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| Alternative news sites attack Nick Robinson’s claim of ‘guerrilla war’ on BBC | Alternative news sites attack Nick Robinson’s claim of ‘guerrilla war’ on BBC |
| (5 days later) | |
| Alternative news sites hit back at comments by the BBC’s former political editor Nick Robinson that they are part of a “guerrilla war” against the BBC and mainstream media organisations, designed to promote their own editorial agenda. | Alternative news sites hit back at comments by the BBC’s former political editor Nick Robinson that they are part of a “guerrilla war” against the BBC and mainstream media organisations, designed to promote their own editorial agenda. |
| Drew Rose, the director of operations at the left-leaning Canary, said the organisation was fighting to serve people who have been neglected by the established media. | Drew Rose, the director of operations at the left-leaning Canary, said the organisation was fighting to serve people who have been neglected by the established media. |
| “Nick Robinson’s analogy that we are waging a ‘guerrilla war’ is apt – but it’s not the war he suggests,” he added. “For years now, swaths of the population have been ignored or otherwise failed by the established media. We’re fighting to serve those people. We’re doing that by helping to build a more diverse media operating outside of the establishment.” | “Nick Robinson’s analogy that we are waging a ‘guerrilla war’ is apt – but it’s not the war he suggests,” he added. “For years now, swaths of the population have been ignored or otherwise failed by the established media. We’re fighting to serve those people. We’re doing that by helping to build a more diverse media operating outside of the establishment.” |
| The Today programme presenter had said criticism of the BBC and newspaper journalists on sites ranging from the Canary to the rightwing Westmonster were helping to erode trust in the mainstream media. Writing in the Guardian, Robinson said: “Our critics now see their attacks as a key part of their political strategy. In order to succeed they need to convince people not to believe ‘the news’.” | The Today programme presenter had said criticism of the BBC and newspaper journalists on sites ranging from the Canary to the rightwing Westmonster were helping to erode trust in the mainstream media. Writing in the Guardian, Robinson said: “Our critics now see their attacks as a key part of their political strategy. In order to succeed they need to convince people not to believe ‘the news’.” |
| Ash Sarkar, a senior editor at Novara Media, another leftwing site mentioned by Robinson, said the BBC journalist had wrongly identified the reasons behind eroding trust in mainstream media. | Ash Sarkar, a senior editor at Novara Media, another leftwing site mentioned by Robinson, said the BBC journalist had wrongly identified the reasons behind eroding trust in mainstream media. |
| Sarkar said: “It’s that since 2003, exacerbated by the financial crisis, our political classes – whether that’s establishment political media, or the centre left and the centre right in parliament – have been trying to assure us that they are still responsible custodians of power, which after a disastrous intervention in the middle east and a financial calamity people aren’t feeling any more.” | Sarkar said: “It’s that since 2003, exacerbated by the financial crisis, our political classes – whether that’s establishment political media, or the centre left and the centre right in parliament – have been trying to assure us that they are still responsible custodians of power, which after a disastrous intervention in the middle east and a financial calamity people aren’t feeling any more.” |
| The New European, a pro-EU newspaper, took issue with Robinson’s comment that the most shared articles of the alternative news providers were attacks on the BBC and other mainstream media organisations. Matt Kelly, the editor of the New European, said on Twitter: “I doubt Nick Robinson reads the New European. If he did he’d know we are a much broader paper than he claims here.” | The New European, a pro-EU newspaper, took issue with Robinson’s comment that the most shared articles of the alternative news providers were attacks on the BBC and other mainstream media organisations. Matt Kelly, the editor of the New European, said on Twitter: “I doubt Nick Robinson reads the New European. If he did he’d know we are a much broader paper than he claims here.” |
| Robinson extended his remarks in the first Steve Hewlett memorial lecture on Thursday night. He said the BBC should take on a “mission to engage” with people disillusioned with news bulletins and who instead get their news from social media. | Robinson extended his remarks in the first Steve Hewlett memorial lecture on Thursday night. He said the BBC should take on a “mission to engage” with people disillusioned with news bulletins and who instead get their news from social media. |
