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Question Time

Highlight of QT was without a doubt Ken Loach. A true socialist who spoke eloquently and passionately all night, especially about the gig economy. I'll have to watch his new film.
 
PS I do understand the BBC can only select from what actually applies to these programs, but its increasingly turning into ‘The Politics vs. Lumpenproletariat Show’. I

Interestingly, audiences for Any Answers on Radio 4 appear, more than often, pro-remain/left leaning types.

The presenter often has to point out that the audience is self-selecting when there's three minutes of applause for a well made-argument.

'Will of the people/do or die' schtick usually gets boos or a smattering of lonely clapping.

Stephen
 
With the possibility of an election looming, I think we can confidently predict QT focussing on gammony audiences over the next few weeks.

As opposed to all the previous weeks? :rolleyes: ;)


(tbh, I haven't watched QT in years, but, from what I've seen online (so it must be true!), general opinion seems to be that since Bruce took over, it's gammon central each week?)
 
Interestingly, audiences for Any Answers on Radio 4 appear, more than often, pro-remain/left leaning types.

The presenter often has to point out that the audience is self-selecting when there's three minutes of applause for a well made-argument.

'Will of the people/do or die' schtick usually gets boos or a smattering of lonely clapping.

I suspect the two shows have taken their own paths and are as such now self-selecting from their own demographics. As to why there are never any folk like us on QT can easily be answered by whether we’d want to appear on it? I certainly wouldn’t! It came to the town I currently live in a while back and the thought of applying to be in the audience never even crossed my mind. The same thing applies to roving TV news crews canvassing opinion on the street, I will always actively cross the road or change direction to avoid them! As such they only get to select from whatever subset is prepared to be selected!

PS I don’t do phone opinion polls etc either!
 
I suspect the two shows have taken their own paths and are as such now self-selecting from their own demographics. As to why there are never any folk like us on QT can easily be answered by whether we’d want to appear on it? I certainly wouldn’t! It came to the town I currently live in a while back and the thought of applying to be in the audience never even crossed my mind. The same thing applies to roving TV news crews canvassing opinion on the street, I will always actively cross the road or change direction to avoid them! As such they only get to select from whatever subset is prepared to be selected!

You do realise that the QT audience manager goes out of her way to recruit audience member from far-right Facebook groups? Or at least she used to.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/ourbeeb/is-question-time-s-audience-producer-really-fascist/
Critics had good grounds for rage. In September, Pedley had invited the Boston, Lincolnshire EDL to apply for the show’s audience – drawing complaints from anti-racist campaigners and local MP Matt Warman. The backbencher was told the show approached the EDL repeatedly, but contacted neither the Conservatives nor any other local group. In a letter to the director-general, he accused the BBC of misrepresenting Boston, “fanning the flames of division” nationwide, and “giving the impression that abhorrent views are widespread enough to be acceptable.”
Self-selection has very little to do with it. The weekly spectacle of gammon raging for hard Brexit is carefully curated. Bon appetit!
 
You do realise that the QT audience manager goes out of her way to recruit audience member from far-right Facebook groups? Or at least she used to.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/ourbeeb/is-question-time-s-audience-producer-really-fascist/

I’ve no idea if Open Democracy is credible or just another AAV type propaganda blog, but that is scary if true.

One thing that amuses me about the QT selection process is just how different the result always is from the well-spoken, well-educated and articulate middle classes who dominate the BBC! It is as if they are consciously deselecting their own kind, and in doing that alienate huge numbers of us who are of largely similar background and make up huge swathes of the electorate (especially floating voters). As such I can almost believe your link, though I suspect they are trying for a bear-pit/conflict atmosphere rather than nuanced discussion. This emphasised by the outliers so often on the panel.
 
I suspect the two shows have taken their own paths and are as such now self-selecting from their own demographics. As to why there are never any folk like us on QT can easily be answered by whether we’d want to appear on it? I certainly wouldn’t! It came to the town I currently live in a while back and the thought of applying to be in the audience never even crossed my mind. The same thing applies to roving TV news crews canvassing opinion on the street, I will always actively cross the road or change direction to avoid them! As such they only get to select from whatever subset is prepared to be selected!

PS I don’t do phone opinion polls etc either!

phone opinion polls.
Are they a thing?
 
phone opinion polls.
Are they a thing?

