Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
UN Security Council member states, excluding the United States, confirm that there is a famine in Gaza.
Syrian media: The Israeli occupation forces launch a series of airstrikes in the western Damascus countryside.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: 51 people martyred in Israeli aggression on Gaza since Wednesday morning.
Saree: Yemen will not abandon its stance in support of Gaza no matter the challenges and repercussions until the blockade imposed on the territory is lifted and the aggression it is facing is halted.
Saree: The entire world admitting to the scale of famine and aggression endured by our brothers in Gaza puts the Islamic and Arab worlds before a religious and historic responsibility.
Saree: The operation was carried out in support of the Palestinian people and their Resistance fighters, as well as in response to the genocide and deliberate starvation being perpetrated by the Israeli enemy in Gaza.
Saree: The operation achieved its goals, causing millions of enraged settlers to flee to shelters and suspending air traffic at the airport.
Yemeni Armed Forces: The operation successfully achieved its objective, sending millions of settlers to shelters and suspending airport activity.
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Yahya Saree: The Yemeni Missile Force carried out an operation that targeted al-Lydd airport in occupied Yaffa using a Palestine 2 ballistic missile.
Yemeni Armed Forces: The missile force carried out a top-tier military operation targeting al-Lydd Airport in the occupied Yafa area with a Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile.

BBC journalists 'lack understanding of basic economics': Report

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Telegraph
  • 30 Jan 2023 17:16
3 Min Read

An alarming review written by two economic experts exposes BBC journalists' lack of understanding of basic economics.

  • x
  • BBC headquarters (GETTY IMAGES)
    BBC headquarters (GETTY IMAGES)

An independent review suggested that BBC journalists "lack understanding of basic economics," which "brings a high risk to impartiality," The Telegraph reported on Monday.

Commissioned by the BBC Board into the broadcaster’s coverage of taxation, public expenditure, and government borrowing and debt policies, the review was tasked to economics experts Michael Blastland and Sir Andrew Dilnot.

"We think too many journalists lack understanding of basic economics or lack confidence in reporting it. This brings a high risk to impartiality," the two authors indicated.

According to Blastland and Dilnot, "Some journalists seem to feel instinctively that debt is simply bad, full stop, and don’t appear to realise this can be contested and contestable."

They continued, “Several general assumptions seem to lurk like this either unnoticed or uncorrected. Others that outsiders observed in BBC coverage were ‘more public spending is good’ and ‘tax cuts are good’."

The review pointed to one on-air statement in which a BBC journalist suggested that the government "will have to…" In this regard, the authors said, “We appreciate this was made live and might have been unintended." However, they underlined that "BBC journalists should exercise extreme caution before suggesting a government ‘will have to…’ raise taxes, cut taxes, cut spending, raise spending, cut debt, raise debt, etc - in any area."

Related News

Majority of Germans doubt Chancellor Merz can revive economy: poll

Malaysia warns 100,000 e-jobs at risk due to US tariffs

Elsewhere, Blastland and Dilnot identified "an occasional temptation to hype - and we think hype an is impartiality issue," saying, "We don’t want to be bored either, but see breathless stories or headlines that seem to chase excitement by slanting data or evidence."

The review also noted that occasionally, data had been presented in "the most alarming way" possible.

The two authors made clear that their review was aimed at "non-specialist" BBC reporters but indicated that "even senior journalists" have shown that they don’t fully understand all of the arguments.

"This has provided new insight for us in how we understand and deliver due impartiality in this vital area of public policy," the BBC Board said in response to the review.

The Board considered that "the review as a whole provides clear indications for how we can improve editorial standards and audience impact as a result."

It added that it had requested BBC's Director-General Tim Davie and his executive team to "address the issues raised and put together a plan of action."

Read more: Wealthy businessmen hold British property via offshore firms - reports

  • economy
  • Britain
  • BBC

Most Read

Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks (Photo by Mahdi Rtail)

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Palestinians pray over the bodies of people who were killed in an Israeli military strike, during their funeral outside Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, Friday, August 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel’s' 'double-tap' strike on Gaza hospital must be probed: UN

Elon Musk flashes his t-shirt that reads DOGE to the media as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, Sunday, March 9, 2025 (AP)
Technology

Whistleblower warns DOGE mishandled social security data of millions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives for a joint press conference with President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

House Democrats urge Rubio to admit injured Gaza kids after visa halt

The Microsoft Sign at the Redmond headquarters sprayed in red during a protest against 'Israel' using the company's cloud services, Redmond, Washington DC, United States, August 21, 2025 (Social Media)
Politics

Current, ex-Microsoft staff arrested in sit-in against Israeli ties

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS