BBC News Reminds Me of Soviet TV. I Don't Watch MSM Television News

Peter Hitchens tells us what media he no longer watches or listens to.
Watch Peter's full interview with us here: • Starmer is a Far Left ...

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[@EricTViking]

The BBC can't even publish a weather map without making it political.

[@pigknickers2975]

That should be a ludicrous joke, but somehow it is completely true.

[@anglerfish1001]

Eric. This comment sums them up.

[@benhamilton5692]

'Political' - false/ fraudulent reporting 45 mph winds when truth is 15 mph.

[@stevev238]

That would have made a great Monty Python sketch, and as I type I remember the Alas Smith and Jones sketch where candidates were promising better weather if elected.

[@HowardKlein1958]

Beats me what the point is of tv weather. We can all see weather on our phone and its specific to our onw town.

[@martakoltuniuk8408]

I'm from Poland and I'm old enough to know communist's propaganda. From my point of view the BBC perfectly fits in that genre. I wanted to explain to my English colleagues but they didn't get it and just laughed. No funny now?

[@davey1602]

Many are still brainwashed, especially the older generation who had years of subtle programming and wouldn't dream of stopping their TV licence. George Orwell's 2 minutes of hate happened when Nigel Farage was assaulted and gleefully lapped up by the baying mob on social media.

[@clemfandango619]

Sounds familiar. Poles and other groups who lived under communism can see this nonsense a mile off.

[@draoi99]

Let me have a guess. The reason it reminds you of communist propaganda is because it presents viewers with an image of their country that bears no relation to reality?

[@mrsteve170]

They have no idea how brainwashed they are.

[@T0NYD1CK]

Many years ago, when Poland was part of the USSR, I had a Polish lecturer at college. Obviously, as students who knew everything, we laughed at him being a Communist and falling for all the Russian propaganda. He told us that we were not exempt in the UK. He said the BBC spins stuff constantly. At that time there were many changes of government in South America. He told us to look out for the words the BBC used to describe the new government. Did it call it a government or a regime or possibly even a junta? If the BBC called it a government that meant it was officially approved of. Any other name meant it was not officially approved of. Shortly afterwards, I heard an account of the nasty Ruskies causing some violent incident on the BBC but shortly afterwards I happened to be playing with a radio that could receive "short wave" transmissions. The same incident was related by an English-speaking Russian news outlet and I recognised the events but the blame had magically completely reversed. Who to believe?

[@oliverreno4734]

The other taboo subject that Hitchens will refrain from talking about, but one that undoubtably he hasn't missed, is the 'DEI diversification' of TV/Radio presenters. With the exception of perhaps John Snow and David Attenborough, every single presenter that you see on television is either; a woman, a queer/gay, or an ethnic minority, or a mixture of the three. If you occasionally see a white man, he's usually neurodivergent, never left alone to actually present the program, and often outflanked and dominated by co-hosts of the previous characteristics that I just described. The need to constantly interject the opinions of a tiny minority of people onto the airwaves that has little to no reflection of the views of ordinary British people becomes more intrusive year-after-year. Last week, whilst watching Spring Watch, unbelievably, they hosted a diversity segment about ethnic minorities in the countryside, and cut to live footage of some black guy rapping in a middle of a wood. Despite being an affront to the senses, what on EARTH does spitting out thuggish lyrics over a beat have ANYTHING to do with the countryside or nature?

[@terencewhite8105]

Totally agree,and what about advertising on the media and papers,is there not a white family in this country

[@oliverreno4734]

@@terencewhite8105 Exactly. Every single advert features a race-mixed family, most of the time a black man with a white woman, and 2-3 half caste children. If you'd only watch television, you'd think that 90% of relationships are interracial. All of it is sinister piffle.

[@oliverreno4734]

@@terencewhite8105 *I keep trying to reply to this comment, but they're being deleted the moment I post them. Exactly. Every family that you see on a TV advert is usually either ethnic or mixed-race, with usually a black/asian man with a white woman accompanied by 2-3 coloured children. If you only watched television, you'd think that 90% of relationships in Britain are mixed.

[@incurableromantic4006]

I notice this on the rare occasion I see TV advertising - you'd think Britain was majority black.

[@gunternetzer9621]

These people have been completely captured by their own ideology to the point where common sense has gone out of the window.

[@madplanet3351]

The BBC is part of the reason we cancelled our TV licence and the sky viewing package. Life is so much better without the TV.

[@solariss452]

me too.

[@fredforsythe8310]

"I don't take my news from MSM for the same reason I don't eat my meals out of the toilet." Roger Stone.

