Poles Apart

Is the BBC to blame for attacks on Poles?

Well, they asked. Attacks... hmn? But I have to say, purely by personal observation (Hereford is a high Eastern European area of influx), the 'immigration' question is very rarely illustrated by much else than a white guy on a fruit farm.

So... an admirable piece of navel-gazing prompted by the notion that in being seen to try and address one issue, a liberal elite stands accused of opting to use one minority rather than other, perhaps more 'sacred' ones.

Do I hear the creak of a can of worms opening?

At least for the few days before it all blows over and the next issue gets cranked out.

Too much to cross fingers that the 'evidence' from either 'side' might make it into any if discussion (guessing a Newsnight 'twofer 'are/aren't' team are prepping as we speak) so the viewing public become any the wiser.

Or maybe such information would join the growing collection best left for the BBC and its Trust to know, and the rest of us to guess at.

BBC - MP blames BBC for 'picking on Poles'

Addendum on Newsnight:

15. At 2:00 pm on 04 Jun 2008, JunkkMale wrote: Too much to cross fingers that the 'evidence' from either 'side' might make it into any if discussion.

Rather odd, if not these days unusual, to watch a BBC presenter read out a statement from 'the BBC' (whatever that description covers) 'defending itself'.

At least we had a good natured discussion with the chaired twofer.

However, despite having the MP in question to hand, I don't recall him being challenged to substantiate the key aspect of his claim (the comparative levels of negative coverage of one ethnic/national grouping vs. any others when it comes to issues resulting from immigration).

And hence no attempt was required, and therefore provided to prove any defence to the contrary. Hence as a result of this news item I am none the wiser on the facts of the key point raised (first by the MP, and then here by the editorial).

I know it's tricky, especially when dealing with the reporting of any grouping (especially in the negative, but of course undue positives can also raise eyebrows, too) if it ends up based on an objective (er... how would this be managed/measured/policed?) % of statistical demographic representation. However numbers are there, obviously. Hence I was surprised to learn that Poles are now the largest grouping, which may go to the relative levels of their nationality being mentioned in matters of immigration, though personally (and living in fruit-picking central, Hereford) I cannot say I have much experience of any real negatives in my county at all.

And while I am sure the BBC does relish any opportunity to drag the Daily Mail into anything possible by way of comparison, I could care less what this newspaper does. The issue was how our national broadcaster is handling its coverage.

Sadly, at this point I remain about as wise as I do when in answer to a challenge Mr. Paxman a senior politician says 'I don't accept that' and gets away without being nailed on a substantive inaccuracy.