The BBC versus Mrs Thatcher
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 I was intrigued to read that scriptwriters gave Doctor Who anti-Thatcher plot lines in the late 1980s. The claim by Sylvester McCoy, the seventh doctor, and former script editor Andrew Cartmel would be laughable except for one important point - it is so obviously true.
At the time I was director of something called the Media Monitoring Unit which was set up to record examples of political bias on all four terrestrial channels. We had enough on our plate watching every single current affairs programme so we didn't include drama and light entertainment in our reports which were published annually between 1986 and 1990.
Even allowing for a little prejudice on our part, the systematic bias against Margaret Thatcher's government was overwhelming. To be fair, the worst programmes were probably on other channels but the BBC has a greater responsibility to be impartial because of the unique position it occupies at home and abroad.
Instead we detected a feeling that, given the weakness of the Labour Opposition during the Eighties, it was the BBC's role to challenge the Tory government. (Needless to say, similar opposition never materialised when Blair was winning one election after another and the Tories were equally ineffectual in Opposition.)
Ultimately, of course, the political bias we detected on the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 didn't stop the Tories winning four general elections in succession.
Pedigree of a TV watchdog - Daily Telegraph, November 20, 1986.
Reader Comments (10)
I watched this on Newsnight on Monday. It was interesting to me that Doctor Who (and, apparently, other science fiction films) were used in this way - left wing indoctrination. Last night I watched the repeat on BBC2 of Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain - the episode from when John Major took over up to the end of Tony Blair's premiership. Somehow, a similar message came across to me - but perhaps it was just me. The BBC (to me, anyway) is not the impartial organisation it used to be when I was considerably younger.
As for a revolution - it's happened, but most of us haven't noticed. They haven't had to 'fire a shot'. Yes, a few of us have woken up - but there are still millions of people who have no idea what has happened.
Oh you bugger Simon, I'm a Dr. Who fan, have been since I saw the first episode way back in 1964 and don't want to hear that there are subliminal messages in the scripts...but your posting is timely as I've noticed that, in the latest incarnation of the good Dr. starring David Tennant, under the auspices of scriptwriter Russell T Davies, I had noticed the gay refrences, remember Captain Jack? and I've noticed 'government of the day are barstewards' etc. but that does not make me switch of, I just love the storylines, no matter how preposterous they are.
Please note, throughout my 57 years of life on this earth the BBC has been ridiculed for being bias towards whatever party is rulling the country at that time.
Yes, the hive-like mentality of BBC writers, producers, directors etc in the Eighties was disturbing.
One minor example I recall was an adaptation of Dickens' anti-Utilitarian novel, 'Hard Times' (a novel I've read several times).
An especially unsavoury character called 'Bitzer' took it upon himself to blame Thomas Gradgrind for all the misery he had unwittingly caused upon his admiration for "Your TORY Government."
Needless to say, this line appears nowhere in the book itself.
And it is especially ironic that - with their usual purblind fanatacism - the Lefties had failed to appreciate that it was precisely THEIR allegiance to the COLLECTIVE-versus-the INDIVIDUAL Good that Dickens was satirising.
But - since the adaptation was aimed principally at schoolchildren - the Right Idea was planted (or implanted) in impressionable young minds.
Thank goodness THAT sort of thing would NEVER happen today, eh ?
"ridiculed for being biased towards whatever party is ruling the country at that time."
Fortunately, we now have only ONE Party 'ruling' us.
Thanks in no small measure to the 'Modernising' Culture of the BBC.
Can't wait for the sexier, racier, shot-on-film-and-processed-like-a-coffee-commercial, multi-culturally-and-politically-relevant version of 'I, Claudius'.
With pretty, young 'actors' who REALLY know how to SHOUT.
Like on 'Eastenders' an' that.
Well - it's gotta happen.
Happy Days !
I think it is incumbent upon broadcasters and scriptwriters to try and alert the general public when the country is being ruled by a dictator which Thatcher was becoming every single day she remained in office. There was very little criticism of her in the mainstream media as they were afraid of what she would do.
When Thames TV went ahead and broadcast Death on The Rock against the 'Evil One's' wishes she promptly changed the rules and within a couple of years Thames had lost their licence to broadcast. Open criticism of her lead to the loss of your job and often vilification and even prosecution. Clive Ponting was prosecuted for making a member of parliament aware that Thatcher had lied but at least he had the courage of his convictions and was prepared to take a stand.
Many filmmakers under Stalin, Mao et al tried to put their message across in TV and film. It is quite depressing to think that the best anyone at the BBC could do to warn of the increasing dangers of Thatcher was to make vague references to her in a silly kiddies program. Hardly martyrs!
Tut tut
It goes back much further than Thatcher and Dr Who with the bbc.
The Archers was probably the largest driving force for getting rid of our hedgerows. Even Mrs Dales Diary promoted standards of behaviour.
Day after day we were bombarded by intensive farming procedures including getting rid of favourite woodland and making larger field for better and more efficient farming.
I. like many, believed all this rubbish, and left the UK believing that Britain had one of the most professional farming communities in the world.
Then I met farmers in other countries where natural ecological adversity was severe, and they had to be truly professional to overcome this and be efficient.
When I returned to the UK in 1990 and mentioned this fact but the bbc went into refusal mode (their favourite mode) and only admitted it 4 years ago.
As for Margaret, she kept the left-wing comedians in business including social care, and they admit this. Unfortunately some of the better ones are only now turning in despair on their masters as even they realise we will again be like the Poor man of Europe as we were in the 70's.
Cassandrina -
'The Poor Man of Europe' ?
Surely not. I remember the Wonderful Seventies well:
Zero inflation, low taxation, new businesses springing up like mushrooms, a peaceful and contented workforce - especially in the Public Sector - that would never even dream of going on strike, no ruinous state subsidies of ailing industries, a new GPO phone within 48 hours (real Bakelite, too), taking as much of your hard-earned cash abroad as you liked, and ruddy-faced young swains dancing with merry maidens round the maypoles erected in every city park and on every village green (an ox - provided by a grateful Chamber of Commerce - turning slowly on a spit).
Ozzy Osbourne in his prime.
And the Whole World coming to our shores, and asking: "How DO you do it ?"
Then it all got ruined in 1979 - by the Wicked Witch of the West.
And it's only NOW that we're beginning to get back to that Happy Time (admittedly,with some variations).
Please, Cassandrina - no more propaganda !
Not sure about the Thatcher bias but I enjoyed a recent case of political comment. This was an episode with David Tennant as Dr Who, involving an alien invasion (slithereens?). The Dr is watching the British Prime Minister speaking to the nation on BBC TV.
Prime Minister:
"The aliens have massive weapons of destruction which they can launch at 45 seconds notice."
Dr Who:
"He's lying!"
I am really pleased for you Martin, that you are beginning to get back to happy times again. You must certainly be the only person on this blog, who is! Or for that matter, one of the only people in this country who is, apart from Labour politicians that is, and their days are definitely numbered.
What was that you said to Cassandrina? No more propaganda?
Is that the sound of the pot I hear, or is it the kettle?
Peter -
Not QUITE sure about the irony there.
I DO hope you are not suggesting that I would have anything to do with 'propaganda'.
Unless you include within that term advocacy of the Truth - and those who are brave enough - and intelligent enough - to press ITS claims.
As for the expected loss-of-deposits by certain Labour MPs:
Please excuse my current lack of hysterical enthusiasm.
But I quit the Tribalism of the Uninformed some time ago (nasty habit).
It's INDIVIDUALS I look to these days - not CORPORATIONS (or Tribes).
Yep - I'm probably quite insane................