Reporting Scotland’s lie today about the widening scope of organised crime and their failure to report the millions saved by the task-force for bank customers, is an example of a ‘negativity bias’ which has a greater impact than might appear at first sight.
Stewartb explains:
There is extensive academic literature to explain that the human brain has a “negativity bias”. Apparently our brains are built with a greater sensitivity to the unpleasant or the negative. And it seems that this bias is automatic – baked-in due to evolution.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200306/our-brains-negative-bias
Because our brains react more strongly to stimuli deemed negative, our attitudes are more strongly influenced by downbeat news than good news. The article I’ve linked to notes: “Having the built-in brain apparatus supersensitive to negativity means that the same bad-news bias also is at work in every sphere of our lives at all times.”
It notes that because of this natural bias, achieving balance between positive and negative does not mean a 50-50 share of the different kinds of message or experience. Researchers have actually found that a very specific ratio exists between the amount of positivity and negativity required for balance: that magic ratio is five positives to every one negative.
Other research has found that is the frequency of small positives that matters most. Occasional big positive experiences are nice to have, it is argued, but they don’t make the necessary, sustained impact on our brain to override the natural tilt to negativity. It takes frequent small positive experiences to tip the scales – actually five times more small positives than the opposite on an ongoing basis.
Now for whatever reason, if the mainstream media and/or a public service broadcaster opts to focus on giving out predominantly negative messages – e.g. about NHS Scotland, Scottish education etc. – then it would require them, based on this research, to publish five times more positive stories to ensure balance. But if as you suggest a media outlet may simply opt NOT to publish/broadcast a positive story even where one exists – i.e. operates ‘bias by omission’ – this would clearly compound the ‘negativity bias’ problem.
Any hope of ‘balance’ from such sources becomes a pipe dream.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Smart move by the SNP/Independent coalition admin on West Dunbartonshire Council in passing a council motion calling for Westminster to transfer the relevant powers to Scotland to facilitate the people resident in Scotland choosing our own constitutional future by referendum.
Naturally this flushed out the better together alliance – with the tory voting for the labour amendment – but then the labour crew abstained altogether!. None of which stopped the W. Dunbartonshire Council adding yet another piece in the democratic mosaic that will deliver an Indy vote (by one means or another) in due course. Link and snippets below:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/west-dunbartonshire-council-writes-to-uk-government-to-demand-indyref2-powers/ar-BB10DGvy?ocid=spartandhp
West Dunbartonshire Council will write to the UK Government asking them to transfer the relevant powers to the Scottish Parliament to facilitate a second referendum.
A motion by leader of the council Jonathan McColl presented at last week’s full council urged the Prime Minister to respect the right of the Scottish people and allow their views to be heard.
It states: “Given the range of circumstances that have changed since the independence referendum held more than half a decade ago, West Dunbartonshire Council supports the right of our constituents and everyone living in Scotland to choose their future in a new independence referendum.”
West Dunbartonshire community party councillor Jim Bollan said that the decision was about democracy not
nationalism or unionism.
He added: “I am a socialist. I would love to see a united Ireland and an independent Scotland but there is more to this.
“This is about our right to choose after the UK’s decision to leave the EU.
“Brexit was a game changer and I believe that the first vote should be discounted as the playing field has changed dramatically.”
Following the debate 12 members voted for the motion… and all Labour councillors present abstained.
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Found this on the beeb Politics page – but am not finding it on the beeb Scotland pages (situation normal). Sounds as if Johnson’s govt are bowing to the concerted pressure exerted by the sustainable electricity generators, the environmental lobby, the Scottish Govt and Parlt and the Welsh and N.Ireland govts (and Ukania’s own obligations under climate change targets).
Johnson will hum and haw but this is a significant political climbdown (and bodes well for future such events if we can all stay focussed and disciplined). Johnson’s big Westminster majority only goes so far in the face of multiple (and growing) political, social and economic realities. Link and snippet below:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51708817
The cheapest form of new power in the UK – onshore wind – is set to make a comeback, according to a government decision today.
Ministers previously blocked projects after complaints from local campaigners that they were a blot on the landscape.
The government responded by denying onshore wind the chance to bid for a price guarantee for the electricity they produce.
This meant it was virtually impossible for wind farms to gain permission.
Environmentalists said the decision was irrational, and today the government has opened the way for onshore wind farm developers to bid for price support.
In the long term, it should lead to cheaper electricity for consumers. Solar farms will be able to bid for price guarantees too.
But the government still wants local people to have a strong say in the decision where they are built. That means relatively few are expected in congested England.
In Scotland, though, Scottish Power is delighted. It has 1,000MW in the pipeline for wind and solar.
The small pressure group known as Possible has been pushing for a resurgence of onshore wind. It says: “After years of campaigning we can finally celebrate the UK’s cheapest new energy source being brought in from the cold.”
Onshore wind fell out of favour after Conservative activists complained about the visual impact and hum of wind farms in the countryside.
In sections of the media, the word “hated” became attached to the term wind farm – and most MPs believed they were deeply unpopular with the public.
In fact, the government’s own surveys show over-whelming public support for onshore wind – albeit not always in the areas where it’s been built.
Scottish Power said in future they would build solar, wind farms and batteries on the same site to maximise the output and minimise the disturbance.
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I’ve seen tons of ‘negative’ stories on the beeb Scotland site about the various problems that can come with growing tourism when the numbers arriving and advance planning hasn’t meshed as well as it might. (Edinburgh, Skye etc). I don’t recall seeing any news stories about the passengers from the Norwegian cruise ships organising beach clear-ups. Somehow the beeb Isle of Man page carries the story (which mentions similar episodes on Orkney and Shetland). Much too positive a story for beeb Scotland to show interest in, one has to assume? Link and snippets below:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-51712782?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science_and_environment&link_location=live-reporting-story
About 140 tourists on a visiting cruise ship took time out during a short stop at the Isle of Man to clean a beach in the south of the island.
Passengers from the Fridjtof Nansen collected 280kg of litter in just an hour in Castletown and Derbyhaven.
The Beach Buddies charity supplied the visitors with equipment and sacks for Monday’s clean-up.
Crew member Ton Holt said it was important to “help the places that we go” and inspire passengers to do more.
The Norwegian vessel’s owner Hurtigruten has previously organised similar beach cleaning excursions during visits to the Shetland and Orkney islands.
Beach Buddies have organised regular litter collections from around the island’s shores since 2006.
Passenger Julie Christiansen, from Oslo, said: “We have the same problem of pollution so it’s really nice to see the beach and help clean up a bit as well.”
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Just thinking John, you are probably now an expert on the wily ways of the BBC, maybe you should crowd fund and take them to court. Racialism being one issue perhaps. Lying, manipulating facts, lying by omission etc etc. Hard for them to defend I should think.
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