Good Morning Scotland, this morning was, as always, irony-free. Around 7, Laura MacIver told us:
‘Research out to make the start of British Science week today suggesting that while BBC programmes like Blue Planet have shown us we need to do more to help the environment many of us don’t know how to go about it. Well the Chief Executive of the British Science Association, who carried out the research, Catherine Matheson, is with us now.’ So just tell us about people’s attitudes, first of all, and how they are influenced, maybe by what they see, particularly in the media.’
Matheson agreed:
‘Well, I think the media’s had a big effect. So, the research we did for British Science Week shows that most British people think environmental sustainability is a much bigger issue now than it was ten years ago.’
Readers will recognise this regular myopia or perhaps conceit – We at the BBC educate you but, of course, cannot be accused of ever misleading you in the way two of our readers, Alasadair Madonald and Clydebuilt, identified yesterday:
If you peruse the BBC pages for Northern Ireland, there is no mention of Coronavirus. On the Wales pages, there is a single mention, but it is not dramatic. On the Alba page, there is no mention. However, it is the lead on the Scotland and the Scottish Politics page and has been since the outbreak began, with the emphasis on the ‘200 00 Scottish cases’ and ‘epidemic in Scotland awaited’. These are de-contextualised from the Chief Medical Officer’s report, which like all formal announcements indicates the range of likely sufferers and the ‘probability’ of epidemics. So, it is data-mining to present an alarmist story. Clydebuilt, above, has indicated other features of recent coverage.
Almost as if to confirm the hypothesis, just before 8, Bill Whiteford yelled:
“Do get in touch and let us know what you are panic buying”
‘
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Well, we ain’t “panic buying” into the myopic, slanted “journalism” prevalent on BBC/Radio Scotland.
Listen to the news about the person who died in Berks. The media have done all they can to distance her from death by coronavirus—“underlying health issues” is in EVERY bulletin. Why doesn’t the media in Scotland give the same mitigation to deaths in the QE hospital?—Because they are at it!
I expect their viewer/listener figures are still decreasing, but the BBC hierarchy are still determined that Scots/Scotland will be herded into a ghetto TV and Radio station—that the good folks in England/Wales don’t have to have anything much to do with us.
That is sad, but if they just gave us our licence fee moneys, gave oversight to Holyrood, we could live with it.
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I heard that section when Mr Bill Whiteford spoke of ‘panic buying’. I thought that it was actually trying to start people worrying so that they would begin stockpiling. It was a mixture of irresponsibility and arrogance.
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From previous aeprticle
Alasdair wrote
“The media have stoked up fears so that prople act in ways which are counter to the common good”
Absolutely, well said.
On drive time tonight they (bbc radio Scotland) were IMO encouraging young people to think of themselves as mentally ill even suicidal.
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Spelling. . . Must do better
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That, too, was my impression of the ridiculous piece on mental health.
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Noticed this story about the W, Dunbartonshire Council (SNP/Ind coalition) managing to bring about an extended Free School Meals policy which is introducing these to ALL Primary School pupils. The SNP/Ind administration have committed hard cash funding of £1M to get this going.
I happened upon this GOOD NEWS story on the beeb Education page. It was originally posted on the Glasgow and West Scotland page but must have been pulled after less than a day. Hmmm – wonder why that might have been done….?
The thought struck me that the extraordinary Scottish political radical, (co-founder of both the Scottish Labour Party and the SNP), literary giant and traveller/explorer par excellence, Don Roberto (R.B. Cunninghame Graham) was elected IN 1886 (!!) on a manifesto including Free School Meals and Home Rule for Scotland.
Don Roberto spent much of his early years at Ardoch so would be particularly pleased to see an SNP/YES council administration achieve Free School Meals in this part of Scotland. (With all the benefits of Westminster’s iron hand of control this unarguably sensible policy has been delayed by, ONLY, some 134 years).
I think we can safely add ‘social visionary’ to Don Roberto’s impressive list of accomplishments. Let’s get Indy really quick now so Don Roberto can get his Free School Meals vision fully implemented without further britnat delay.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-51753672?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education&link_location=live-reporting-story
Council tax will rise by 4.84% in West Dunbartonshire, but the authority said it would help fund a widened free school meal scheme.
Nearly one million pounds will be used to make school dinners free for all primary age children.
The free meals will be phased in over a two-year period.
Other budget plans include £8m for road and pavement improvements, £1.85m to boost employment and £250,000 to fund more learning assistants.
It said the investment in school meals would “save local families hundreds of pounds a year”.
Since January 2015, free school meals have been offered to children up to primary three in all state schools in the country as part of (SNP) Scottish government policy.
Ian Dickson, convener of corporate services said: “For the second year, we have adopted a no cuts budget in West Dunbartonshire, investing in key areas and supporting our residents.”
“Our residents told us through the budget survey that they wanted education to be prioritised,” he added.
“We have responded to that with a commitment to provide free school meals in all of our primary schools, an increase in funding for extra learning assistants, and a pledge to continue to invest in our schools”.
The council, which serves 89,000 residents, announced rent will increase by 1.9%.
It follows a consultation with tenants and will be the third year in a row rent rise is below inflation.
A decision to increase rents at gypsy traveller sites by (below inflation)1.9% was also approved.
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