BBC under comes under continued criticism in Scotland

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster, with its headquarters at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London. It is principally funded by an annual television licence fee which is compulsory and charged to all British households, companies, and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts. The BBC has faced  accusations regarding its bias coverage of many topics. Despite being publicly funded and claims of being 'balanced' it is certainly not impartial or neutral.

Amongst the many criticisms levelled at the BBC was accusations of being pro- "unionist" in relation to its coverage of the Scottish independence referendum. Since that time feelings of discontent towards the broadcaster among independence supporters about bias have continued. This criticism is justified. The BBC’s failure to report on local pro independence marches across Scotland, organised by All Under One Banner are an example. However, its not just its own bias coverage that has exposed the BBC. It also recently targeted the YouTube channel run by Scottish independence blogger Wings Over Scotland. Which was closed down by YouTube after BBC Scotland complaints about breaches of copyright. The storm of protest that followed saw the the BBC withdrawing its objections and prompted YouTube to reinstate the channel.

What has been obvious to many people in Scotland for many years, is also also becoming clearer to others outside of Scotland who are forced to pay the BBC licence fee. BBC news coverge is not balanced and fair and there are many examples. Clearly a pro-monarchist institution; its coverage of the recent marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was so sycophantic it was painful to watch. Its other news coverage is equally annoying. Not least the weeks of airtime given by the BBC focusing on an obsessive analysis of everything British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has ever said about Israel. There was nothing proportionate or balanced in this coverage. Criticism of some actions carried out by the state of Israel by Jeremy Corbyn is valid and should be heard. He should not be hounded by the BBC who are being over influenced by certain interest groups who do not like his views.

The credibility of the BBC is coming under increasing scrutiny inside and outside of Scotland. An example of this are official figures that show their flagship 'Today' news programme’s loss of more than 800,000 listeners this year. It is now time to end the BBC Licence Fee and people should not be forced to pay this unjustified tax to a bias broadcaster.