What’s with the BBC’s Anti-Nicotine Agenda?

[Richard Winter]

This is about as negative and sensationalist as they come -

Disposable vape ban: I buy my kids vapes to control their addiction

One month on from the ban, one mum says it has had little impact on her children's nicotine consumption.

www.bbc.co.uk

I'm sure the BBC will come up with something to outdo the one you posted, give them time!!! I stopped reading news articles about vaping from any source several months ago for this very reason. I also stopped reading newspapers and watching the news on any channel as sadly we live in a world now that the majority of headlines are fabricated to a greater or lesser degree.

 

[MHL]

The BBC take themselves so seriously and all that impartiality blx is just horse bob. The vaping coverage is typical.... actual news/reality is bypassed, and instead they just state both sides of an argument. And yet even that isn't genuinely impartial.

John said that vaping helped him to quite cigarettes.
Some random anti-vaping alliance said that the dangers from vaping are manifold, such as exploding devices blowing your face entirely off and dangerous chemicals in eliquids that some have suggested can cause tapeworms to breed in your lungs.

What they don't report is the actual news. That the aforementioned claims of damage are rather silly, not proven, or even scientifically sound.

Nor do they put it into context - that vaping is relatively harmless compared to smoking cigarettes, and the most effective way to quit smoking.

Some might conclude that their "impartiality" is an excuse to not do any actual reporting, that might be controversial, or piss of their funding bodies, but I couldn't possibly say.

(My favourite bbc coverage is when they report on themselves, all po-faced and smug at how fooking impartial they are, like when they did huw edwards or the kneecap/glastonbury thing.)

 

[Toby iVapour]

(My favourite bbc coverage is when they report on themselves, all po-faced and smug at how fooking impartial they are, like when they did huw edwards or the kneecap/glastonbury thing.)

(Off-topic I know), but I find it quite interesting how the BBC media arm reports on themselves (and why not ultimately) -

Did BBC's focus on one potential Glastonbury controversy miss another?

This was not the peace-loving, welcome-to-all vibe that Glastonbury tries to project, writes Katie Razzall.

www.bbc.co.uk

I've covered quite a lot of BBC 'scandals' in my time as media editor at BBC News and as I look at the headlines across the media, and the bashing the BBC is getting, I keep in mind that stories about the BBC are often used by other media organisations as a stick to hit the corporation. And sometimes, there are other corporate interests at play for those who want to see a weaker BBC for their own benefit.

 

[Toby iVapour]

Back on topic, I do wonder, if and how much, there are other influences to bear (on the BBC's anti-nicotine agenda) -

Importing Panic | U.S. Influence Drives Global War On Nicotine | RegWatch

With all the trade tensions and tariff spats, there’s one U.S. export Europe could do without: the moral panic over vaping. Inexplicably, American-inspired fearmongering over safer nicotine products is reshaping EU policy and threatening tobacco harm reduction the world over. In this episode of...

regulatorwatch.com

Wirtz explains how Bloomberg-funded NGOs, WHO-orchestrated pressure campaigns, and “Save the Children” messaging are fueling a crackdown on vaping in Europe and jeopardizing the rights of millions who’ve already quit smoking.

 

[MHL]

Both very interesting articles, thank you.

I see the Vylan coverage is a classic context issue again. Going along with the "hate speech" narrative and not even mentioning what the IDF might have done to inspire such behaviour.

I wish the BBC were better. They aspire to be, but they fail so hard IMO, it makes me sad.

 

[Toby iVapour]

I see the Vylan coverage is a classic context issue again. Going along with the "hate speech" narrative and not even mentioning what the IDF might have done to inspire such behaviour.

Interesting you should say that because the BBC have edited this article heavily since it came out -

Starmer criticises 'appalling' Bob Vylan IDF chants

The prime minister describes the punk duo's Glastonbury chants calling for death to Israel's military as "hate speech".

www.bbc.co.uk

They have removed some of the quotes from Wes "I'm going to come down on the vape industry like a ton of bricks" Streeting, one of which was when he was asked whether he agreed with the Israeli Embassy, who said the comments raise "concerns about the glorification of violence" -

“I’d also say to the Israeli embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank. So, you know, I think there’s a serious point there by the Israeli embassy I take seriously. I wish they’d take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously.”

.. to which the BBC added context of "referencing reports this week of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank after dozens of Israeli settlers attacked a Palestine village" (since redacted).
(I know this because I quoted this elsewhere at the time.)

Streeting condemns anti-IDF chants at Glastonbury but says ‘Israel should get its own house in order’

Minister says BBC and festival organisers have questions to answer over broadcasting of chants during Bob Vylan set

www.theguardian.com

 

[MHL]

Interesting. Thank you.

Even the guardian - who for their many faults do some good reporting - seem to be getting worse. Possibly through lack of funds, or lack of will/spine? I'm not sure.

Sure, report the dangers of vaping - we want to know the facts - but reference actual science, avoid hysteria, and don't ignore the actual, proven, and frankly horrifying dangers of the alternative - combusting tobacco.

And death chants seem less serious (and more understandable) to me, when you consider the many thousands of extreme and violent deaths inflicted by the IDF. I'm gonna shut up about this one for fear of derailling. But the point is, context matters.

 

[vapesmarter]

Interesting. Thank you.

Even the guardian - who for their many faults do some good reporting - seem to be getting worse. Possibly through lack of funds, or lack of will/spine? I'm not sure.

Sure, report the dangers of vaping - we want to know the facts - but reference actual science, avoid hysteria, and don't ignore the actual, proven, and frankly horrifying dangers of the alternative - combusting tobacco.

And death chants seem less serious (and more understandable) to me, when you consider the many thousands of extreme and violent deaths inflicted by the IDF. I'm gonna shut up about this one for fear of derailling. But the point is, context matters.

Content matters, your right and facts matter, but to the bbc and all the rest of the media, it's money

I had someone kick off when I told them what I make, they went all crazy, saying they thought it would be better just to smoke, and the kids etc etc i let them vent and asked two questions: where did their vast knowledge on vaping come from? The answer was online, as in social media and the other was did they vape which was a..... no, so my careful, quiet answer was "obviously your knowledge and skill in the gaining of facts is wasted, have you considered a career working for the Daily Star or the Sun?" and bid them farewell

Personally, I don't have a view on Israel or conflicts because I'm not there, I don't know the history or what is happening on the ground. However, the media are so warped on monday you could be anti-Israel, on Tuesday, you could be anti-Palestine, on Wednesday, you could be anti uk on and on it goes

 

[OldLadyOfSpain]

Anything influenced by the US these days is all about the money. And I don't have a doubt that the US tobacco industry pukes are trying to squash anything to do with vaping. I swear, it is getting to be where it is an absolute embarrassment to have to admit that I am a US citizen. In 5 years, if I live that long, I can apply for Spanish citizenship.

 

[MHL]

Anything influenced by the US these days is all about the money. And I don't have a doubt that the US tobacco industry pukes are trying to squash anything to do with vaping. I swear, it is getting to be where it is an absolute embarrassment to have to admit that I am a US citizen. In 5 years, if I live that long, I can apply for Spanish citizenship.

Agreed on the $ thing.

No need to be embarrassed IMHO. Americans are a fantastic bunch. To me it seems like wealth inequality is powering dark trends all round the world, the UK is following along nicely too.