tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546602206734889307.post6715057159106855438..comments2024-03-28T04:29:22.717+00:00Comments on mainly macro: The BBC and StatisticsMainly Macrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09984575852247982901noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546602206734889307.post-70204849668220459372016-08-17T11:24:15.538+00:002016-08-17T11:24:15.538+00:00There is one real world, and then thousands of fal...There is one real world, and then thousands of false worlds which form in people's minds. Often people end up living in bubblewords where they feel they know everything and it's the others that are wrong. This blog seems to live in a Guardian/BBC/London dominated bubbleworldd, whereas although years ago the BBC and Guardian were trusted they no longer are; there are many blogs, twitterfeeds dedicated to discussing the BBC minute by minute errors and misleadings eg BiasedBBC. org . Browsing their comments you can see that there are daily many items of misleading statistics broadcast over the BBC. Things are quickly highlighted on Twitter the first time, but then people get tired and don't bother pointing out the misleadings next time. Getting things right takes a great deal of care.<br />For instance being aware of strawmen arguments. <br />- Take the posts mention of balance. It is wrong to suggest that by balance, impartiality, objectivity the public are taking some dictionary definitions; like of EQUAL time for each side. <br />The balanced problem most complained against is GATEKEEPING where some narratives are not challenged properly due to counter arguers being kept off the airwaves or some friends being invited on air and given a free ride whilst opposing voices are given a hard time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546602206734889307.post-60880536832962332592016-08-16T13:24:24.364+00:002016-08-16T13:24:24.364+00:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Tamanna Farhanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14627519287784226885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546602206734889307.post-61441072057382957962016-08-16T07:55:25.972+00:002016-08-16T07:55:25.972+00:00The problem of journalism kind of economic article...The problem of journalism kind of economic articles is the use of publicly available, easily reachable information. The jurnalists rarely create information from original source by themselves. I myself, not being an economist in the academy, have no time for survey, so when writing an essay or comment using statistical information, try to find the right sequence of numbers to support my hypothesis. Usually i find it from verified source, like US federal reserve or other central bank publication, or central bureau of statistics. If the numbers are not supporting my claim, or there is no information about the subject, either i drop the idea or look for alternative source less reliable. Sometime it happens that others citate me as reliable source, and so a lie can become a perfect truth.EugenR Lowyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14295691112696364483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546602206734889307.post-69596030415673311632016-08-16T07:06:09.340+00:002016-08-16T07:06:09.340+00:00I agree with the point about economics being lumpe...I agree with the point about economics being lumped in with business reporting. That's why you invariably tend to get city economists invited on BBC shows to discuss this (nice suits, camera friendly), rather than academics.<br /><br />The BBC can afford to, and should improve the standard of economic literacy of their journalistic and commissioning staff. But the dismal conclusion I am drawing is that their main concern is to kowtow to the present government to secure their jobs, rather than instil a culture of being sceptical and offering challenge to government statements. DirtyButCleanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13145034072977210661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546602206734889307.post-27350456773852161712016-08-15T19:34:03.647+00:002016-08-15T19:34:03.647+00:00What do you mean by balance? Balance, impartiality...What do you mean by balance? Balance, impartiality and objectivity are not the same things. <br /><br />Balance implies devoting equal coverage to competing ideas, or devoting equal time and space to different schools of thought based on their popularity. <br /><br />Impartiality should mean approaching each debate with an open mind and presenting all the evidence pertinent to each side of any viewpoint. In short it is the process that should be impartial, but the conclusions may not be, particularly if the evidence overwhelmingly falls on one side of the debate. Impartiality should not mean appearing to be neutral on every subject and refusing to be supportive of any definitive conclusions on anything. Unfortunately this is what the BBC often ends up doing. <br /><br />Objectivity requires critical thinking and this is where many journalists are found wanting because it requires a scientific mindset and subject knowledge. As a result their ability to find flaws in the arguments of others is weak.<br /><br />Ideally the BBC should strive for all three of the above, but in practice it takes the safe option politically and concentrates on balance. This is partly a consequence of years of political pressure, mainly from the Tories with their media monitoring unit, but also from New Labour under Mandelson and Campbell. The only way you can counteract this is to give the BBC greater independence. Maybe if its funding was set by a joint committee of both Houses of Parliament rather than a government department this might help.<br /><br />Cantab83https://www.blogger.com/profile/12485401571391377815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546602206734889307.post-54565611119798925402016-08-15T14:25:23.505+00:002016-08-15T14:25:23.505+00:00In its current guise the BBC is worse than useless...In its current guise the BBC is worse than useless as it is believed to be doing a satisfactory job by most people, it is generally trusted, while in fact is most often repeating back the untruths of the journalistas [my neologism, unless someone got in before me]. <br /><br />Elsewhere, Corey Robin has a link to Lawrence Glickman's essay on the term 'neoliberalism' on his blog (On Neoliberalism. Again. 08.14).<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546602206734889307.post-36562245701315303522016-08-15T08:48:29.328+00:002016-08-15T08:48:29.328+00:00I think your final points a very good one. Whether...I think your final points a very good one. Whether they're any good or not, we've seen the BBC lose Peston, Mason and Flanders in a relatively short space of time. If the BBC can't pay, they won't be able to appoint the best. This is amplified by the government forcing the BBC to publish salaries: it's no good, and reminds one of Tony Benn's channeling Oscar Wilde when describing Margaret Thatcher. Perhaps the best strategy is graduate recruitment? But even there, you'd imagine the City remains a powerful lure.Paul Ewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00057355765883155749noreply@blogger.com