I wrote a weblog a couple of gross factual error (of many orders of magnitude) which was perpetuated by the BBCR4 programme, Extra or Much less, which embarrassingly is a programme about folks and organisations utilizing numbers appropriately – click on right here.
I complained to the BBC – as I stated I’d within the weblog.
On Friday, I obtained a response from the BBC, and I do know that many readers of my month-to-month e-newsletter obtained precisely the identical response.
That is the response – see for those who can spot the place they admit their error and ask for forgiveness:
Expensive dr avery
Thanks for contacting us together with your considerations about Extra or Much less – Numbers of the 12 months 2025 – broadcast on Radio 4 on 31 December. We’ve shared these with the programme-makers. Please settle for our apologies for the delay in responding.
The figures referenced within the programme in relation to Hinkley Level C energy station had been calculated utilizing a authorities report i.e. the Fingleton report (Nuclear Regulatory Evaluation).
They had been based mostly on a 25 12 months interval and on endangered fish, however we recognise extra work must be completed on this difficult story. That’s why we’re persevering with our journalism on this matter and can focus on it once more within the subsequent programme run.
For info, the story is roofed right here: How Hinkley Level C’s £50m ‘fish disco’ may save farmland.
Thanks on your suggestions.
If you happen to’d like to know how your grievance is dealt with on the BBC, you may discover it useful to look at the brief movie on the BBC Complaints web site about how the BBC responds to your suggestions. It explains the BBC’s course of for responding to complaints, what to do for those who aren’t glad together with your response and the way we share the suggestions we obtain.
Sort regards,
BBC Complaints Crew
www.bbc.co.uk/complaints
No, I couldn’t see the bit about admitting error or saying sorry both.
Is that an finish to it? Not for me. I don’t prefer to be dismissed. If Extra or Much less had merely stated ‘Sorry about that, we must always have checked extra fastidiously. We’ll attempt to do higher subsequent time however a mistake or two will at all times get by means of, however we’ve got corrected this one within the BBC Sounds model of the programme as a result of it could actually nonetheless be heard and added a observe to the programme web site.‘ then that will be positive.
Not proudly owning up and never saying sorry is worse than the unique slip-up in some ways. I reckon that if the BBC thought that what was stated was proper – they’d have stated so. So, I’m assuming that they know, now, it was mistaken however steeped in company vanity they’ll’t deliver themselves to confess it. Poor present! This behaviour erodes belief, and the BBC trades on being dependable.
I’ll inform you what I’ll do subsequent in my subsequent e-newsletter – which will likely be with these hundreds who subscribe (free) early on Saturday morning. I’m cogitating.
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