[jez9999]

(actually I think BBC puritanical bias is so bad it deserves its own forum)

A couple of news stories caught my eye today, which pissed me off because they rang large alarm bells in my head regarding what I perceive to be the BBC's puritanical bias.

"Escorts are bad. Everyone should have sex in the missionary position."
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8249369.stm

"Drugs are all bad, even soft drugs. They always promote crime and disharmony."
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8249533.stm

There are varying opinions on what should be the legality of both of these issues, but you won't ever find the BBC reporting the opinions they disagree with, nor stories that reflect that society is actually not particularly harmed by escorts and soft drugs use.

[Teddy Bear]

Welcome jez.
Regarding giving 'puritanical bias' its own heading, I would certainly consider it if you can provide enough examples. I certainly recognize a 'holier than thou' attitude by them

I didn't understand your particular view regarding how you felt the BBC had handled these stories, and how you think they should have covered them.

The first can be encapsulated thus:

A Northumbria policewoman caught advertising herself on an escort website has been jailed for 15 months.

Former Pc Victoria Thorne, of Washington, Tyne and Wear, advertised herself under a pseudonym on a website called The Notorious Girls.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 28-year-old, who earlier admitted misconduct, worked as a £100-an-hour prostitute for two years.

A police investigation found she had links to brothel operators.

She appeared along with five other defendants who had earlier admitted charges related to the running of brothels.

Sentencing Thorne on Thursday, Judge John Evans told her: "It is plain that those who thought they knew you, and knew you well, are at a loss as to how you came to be involved in such a seedy world."

She came under investigation when superiors became suspicious about her use of police computers to make checks about other brothel owners and prostitutes.

Bearing in mind that prostitution is illegal in this country, and that this woman is a policewoman and had used her official capacity to check on rival operations, what mitigating circumstances do you think the BBC should have mentioned?

The second is quite a short report and the view expressed is from the chief inspector himself:

20 homes targeted in drugs raid

About 20 addresses in County Antrim have been targeted in a major police operation against drug dealers.

The raids started in the early hours of Thursday morning in Ballymena and continued around County Antrim.

Large quantities of cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines have been seized.

Six people have been arrested so far. One hundred officers, many from other areas, have been drafted in to help with the operation.

Police said they were acting on information given to them by the public over a number of months.

"I hope the outcome will be reducing harm to the people that use illegal drugs by taking the drugs off the street," said Chief Inspector Ryan Henderson.

"And secondly, and most importantly for me, reducing the harm to communities that drug dealing inevitably brings, through anti-social behaviour and crime."

Now I'm aware that not a few of the BBC staff are known to indulge in exploring the 'inspirations' that the different drugs give. It still is illegal in this country, and there are known social problems as a result of the underworld business, and consequences surrounding the obtaining and taking of drugs. How do you think the BBC should cover it? What should they present as a balanced view?