Professor John Robertson OBA
Looking for the first time in years at the above fascinating and comprehensive analysis of broadcast TV bias in the run-up to the Scottish Independence referendum of 2014, I read with interest, for I had forgotten much of it, my subsequent exchange with BBC Scotland (Ch 11).
In the first few days of 2014, my content analysis research of the TV media coverage of the Independence Referendum campaigns of 2013, triggered a unique and bullish response from BBC Scotland News in the form of their external affairs guy, Ian Small.
After reporting me to my Principal and accusing me of bringing both the BBC and the University of the West of Scotland into disrepute, Small wrote and I replied:
Then on the key issues of the nature of news reporting and of the cultures which operate in journalism, this:
I stand by responses and wonder if someone might do the same thing when next we have a referendum.
For more on this, see:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
A timely reminder John, especially with BBC Scotland in full anti SNP mode lately. I see we are back to the hospital investigation but they seem to have run out of NS book revelations for now, though still no room for positive water reports or indeed any other news that might talk up Scottish political decisions. We have to hope others will pick up from where you left off and keep tabs on future so called unbiased reporting
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I still have the book and now and then read some parts of it also remember your take down of the BBC shower on TV the propaganda and lies spouted by BBC and Better Together,how much longer have we to wait for Independence.
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I touched already on the demonising of First Minister Salmond. This struck me as a clear example of the kind of process which destroyed the image and electability of Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock.
Looking at this quote does it not resemble the same way that BBC treated Jeremy Corbyn in the election not a Lab supporter or Corbyn but the same will happen in the next SE next year with the SNP the target BBC Scotland will never change.
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Sorry , he accused you of bringing the BBC into disrepute ?
I assume his anger was because they, the BBC, want to be the only ones who do that themselves , via the low quality and clearly partisan output that they broadcast as news in Scotland, where they have an obvious mission to damage the SNP as a party while simultanously also protecting other parties in Scotland…..
(Has Anas Sarwar been asked about Brian Leishman’s suspension from the Labour party yet by the BBC Scotland news teams) ?
Currently I do not think the BBC , as a news broadcaster, could sink any lower in how people view them and so it seems obvious that the BBC Verify team within their organisation obviously gives a very very wide berth to BBC Scotland’s various news formats within Scotland…..as surely they would find it very difficult to verify much of the output via the BBC Scotland news that is broadcast in ‘the news where we (supposdley) are’.
I read online that:
“BBC Scotland were found to have been in breach of broadcasting rules, including those related to due impartiality, but Ofcom had not imposed any financial penalties, Ofcom has investigated and upheld complaints against BBC Scotland for failing to maintain due impartiality in news reporting, particularly in relation to coverage of the Scottish Government and former First Minister Alex Salmond. While Ofcom can impose fines for breaches of its rules, it has not done so in these cases related to BBC Scotland“
“Breaches of due impartiality– Ofcom has identified instances where BBC Scotland’s news coverage did not adequately represent different perspectives, particularly in discussions about the Scottish Government and Alex Salmond’s case”
“No Fines – While Ofcom has found breaches, it has not imposed any financial penalties or sanctions on BBC Scotland”.
“Focus on corrective action – In cases where breaches were found, the BBC has been expected to acknowledge the errors, make corrections, and reflect on the findings to improve future reporting”.
“Example – One specific example is a report by BBC Scotland’s Scotland editor, Sarah Smith, where she incorrectly stated that Alex Salmond believed Nicola Sturgeon should resign. The BBC accepted the error and took steps to correct it”.
“Example – During an interview on BBC’s Sunday Politics, Andrew Neil asked Alex Salmond why one in five Scottish pupils were “functionally illiterate” when leaving primary school. While the BBC claimed the phrase wasn’t used in the report they referenced and that the source was a Scottish Conservative spokeswoman, Ofcom ruled it breached the rule against materially misleading the audience”.
“Example – ‘The broadcasting of Ruth Davidson’s accusations and lack of alternative perspectives, Ofcom found a breach of due impartiality rules in a report where Ruth Davidson expressed strong criticism of the Scottish Government. According to Ofcom, the report lacked a clear link to an afternoon program which continued to cover the story, and alternative perspectives were not given due weight”.
“Example – Scottish independence Referendum coverage, Ofcom has received complaints about the BBC’s coverage of the Scottish Independence Referendum, with some alleging unfair exclusion of certain parties and undue prominence given to specific viewpoints. Ofcom has stated that broadcasters should ensure a range of perspectives are represented during such events, and the BBC has been found to have breached these rules in some instances”
The above examples are not an exhaustive list as examples….and it seems to be that the BBC, after these complaints were made to Ofcom , and then were upheld , still they, the BBC Scotland news teams continue to break the rules on due impartiality, so a hefty fine is surely now well overdue from Ofcom ?
