For years, growing up, I was led to believe that the BBC was some special thing to be revered. I was told that the BBC was a fantastic organisation which this country would be poorer without.
Why was this? Why was I told that? Because unlike other media organisations, the BBC served a public interest and was there to promote that idea.
It didn’t rely on advertisers, so it was not beholden to them. It was not afraid of politicians, and gave all the parties equal scrutiny. It had no agendas. It had no bias. The very nature of the BBC rendered those things impossible. To be there, you had to be neutral, an outstanding professional and thus someone worthy of respect. Because they only hired the best.
When did my eyes get opened? It would have been a politics thing, for sure, way back in the sands of time once I got interested in that stuff. It might have been a book I read called The Propaganda War, about the conflict in Ireland and how the British government used this “neutral” news service to spread misinformation and even outright lies.
In Scottish football terms, 2012 was the year the veil was ripped from a lot of people’s eyes, but my own realisation had come much, much earlier during the reaction to Rangers being penalised by UEFA over the behaviour of their fans.
Listening to the BBC at that time was actually surreal. Half of them didn’t even know what the problem was; that’s when I fully came to the realisation that our “national broadcaster” football department was biased to its core.
Nowadays, the idea that it was ever any different would come as a shock to most people of a certain generation. They’ve grown up knowing exactly what the BBC is, and you look at BBC Scotland, with the shameful role it played during the referendum of 2014 – where it fully lived up to its name as the “British” broadcasting corporation – and the makeup of its sports department you can see just how utterly ridiculous the idea of its neutrality is.
Our long-standing joke, of course, is that you only need one qualification to get a gig at BBC Sports Scotland; some connection with Ibrox. Those who remain of the “professional” punditry are little better though, a mixture of the craven and the corrupted with the exceptions of a tiny handful. One of the most notorious is Tom English. He’s in the news today.
This is a symptom of what ails the BBC in its own right, of course; their journalists are supposed to report on events, not thrust themselves into them.
They are supposed to debate issues, not cause them.
The only side they should be on is the one with the facts on its side. In a professional culture someone like English, with his penchant for stirring and sensationalism – as well as being a moral coward – would never last. Here, he thrives.
Today, his Tweet when Celtic scored their opener was a shocker.
Utterly gormless, utterly uncalled for. Bitchy, snide and just plain nasty, it’s as if the frustration at seeing us get a goal overwhelmed him and provoked him to a reaction that a deep breath might have stopped in its tracks. But this was reflexive, betraying deep rooted feelings.
Everything about that Tweet screams “I am hurting!” From the reference to Livingston’s league position to the bitchy nature of the attack on the fans. At Easter, too. Cause if the descendants of Irish immigrants can’t sing about their country and its history on a day like today, when are we allowed to do it? When this Brit-Nat says so?
Honestly, these people make me want to vomit.
The hypocrisy of them stinks to high heaven. They haven’t changed since that debate on sectarian singing at Ibrox where the Whataboutery was off the charts and some of them were so vocal in demanding to know what the problem was that no less an Ibrox toady than Jim Traynor himself actually asked one of them “Which part of F@@@ The Pope do you not believe is sectarian?”
(The guy he addressed that point to? Gordon Smith, who went on to become CEO at the SFA. Another organisation which never evolved past its employees sending sectarian emails.)
The BBC is a national embarrassment.
The Biased Broadcasting Corporation is right.
BBC billy boys club
Yes, we were brought up being brainwashed that people across Africa [!] tuned
their radios into the BBC World Service, because of it’s quality and impartiality!
All pathetic, propaganda p!sh, we know now.
Yes, some BBC-made, world class dramas did make their mark,
along with anything natural history related with David Attenborough, etc.
But, the News coverage was always compromised / partial – and censored.
Even the advent of Sky news showed just how antiquated BBC News coverage was.
For me, the Saville scandal was the final straw.
It confirmed just how rancid, corrupt and establishment-serving / protecting
the BBC organisation really was.
And, yes, the BBC coverage of the 2014 Referendum was simply shameful.
Haven’t paid the BBC TV Licence Tax since,
[along with millions more?]
The BBC is an embarrassing – and inceasingly obsolete – remnant
of the UK’s murky past,
and a daily reminder that ‘UK democracy’ simply never was – imho.
BBC Scotland, [and not just the footy coverage], is best ignored in its entirety?
Just wait to hear the poisonous singing erupting from Ibrox if Celtic score first or are leading in next week’s derby ? Of course that will be deemed irrelevant to the SMSM nodding dogs ….
@ JC. Totally disagree mate. Always the best way tae shut them up, is go in front. If we get in front, the silence will be deafenin, no their singin. Ye’ll hardly hear a peep out them until if they get back in it. Happens every time. Absolutely never fails.
Personally ah was disappointed, angry at our support myself wi that. Of all the songs they have tae pick after scorin, that was totally unnecessary. Just ma opinion. Tho comin from a double standard, hypocritical, ibrox sniffer like english is somethin else. Chooses tae ignore the repetative bile about the pope and ‘fenians’ and homes in on this. The fact is they’re all gettin severely nervous because we’re havin a bit of form at a crucial time. And btw, EVERYBODY saw that today as a penalty, apart from boyd and muir. Says it all. Never even told Robertson tae check the screen. This is whit we’re up against. Corruption in plain sight. English would dae well tae focus on that.
Agree with that fella. This blog often criticises the IRA chants so we too are hypocrites for calling Tom English out. But I don’t mind as I’ve always seen them as freedom fighters though totally accept some of their victims were innocents and unnecessary targets.
