Jody McIntyre, the disabled demonstrator who was pulled from his wheelchair on two occasions during the recent student protests, was interviewed by BBC News recently.
Besides the frightening experience Jody went through on the day of the demonstrations, I’m offended at the manner in which he is interviewed here. I do expect journalists to ask any interviewee pressing questions, but the repetition and blatent assumption that Josy incited the police violence becomes totally patronising and offensive. It’s clear Jody wasn’t happy with their manner either.
It bothered me enough that I made a complaint in the small hope that it will shame the journalist in question to being a more professional next time. Be inquisitive, but don’t be a prick about it.
Update: The BBC linked me to a post by Kevin Bakhurst, the controller for the BBC news channel, in response to the many complaints they have received. One comment sums it up neatly:
“Ben Brown also asks some questions repeatedly, despite Jody McIntryre giving direct answers at all times. This makes the interviewer appear aggressive. He is not just asking for Jody McIntryre’s account of what happened - he is actively questioning him in a disbelieving manner. This is not the type of impartial interview style I would expect from BBC News.”
-->
Recent comments