Bias and the BBC

On BBC Breakfast this morning.

The clip doesn't show the whole item but it's laughably one-sided.

Funnily enough, when the media storm about smoking in cars broke last week I discovered that BBC Breakfast was planning to interview someone from the British Lung Foundation on his own.

"That doesn't sound very balanced," I said.

"Don't worry," I was told. "The presenters will play devil's advocate. It will be fine."

I wasn't happy and made my views known. Eventually they invited me to go up to Salford so I could go head-to-head with the BLF.

I wouldn't expect to be invited back so soon but the result of having just one side of the debate in the studio is there for all to see.

And no sign, from this clip, of the presenters playing "devil's advocate".

It's pure propaganda which the BBC has quickly posted online, unlike last week's more balanced interview featuring me and the BLF.

See: Smoke effect '11 times worse' in enclosed spaces

See previous post for more media reports about smoking in cars carrying children.