“BBC’s handling of complaints – Ofcom also expressed concern about the BBC’s handling of complaints related to these breaches”.
So it seems a bit rich and a tad ironic that this individual, Ian Small, should have accused you of bringing the BBC into disrepute , especially when they themselves seem to be intent on doing that very thing themselves as an organisation , I base my accusation in relation to that upon the above examples via Ofcom….and also the many other examples I have not noted in my comment, but that are also ones that exist. (and some are from the same source too….Sarah Smith )
Remember during the pandemic Sarah Smith stating that Nicola Sturgeon “had enjoyed the opportunity to set her own lockdown rules” , she then had to apologise as this misinformation was not based on fact but based purely on the opinion of her as a BBC employee.
That is she, Sarah Smith, as a BBC employee , is employed to supposdley only communicate news (as in facts and truth….obviously an alien concept it seems to BBC Scotland news teams) and so surely she was not employed to broadcast her own personal, biased and partisan opinions (who am I kidding)……so then she was spirited away to America. , like James Cook (who was also sent to America by the BBC but alas he’s back) , as in the same James Cook , who has also been subject to complaints made by the public to the BBC on his lack of due impartiality.
Then of course there is the question of a lack of due impartiality and fairness in the political debate programmes via the BBC, as in Debate Night and Question Time, where often there is pro UK loaded audience and also a lack of balance on their panels is often highlighted (together with a seemingly hostile host on both programmes).
On 20 June 2025 there was this noted in BBC Corrections and Clarifications section :
“Debate Night
BBC Scotland and BBC One Scotland, 4 June 2025
In featuring Lord Haughey, as part of the panel, we could have been clearer on his designation as a Labour peer. While the programme did cite his status as a Labour donor and our social media team referenced prominently his party political affiliation in the House of Lords once the programme was live, we should have applied that approach consistently to both the pre-broadcast publicity on social media and referenced that point clearly on air.
We are happy to clarify that point”
(However instead of ‘clarifying that point’ how about really addressing it and then permanently fixing it for future episodes of both Debate night and QT- when in Scotland……to then stop your corporation from descending even further into disrepute….though has BBC Scotland’s news ever been respected , trusted and worthy of having a good reputation for it’s news output) ?
The above Debate night episode was broadcast on the night before a by-election in Scotland , which happened because of the tragic death of a SNP MSP, and where Labour’s Davy Russell won the seat in Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse, with 8,559 votes, a majority of 602 , aided by the BBC of course….as he was also , as a Labour candidate , allowed to be the ‘Invisible man’ as he was not sought out for any intensive interrogation by the BBC Scotland news teams prior to that By-election, and so there was no special pre election BBC debate programme(s) with all of the candidates for that seat…..Labour did their best to keep him away from any media scrutiny and the BBC were only too happy to oblige…or so it seemed.
So by my reckoning it is the BBC themselves who are guilty of bringing themselves into disrepute and it is brass neck territory for anyone within their organisation to accuse others of bringing the BBC into disrepute……as that is a job they are expert at….just ask Ofcom who , as a media regulator, finds many breaches with the BBC in Scotland , in respect to a lack of due impartiality , yet as a media regulator they seem most reluctant to actually fine the BBC for those breaches ……
So surely ‘Now is the time’ to start , as the BBC in Scotland are still at it………and they will never stop until they see the SNP as being no longer being a real threat to their UK State…..as that is what is behind their constant “lack of due impartiality”……….as a broadcasting organisation both within and outwith Scotland. (it is also something other TV news channels are guilty of as well in respect to the SNP and Scottish politics).
Simples…..but also, not so simple….for us in Scotland that is……..
Liz S
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Oliver Kamm , from The Times newspaper, posted on ‘X’ , in respect to Zarah Sultana the former, but now suspended Labour MP….(who has now joined with Jeremy Corbyn in forming a new political party in opposition to their former party, Labour).
Kamm’s tweet on ‘X’ :
“Ms Sultana is evasive…she’s an antisemite”
She responded (quite correctly)….
“Delete and apologise , otherwise you better lawyer up. Anti-Zionism is not AntiSemitism. The smears won’t work this time”.
Kamm’s tweets on ‘X’ are (now ? ) protected…..Hmm.
Wikipedia states that Kamm “was a consistent supporter of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the foreign policies of his government”….(well I guess that explains a lot)….