[@davidk7262]

Hahaha what a stand up chap he is!

[@Oflaherty86]

Could easily be reversed, so not exactly a zinger.

[@TheGamesEmporium]

Not fit for purpose. That news reader giving the finger to the audience shows how low it has sunk.

[@user-ed7st7mm4z]

What a stupid thing to say. There was no finger to the audience but a joke amongst the crew during the countdown before going live backfired. Great TV if you ask me but then I have noticed people on the right do not have a great if any sense of humour

[@pooooornopigeon]

​@@user-ed7st7mm4zNice assumption.

[@paulrobinson373]

@@user-ed7st7mm4z Suppose your sense of humour was off the chart's when the BBC script of the fall of building seven was read out 30 minute's too early? My how we laughed 🤡

[@martinjohnson9316]

@@user-ed7st7mm4z You obviously move in the wrong circles then. You must be a BBC producer.

[@user-ed7st7mm4z]

Well one tries one's best I suppose

[@johnfrancis4401]

I suffer from hypertension. I cannot watch or listen to the BBC

[@DerekLangdon]

Get some blood pressure medication then you fool!!!

[@mbroitt]

As a former soviet citizen i concur!

[@Marc-io8qm]

They hate white British and are constantly injecting guilt to reduce challenges to the population replacement and genocide underway. It is happening all across the West (even Down Under) all at the same time. It is overtly coordinated and WW3 is essentially the governments vs traditional European whites now. Evil.

[@davey1602]

His brother Christopher was once asked if he kept up with the tabloids and he replied "only to find out what everyone was thinking". It seemed a tad snobbish at the time, but absolutely spot on in today's climate.

[@peterfrance702]

Not quite right. One only attends to MSM these days to find out what they want us to think. It stretches my credulity to imagine they actually believe the material themselves.

[@sue.F]

The are slipping, now it is to find out what they *want* everyone to think.

[@alanaustin9664]

FEED PEOPLE SHITE , PEOPLE BELIEVE SHITE .. his brother knows what he knows but neither are saints ..in the mix ..both are guilty of stirring the swirl

[@leoncsorba9085]

Ditched the licence 4 years ago when the bbc turned into a soviet republic.

[@marcothorsen950]

The BBC TV LICENCE.. 😂 What is that all about.. ??

[@alanaustin9664]

Wear your mask , stay 6 feet apart and queue up for your vaccine !! Big brother ain't your friend 👍

[@HowardKlein1958]

That was the same time i did it too. The lies and extreme bias of 2020 was unbelievable. Never forget Susan Miche in SAGE. Expert in behavioural compliance and life long member of the British Communist party. What the hell was she doing anywhere near uk government?

[@scoppio07]

@@alanaustin9664 Soon, we won't even be able to get a bet down as Nanny is after the betting industry - for our own good, you understand.

[@alanaustin9664]

@@scoppio07 I think that is already the case . I attempted to join half a dozen online sites 2 months back . I've been cancelled .

[@Bill_Bassett2423]

A vote for conservative is a vote for labour, VOTE REFORM UK.

[@bv3bv334]

👍👊💪 GO NIGE !!!!

[@alh915]

How does that work then? A vote for a party that has no chance of getting in as against a party that has some chance of getting in to stop Labour getting in.

[@jt5765]

​@@alh915 the conservatives are cooked dude. They've let us down too many times & most recently done so with a big majority which should've made policy & law making straightforward. There's an entire subsection of society that flat out refuse to vote Tory anyway due to the Thatcher years. A new right of centre party without any of that baggage is needed. Vote REFORM UK 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿💪🏻♥️🙏

[@bv3bv334]

@@alh915 You do realise Sunak has finally sunk the good ship Tory? The polls tell us that.

[@alh915]

@@jt5765 I'm not disputing that, it's the logic of thinking a vote for Reform will have any greater chance of stopping Labour. The only way to stop Labour is to vote for whichever party in your constituency has the best chance of defeating the Labour candidate. Hold your nose and vote. Dude🤔

[@barriewilliams4526]

The BBC is a surviving dinosaur, long past it's live by date!

[@maxwest6595]

Expiry date

[@insertnamehere5146]

if Labour get in, they will give it a license to carry on as usual. Expect to see a big push for the Labour Party on the BBC

[@stephenford2758]

@@insertnamehere5146 The BBC was made as a Nationalised by A tory government of 1927

[@swaldron5558]

True mate

[@JamJam0189]

@@insertnamehere5146 The BBC Chairman is a Tory, most of the management are Tory, the way Corbyn was treated by the BBC shows they are not even left-wing never mind socialist or communist which are two different things. The New Culture Forum is very right wing shady organisation backed by some big businesses and tax avoiders who loved Liz Truss' damaging budget.