| He also urged the broadcaster to promote and celebrate its impartiality, potentially by publishing the BBC’s “producers’ guidelines” - which outlines how its news coverage should be impartial - to explain why it is wording stories in a particular way, and by revealing the discussions and decisions at editorial meetings. | He also urged the broadcaster to promote and celebrate its impartiality, potentially by publishing the BBC’s “producers’ guidelines” - which outlines how its news coverage should be impartial - to explain why it is wording stories in a particular way, and by revealing the discussions and decisions at editorial meetings. |
| Robinson spoke of his experience of witnessing the aftermath of the Finsbury Park terrorist attack outside a mosque in June and the criticism he received from bystanders for the BBC not calling it terrorism in its early reports. In the future the BBC could explain in real time why it is making particular editorial decisions, Robinson said, such as when and how to label an incident an terrorist attack. | Robinson spoke of his experience of witnessing the aftermath of the Finsbury Park terrorist attack outside a mosque in June and the criticism he received from bystanders for the BBC not calling it terrorism in its early reports. In the future the BBC could explain in real time why it is making particular editorial decisions, Robinson said, such as when and how to label an incident an terrorist attack. |
| “So how do we do more to be seen to broadcast the best obtainable version of the truth?” he said. “Let’s go back to my experience in Finsbury Park when I believe we should have been clearer about why we weren’t instantly using the language that those following the story closest were. | “So how do we do more to be seen to broadcast the best obtainable version of the truth?” he said. “Let’s go back to my experience in Finsbury Park when I believe we should have been clearer about why we weren’t instantly using the language that those following the story closest were. |
| “I make no criticism of the tiny handful of people working in the newsroom that night. This story was far from unique. The explosion which rocked the Manchester Arena was called just that – an explosion for some time before it was called terrorism. Caution in these situations is right. The BBC will rather not be the first for news if it earns the joke slogan ‘Not wrong for long.’” | “I make no criticism of the tiny handful of people working in the newsroom that night. This story was far from unique. The explosion which rocked the Manchester Arena was called just that – an explosion for some time before it was called terrorism. Caution in these situations is right. The BBC will rather not be the first for news if it earns the joke slogan ‘Not wrong for long.’” |
| At the time of another terrorist incident, the murder of Lee Rigby in Woolwich in 2013, Robinson apologised for his reporting. He said that Rigby’s killers had shouted out “Allahu Akbar” in the streets and were of “Muslim appearance”, but later apologised for using the phrase. | At the time of another terrorist incident, the murder of Lee Rigby in Woolwich in 2013, Robinson apologised for his reporting. He said that Rigby’s killers had shouted out “Allahu Akbar” in the streets and were of “Muslim appearance”, but later apologised for using the phrase. |
| Robinson’s orginal article was published after the Canary published a controversial article about Laura Kuenssberg, his successor as BBC political editor, that was swiftly debunked. Impress, which regulates the Canary, had received 48 complaints about the article by Thursday, and an inquiry is expected. | Robinson’s orginal article was published after the Canary published a controversial article about Laura Kuenssberg, his successor as BBC political editor, that was swiftly debunked. Impress, which regulates the Canary, had received 48 complaints about the article by Thursday, and an inquiry is expected. |
| The Canary article, originally headlined “We need to talk about Laura Kuenssberg. She’s listed as a speaker at the Tory party conference”, said that the BBC journalist was due to speak at a fringe event at the Conservative party conference next week. However, the BBC said that Kuenssberg was not speaking at the event. | The Canary article, originally headlined “We need to talk about Laura Kuenssberg. She’s listed as a speaker at the Tory party conference”, said that the BBC journalist was due to speak at a fringe event at the Conservative party conference next week. However, the BBC said that Kuenssberg was not speaking at the event. |
| The article was criticised on social media because Kuenssberg has faced hostility on and offline as political editor of the BBC and was reportedly accompanied by a security guard at the Labour conference after receiving threats. | The article was criticised on social media because Kuenssberg has faced hostility on and offline as political editor of the BBC and was reportedly accompanied by a security guard at the Labour conference after receiving threats. |