# BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode on destruction of wildlife over fear of rightwing backlash **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** documentary-bio\ **Created:** [March 10, 2023, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978 "2023-03-10T17:05:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/1 "2023-03-10T17:05:47Z")
> **[BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of rightwing backlash](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/mar/10/david-attenborough-bbc-wild-isles-episode-rightwing-backlash-fears)** > > Exclusive: Decision to make episode about natural destruction available only on iPlayer angers programme-makers The BBC has really gone downhill, hasn’t it? I remember not that long ago that the BBC censored a documentary about the Indian leader Modi. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/2 "2023-03-10T17:29:06Z")
I used to listen to them all the time 20–25 years ago, when they were the only reliable information I could get living in Russia. Now they’re almost as bad as CNN (which should change the “C” from “Cable” to “Commercial”). ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/3 "2023-03-10T18:03:01Z")
Yes, the BBC has gone downhill. It’s basically a right wing government mouthpiece now. It’s something that the brits treasure as the BBC being independent and unbiased, but it really isn’t anymore. [Here’s a detailed critique of its political panel Question time](https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/politics/an-open-letter-to-the-bbc/). [Laura Kuenssberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Kuenssberg) was the political editor at BBC News for about five years, and mate of our version of TFG (Alexander Johnson). I struggled to find the source for this, but here’s something I had cut and paste on my facebook newfeed about three months ago: " Do you ever wonder why @BBCNews no longer reports the @Conservatives many scandals? Read on… Tim Davie is now the BBC’s Director General. He stood as a councillor for the Conservative Party 93/94, and was deputy chairman of the Hammersmith and Fulham [Conservatives](https://www.facebook.com/conservatives? __cft__ %5B0%5D=AZW3kScO10tN1gHTUfBVEXtapiyMVyHwpqol_5fe50Ii_rwTjpcRR3B1Ee4V-coKk92OOjpr5iyT01X2C4lOPsgTtkcsoZAtynCDnksC_rC_vB3P6uwVP_OUR48OexK7RNjJFEJ4HPg_Ow-71UHEzVjP-NAOzsjg8M0Bcya6SOS8AFkf3qULkIf7F1K5aapLv8s& __tn__ =-%5DK-R) Richard Sharp, new Chairman of the BBC is a major long term Tory donor (400k plus) and was on the board of conservative think tank, the Centre for Policy Studies. His financial ‘assistance’ to Boris Johnson prior to his BBC appointment (on merit I’m sure) is now well known. BBC board member Robbie Gibb is a Brexiteer who has close links to the Conservative party, served as Theresa May’s director of communications, and helped found GB News. Coincidentally (surely?) John McAndrew, the launch director of ‘anti-woke’ GB News has recently been appointed the BBC’s director of news. Johnson had originally wanted his old boss, the former Telegraph editor Charles Moore as chairman of the BBC. Paul Dacre (formerly of the Daily Mail) was repeatedly proposed by Johnson as the new head of OFCOM which has oversight of UK media. Johnson failed in these appts." ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/4 "2023-03-10T18:07:24Z")
Yeah I’m not buying this whole “they feared a right wing backlash” thing. IMO they were told, in no uncertain terms, by someone in the tory administration (possibly a mate/debtor of their chairman) that this episode would displease them so please don’t air it. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/5 "2023-03-10T18:23:30Z")
Gary Lineker, who has been criticising the human rights problems of our current asylum system, has been in effect fired from his football programme, Match of the Day. The BBC is putting out statements that he has decided to step down. He’s made no such statements, and there is claims his replacement is refusing to do it, Iain Wright, to back him up. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/6 "2023-03-10T18:30:36Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > It’s basically a right wing Ha Ha, hilarious, tell me another… Wait, you weren’t actually serious, right? ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/7 "2023-03-10T18:38:06Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > Ha Ha, hilarious, tell me another… Well, I stated who is in charge it. What do you have? The Chairman of the BBC facilitated an £800,000 loan for Boris Johnson and has not stepped down. I don’t find that hilarious like you seem to. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/8 "2023-03-10T18:42:34Z")
There is also the double standard of Alan Sugar (the businessman who does Trumps job on the Apprentice in the UK for those that don’t know). He regularly pontificates his right wing views in the tory tabloids, but still gets to keep his job as a presenter on the BBC. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/9 "2023-03-10T18:53:04Z")