[@robo6548]

Used to religiously watch HIGNFY, QT, NewsNight, C4 News, BBC News and listen to BBC Radio 4. In the last 5 years all became unbearable and stopped.

[@larrydickman5936]

C4 News has gone so downhill recently, and QT fell from the late 90s.

[@annal2740]

Same. C4 News was the last to go, but it became so woke it was unwatchable.

[@helengraham7472]

Join the club!

[@anorthernsoul5600]

You did well to last that long.

[@davidbrims5825]

Stopped watching C4 news when Jon Snow took over from Peter Sissons, I noticed a shift from reporting the news to advocacy ‘’journalism.’’

[@janinak6320]

Don't always agree with this gentleman but he's definitely right on this one.

[@mr.mayhem7402]

I stopped watching TV generally, but the News in particular, many years ago and pretty much read most of the time. That's been one benefit of making TV unwatchable.

[@gunternetzer9621]

I stopped watching it in 2009.

[@lorrainebrown7263]

Yes we don’t watch television news - certainly not the BBC.

[@neal.karn-jones]

I put all of the BBC channels on the "Do Not Recommend Channel" list. That way none of their garbage even appears in my suggestions.

[@steveg4334]

Me too. Just tune them out.

[@2935441]

Glad to know that Mr. Hitchens is heading toward shouting at the radio. I think he is in good company.

[@aeroearth]

"BBC News Reminds Me of Soviet TV" That's because both are run by the same people....

[@davidbrims5825]

The bagel people….

[@Rotellian]

What is almost unbelievable is the number of people I see who claim the BBC is biased to the right. 😂

[@youngmeldrew]

I've met a few like that and come to the conclusion that they're either being dishonest or are so far to the left that their world view is seriously distorted.

[@adrianfielding4678]

The are many comments here that are suggesting the BBC is biased to the left. If the BBC is being criticised by the left for being too far right and by the right for being too far left it is reasonable to conclude it is walking a path between the two and exploring both.

[@user-lt9py2pu6u]

I saw Nick Robinson interview Jeremy Corbyn a while back. He showed him total deference and was very polite when he asked his questions. The left claimed this was Tory bias. Now look at how people on the right are treated by BBC presenters, questions are almost shouted at them, they are repeatedly interrupted by the presenter when trying to answer and the presenters often try to put words in their mouths or change the question. Now if that isn't showing political bias I don't know what is. The lefties are only interested in hearing their political views, the very act of questioning them is perceived as right wing political bias even more so if the person being asked a question can't answer it. When I was younger I was more of a lefty than anything else but I saw through them, a lot of them are really very insecure people unable to think for themselves who walk around with very large chips on their shoulders. That's why they are so easily indoctrinated. The fact that hard line socialism has basically failed everywhere it has been tried seems to escape them as does the fact that since the capitalist West moved in a more woke left leaning direction it too began to fail.

[@jrd33]

The BBC has many biases which include a bias towards the Establishment. This is often seen as supporting the Government, and when the Government is Conservative the BBC is accused of parroting Government policy. I think it's more the case that the BBC only challenges the Government when the Government wants to do something the BBC doesn't agree with. Of course, a properly run BBC would not have its own opinions, but we're not getting back to that any time soon.

[@stewartellinson8846]

everyone thinks the BBC is biased and that's how we know it's not. What's amazing here is the level of paranoid delusional nonsense.

[@macmcc3201]

Haven't owned a TV for 8 yrs, no FB, Instagram , X or Tik Tok. I know excantly what is happening in the world 😊

[@christophercleary6780]

I'm guessing you have youtube then? 🙄

[@arthuroldale-ki2ev]

12 years me! radio fixed to only receive BBC 3. now they have dumbed it down, I just threw out the whole set. Now I have just my laptop and CD player. I have not turned into a pillar of salt!

[@JoseDiaz-so6hf]

But you have internet and KZbin. Duh!

[@njd2342]

excantly? Sounds quaintly medieval.

[@davidmcintyre998]

Binned TV in 2013 and have never missed it, watch youtube but thats more and more censorious and toxic.

[@briansayle7575]

for the sake of your children and grand chilren, dont vote labour

[@davidmcintyre998]

They will and in two years we will be in chaos and the Conservatives are simply jumping of the gravy boat after allowing a invasion far more dangerous than Guthrams ever was.

[@PhilMaiden]

NEVER watch BBC or sky news, ever.

