RECENT efforts have been made to exonerate the BBC of bias regarding the independence referendum, but the letter from Angus Ferguson (November 6), albeit regarding football is nevertheless of broader relevance and typifies the fundamental preferential ailment of the BBC.
Although particularising on November 1 Sportscene’s sparse coverage of the Kilmarnock v Motherwell match (despite the studio presence of Motherwell stalwart Scott Macdonald) Mr Ferguson goes on to ask how the BBC can justify disproportion in its spending of licence fee income on English football, 68:1 compared to Scottish football when the more modest general population context is 10:1.
Alas, Mr Robertson’s disgust at this simply, and probably unintentionally, alludes to the similar imbalance that elicited annoyance from Yes campaigners during the state broadcaster’s referendum political coverage.
The same thing happens with the “Today’s Newspapers” slot in BBC news broadcasts when a studio guest selects items from the UK dailies -- neither The Herald nor the Scotsman ever receives a mention.
Ian Johnstone,
84 Forman Drive, Peterhead.
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