News

Here is a quick run through of the people that control / run important news publications in The United Kingdom

Helen Boaden, director at the BBC has been accused of bias in the BBC by The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Mail and The Express.
This is a quote from a blog written by Helen Boaden, “According to the Mail on Sunday, and other recent press reports, we have admitted (the BBC) that we are an organisation of trendy, left leaning liberals.” This is in response of reports from The Mail on Sunday and other press reports that the BBC held a ‘secret’ meeting to discuss impartiality.
In Helen Boaden blog she refutes these claims by saying ‘this meeting was streamed live to the web.’
When asked what she (Helen Boaden) considered what impartiality at the BBC meant, this is what she said, “We don’t take sides either explicitly or implicitly. We test all opinion toughly but fairly and let the audience make up their own minds.”
Here are a few examples of headlines from The Mail online accusing the BBC of various matters...
“Is the ‘biased’ BBC now trying to cosy up to the Coalition? Corporation lets slip notes for meeting at No. 10.”
“BBC turns its back on year of our Lord: 2,000 years of Christianity for politically correct common era.”
It seems strange to me that an obviously ‘biased newspaper’ is calling a news corporation that strives for neutrality and impartiality biased?

ITV news is run by ITN. ITN also provide content for Channel 4, Yahoo, YouTube, MSN, mobile phone operators and Telegraph media group. ITN is owned by 4 different corporations. Its most significant share holder is ITV plc, which owns a 40% stake. The ITV chairman is Archie Norman, a former Conservative MP. Another 20% is owned by DMGT (Daily Mail General Trust),
Associated papers to the DMGT are, The Daily Mail (of course), The Mail on Sunday and The Metro, to name but a few. The Daily Mail traditionally supports the Conservative party, although it did back Tony Blair’s ‘New Labour’ in the 2001 election. Both Thomson reuters and UBM own a 20% share in ITN.
News Corporation hold a 7.5 % stake in ITV plc.

(I am sure I have heard their name before)

News Corporation is a multi-national media conglomerate, whose chairman is Rupert Murdoch.
Here is a quick list of some of the news publications news corporation own; The Sun, The Times, Fox news and Sky News (there are many more).
Since 1990 News corporation has made 54.3 % of it’s donations to the Republican party and since 2000 55% of donations have been made to the Republican party.

The Sun is currently a supporter of the Conservative party, although has supported Labour. The paper was loyal to Margret Thatcher, right up until her resignation. The paper switched to ‘New Labour’ in 97 and continued support throughout the ‘Blair years’. In 2005 the Sun vowed to give Tony Blair one last chance. In 2007 when Gordon Brown succeeded Tony Blair in leading the Labour and also the government, The Sun became increasingly critical of him and his policies. The Sun switched back to the Conservatives in 2009.

The times is a traditional supporter of the Conservatives. It did however support Tony Blair in the 2001 and 2005 general elections. In the 2010 general election it showed its support for the Conservatives once again.

Many people have accused Fox News of being biased. The News channel slogan ‘Fair and balanced’ was used in the subtitle for Al Franken’s book; ‘Lie’s and the lying liars who tell them: A Fair and balanced look at the right.’ In the book he claims Fox News to be biased.

Sky News has also been accused of bias, mostly due to it’s connection to Rupert Murdoch and News Corp. It is regulated by OF com. OF com received complaints about the lack of neutrality ahead of the 2010 general election. OF com also received 696 complaints in regards to Adam Boulton’s conduct during an interview with Alistair Campbell on Sky News.