Newswatch
On this week's Newswatch - the show which voices your criticisms of BBC News - David Kermode, editor of Breakfast, talks about coverage of celebrity news such as Richard Hammond's crash. Also Craig Oliver, editor of the Ten O'Clock News, addresses the issue of sport coverage on his bulletin. Click here to watch it.
Comments
This annoys me, have people nothing better to do than moan about a few stories about a celebrity. I mean sure if the BBC were doing articles constantly about what dress such and such is wearing and what whoever says is 'hot this summer' i'd be annoyed, but it doesn't.
The Richard Hammond story really moved many many people in this country and indeed the world and it did require daily updates becuase people were really concerned about him.
So in answer to the guy moaning on the link? Get a life.
Why are American school shootings lead news on the BBC? This should be relegated to a 'World News' slot, not the lead item of the BBC. There are enough domestic murders and crimes for us to worry about here, let alone incidents across the pond that have no bearing what so ever with our lives!
I watch Euronews every day to see whats going on in Europe! theres next to nothing on the BBC news, its seemingly wall to wall American domestic events.
But surely the point of the BBC is that it should appeal to as broad a cross section of the British public as possible with news articles on a wide range of topics that will appeal to a wide range of people.
If Top Gear has viewing figures reaching 6 million, that means about 10% of the British public watch Richard Hammond most likely have an interest in his welfare after a crash whilst filming a hugely popular programme!
I don't think anyone would suggest that Richard Hammonds accident is more newsworthy than genocide in Darfur, but there is room for both on the BBC.
The complainants to News Watch seem to think that the BBC News must only contain storyies relating items they find interesting.
There does have to be a balance, and the BBC will not always get it right. Camping outside hospitals with regular updates on News 24 is just dull. But if an extremely popular celebrity is dangerously ill, then that is a news story, just not one that everyone will want to hear.
As a final point, surely the complainants have made the perfect case for using the BBC New website, and only viewing the news they want to hear!
I was suprised how inarticulate Kermode was. Shame nobody asked him how the BBC would have responded it it had been an ITV presenter of an ITV show.