BBC News, Compassionate – Or Inappropriate?

I have a lot of time for BBC News, it is my go-to place for facts about world headlines, this despite it often being criticised by both ends of the political spectrum as being biased towards the other point of view.

The BBC usually gets its facts right, NF story being a rare exception, and to be honest I would prefer them to report the news rather than trying to make it, which now appears to be a trend in all media outlets.

They have always held the government to account, no matter what political party, Conservative or Labour. I do believe they are slightly left of centre with their reporting, despite what some may say and I feel their journalists and correspondents should focus slightly more on the things they do well.

They are when all said and done a worldwide respected News Outlet, recognised for its impartiality when reporting globally.

Yesterday though, I was rather surprised at their extended reporting of the sad death of GA on the News at 10 pm. Now don’t get me wrong, it is evident that he was a true humanitarian, a man with great empathy, modest, a gentleman and a true friend to those that knew him and someone that championed the issues of race.

But the 10 pm News programme is for reporting the worldwide news stories of the day and while it merited inclusion, I felt that ITV reporting of the great man with a two-minute report was commensurate with his stature and the rest of the day’s news.

The BBC though allocated 15 minutes of a half hour programme to him. He clearly was a great role model and friend to the News Team, but half the programme, seemed to me rather disproportionate.

They will have other opportunities to reflect on his achievements and good nature, but his death was not the greatest shock as he had been suffering with bowl cancer since 2014.

On the same day though, a man who also brought great joy to many, and possibly more than GA, and who was also a humble and knowledgeable sportsman, who was the first Million Pound Footballer died suddenly. TF’s death was sudden and tragic, and ITV reported this in a similar way to that which they had reported GA parting, with a two-minute tribute, it was appropriate and respectful.

The BBC report of TF death was 22 seconds long.

So I ask was the BBC being justifiably being compassionate to a colleague, or was it disproportionately long and inappropriate, especially when you consider their reporting of TF death. I will let you draw your own conclusion.

But in my mind, they forgot, not for the first time, what they are supposed to do, report the World News clearly and concisely. This being not too dissimilar as ITV reported the two events within their News programme last night.

BBC News, I suggest should report the news first, and leave the compassion and opinion for another day, but maybe I’m just becoming an old cynic…..