Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer’s Attack On ‘Biased’ BBC Torn Apart By Sky News Host
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer fell apart under questioning by Sky News’ Kay Burley after asserting that the BBC was “biased” when the host demanded she give evidence for her claim.
Appearing on Burley’s Monday morning Sky News show, promoting her mid-term review of the publicly-owned broadcaster and her 10-point plan to enhance the BBC’s impartiality, Frazer stuttered and flailed as the journalist challenged her on the actual evidence that the BBC was “biased.”
“Do you think the BBC is biased?” the host asked.
“I’m looking at this from the perspective of the culture secretary,” Frazer replied.
“That’s why I’m asking you,” Burley chased.
“The evidence shows there is a perception of bias,” the minister replied, but the host pressed harder asking what the minister thought.
Frazer then conceded she believed the BBC could be bias “on occasion.”
“In relation to what?” Burley asked.
The minister said: “This report isn’t about incidents, but we have seen recently that it’s had to apologise for its own reporting in relation to the attack in hospital in Israel.”
In an incident that has fueled ongoing debates about media impartiality, the BBC issued a public apology in November for erroneously reporting that Israel was “targeting medical staff and Arab speakers” at Gaza’s largest hospital. The BBC was just one of many western media organisations that published the story in this way.
“There’s a difference between mistake and bias, surely,” the host interrupted.
Despite Frazer’s assertion that “there is a perception among the public that the BBC is biased,” she faltered when pushed for concrete examples of the broadcaster’s alleged bias.
“Where’s the evidence?” the host pushed.
“The evidence of bias is the perception…” Frazer began.
“But that’s perception, that’s not bias,” Burley asserted.
“That is evidence,” Frazer claimed. “Impartiality is about the perception of things that were broadcast… and the evidence is…”
“Perception and evidence are different things,” the host continued.
“Well, what I’ve looked at is the evidence, the evidence from Ofcom – 39% of complaints last year were in relation to impartiality, but the year before it was 19%,” the minister said.
“Perception isn’t necessarily reality,” Burley replied.
“There are only perceptions,” Frazer continued. “Perceptions are important. What’s important about the BBC is that it is funded by the public. Perceptions of the BBC by the public are important.”
Viewer reaction to the interview saw widespread criticism of Frazer’s claims as political manoeuvring to discredit the BBC.
LBC host Carol Vorderman slammed the Culture Secretary for accusing the Conservative Party of being “desperate to SELL OFF THE BBC.”
Others pointed to the fact that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson used his tenure to “stuff” the directorial board with “Tories” and that any bias was the other way round.
Meanwhile, some viewers pointed at the irony of the government attempting to “muzzle BBC News” while opinion-led news networks like GB News, being investigated for multiple impartiality breaches by media watchdog Ofcom, employed multiple sitting Tory MPs.
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