BBC accused of being lenient towards British Royals
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London: A campaign group called Republic has accused the BBC of partiality and imbalance in its reporting on the royal family and the upcoming coronation of King Charles. In a letter addressed to the Director of Editorial and Policy Standards, David Jordan, the group alleged that the BBC has made no attempt to be impartial or balanced and has remained silent on serious issues related to the Royals.
Graham Smith, the CEO of Republic, claims that the BBC has failed to tackle serious questions surrounding the royals and openly colludes with the Palace in its coverage. Smith highlighted a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Republic, which found that only 15 per cent of the general public expressed enthusiasm about the coronation. He argued that the broadcaster is serving the interests of "a shrinking minority of people" by over-promoting the event.
In the letter, Republic said that the BBC's coverage is "insipid, vacuous and dishonest," and that it is fearful of public opprobrium and palace influence. The group claims that the BBC's coverage serves the interests of a shrinking minority who could reasonably be called royalists and in doing so, does a disservice to the whole nation.
Support for the abolition of the monarchy has climbed over 30 per cent, and support for the monarchy among people under 40 has dropped below 50 per cent. Yet none of that is reflected in the BBC's coverage, according to Smith.
In response, the BBC issued a statement defending its position, stating that the event is of historical significance for many audiences in the UK and globally and represents an occasion to celebrate. The broadcaster claims that its reporting is fair and duly impartial and that BBC News always seeks to reflect a range of viewpoints in its royal coverage.
Smith contends that the BBC failed to honour its 2011 vow to "achieve balance 'over time,'" stating that "twelve years later and we're still waiting." The BBC has previously been accused of biased reporting for its favourable coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a claim the BBC dismissed as untrue.
As support for the abolition of the monarchy continues to grow, it remains to be seen whether the BBC will adjust its coverage to reflect the changing attitudes of the British public.
