BBC One Show E-Cigarette Report - 13/03/13

[brummyjon]

I'm not sure if this has been picked up on this forum yet, but there is quite a buzz starting elsewhere, about the bias which was evident in this programme.

I have not seen it yet, so can't comment in detail, but it is probably worth a look, once it becomes available.

BBC iPlayer - The One Show: 13/03/2013

There seem to be a few people complaining about the lack of balance on this programme, and if this proves to be the case, it may be a good idea to write the the BBC letting them know your thoughts.

 

[brummyjon]

By the way, if anyone HAS seen this yet, maybe they would like to chime in.

 

[chalton36]

Well i complained ..they say

Your complaint has been submitted

Your complaint has been submitted. Thank you for completing the details on this form. We’re sorry that you needed to complain.

We aim to reply to you within about 2 weeks, but it depends on what your complaint is about and how many others we need to investigate and respond to. If we receive other complaints about substantially the same issue, we may send everyone the same reply for consistency and to minimise licence fee costs. We may also publish a public response on this website.

We will report your complaint to BBC staff by tomorrow so they are aware of the issue (your personal details are removed). Our overnight report is one of the most widely read reports in the BBC and ensures your complaint reaches the right people quickly, including senior management.

All the comments, appreciations and complaints we receive help inform our editorial discussions. Please read 'What happens to your complaint' for our full procedures and how we consider the issues raised in complaints and other feedback we receive.

BBC Audience Services

 

[PieOPah]

Piece starts at 16 minutes.

 

[brummyjon]

I complained too. Perhaps if more people do they will have to produce a balancing piece, showing the benefits of e-cigs.

"E-Cigarette Report
The main segment of the report was introduced with ’it could be good, it could be bad, it could be indifferent’, but the structure of the piece made sure that a ‘bad’ outcome was all that could be expected. The reporter was looking for disapproving shoppers, which is not likely to generate a mixture of opinions.
The only balancing voice was from an e-cig seller – and easily dismissed as someone with a vested interest.
Professor John B ritton, tobacco Advisory Group, Royal College of Physicians : ‘If all the smokers in Britain stopped smoking cigarettes, and started smoking e-cigarettes, we would save 5 million deaths in people who are alive today’.
Why no reference to this in this report? Why no one in the studio who knew anything about the subject? Why no input from somebody who has used an e-cig to stop smoking? I quit a 31 year habit one week after I tried an e-cig out of curiosity. There are plenty of people to ask - 750,000 e-cig users in the UK right now, increasing to over 1m by the end of the year.
Most e-cig users want to see more research into e-cigs, so that people can make an informed decision. BBC should not be scaremongering about something which is helping hundreds of thousands of people to leave behind the 4,000 chemicals (many known carcinogens) that smoking entails. And this on National No Smoking Day of all days. "

 

[PieOPah]

I have now watched the report and I can see where they are coming from.
To give a balanced view will be seen almost to be promoting them. This is prime time TV when children are watching. If they are seen to be saying 'vaping is a good thing', it will appear that they are promoting smoking.

Yes, they could have mentioned the benefits - in comparison - to smoking analogues, but you have still got to remember that nicotine is a highly addictive drug. After watershed when most children are in bed then yes, I think a balanced argument would be great, but to do this when my children could be watching - I don't want them to see anything that suggests that there is a healthy alternative to taking nicotine.

I will never allow them to see me smoke or vape and I certainly wouldn't want them to see something promoting either.

To give the public an honest opinion needs to be done in a controlled manner and aimed at the correct audience, not by some chat show hosts who haven't got a clue what they are on about!

 

[chalton36]

I let my kids see me smoke and vape ..I dont believe hiding things from them that they will only see later on In life also... this could be looked at kids need to learn and not to be hid away from things like this ...
like smoking they need to learn its so harmful and addictive that people have to goto many lengths to stop... or see daddy try and fail try and fail then try with ecigs. And succeed.. I see your view buddy and respect that as everyones parenting and thoughts are different . but my view is the opposite no right or wrongs just different views

 

[Dave S]

My complaints been sent.
Agree with you Chalton36. You can't shield kids from everything in life, they have to learn about the bad as well as the good and make their own minds up.

 

[brummyjon]

I have now watched the report and I can see where they are coming from.
To give a balanced view will be seen almost to be promoting them. This is prime time TV when children are watching. If they are seen to be saying 'vaping is a good thing', it will appear that they are promoting smoking.

Yes, they could have mentioned the benefits - in comparison - to smoking analogues, but you have still got to remember that nicotine is a highly addictive drug. After watershed when most children are in bed then yes, I think a balanced argument would be great, but to do this when my children could be watching - I don't want them to see anything that suggests that there is a healthy alternative to taking nicotine.

I will never allow them to see me smoke or vape and I certainly wouldn't want them to see something promoting either.

To give the public an honest opinion needs to be done in a controlled manner and aimed at the correct audience, not by some chat show hosts who haven't got a clue what they are on about!

If the subject is not capable of being handled in a balanced way, then it shouldn't be handled at all. They wouldn't do a feature on brothels on the One Show, and leave out any mention of what went on there for fear of upsetting children. They just wouldn't do it.

Showing half of the story is not an option, really. Adults watch the programme too, don't forget, and adults deserve to be treated as such. With something like this, people lives are at stake, and it is grossly irresponsible to put people off using ecigs when they could well prove to be the only viable, safe alternative to smoking.

 

[liquidator]

They were expecting a balanced view from "Shoppas" Pfft, one of the reasons I do all my purchases online!

 

[brummyjon]

This report won't be up on BBC iPlayer for too long now, so I urge people to have a look, and send in their BC complaints, and if they feel strongly enough, also to Ofcom. The Ofcom complaint is easy - only takes 5 minutes...

We need to make sure that this misinformation is nipped in the bud, and others can benefit how we all have.

 

[Scott_Simpson]

I have now watched the report and I can see where they are coming from.
To give a balanced view will be seen almost to be promoting them. This is prime time TV when children are watching. If they are seen to be saying 'vaping is a good thing', it will appear that they are promoting smoking.

Yes, they could have mentioned the benefits - in comparison - to smoking analogues, but you have still got to remember that nicotine is a highly addictive drug. After watershed when most children are in bed then yes, I think a balanced argument would be great, but to do this when my children could be watching - I don't want them to see anything that suggests that there is a healthy alternative to taking nicotine.

I will never allow them to see me smoke or vape and I certainly wouldn't want them to see something promoting either.

To give the public an honest opinion needs to be done in a controlled manner and aimed at the correct audience, not by some chat show hosts who haven't got a clue what they are on about!

This really makes me sad. So, you apparently think it is OK for government-funded agencies to spin disinformation and outright lies just so long as it sends what you think is the "right" message to your children? Years hence, you'll be wondering why your children no longer trust you ...

 

[matt1988]

The main problem at the moment is lack of exposure. If those diners had known it was an e-cig straight away they wouldn't have looked twice.

The only reason they did look twice is becuase they didn't understand it. Also the users were quite obvious about using them, which didn't help. I vape on buses, but I try to be inconspicuous and I have one that has a green LED at the end. All these points led to the reaction they got.

Balanced exposure is what is needed to put the publics mind at ease.