Calls grow for government-run BBC to be abolished: it's nothing more than state propaganda

(NaturalNews) The most recognized name in U.K. mass media by far, BBC News has officially been dubbed irrelevant by several major private news outlets that -- unlike their British Crown-owned target -- supposedly have no affiliation with any government or its associated state-issued propaganda.

The Telegraph recently published a piece chastising BBC News for embodying what it says are tenets of what George Orwell, author of the chilling fantasy novel 1984, described as "the shallow self-righteousness of the Left-wing intelligentsia."

Backing this up, Martin Durkin, writing for the right-leaning Breitbart news syndication service, compared the relevance of state-owned broadcasting services like BBC's to the relevance of communism -- in other words, they're not relevant at all, in his view.

These and other similar criticisms come as an increasing number of Brits lament the undue influence that the BBC holds over the direction of public policy in the U.K., especially as it continues to gobble up lofty "license fees," also known as tax dollars, from an unwitting public.

One major gripe voiced by The Telegraph is BBC's immense capacity to persuade voters against conservative political candidates. BBC's agenda, according to the paper, seems to be about expanding the size of government, which includes raising taxes and welfare programs.

"This set of Left-of centre [sic] assumptions underpins much of the news and cultural output of the BBC, which, no doubt unwittingly, contributes to a reluctance among voters to say they support the Conservatives," bemoaned The Telegraph, even as the country's Labour Party witnessed defeat in recent elections.

"Faced with a constant diet of reports and commentary implying that [spending] cuts are bad, public spending is good, Europe is right but worrying about immigration or welfare is wrong, then is it any surprise that people who hold such views are shy of voicing them?"

Conservative capture of UK politics could spell end to "left-leaning" views presented by BBC

It's an argument often voiced in the U.S. as well -- that "left-leaning" or "right-leaning" news outlets are blatantly biased and thus unfairly influential. However, in the case of BBC News, the issue stems from the corporation receiving public funds to spread what some say is a steady stream of Big Government propaganda.

Private media outlets are free to report what they wish, but when public tax dollars are involved, the goal should be to present both sides of the argument with the intent of informing rather than persuading.

According to The Telegraph, things could eventually change at BBC News after the recent appointment of John Whittingdale to the position of Culture Secretary in charge of negotiating BBC's charter renewal, which David Cameron declared as "war on the BBC."

The piece explains that "...the corporation [BBC] needs to decide what it is for and who it serves as the negotiations get under way about the charter and the license fee." The piece goes on to ask, "Why does the BBC need to have such an all-encompassing digital news operation in competition with newspapers that do not have the luxury of a tax to support them?"

At the same time, BBC is about a whole lot more than just news. A full spectrum of content from radio programming to drama shows to documentaries and everything in between is included in the mix, and this is something that people need to keep in mind in terms of BBC's future.

"There is far more to the BBC than its news and current affairs output," admits The Telegraph. "Much of what it does, from radio to drama and documentary, is part of the warp and weft of the nation."

Are calls for BBC's abolishment akin to ill-willed censorship and bullying?

Durkin clearly feels differently about the situation, having called for the BBC to be shut down completely, no questions asked. The whole reason the BBC even exists, he contends, is because the British government of old didn't want private media sources exposing people to the truth, which led them to set up a ministry of propaganda.

"The BBC was set up to limit free speech," warns Durkin, who says he used to work for the media giant. "[T]he BBC controls 70 per cent of news output on British TV and radio. The people who run the BBC (like others who work for large State organizations) tend to look favourably on high public spending and increased State regulation."

Much like National Public Radio (NPR) in the U.S., BBC relies on public funds to keep it not only afloat but ahead of the curve. Perhaps even more so than NPR, the BBC holds incredible sway over public opinion, so much so that many consider it to be a news monopoly.

"The BBC has played a key role in the transformation of Britain from a thriving, prosperous, free country, into a flagging State-dominated manufacturing has-been," writes Durkin. "Don't be fooled by the glittery frocks on Strictly Come Dancing. The BBC is a sinister organization. It must not be reformed. It must be abolished."

Sources:

http://www.breitbart.com

http://www.telegraph.co.uk