Yes, despite being on the telephone protection service (anti-spam) list I have had mine ring asking for opinion on various things. I don’t tend to get to the point of finding out what they want an opinion on as I put the phone down, but I suspect some is political as it is more likely to occur near elections!
 
I’ve no idea if Open Democracy is credible or just another AAV type propaganda blog, but that is scary if true.

One thing that amuses me about the QT selection process is just how different the result always is from the well-spoken, well-educated and articulate middle classes who dominate the BBC! It is as if they are consciously deselecting their own kind, and in doing that alienate huge numbers of us who are of largely similar background and make up huge swathes of the electorate (especially floating voters). As such I can almost believe your link, though I suspect they are trying for a bear-pit/conflict atmosphere rather than nuanced discussion. This emphasised by the outliers so often on the panel.
It's true. I saw the audience producer's Facebook posts myself before she deleted her account. She got a slapped wrist at the time but there's no reason to believe the underlying policy (creating a bear-pit) has changed. It's quite deliberate and it's clearly having the desired effect.
 
[...]One thing that amuses me about the QT selection process is just how different the result always is from the well-spoken, well-educated and articulate middle classes who dominate the BBC! It is as if they are consciously deselecting their own kind [...]
Yes, this is exactly what they're doing. What do you do if you're constantly accused of being inauthentic liberals living in a metropolitan bubble? You take your liberal stereotype of working class authenticity, and you go out to Stoke to find some stupid racist bastards, and you put them on TV. For balance like.
 
Last night's show was not easy viewing. Featured Brexit propagandist, Isabel Oakeshott amongst others. The country appears really divided if this programme offers a true reflection.
 
Last night's show was not easy viewing. Featured Brexit propagandist, Isabel Oakeshott amongst others. The country appears really divided if this programme offers a true reflection.
Yeah. She dropped the 'b' word on the programme also.

Makes me cringe.
 
Last night's show was not easy viewing. Featured Brexit propagandist, Isabel Oakeshott amongst others. The country appears really divided if this programme offers a true reflection.
It was interesting to see her reaction when a large part of the audience applauded the Muslim woman who criticised Johnson’s inflammatory language about Muslim women’s dress. Oakshott and a number of white pensioners visible in the audience sat there, mouths turned down at the corners stony faced. Shes Tice’s mistress now, or as the DM coily put it, “they’re dating”. Coincidentally she publishes confidential emails that bring down the British Ambassador Kim Darroch and next day, her lover pops up with “Now it’s time for a pro-Brexit businessman to be appointed who can lead a quick US trade deal.” ie me. Now that’s what I call insider dealing and an interesting use of journalistic privelage.

What next, Rod Liddle and Claire Fox taking up with each other? Quiet weekends at home, burning each other with lit cigarettes.
 
I thought Oakshit toned it down a bit for a change. But it would be nice if all our politicians were like the Irish EC VP lady. A thoroughly likeable politician
I assume that was Mairead Mcguinness. Voice of reason. Thoroughly agree somehow the Irish political system whilst far from perfect in anyway delivers more reasonable politicians. There is nothing like the staged shows done in the UK parliament. Mind you the voting thingy we are going through at the moment is reminiscent of historical gombeen politics. Looks like anybody could press buttons for votes.
 
I gave up on QT many years ago. Most weeks, I listen to The Westminster Hour (10pm Sundays). It usually features MPs from two different parties, plus a political commentator and a journalist. It is for the most part a civilised discussion, with little in the way of shouting and point-scoring.
 
I understand that last night's effort from Glasgow was less confrontational than some, but also that the Tory MP didn't actually vote in the EU Referendum. :rolleyes:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news...sh-tory-kirstene-hair-not-vote-eu-referendum/
In an interview with the Courier newspaper in 2017, Ms Hair said: "I didn't vote on Brexit. I took the decision not to vote on it. It was incredibly difficult. The first time I've never voted in my life.

"It was very difficult because you get two arguments, very strong on both sides.

"I just ultimately couldn't make that decision and I thought I would therefore go with the will of the UK which, if I'm honest, I thought we would remain.

"But I left that to everyone else."

The 30-year-old politician added: "Now I think we all have to get behind it and say, you know what, that's the way the country voted and we have to make the best.

"I do think we've got good opportunities for the UK."
 


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