4 ms·

> Was the mainstream media ever objective or impartial? It depends where you are - I'm in the UK where TV news still has objectivity regulation. I know that's

> Was the mainstream media ever objective or impartial? It depends where you are - I'm in the UK where TV news still has objectivity regulation. I know that's been gone in the US for a long time. In general though I think when there were fewer publications and delivery channels that we had to share together (the newspaper stand), journalists had to appeal to a wider audience than they do now. Personal devices mean they have a direct route to you, on an article-by-article basis. So they can write whatever lands in a niche.

rsynnott 6y ago
> I'm in the UK where TV news still has objectivity regulation That's only for the BBC, as far as I know. And one could, er, definitely question how well it worked in the last election.
- benlumen 6y ago
  The BBC is impartial by charter but I think it's for all of them to some degree. Ofcom regulates it. Sky actually stopped carrying Fox News over here because of it.
- DanBC 6y ago
  It should apply to all news covered by OFCOM. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/broadcast-codes/broadcast-code/section-five-due-impartiality-accuracy https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/broadcast-co...
henvic 6y ago
Are you telling me that the BBC is impartial? No, it cannot be for two things: 1. It's a state-owned media company. 2. TV licensing is a tax in the UK owners of TV appliances must pay to support it. You also have to pay if you ever visit the BBC on your computer, and so on. No way such an entity might be impartial. Another thing to consider: not being impartial is not a problem per se. However, when combined with state actors, this is unlimited unchecked power that can be a massive problem for society. It can brainwash people by imposing a view of the world fabricated by government rulers.
- benlumen 6y ago
  I didn't mention the BBC in the comment you're replying to at all, I was talking about Ofcom impartiality regulations which are a separate thing that all TV broadcasters need to mind when reporting the news. I think you might need to learn a little more about this topic. As for the BBC, many of us here think the BBC lean left and are biased against the right-wing government for example.
NikolaeVarius 6y ago
The BBC is in no way impartial. They have a very specific way of directing interviews and such that push the narrative in a direction they control.
- benlumen 6y ago
  As I said to the other commenter, I didn't even mention the BBC in the comment you're responding to. Ofcom rules mean that all TV news broadcasters must be impartial (i.e. can't openly support a particular side). Do people outside the UK think we only have the BBC or something?

rsynnott 6y ago

> I'm in the UK where TV news still has objectivity regulation That's only for the BBC, as far as I know. And one could, er, definitely question how well it worked in the last election.

benlumen 6y ago
The BBC is impartial by charter but I think it's for all of them to some degree. Ofcom regulates it. Sky actually stopped carrying Fox News over here because of it.
DanBC 6y ago
It should apply to all news covered by OFCOM. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/broadcast-codes/broadcast-code/section-five-due-impartiality-accuracy https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/broadcast-co...

henvic 6y ago

Are you telling me that the BBC is impartial? No, it cannot be for two things: 1. It's a state-owned media company. 2. TV licensing is a tax in the UK owners of TV appliances must pay to support it. You also have to pay if you ever visit the BBC on your computer, and so on. No way such an entity might be impartial. Another thing to consider: not being impartial is not a problem per se. However, when combined with state actors, this is unlimited unchecked power that can be a massive problem for society. It can brainwash people by imposing a view of the world fabricated by government rulers.

benlumen 6y ago
I didn't mention the BBC in the comment you're replying to at all, I was talking about Ofcom impartiality regulations which are a separate thing that all TV broadcasters need to mind when reporting the news. I think you might need to learn a little more about this topic. As for the BBC, many of us here think the BBC lean left and are biased against the right-wing government for example.

NikolaeVarius 6y ago

The BBC is in no way impartial. They have a very specific way of directing interviews and such that push the narrative in a direction they control.

benlumen 6y ago
As I said to the other commenter, I didn't even mention the BBC in the comment you're responding to. Ofcom rules mean that all TV news broadcasters must be impartial (i.e. can't openly support a particular side). Do people outside the UK think we only have the BBC or something?