Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Cannabis use by Scotland’s teens – Lisa Summer’s deliberate attempt at obfuscation or just clumsy?

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By stewartb The availability of the cannabis use statistic for Scotland may be very ‘fortuitous’ for the headline writer of the BBC News website’s article on Scotland. The same website’s piece on its main UK page which focuses on England tells us: ‘NO DATA ON CANNABIS WAS PROVIDED FOR ENGLAND.’ (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68884005) The article on England now only has prominence on the BBC News website’s ‘health’ page. At the bottom of the article, the BBC provides links to ‘related topics’ which include ‘alcohol’ and ‘cannabis’. The BBC News website’s article on the same WHO data remains prominent on the main Scotland page (at … Continue reading Cannabis use by Scotland’s teens – Lisa Summer’s deliberate attempt at obfuscation or just clumsy?

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Nearly a third more likely to vote SNP after Greens split and hardly any less likely

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I know, this is not a credible sample upon which to base any confident conclusions but it’s still, in its limited way, interesting as it reinforces my gut feelings and those of everyone I’ve spoken to today. First off, I have a lot of respect for the Greens, particularly Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater. I agree with many Green policies, often to the left of the SNP, with me, on social and economic affairs, and I was in favour of the power sharing, but the media have exploited the fault lines between the two parties and the at times naive … Continue reading Nearly a third more likely to vote SNP after Greens split and hardly any less likely

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Encouraging research reveals Scotland not ‘worst in world’ for teen drinking and smoking but England might be

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By Professor John Robertson In the Guardian today, there’s some pretty bad news in the above graph regarding England’s 15 year-old girls, with a sharp increase from 2018 in the percentage having smoked. There’s some but far less so for Scotland, as our 15 year-old boys and girls, reveal a slight fall to stay significantly below the average in this WHO survey of 280 000 children in 48 countries . For alcohol consumption by 13 year-old boys, the picture in Scotland is very positive with a significant fall from 2018 in the percentage having drunk alcohol. For girls there is … Continue reading Encouraging research reveals Scotland not ‘worst in world’ for teen drinking and smoking but England might be

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‘Don’t forget to use a photo of the minister which is as unflattering as possible’

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By stewartb It’s not hard to imagine a regular editorial meeting in Pacific Quay every weekday at c. 1600 hours with a single agenda item: to review the latest Scottish Government press releases (they appear each day at around this time). Might it go something like this? “We’re here to rank the latest SNP press releases for likely attractiveness to voters. For those attending this meeting for the first time, the most attractive are the ones we ignore – obviously.” “Next, let’s rank the latest releases for their potential for .. well I suppose for shorthand we can call it … Continue reading ‘Don’t forget to use a photo of the minister which is as unflattering as possible’

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BBC Scotland and newspapers hide official evidence that thousands more taxpayers have moved to Scotland from the rest of the UK.

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By Professor John Robertson In the National today: SCOTLAND’S annual net migration from the rest of the UK has continued to grow, with more people coming in to the country than leaving, figures show. The latest figures from National Records Scotland (NRS) show that since 2010, Scotland’s annual net migration from the rest of the UK increased from 2909 to 8914. In 2021, inflow from the rest of the UK was 14,400 higher (+34%) than the previous year, while 8900 more people moved to Scotland from the rest of the UK than left. https://www.thenational.scot/news/24006417.scotlands-net-migration-rest-uk-continues-grow/ Tonight, STV covered the story at some length, opening with: Thousands … Continue reading BBC Scotland and newspapers hide official evidence that thousands more taxpayers have moved to Scotland from the rest of the UK.

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More news you won’t hear – New £49 million, Scottish Government-funded terminal to enhance island life and economy

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By Professor John Robertson From the Scottish Government today and, of course, utterly ignored by ‘your’ media in Scotland: A Scottish Government-backed deep-water terminal which will support future renewable energy developments and cruise ship opportunities on the Western Isles has been officially handed over to operators by Deputy First Minister Shona Robison.  Ms Robison toured the new Stornoway deep-water terminal to mark the end of the construction phase. It has delivered a new terminal with a cruise ship berthing facility capable of accommodating vessels more than 1,000 feet long (330 metres) and a new deep-water dock for large cargo vessels, … Continue reading More news you won’t hear – New £49 million, Scottish Government-funded terminal to enhance island life and economy

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News you won’t hear – Scottish Government help with infant food insecurity

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No exploitative baby photos required, just facts: While BBC Scotland, uniquely among BBC England, Wales and Northern Ireland, concentrate on a Leeds University report on food insecurity, utterly blind to the facts about much lower child poverty in Scotland and SNP initiatives such as the world-leading Child Payment, from the Scottish Government today, but widely ignored: A toolkit for people working with families with infants at risk of food insecurity is promoting cash first responses to allow them to safely, responsively and appropriately feed their babies and helping towards reducing the need for food banks. Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “All children … Continue reading News you won’t hear – Scottish Government help with infant food insecurity

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Sunak’s childcare scheme struggles, Starmer refuses to pledge support and Scottish scheme reporting no problems

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By Professor John Robertson From the Guardian today, the above, and: The deployment of the government’s childcare scheme to tens of thousands more families is facing “significant uncertainties” and may struggle to meet its own targets, according to a report by Whitehall’s spending watchdog. The National Audit Office revealed the Department for Education (DfE) had assessed the likelihood of being able to deliver the funded childcare places it promised for September 2024 and 2025 as “amber/red problematic”. Even if the government managed to successfully navigate the multiple difficulties ahead, it was not clear whether the policy would achieve its primary aim of … Continue reading Sunak’s childcare scheme struggles, Starmer refuses to pledge support and Scottish scheme reporting no problems

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So I have a master plan – Instead of the BBC having to have a Verify Unit and BBC Corrections…..how about just employing people who can actually do the job?

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By NMRN Guess what I found in BBC Corrections & Clarifications page.. BBC Scotland Radio and online, 2 & 3 April 2024 “In BBC Scotland’s coverage of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, reference was made in some of our output to the Act making it a criminal offence in Scotland to make “derogatory comments” based on the protected characteristics of age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or being intersex. This was inaccurate and we should have referred to the Act creating a new crime where it is an offence if someone communicates material or behaves … Continue reading So I have a master plan – Instead of the BBC having to have a Verify Unit and BBC Corrections…..how about just employing people who can actually do the job?

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Food poverty – Only BBC Scotland reports Leeds University research and then distorts it for your harm

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By Professor John Robertson So, new research out from Leeds University on BBC Reporting Scotland, to tell us First, all about the struggles of the above North Ayrshire mother. Why North Ayrshire? This: According to a new study, North Ayrshire is the area of Scotland where people are most likely to need help to put food on the table. BBC analysis of research from Leeds University and the consumer group Which? looked at 363 councils across the UK, assessing neighbourhoods on measures such as distance to large supermarkets, the number of families on free school meals and households in food … Continue reading Food poverty – Only BBC Scotland reports Leeds University research and then distorts it for your harm