Also on Wikipedia they note that “In 2006 Oliver Kamm wrote a blog post titled “The Islamophobia Scam” in which he said “if any reader wishes to nominate me [for an “Islamophobia” award] and I am successful, you can be sure I’ll turn up to collect the award and express my reasons for pride in it.
Of course it seems to be that Islamophobia is , as a position, okay in British (UK) politics (and it seems sometimes also to be the case in much of the British (UK) media’s headlines – and opinions- as well).
However if one dares to ever criticise the actions of the Israeli government, then one is accused of being anti Semitic, and that is punishable by exclusion from some mainstream political parties and also subject to sensationalistic front page headlines as being ‘enemy number one within the UK State’ …. and if they could all get away with it , punishable by public beatings as well……
I mean just ask the former Tory Peer Baroness Warsi , as she alleged that her former party was “institutionally xenophobic and racist”.
(Remember the Tory donor Frank Hester who said in 2019 that Labour MP Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and that “she should be shot”, well seemingly for Rishi Sunak that was not that shocking or unacceptable for him, Sunak, to then hand back Hester’s donations or strip Hester of his Party membership”….the same Rishi Sunak who once referred to us, who support Scottish independence , as being the “Extremists”…..and also in September 2024 it was reported that “The Conservative Party accepted a further £5m donation from the businessman Frank Hester days before the general election was called in May“……
Also the Forde report (commissioned by Keir Starmer, yet ignored by Starmer and also ignored by much of the UK media once it was published as a report) also found concerns in relation to Islamophobia, and then in response to that report, the LMN (Labour Muslim Network) said that the report suggested Labour had ‘institutional Islamophobia…….
Oh , but why then would some of us in Scotland not feel uber patriotic as British citizens……and so then we are all condemned and so referred to as being “Separatists”, which is communicated as being an extreme position to take within the UK by their UK media and their UK politicians….meanwhile look at their “extreme position” as a UK media and as UK politicians , as in their position in relation to their support for Israel and their lack of support for Palestinians (Muslims)…..indeed some of their hostility towards Muslims, both within and outwith their UK…..is shocking and so obvious , so much so that it could indeed be seen as being Racist !
Stop the UK for Scotland as we really need to leave it as a State….or be forever tarnished with the same racist and ugly British (Brush)…….
Liz S
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Apologies…as in yet another one, comment, by me…..but pertinent to this post on TUS……
MSM Monitor tweeted at 8.38am today….
“Will BBC Scotland report this or will it employ a news blackout to protect Anas Sarwar? A suspended Scottish Labour Councillor who groomed and sexually abused an underage teenage girl is to be sentenced today”
The BBC did an article about this on the 23 July 2025…..with the headline “Councillor guilty of sex offences against teenage girl” ….note the exclusion of the (Labour) party name in the headline…..in the article they stated this (also note that they , the BBC, know the date, 19 August, when he was to be sentenced)…….
“A Fife councillor has been found guilty of sexual offences against a teenage girl over a seven-month period.
David Graham, who was suspended from the Labour party two years ago, groomed and sexually abused the girl at a variety of locations in the Fife and Edinburgh areas in 2023.
The 43-year-old was convicted of offences involving sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15 following a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
He is due to be sentenced on 19 August“
So I checked the BBC website…..and so far…on the Scotland main page and Scottish Politics page there is nowt in relation to this story…..or indeed on the Edinburgh , Fife and East page….STV News have an article today on their website stating that he is to be sentenced today….so what will be the BBC’s report on this be and what will be their headline on this (will their headline include his former party’s name ?)…..
BTW the BBC website today ( on their Scottish Politics page) still had room for yet another ….#SNP-Bad-Ferry-Article , as in an article with a headline “CalMac pays out £460,000 to delayed ferry passengers” (Former Tory MSP and now the Lib Dem transport spokesman, Jamie Greene, “accused the Scottish government of letting the ferry network deteriorate” stated this BBC article.
Also they , the BBC, still had room for a supposed ‘Scottish’ , checks notes, ‘politics’ article, on what is a 3 day old penned article by James Cook on “Sturgeon book reignites trans row with JK Rowling”…..
BBC still lacking due impartiality…..but only receiving warnings and not fines from Ofcom , who are supposed to monitor and regulate their output….and also supposdley punish them appropriately when complaints are made against the BBC, that is if they, the BBC, are found to have broken the rules (which it seems is , as a situation, consistently still happening now in their supposed ‘Scottish’ news output in all of their formats…)………
Aye but we , who support independence, and too the parties who also support it, are somehow seen to be the real Baddies…..
Liz S
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