BBC Poppy Fascism season has started early
Ulchabhan
Posts: 83 Forum Member
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Despite a BBC Editorial guideline dated 20th October suggesting that poppies "may be worn" from from 06:00 Saturday 25 October, they were already in evidence last Thursday.
The "may be" claim is farcical: anyone who dares to appear on screen without declaring their support for this one charity (no other though) will have not done so without it being at best forcibly suggested.
The time has started for comparing the ridiculous imbalance between proportion of people seen wearing poppies in real life and that on TV screens.
Freedom of conscience?
Equal sympathy for conscripted soldiers of all nationalities?
Right to decide for oneself what charity to display support for?
The discretion to support a charity without public proclamation?
Not on the BBC.
The "may be" claim is farcical: anyone who dares to appear on screen without declaring their support for this one charity (no other though) will have not done so without it being at best forcibly suggested.
The time has started for comparing the ridiculous imbalance between proportion of people seen wearing poppies in real life and that on TV screens.
Freedom of conscience?
Equal sympathy for conscripted soldiers of all nationalities?
Right to decide for oneself what charity to display support for?
The discretion to support a charity without public proclamation?
Not on the BBC.
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Comments
Quotes from occasional programme guests, and simple statistical observation. Compare BBC tv this morning with your local high street.
If you honestly believe that the percentage of people wearing poppies on the BBC is a true reflection of the proportion of people wearing them in "real life", you are either naive or simply unobservant.
Do you really consider it credible that everyone is not only wearing a poppy, but wearing it on the shirt/jumper/jacket/tracksuit that happens to be their most visible layer on TV? No-one wore it on the coat they wore to the studio and hung in the cloakroom?
It may not be compulsion, but it is clear to anyone willing to ask themselves the question that there is a very definite expectation.
I would rather expect people to make their own choices about charities and causes, than have producers tell them what is expected of them.
"So for me, the pressure to wear a poppy - and I've had to explicitly refuse a poppy from producers at the BBC before now ..."
...our editor made the decision that our two newsreaders should wear poppies.
If there is any truth in this, how is that on the One Show the other night Boris Johnson was wearing a poppy but Chris Evans and Alex Jones were not.
The high street is not a fair comparison. The speed with which poppies seem to fall off so that you have to buy another one these days is amazing. So you cannot possibly tell how many people on the high street might have started out wearing one but have since lost it.
Never heard of the writer of that blog but she appears to say that she is not forced to wear a poppy. She seems to do pieces for BBC News which are probably repeated so could be shown closer to Remembrance Day.
For every person moaning about being 'forced' to wear a poppy (even when they are not), there will be someone writing into the papers about seeing someone on BBC not wearing one.
I tend to avoid watching Jon Snow anywhere.
Because the BBC's poppy season officially started today. How much do you want to bet that the One Show presenters will be wearing one on Monday? And how much do you want to bet that the vast majority of your work colleagues will not?
Perhaps this is just another chance to have a go at the BBC.
This whole debate reminds me of the time Ian Hislop got so p***ed off at being asked to wear a pink 'Breast Cancer Awareness' ribbon that he taped a letter 'L' to himself saying that if he was going to wear something to highlight a charitable cause then he would wear an 'L' to highlight leukaemia seeing as he had lost loved ones to this disease.
The Guardian had a good article last year which highlights BBC policy on wearing charity symbols and ribbons:-
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/shortcuts/2013/dec/10/bbc-rules-graham-norton-aids-ribbon-contradictions
There is still some debate about the BBC and does it make its talent/presenter wear poppies, but I think no one can deny that producers or floor managers must offer people a new poppy to wear before going on air and this is probably why there are so many people wearing poppies on TV. Very few people if offered a poppy to wear will actively say NO, but how many of them will wear one on a day to day basis?
One final point, it's not just the BBC. Currently I've got Gillette Soccer Saturday on and everyone of the pundits, plus Jeff Sterling are wearing poppies.
EDIT Sorry carnoch04, just seen you mentioned the Soccer Saturday panel before me.
Well, there's always dress codes in the workplace.
A presenter has to be presentable.
I think the default position should be not to wear any of these badges/wristbands whilst hosting a show.
Those ribbons can look awfully like the SNP logo too. Don't want any conflict over that.
The poppy is a traditional addition to presenters' tops Oct/Nov time. So it seems reasonable to continue that without allowing presenters to cover themselves in other badges/ribbons. The viewers expect that. Programmes are being made for the viewers not as a platform for presenters to eulogise on subjects they personally advocate.
So make a note of that Jon Snow and your comrades too.
WE do but what about those who appear on our TV screens?
I suppose none of them are "compelled" to wear clothes, either?
Coercion is so powerful because it is invisible. There is no memo, no paper trail, no disciplinary hearings for those who contravene this most unwritten of unwritten rules. But none who value their career in the Beeb, or in public life, would dare go against the "suggestion" that they should wear a poppy (and declare how happy to do it voluntarily).
The numbers who don't wear a poppy are the clearest illustration of this.
Do you work at the BBC?
Do you know the opinion of every person on live TV (mainly news or sport)?
I guess the BBC will be telling the Scottish and Welsh rugby teams to wear Poppies on their shirts for the 8th November Rugby Union tests?
I wonder, do you wear a poppy? If not, that is your choice. I will wear a poppy pin as at work a conventional poppy is not practical.
The irony of that is while presenters appear to be coerced into wearing poppies they get reprimanded for wearing an aids ribbon as it is apparently against editorial guidelines that say presenters "must remain independent and distanced from government initiatives, campaigners, charities and their agendas".
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/dec/10/graham-norton-bbc-aids-ribbon-jeremy-clarkson
Ive counted the first 20 on air so far on Soccer Saturday and they all have one on. Every one. BT sports live games today seem to have the presenters wearing them too. I guarantee X Factor will have, if not this week, next.
So long as anyone who requests not to, is allowed then I think the policy in an excellent one and TV stations should be taking a lead.
Other than the fact it is a few days, maybe a week early how anyone can get worked up or find a story in this is beyond me.
Indeed. Once in November, you check the High Streets, just for folk in Suits & Ties which is a more similar comparison to broadcasters on TV will also be and the numbers will be fairly close. Certainly in our offices in the week leading up to Remembrance Sunday (maybe not this week) and easily 80% of staff will be wearing one, much higher at Senior level will and they are there in the Receptions and foyers for everybody.
Of course mums with pushchairs with three kids, tradesmen on lunch breaks, students etc and all in November with 2 or 3 tops on, will not have visible poppies, the time to have stopped for one or the practicality of wearing one and not losing it, in those numbers.
I agree with this.
I don't know whether there are memos flying around Broadcasting House stating that presenters must wear poppies but even if there aren't, I imagine there's a general unspoken message that it's the best thing for all concerned to just wear one rather than not and have to deal with all the criticism - both of the person and of the BBC - that such a choice would attract.