The problem with the Lineker comment was that he compared the government to Nazi Germany. This is not generally acceptable. Many people think that the BBC is a left-wing propaganda outlet. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/10 "2023-03-10T19:00:22Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > The problem with the Lineker comment was that he compared the government to Nazi Germany. This is not generally acceptable. How is this not acceptable? He made a comment in his own time. Plenty of other right wing presenters say right wing things in their own time. Here’s the Express, one of the nuttiest of the right wing newspapers pretending Laura Kuenssberg never says such things, yet [She does.](https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1219927/BBC-Laura-Kuenssberg-Remainers-Brexit-Brexitcast-latest-news) And that. Was. The. Political. Editor. Of. BBC. News. She was offered a job as PR for Boris Johnson before she took that job, but took the Political Editor job instead. > [@](#): > > Many people think that the BBC is a left-wing propaganda outlet. They are wrong. Perhaps they WERE right 20 years ago. Not now. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/11 "2023-03-10T19:25:09Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Many people think that the BBC is a left-wing propaganda outlet. Many people? Do _you_ think that the BBC is a left-wing propaganda outlet? ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/12 "2023-03-10T19:27:19Z")
Damn, this reminds me back then in America if you called Obama or Bush Hitler you got fired from your job. Now if you call Trump or Biden Hitler you get hired to a job! ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/13 "2023-03-10T19:28:36Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Many people? It seems a phrase used by TFG over there in the US. “Many people believe I’m the best president ever, still am, better than Washington”. It means nobody does. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/14 "2023-03-10T19:33:00Z")
Neither is even remotely true. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/15 "2023-03-10T22:22:15Z")
> According to a 2018 poll by BMG Research of 1,004 British adults, just 37% of people thought the BBC was impartial. > > The survey found that people ranked both ITV and Channel 4 above the BBC when assessing a broadcaster’s impartiality. > > The perceived partiality of the BBC comes from both sides of the political spectrum. 22% of respondents in the BMG study believed the BBC to favour left-wing views, while 18% perceived a bias towards the right. Opinions likewise differ among differing demographics. Those over 50 are more likely to view the BBC as being to prone to promoting liberal values, whereas younger audiences view the broadcaster as conforming to a more conservative establishment. > **[Examples of a Biased BBC: Is the BBC biased? - Politics.co.uk](https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/bbc-bias/)** > > An overview of the various accusations of political bias made against the BBC, including the history of the claims, and the various different forms they take. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/16 "2023-03-10T22:37:03Z")
I see you already forgotten Hank Williams Jr ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/17 "2023-03-10T22:44:34Z")
1. Disgusting and stupid of the BBC. 2. I’m glad to learn there is another special from Attenborough. I’ll be watching. ---
**Author:** ![nicky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@nicky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicky)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/18 "2023-03-10T23:37:34Z")
All the other football pundits have backed Lineker. This weeks MotD will have no presenters or analysis. ---
**Author:** ![nicky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@nicky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicky)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/19 "2023-03-10T23:55:03Z")
“There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the '30s.” Lineker’s tweet ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978/20 "2023-03-11T14:33:15Z")
Just in case you are still toeing the party line about impartiality, like the Lineker fiasco, here’s: [The bbc defending Fiona Bruce](https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/bbc-defends-fiona-bruce-for-question-time-intervention-amid-accusations-host-trivialised-domestic-abuse-4060233) after she defending Boris Johnson’s father punching his wife as it only happening the once. THIS COMMENT WAS ON AIR. Stanley Johnson is also in the ludicrous position of being nominated for a Knighthood by his horrible son. Do you think she will be presenting Question Time next week? You betcha. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbc-will-not-broadcast-attenborough-episode-on-destruction-of-wildlife-over-fear-of-rightwing-backlash/980978.md?page=2)