BBC ‘biased on occasion’, says Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer

Jun 07, 2023 at 4:03 AM

Lucy Frazer has mentioned she believes the BBC is “on occasion” biased, however refused to offer a selected instance of partiality.

The Culture Secretary informed MPs the company has an obligation as a public service broadcaster that it “doesn’t always get right”, however insisted she was broadly a “supporter” of the content material it produces.

Appearing earlier than Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday (June 6), Frazer was questioned intimately about the way forward for the BBC.

“I’m definitely in favour of a vibrant BBC. How that is funded is something we need to look into very carefully,” she mentioned.

“I am definitely a supporter of the BBC and the content it produces, but it does need to understand its duties in relation to impartiality as well.”

Asked by Conservative MP Simon Jupp whether or not she thought the BBC was biased, she mentioned: “I think that the BBC on occasion is biased, yes.”

Pressed to present an instance, Frazer replied: “I’m not going to give any specific examples of the examples of bias, but I think there are often complaints about the BBC, some of which have been taken up by Ofcom, which have been shown to be biased.

“And I think that it is really important that the BBC takes its responsibility in terms of editorial standards and impartiality very seriously… I think Tim Davie takes that responsibility very seriously and I think we should ensure that the BBC, as a public service broadcaster which is meant to be there to provide impartial news to the public, fulfils that duty, and I think unfortunately it doesn’t always get that right.”

Frazer joked that she has “lots of views” when requested concerning the fallout following a tweet by Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker.

The 62-year-old was briefly taken off air after saying the language utilized by the Government to advertise its asylum plans was not dissimilar to that utilized in Nineteen Thirties Germany.

But she refused to enter element whereas the BBC carries out its personal assessment of social media tips on impartiality.

The way forward for the company has been a topic of debate in latest months and Frazer has beforehand vowed to guard public service broadcasters and praised the “vital role” a free press performs in society.

She has made clear that the Government is trying “very closely” on the licence charge as a part of a assessment of the BBC’s funding, however mentioned she doesn’t help defunding the broadcaster.

Frazer additionally informed MPs she had sought former BBC chairman Richard Sharp’s enter on the way forward for the company, insisting it’s “really valuable” to listen to about his expertise within the function.

Sharp give up after an inquiry by Adam Heppinstall KC discovered he had damaged the foundations on public appointments by failing to declare his connection to a £800,000 mortgage made to Boris Johnson.

“I asked Richard Sharp for his views on the BBC and he’s been the chair of the BBC for some time, he has experience of the BBC and I think it’s really valuable to hear what that experience is,” the minister mentioned.