[@arbalestier]

Don't watch any news or read any newspapers. Keep your mind uncluttered. If it is important enough you'll hear about it.

[@annal2740]

Same.

[@maxwest6595]

I only listen to news on the radio or read it online, but hardly ever via an online newspaper or the bbc website

[@JackGreen-gh6sw]

Get your household to vote REFORM

[@evilroman1sobieski756]

I used to go to Poland with my parents every year for 6 weeks in the summer from 1966 to 1980. My family constantly kept me informed on how to behave and what to say and not say out in public. This was done in an effort to help me avoid having trouble with the communist authorities whom controlled the country from the end of WW2. Having been brought up in England through the sixties to eighties where freedom of speech and expression were the norm It really hit home the differences of everyday life and I learned to appreciate my good fortune of living in the UK and the freedoms I took for granted. The changes that have occurred in UK society in the last 20 years bring back those memories of times spent with my family back home and I am sorry to say that with the creeping restriction of people's freedoms, and right to voice strongly held opinions in England give me the same feelings that had all those years ago in communist Poland. Much in the way that Peter Hichens finds that watching a national News Channel in the UK reminds him of broadcasts made in the communist Soviet Union.

[@JamJam0189]

The BBC Chairman is a Tory, most of the management are Tory, the way Corbyn was treated by the BBC shows they are not even left-wing never mind socialist or communist which are two different things. The New Culture Forum is very right wing shady organisation backed by some big businesses and tax avoiders who loved Liz Truss' damaging budget.

[@davelewis7098]

Thankyou for as always a very valued opinion 🙏 God bless common folk

[@JamJam0189]

Common folk! Peter Hitchens is a very rich privately educated man not a common man. The BBC Chairman is a Tory, most of the management are Tory, the way Corbyn was treated by the BBC shows they are not even left-wing never mind socialist or communist which are two different things. The New Culture Forum is very right wing shady organisation backed by some big businesses and tax avoiders who loved Liz Truss' damaging budget.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

Stopped watching BBC in 2019. I did a survey of Radio 4 output for one month in 2022. Randomly turning the radio on five times a day to see what was being discussed. The results were ; Race and slavery 30% Climate change 24% Gender issues 21% All other matters and Sport 25%.

[@stewartellinson8846]

except it wasn't a random sample. perhaps if you knew what a random sample was you'd understand why yours wasn't.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

@@stewartellinson8846 I didn't say it was a random sample. I said my survey was done by my randomly turning the radio on. Usually five times a day between 7.30 am and 10.30pm.

[@stewartellinson8846]

So that's not random. It's opportunistic.

[@ShanghaiRooster]

@@stewartellinson8846 It's only opportunistic if he was aware of what was on Radio 4 at the time the radio went on. If it went on during known news bulletins or shows then yes, the method is flawed as the BBC tends to put the same reports on throughout a day. I once happened to catch the very same report on Radio 4 in the morning and then on the 10 O'Clock News on TV that same night. The script was identical.

[@josso1]

So I'm 32 now I and I guess I've watched Have I got News for You for 20 years, recently I did have to stop finally because what they were doing had become so overt and sycofantic. Because of the hiring based on race and other immutable characteristics meritocracy went out the window and some guests were so unfunny they only had two lines edited into the show. The other thing is the little rants and strange "gotcha" moments that end up in the edits, the huge applause from what is clearly a liberal inner city audience who don't realise there's a whole world that exists outside their particular perception of the world. Anyway: diatribe over, used to love HIGNFY :(

[@maxwest6595]

I'm 43 and stopped watching when they had Alistair Campbell as guest host. Blair's chief propagandist presenting a satirical quiz show?

[@walterz77]

It was good when Angus was the host.

[@josso1]

@@walterz77 I always thought what he did was unethical but not actually grounds for kicking him off the show, regardless that was a hilarious episode when he came back and was relentlessly mocked

[@rogeralsop3479]

Excellent two men.

[@augustinbelza2418]

Stopped watching news programmes about 5 years ago as it became clear that bias was involved in everything that is said.

[@threethrushes]

I threw out the TV in 1998.

[@adamcrookedsmile]

BBC: when rioters are called protesters

[@LtD973]

And HAMAS a government prescribed terrorist organisation are called groups.

[@emmettoliver]

The Reform Party have scored a massive own goal by bringing in Charlie " personally I think if your not vaccinated you should be able to walk the street " Mullins... aka Poundland Rod Stewart

[@camriley]

And where is Ben Habib?

