Comments on: Nigel Farage gets too much air time

By: maryhoneyballmep

maryhoneyballmep — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:47:41 +0000

John
An interesting thesis but I cannot accept that the BBC is a Labour institution.

By: John

John — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 23:30:38 +0000

An interesting article from Mary Honeyball; she is, of course, correct in her observation about the amount of air time the BBC provides Farage. There are several points here, that she should bear in mind:

1 Farage has received more appearances on BBC Question Time than any other politician in its 35 year history. This coverage extends back to the early 2000s, long before Farage was known to the public. To this extent, he has become a creature of the media – at least of the BBC.
2 Farage, of course, is a willing tool: he has an enormous ego; he requires publicity to satiate this ego.
3 When Farage was first promoted by the BBC, it was clearly a strategy designed to guard against the rising support behind the bnp. Indeed, in the 2004 Euro Elections, Farage was especially promoted on Question Time. Hardly anyone had then heard of him.
4 Since then, the bnp has collapsed but the promotion of Farage continues. Why? The answer is simple: the BBC has worked out that Farage takes more votes from the Tories than he does from Labour. The BBC – whose sympathies lie with Labour – calculates that at the margin, Ukip will cost the Tories many seats, thus allowing the Labour Party victory at the next Gen Election. Contrast this with the lack of publicity the BBC gives to the Greens. Unlike Ukip, the Greens have one Westminster MP (Ukip has none), in addition to their EU MEPs. They are hardly reported or covered by the BBC. This is because the Greens take more votes from Labour than from the Tories. Therefore, they are not backed by Question Time and the BBC.

Hopefully, now, the wool has cleared from Mary’s eyes.

Does Farage appreciate the position? Probably not. In any event, he is a publicity seeker and has probably not analysed the situation.

Rgds
J

By: John Cooke

John Cooke — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:34:23 +0000

UKIP actually beat the Labour party into third place at the last european elections, therefore it is only right that they are given more airtime on european issues.

By: worzel1

worzel1 — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:52:19 +0000

I must have missed something I have only ever seen him on TV once, and I for one would like to see much more of him and UKIP ,he does not get enough airtime or for that matter not enough media coverage. I wonder why that is !!!

By: geoff

geoff — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:05:17 +0000

“UKIP have a number of seats in the European Parliament” – that’s correct, as many as the Labour Party – so why shouldn’t Nigel Farage be interviewed on EU matters? I thought the BBC had to offer balance?

Like it or not he is an accomplished & effective speaker & has a personality – something sadly lacking within the Commission.

By: Kris

Kris — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 02:57:34 +0000

Perhaps because UKIP beat the Labour Party in the European election of 2009? I also agree with Pete: “Use of the word ‘incredible’ in this context says it all, really.”

By: Julia Gasper

Julia Gasper — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:41:42 +0000

If Labour politicians need to write this, it is a sign that they feel threatened by UKIP. Given the disastrous situation in the EU (which is not the same thing as Europe) UKIP’s arguments are sounding better and better. Mary Honeyball just doesn’t want UKIP to have airtime because she can’t deny that our predictions about the EU stamping out democracy have been proved correct. Italy and Greece have been prevented from holding their own elections. They have had puppet governments imposed on them. This is the most serious crisis since 1939 and all Ms Honeyball can suggest is censorship.

By: Ampers

Ampers — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:27:49 +0000

I think that many people find him strange because not only does he listen to the question, he gives honest answers. But there is one other factor, he isn’t boring as so many politicians in the main three parties seem to be.

By: Pete

Pete — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:43:03 +0000

‘I was joined by Ulrika Alert, Head of Youth and Language at UR, the Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company, who have made a series of incredible documentaries on the subject of media literacy.’

Use of the word ‘incredible’ in this context says it all, really. 🙂

By: Dave H

Dave H — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:23:12 +0000

Farage gets so much air time because he’s almost the only one representing the anti-EU view at that level. The BBC is supposed to be balanced(!) and so it can wheel in any number of pro-EU politicians but on the anti side there’s only a handful that are well known.

He’s entertaining, yes, but to a lot of us he’s also correct in his criticisms of the EU. I’m sure he’s only called to speak in the European Parliament to give all the federalists some light relief because I don’t think they particularly respond to the issues he raises.