The BBC has been accused of “double standards” for allowing Chris Packham to campaign against field sports while slapping down other presenters who express controversial views.
The Countryside Alliance has filed a formal complaint with the corporation for tolerating the Autumnwatch presenter’s activity, which it says brings the public perception of BBC impartiality “into disrepute”.
The row flared up a fortnight ahead of a vote by the National Trust on whether or not to ban legal trail hunting on its land.
"Mr Packham is bringing the public’s perception of BBC impartiality into disrepute"
- Countryside Alliance letter of complaint to BBC
Mr Packham has been lobbying vociferously for a ban, and in recent weeks compared involvement in hunting to racism, homophobia and slavery.
The BBC has so far argues that the naturalist’s activities, such as participating in an August demonstration at the start of the grouse shooting season, are “an expression of personal views” and do not compromise impartiality.
By contrast, the corporation this year reprimanded Women’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray after she wrote an article discussing transgender issues, as well as Inside Science presenter Adam Rutherford when he engaged in a Twitter spat with a Labour MP over climate change.
In a letter seen by The Sunday Telegraph, the Countryside Alliance demands that the BBC force the presenter to cease campaigning, or treat him as a non-impartial contributor whose views need balancing by others.
“It has become increasingly clear that Mr Packham is bringing the public’s perception of BBC impartiality into disrepute,” the letter says.
It added: “If the BBC wishes to be seen as impartial in this controversy it is simply unsustainable to keep giving Mr Packham an unchallenged platform as a “naturalist” on programmes such as Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch if he is to so closely align himself with the most aggressive elements of the anti-shooting campaign.”
Simon Hart MP, chairman of the Countryside Alliance, has demanded a meeting with the BBC’s Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, Simon Jordan, for an explanation.
A BBC report in September 2016 alluded to a verbal agreement between the corporation and Mr Packham whereby the presenter would limit his public campaigning for two weeks before and one week after broadcasts of the Watches programmes.
The latest complaint writes off the arrangement as “not credible” on the basis that articles and social media posts from Mr Packham will continue to be shared.
The presenter features prominently in literature promulgated by the League Against Cruel Sports, which is campaigning for a vote to ban hunting at the National Trust AGM this month.
Two days before the vote, Mr Packham will star in an edition of Autumnwatch presented from Sherborne Estate in the Cotswolds, a National Trust property, although the BBC has said the programme will not discuss trail hunting.
Tim Bonner, Countryside Alliance Chief Executive, told The Sunday Telegraph: “The fact that Chris Packham is set to present a BBC series from a National Trust hunting lodge whilst he campaigns to ban trail hunting on National Trust land would be farcical if it were not so serious for the livelihoods of many people in the countryside.”
Lobbying ahead of the National Trust vote, Mr Packham has said the organisation must decide whether wanted to be “aligned or complicit” with illegal activity on its properties”.
Sixty-seven of Britain’s 200 hunts ride across Trust land.
They practise trail hunting, which is legal, although critics say foxes are sometimes killed.
A BBC spokesman said: “Chris Packham is a naturalist in his own right and entitled to express his own personal views outside of his BBC employment, meanwhile BBC Autumnwatch is hugely popular with audiences for its reporting of the natural world and its choice of presenters bears no relation to the National Trust’s internal decision making processes.”
Last month huntsmen accused the organisation of “painting a target”on their back by requiring hunts to publish details of their meetings in advance on line.
The move raised fears the information would be invaluable to hunt saboteurs and increase the risk of violence.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/09/bbc-accused-double-standards-anti-hunting-chris-packham/
The Countryside Alliance has filed a formal complaint with the corporation for tolerating the Autumnwatch presenter’s activity, which it says brings the public perception of BBC impartiality “into disrepute”.
The row flared up a fortnight ahead of a vote by the National Trust on whether or not to ban legal trail hunting on its land.
"Mr Packham is bringing the public’s perception of BBC impartiality into disrepute"
- Countryside Alliance letter of complaint to BBC
Mr Packham has been lobbying vociferously for a ban, and in recent weeks compared involvement in hunting to racism, homophobia and slavery.
The BBC has so far argues that the naturalist’s activities, such as participating in an August demonstration at the start of the grouse shooting season, are “an expression of personal views” and do not compromise impartiality.
By contrast, the corporation this year reprimanded Women’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray after she wrote an article discussing transgender issues, as well as Inside Science presenter Adam Rutherford when he engaged in a Twitter spat with a Labour MP over climate change.
In a letter seen by The Sunday Telegraph, the Countryside Alliance demands that the BBC force the presenter to cease campaigning, or treat him as a non-impartial contributor whose views need balancing by others.
“It has become increasingly clear that Mr Packham is bringing the public’s perception of BBC impartiality into disrepute,” the letter says.
It added: “If the BBC wishes to be seen as impartial in this controversy it is simply unsustainable to keep giving Mr Packham an unchallenged platform as a “naturalist” on programmes such as Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch if he is to so closely align himself with the most aggressive elements of the anti-shooting campaign.”
Simon Hart MP, chairman of the Countryside Alliance, has demanded a meeting with the BBC’s Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, Simon Jordan, for an explanation.
A BBC report in September 2016 alluded to a verbal agreement between the corporation and Mr Packham whereby the presenter would limit his public campaigning for two weeks before and one week after broadcasts of the Watches programmes.
The latest complaint writes off the arrangement as “not credible” on the basis that articles and social media posts from Mr Packham will continue to be shared.
The presenter features prominently in literature promulgated by the League Against Cruel Sports, which is campaigning for a vote to ban hunting at the National Trust AGM this month.
Two days before the vote, Mr Packham will star in an edition of Autumnwatch presented from Sherborne Estate in the Cotswolds, a National Trust property, although the BBC has said the programme will not discuss trail hunting.
Tim Bonner, Countryside Alliance Chief Executive, told The Sunday Telegraph: “The fact that Chris Packham is set to present a BBC series from a National Trust hunting lodge whilst he campaigns to ban trail hunting on National Trust land would be farcical if it were not so serious for the livelihoods of many people in the countryside.”
Lobbying ahead of the National Trust vote, Mr Packham has said the organisation must decide whether wanted to be “aligned or complicit” with illegal activity on its properties”.
Sixty-seven of Britain’s 200 hunts ride across Trust land.
They practise trail hunting, which is legal, although critics say foxes are sometimes killed.
A BBC spokesman said: “Chris Packham is a naturalist in his own right and entitled to express his own personal views outside of his BBC employment, meanwhile BBC Autumnwatch is hugely popular with audiences for its reporting of the natural world and its choice of presenters bears no relation to the National Trust’s internal decision making processes.”
Last month huntsmen accused the organisation of “painting a target”on their back by requiring hunts to publish details of their meetings in advance on line.
The move raised fears the information would be invaluable to hunt saboteurs and increase the risk of violence.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/09/bbc-accused-double-standards-anti-hunting-chris-packham/