[@showyourworkingout2023]

AKA Sh*t Rod

[@mannie7028]

@@camrileyindeed, where is Ben? Thought last week, we were missing his logic. Hope he’s ok? Perhaps just on holiday at the wrong time 🙄🤣

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

Is that really any different though from Farage wanting Blair back as some sort of V program rollout Czar and Tice and Dr. Bull calling for mandates on carehome and NHS workers?

[@AntonHu]

Mullons is not standing as a Reform MP, and his money is as good as anyone's, provided he doesn't expect to have any influience on policy.

[@paulcalver7514]

I now watch football with the sound off. The commentary has become horrendously political and depressing.

[@joedellamura9015]

Same here !

[@stanleybuchan4610]

I do. Especially with a woman commentator screeching at you.

[@katieevans6017]

then there are the women pundits BB at half time like Lineker... sacking her would be the best thing the BBC could do.

[@MonaLisa-lu8zi]

This is a most interesting comment. Recently I invited a male to an interview event. I considered it a social outing for him. Afterwards many people commented he was the only educated person interviewed. Many of the others interviewed had education also but it was obvious that he shone out. Guess what, he reads alot, thinks alot and he is deaf.

[@alanevans9604]

Lineker is unbearable

[@afairdealfortaxidrivers4359]

I don’t watch BBC News, and I have refused to pay for a TV license to fund it for many years!.

[@MookMineola]

Occasionally a letter arrives ( well about once a month ) from TV licensing addressed to ' The legal occupier' . This letter should be returned unopened marked : ' legal occupier , not known here, please return "

[@afairdealfortaxidrivers4359]

Oh I’ve had hundreds of them, I just put them through my shredder unopened!. I’ve even had them on many occasions sending me letters that they were coming on a particular day, but they never come!.

[@Logiefig]

I used to love the BBC, especially radio 4. From a very young age, when most of my contemporaries were listening to radio 1, I was happily listening to and learning from radio 4. I am so sad that I can no longer bear to listen to or watch any of their programming. I think that goes for most awake people of my generation. Such a shame that it has been infiltratated and taken over by communist, woke morons and, is now, not worth listening to anymore. That’s “progress”, I suppose!

[@BillSikes.]

I stopped watching MSM halfway thru the Brexit debacle, i just couldn't stand the bias in favour of remain, ive never watched any of it since

[@helengraham7472]

I think that was the turning point for many. They revealed their true colours.

[@SpareSomeChange8080]

Likewise. Just when you thought the BBC couldn't soil their reputation anymore with Saville, they went to new depths with their overt political bias. The BBC is over.

[@user-wj7cv9hb5j]

Reform ❤ 🎉

[@rogerludwig7619]

Peter Hitchens talking complete sense as usual. Two civilised men having a civilised discussion without shouting.

[@stevensarson482]

This last week a news channel , here in Portugal, showed a ‘documentary’ produced by Sky Uk. The subject was something along the lines of ‘here are people who were Covid skeptics, and they’re not very bright. Look they come from Stockport and go camping with others who actively thrive upon a diet of bad weather and misinformation.’ And so it went on , but by the time it was over, the Portuguese viewers were in no doubt that they should be on their guard not to follow Van driving thickness from England and remember to stay firmly on the side of Brussels and the clever folk from the left. I couldn’t quite catch if it was a co- production with Disney.

[@aeroearth]

Be aware that Sky News UK is owned by CNN (communist News Network) of the USA. Sky News Australia is owned by the Murdoch organisation and 100% different.

[@davidfogarty2220]

My finger never goes anywhere near the BBC button on my remote. Thank god for KZbin, it's a positive goldmine for good docs and tv dramas all, I hasten to add, made over 30 years ago.

[@TheRobn007]

LBC, without Nick Ferrari would be finished.

[@SheilaTitchener]

I stopped watching have i got news when it just focused on bashing Brexit.

[@peterbrooks3561]

The very best HIGNFY episode was with William Shatner hosting.

[@Adrian-jk4kx]

Same here...that was the turning point.

[@alanaustin9664]

Smell the coffee moment ? We can only take so much entertainment . When the system has to push back against the will of the people . People wake up !! Wat happens next is democracy 😂

[@helengraham7472]

I wrote to the Private Eye guy who's always on it. His dreadful publication bashes Brexit mercilessly. I reminded him when Private Eye constantly criticised the EU, when the UK were members. They even ran a special column dedicated to doing so. I asked him why they were happy to pour scorn on the EU when we belonged to it, yet now mock us for leaving it. He couldn't provide a satisfactory answer , because there isn't one; it's rank hypocrisy.