Also worth mentioning though he’ll be singing the praises of the British state terrorist army when they’re firing off canons at the midden next. What a crazy mixed up bag this lovely country has spoiling it. HH
Who is this guy ? – I’ve honestly not heard of him at all…
If he is a BBC Football Worker then why is he not on Sportscene ?
Talking of which they actually said that the penalty Sevco got was never one and two of them ex Rangers (as they were known as then) Huns as well no less and Micheal Stewart said definite penalty today to Celtic which is more that John Bloody Kennedy could muster up to suggest !
If anyone were to doubt this, then this is online from someone who was right in the heart of BBC Scotland in the 1960s.
Archie Macpherson has spoken about arriving at BBC Scotland in the 1960s and thinking it was the 1690s, such was the anti-Catholic, anti-Celtic sentiments that were openly expressed. Did the BBC ever apologise for that?
BBC, like Radio Clyde, is a sess pit of poisonous, pro Ibrox and anti Celtic bile. Another channel riddled with it is Sky. The commentary by Ian
Crocker is slabbering when Sevco play. Contrast the muted microphone when Celtic are on the attack.
@ GM. That’s just rubbish mate. Credit where its due. Ian Crocker is probably the most unbiased commentator you’ll get up here. The guy doesnae even need tae try and sound impartial. If he has any favourite team he does a good job hidin it. Really unfair comment there.
Souper Tom strikes again.
The enemy within are the worst. Another yellow-livered ratbag. You know by the name that his ancestors would have worn a two-tone uniform in Ireland. He knows that his type of creature, a traitor,,would have been knee-capped by the IRA.
The most disturbing for me was when NL was attacked in the public domain and sustained a head injury and they reeled in ex-Chief inspector of police Scotland to their news studio to declare “ he brought it upon himself” I have never recovered my faith in the BBC Scotland ever since…BBC NI would have blushed with that take…As for TE I’m ashamed of my identity known he espouses such narrow minded subliminal bigotry
He is poisonous indeed!
Those who do this are very dangerous.
40 odd thousand singing up to their knees on Sunday before the kick off
and this c*nt and the rest will on there chirping about and how the place is bouncing .
We leave there with 3 points and they’ll turn on their new messiah
He is a nasty piece of work as for the bbc supposed to be neutral they even apologised to *Rangers??for what??also how can Par Bonner and listen to that guff what I find amazing is pundits like Sutton and Hartson who were not born Celtic Fans back the club also criticise when they its needed as we dont want cheerleaders.
Never ever ever let that man near a Celtic game.
Whit this Wanker knows about Fitbaw u could write on the back ae a Postage Stamp!!
How do you know he is a member of the NUJ as I`m sure he will be too bashful to mention it. Did you get it from a “reliable source” at Ibrokes?
Great comment Scud.
Keep it going. You’re playing a blinder.
I agree 100% James, I remember Archie McPherson commenting on this, when he joined the BBC in the 1960s he said he thought it could have been the1690s.
He said there was a clear anti Catholic, anti Celtic ethos there.
Sadly, nothing seems to have changed.
If anyone contacts sky or the BBC to make a complaint or to cancel a subscription.. start with this : a person who is deaf , blind, or disabled and can’t get to matches have to depend on those people to tell the truth…. they CAN’T…..and they are employed by you…sky BBC… shame on you…. Remember they are news outlets people moaning about something they love it…..I don’t think they would like to be associated with hoodwinking the infirm
Although I don’t know which song Tom English is referring to and you don’t mention which one in your article they are plenty of IRA songs that should never be sung at football matches.
Also I am still hearing sectarian singing at Celtic Park every week and you are not commenting on that.
Let’s get our on house in order if you want to be high and mighty and start flinging dirt.
This is FOOTBALL never else do let’s enjoy the football and leave all your other believes at home or somewhere else.
Who isn’t commenting on it? Maybe you’ve missed the dozens of articles I’ve written about it over the years?
Ah, James, you are but a newcomer to the BBC game. Some of us are old enough to remember the mysterious disappearance of the second half goals in the 7-1 game and Jock Stein’s description of their Head of Sport as ‘Blue Peter’ Thomson.
It was ever thus.
That match was actually broadcast by STV. I well remember the late Arthur Montford coming on and stating that they were unable to show the goals as, “the gremlins had got into the camera”. Whereas I have no time for English, I believe James is reading too much into that statement. Why indeed did the support start singing songs about the IRA? We have plenty of good songs to show our support, so let’s knock the IRA songs out of our repertoire.
Very well written, I am sick of the BBC and their
opinionated spew.
I agree 100% about the BBC. I also agree it’s a disgrace our fans singing about the IRA and also anti-orange songs. None of this is welcome.
One hundred percent correct.well done you for saying wot we all know and think ha
While I hear what MarkB and Donnie are saying…There is no way that I can comment as I joined in big time at The Jungle 35/36 years ago when I was a young rebellious adolescent so for me, personally, to lecture anyone on that would make me the biggest hypocrite walking, so my gas is at a peep regarding that alleged songbook at Parkhead for sure…
And there is absolutely no question – The IRA were most DEFINITELY NEEDED to defend their communities in The Six Occupied Counties of The Island of Ireland…
And as being huge supporters of independence for Scotland and Ireland being United, Gaelic, Peaceful and Free, from Brit Colonial Rule And Brutality – These songs of freedom were constantly played in our house as I grew up and still are played in both my house and motor and the family house very regularly as they should be and always will be…
But Aye – It sounds like playing singing them at The Celtic games is proving divisive these days by the looks of things !
Mark b why shouldn’t celtic fans sing about orange ba****ds? They’re everything that is wrong in scottish society. As for ira songs,why shouldn’t or fans sing songs of support for the people brave enough to fight against the tyranny of British rule. Only wish most of scotland would fight as hard against Westminster