[@bayridge99]

I stopped watching it when Ian Hislop joked about the Paris shootings. Unbelievable.

[@markhenry192]

Farage was on the Today programme today. The chairwoman did to her credit let Farage speak. However, it felt begrudging on her part, like she was told she would have to have him on and she was codescending but I think she is always like that!

[@Mark_Bickerton]

I used to love HIGNFY until the Brexit campaign got going and ONLY then did I realise they were pushing THEIR OWN views. I haven't watched it or BBC since. Channel four are just as bad and ITV not far behind!

[@philipbrackpool-bk1bm]

Hislop and Merton like to pretend they’re morally superior but they’re quite happy to take 20 grand per episode while the bbc threatens pensioners with jail if the don’t buy a licence.

[@bingbong7316]

I started shouting at Radio 4 over 20 years ago, dumped it.

[@Bungadin2845]

Former news junkie here. The only BBC channel I have on my presets now is Radio 3

[@elizkendal]

Australian news is the same. As someone who follows politics, geopolitics and cultural trends very closely I used to watch commercial news (most local), followed by the ABC (most national), followed by SBS (multicultural service - most international). About 10 yrs ago I realised I was watching not to get news, but to see what they might be telling everyone today. Now I don't watch them at all .... as it is not only a waste of time but incredibly monotonous (same propaganda every day) and infuriatingly frustrating (increasing my stress levels no end!).

[@satiricgames2129]

Same abc are bbc full of islamofascists and neo nazis gross

[@hermitageboy]

I hardly ever watch modern dramas now. The writing is nothing like the great 70s 80s dramas before the thought police days. The last American drama i enjoyed was six feet under. So i tend to watch all the retro stuff, which of course included the creme de la creme of acting talent

[@InfinitePlain]

I watched the first episode of Miami Vice and it was surprisingly very good.

[@helengraham7472]

Avoid going to the theatre- unless you enjoy being brainwashed about all things woke.

[@pigknickers2975]

@@InfinitePlain I can imagine. At the time it was probably called brash, violent, overly sexualised American trash but probably thoughtfully written and well crafted viewed today.

[@icedidi]

spot on as always

[@mark4lev]

Things don’t matter anymore do they. I remember even as a school kid watching Jeremy paxman grilling Michael Howard. This was important stuff.

[@nicholascooper1092]

The rot happened when to say virtuous nice and sympathetic things became more important than doing the right thing

[@scootertart]

I used to love Radio 4, any questions, The today programme, loads of really fascinating and engaging documentaries. Hell - I'd even sometimes stay for the shipping forecast, not anymore.

[@Parawingdelta2]

I stopped reading newspapers about twenty-five years ago. I stopped habitually watching the broadcasted news about ten years ago. Six or seven years ago, I rejected the news entirely. Oddly enough, for some reason, I don't seem to be ill-informed when I mix in social circles. In fact, I would say, quite the reverse. Funny that!

[@annal2740]

Turns out a lot of practice in thinking for yourself comes in handy.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

Yes. Haven't read a newspaper since 1996.

[@pigknickers2975]

Yes, that's my experience. Been TV free since 2007 and never really got a big paper habit, though I did look at them in cafes and stuff. The general cluelessness in the population is almost too high to measure. I've given up, we are just talking to hypnotised zombies, it's true scifi stuff.

[@Simon-xc6iy]

Not only do I not watch mainstream news, I no longer watch any television or even listen to mainstream radio anymore. I'm glad this interview has made it to me as I was worried I was some sort of conspiracy nutter.

[@philgazz7273]

After the Today program's two legendary hosts Brian Redhead and John Timpson moved on, the program has sadly declined, bottoming out with Humphreys who, for me, epitomised everything I hate in bbc news broadcasting and put the final nail in the coffin of radio 4 morning news. 😢

[@stephfoxwell4620]

But Rajan is the most ghastly of all

[@philgazz7273]

@@stephfoxwell4620 thank goodness I've not had that experience!

[@stephfoxwell4620]

@@philgazz7273 He can barely speak coherent English.

[@YonieZukowsky51]

B.B.C. has massively deteriorated. We used to listen to B.B.C. with confidence. Those days are over.

[@freebeerfordworkers]

I went into our local Barclays Bank on Wednesday 12th June and I was surprised to find it was completely boarded up with just a temporary door. I asked the staff if they were having major work done they said no they'd been vandalised along with several other branches. I said politics she said probably and I left it at that. It wasn't until this evening 14th June that the BBC reported Barclays branches had been vandalised because they were supporting companies that exported arms to Israel. That was the first report no idea how many branches were hit and in how many towns. To be fair I don't watch much news or buy a paper and I haven't seen reports of this mass political vandalism anywhere else either.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

22 branches.

[@freebeerfordworkers]

@@stephfoxwell4620 Thanks apart from the one brief mention I haven't seen anything about it anywhere

[@bootstrapperwilson7687]

The vandals probably had a hard time finding any Barclays branches. Far as I can tell, they're being shut down (by Barclays). I'll soon be closing my account when I find a bank that has some respect for it customers.

[@freebeerfordworkers]

@@bootstrapperwilson7687 I don't know that you'll do better going elsewhere. British banks seem to be shutting down everywhere. It's 20+ years since a neighbour working for the Natwest told me that small branches were just a loss and they were shutting them down as fast as they could. The Trustee Savings Banks set up for working people used to stay open till about 7:00 o'clock on Friday but they went commercial years ago. My lifelong friend managed a branch and had a nervous breakdown from being pressured to sell things to people who didn't need them.

[@timwright5466]

what a couple .. brilliant.

[@user-bo7ls6ju1o]

Excellent journalist

[@EdVanMeyer]

Holbein's ambassadors, nice painting in the background. Note the skewed skull, you can only see it correctly from the side.

[@wendyholland2339]

Reform please

[@mrror8933]

They'd better not take the knee on Sunday!

[@maxwest6595]

I'd forgotten all about that rubbish.

[@charlytaylor1748]

When they do It now it's so desultory as to be meaningless

[@RonaldGeorge-fw6sx]

VOTE REFORM OR OUR ENGLAND IS FINISHED.

[@lee111000]

HAVE NOT WATCHED MSM FOR OVER 12 YRS

[@KeepItSimpleSailor]

I totally gave up on and almost totally stopped seeing MSM News a few years ago - one of the best things I ever did. Still pick up snippets, but that’s it and my head is better for it.

[@alanmcbride6658]

It's nice to see Peter smiling.

[@Bullitt3401]

I turned off the old/failed media back in 1995. I can only imagine how they act these days.

[@marshgatelaneposse]

The BBC are unwatchable and manipulated the uninformed if I had one wish it would be defunding the company

[@stewartellinson8846]

I suspect the uninformed are the producers and commenters on this channel. it's like a bizarre cult

[@JamJam0189]

And yet still better than Reform UK supporting GB News. The BBC Chairman is a Tory, most of the management are Tory, the way Corbyn was treated by the BBC shows they are not even left-wing never mind socialist or communist which are two different things. The New Culture Forum is very right wing shady organisation backed by some big businesses and tax avoiders who loved Liz Truss' damaging budget.

[@skf957]

Radio 6 Music the other day: 2 minute news segment at the bottom of the hour. 1 min on a positive Labour item complete with interviews, sorry, monologues from Labour MPs. 20 sec of BBC-only narrative on a negative Conservative matter that the BBC were trying to emphasise. 40 sec on Sport / Weather.

[@glennmoreland6457]

I've not had a TV in 6 years... They came on one day.....remoaning as usual.... So I just launched it in a skip.........haven't had one since... I don't miss it... ☹️🇬🇧

[@jeffbridges666]

I gave up on BBC TV and Radio way back, it all became so obvious that it was slanted and woke.

[@stevenpower811]

Dont pay your licence fee,they can't prosecute you.

[@happytimes6113]

So true!

[@borderlands6606]

Peter's point about the tight briefing of MPs was laid bare this week, when the Tory Party chairman gave a word perfect reply to a question he hadn't been asked three times.

[@annal2740]

Yes, I am old enough to still remember when politicians appearing on TV actually said what they thought.

[@ddjay1363]

I stopped watching TV in 2009. One of the best things I ever did. My literal de-programming accelerated from that point.

[@alancooper9632]

Never a more true word spoken.

[@2GooDProductions]

Watching MSM news leaves a viewer less informed than had they never watched it at all

[@louiserylance]

Big fan of these guys. What a breath of fresh air.

[@MrThe247enigma]

100%.... VOTE REFORM

[@lawrencewheeler3573]

when I was a young doctor, I felt very uninformed in the discussions over doctors mess of the hospital. I used to say to myself "No FT...No Comment". A friend explained a little life hack. While still in bed, turn on Radio 4 at 6am, listen to "The Archers". "Farming News", "The NEWs" and then crucially, the post news comment made by a plausible Professor, often from prestigious OxBridge etc. This for a time propelled me into the "insider club" with common terms of reference, in discussions with other young professionals. However, One Day, I realised, we were all under a common concentual media properganda type spell, and had forgotten how to think for ourselves. I am not saying I ever became as clever as the invited radio Professors, but I am saying we were sort of mass brain washed. I stopped regurgitating the Radio 4 fountain of knowledge, and from that day on, No-body listened to anything I had to say again! Lol

[@georgetsagaris4470]

Sounds very similar to Australias ABC, they learnt well from the BBC.

[@mikeoglen6848]

We are now dealing with the Ministry of Truth...

[@rozzgrey801]

But they are rubbish, so more like the Ministry of Truthiness, just trying but failing to sound as if they have a kinda truish ring to them, but only having the opposite effect to the point if you wonder if they are deliberately doing everything wrong.

[@VictorMaxol]

It happened to me too, anything newsworthy will pop up here anyway.

[@seakayak4425]

Shouting at radio 4 usually take about 5 seconds after tuning in for me which now happens less and less

[@stephenholmes1036]

Got it in one not forgetting the Grauniad, I use the FSU, Private Eye and yourselves

[@kevingallen1678]

Melvin Braggs Arena was a good cultural program

[@seamusburke9101]

Years ago he used to be called Mervyn Bragg and it changed to Melvin suddenly. I never trusted him after that.

[@tonyanderton3521]

@@seamusburke9101 Was he ever Mervyn? I'm getting on a bit and I don't remember him ever being known as Mervyn.

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

The South Bank Show - you mean with Melvin Bragg? That was on ITV. Arena was on the BBC - but yes a great TV series for the arts.

[@shaunfisher9292]

Strangely enough there was a time when I looked forward to news night, with Jeremy paxman of course. Now I detest BBC news with a passion.

[@annal2740]

@@seamusburke9101 You've been mandela-ed!

[@colin25250]

I find that the 'news' programmes rarely focus on news but more on being a features programme or an ad for some show on later on their channel (particularly the bbc)

[@RonTodd-gb1eo]

I will sometimes watch the BBC news to keep up with what they are not reporting. I recommend Sky News Australia.

[@user-qf1zg4zz8j]

I have occasionally dipped into SNAus and was astounded by the overt racist claptrap.

[@surferjay70]

Totally agree with Peter, at 53 I’ve been through the whole genre radio 1-2-4 the 6-10 o’clock news, question time news night and this week with Andrew Neil. However today I’d rather have a thermal lance placed in my retina than listen to or watch any of that current content. Minus Andrew Niel who is now irrelevant. What on earth has been allowed to happen to our national broadcaster over the last 40 years. Can someone please tell me.

[@pigknickers2975]

It's the long march. They (the enemy, the technocratic madmen, the Scientific Marxists) have captured it all now. Media, education, police, HoC, etc. We are undergoing permanent political propaganda and everything is becoming politicised. From the weather, to the food we eat, to the racism of the countryside. In time our past will be erased and so will we, and within a century no one will even know we were here.

[@iagoprydderch]

Any Q's on R4 is dominated by the mob audience. It's been awful for years!

[@witchamacallit]

Funnily however although the actual Any Q audience either in studio or on the road is as you say largely lefty woke, the however cat comes out of the bag on Any Answers because, try as they may, the typical caller inner demographic seems anything but young and woke and the presenter spends her (for it is now of course usually her) spends her arguing with some older call who it turns out ironically to be anything like the original Any Q audience. Proving that the actual listeners Any Q are totally unlike the studio audience.

[@tomthumb2361]

I stopped watching these programmes, too. I never listen even to Radio 3 any longer.

[@howardsportugal]

Radio 4 I used to listen practically every waking moment They left me

[@markdudley7118]

His late brother must have been so embarrassed by him.

[@stevebell6057]

Peter will, of course, be an avid GB News viewer

[@bootstrapperwilson7687]

@stevebell6057 Well, duh! He knows which way the MSM have turned, he ain't stupid. (BTW, if you're the cartoonist, love your work. Esp the one about the idealist student who winds up as everything he abhorred: living in Birmingham, working as a teacher. Brilliant)

[@gregtaylor6146]

Thank you for having PH on ..... he is a TRUE Briton!!!

[@bootstrapperwilson7687]

@gregtaylor6146 Britain is a country. Mr Hitchens is a man, a Briton. But totally agree with your assessment. We need more like him, and I think they're on the way.

[@gregtaylor6146]

@@bootstrapperwilson7687 - Many thanks for pointing out my error, I have now corrected it. All the Best GT.

[@stephenford2758]

The BBC was nationalised by the Conservatives in 1927

[@stevemcmahon100]

Excellent interview.