BBC 'retilts' UK to placate Scots


The BBC is to change its controversial new weather maps after a storm
of complaints that they were confusing and biased against Scotland and
the north.

It will "retilt" the map from tomorrow, in what will be see as a
victory for viewer power and a humiliating climbdown for the
corporation, which has invested £1m in the hi-tech forecasts.

By straightening the "aerial view" of the UK, the BBC will redress the
main complaint that Scotland was shrunk out of proportion to the rest
of the UK.

"The BBC has changed its mind almost as quickly as the weather changes
in the Western Isles," said Angus MacNeil, the Scottish National party
MP who tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons in protest
at the forecasts.

"This is a great victory for people from across Scotland who raised
their concerns with the BBC. It goes to show that Scotland's voice can
be heard and we can make London think again. We have made Scotland
matter in the boardrooms of the BBC.

"But of course this is only the first stage. People are equally
concerned about the loss of wind speeds and isobars - two pieces of
information that are crucial to my constituents and others who make a
living outdoors.

"I will be keeping up the pressure on the BBC on these points, and
look forward to further changes and improvements on their weather
map."

The new 3D forecasts have come under unprecedented attack since they
were launched in a blaze of publicity last week with 4,000 complaints.

Viewers and former BBC weather forecasters lined up to criticise the
bulletins, in which "virtual reality" clouds and rain are animated
over a beige-coloured British Isles, saying they were unclear and
induced motion sickness.

The BBC director of news, Helen Boaden, today intervened in the crisis
- she telephoned one of the leading protesters, the SNP media
spokesman Pete Wishart, to tell him that changes would be made to the
map tomorrow.

"I spoke to the BBC's director of news this morning and she has
confirmed the changes will take place," said Mr Wishart.

"This is good news for Scotland and is a decision that reflects well
on the BBC. They have listened and learned and should be congratulated
for their speedy response to viewers' complaints."

The BBC was forced onto the defensive over the forecasts almost
immediately after the new 3D graphics appeared on screen 11 days ago.

Viewers were the first to protest with politicians quick to wade in on
their behalf. The campaign for a change intensified when the former
BBC weather chief, Bill Giles, said the forecasts were "too much, too
soon".

"The new technology is very clever, but I don't think they've thought
it through carefully enough," he said.

And yesterday, John Teather, who founded the BBC's weather centre in
1991, said he was "depressed" by the graphics, which he said did
nothing to help viewers understand the forecast.

He accused management of censorship after his comments were removed
from a BBC website just minutes after they were posted.

Critics complained that the 3D map under-represented Scotland, which
was reduced to the size of south-west England. The SNP called on
viewers to "flood the BBC with complaints".

Nevertheless, BBC management initially held firm in the face of
criticism, saying it would take viewers time to get used to the new
system.

The BBC weather centre manager, Andrew Lane, said the new forecast
gave viewers "the extra clarity and detail they have told us they want
from our forecasts".

A statement posted on the BBC's website yesterday said audience
research had shown 69% of viewers "either preferred the new weather
system or like it as much as the old forecasts".

However, that left 31% - nearly a third of viewers - who thought it
inferior to the old forecasts.

The BBC suffered further embarrassment after it emerged that the
system, which was bought from the New Zealand Met Office, was turned
down by ITV in a revamp of its weather forecasts earlier this year.

"ITV avoided devices that are, perhaps, more appealing to television
producers than to viewers who simply want to know what to wear
tomorrow," the ITV News executive, Michael Jeremy, said earlier this
week.

A BBC spokesman was unavailable for comment.

(from Media Guardian)

At least Scotland gets a forecast........ almost the entire Midlands and
parts of East Anglia don't even have any information overlayed on them
(temperature) .. just brown blobs.

"Grover" wrote in message
...
BBC 'retilts' UK to placate Scots

Interesting because I just wrote this elsewhere.

"But I can see it having a political impact in Scotland. Every day the
message is being broadcast that London thinks Scotland is marginal. Every day
Scots will be shown Scotland sliding off the top of the world like a Salvador
Dali clock. It is inevitable that this subliminal insult being broadcast daily
will have an effect. If nothing changes I can see the Scot Nats winning a
majority of the seats in the Scottish parliament at the election next year,
and then Scotland will slide away from the UK."

It's a pity the BBC have changed their mind. I quite fancy an independent
Scotland.

Cheers, Alastair.

"Grover" wrote in message
...
BBC 'retilts' UK to placate Scots


The BBC is to change its controversial new weather maps after a storm
of complaints that they were confusing and biased against Scotland and
the north.

Of course the BBC will pander to the Scottish mafia, but never to the
educated minority (as such is their perception).

But let's wait and see, I suppose. Perhaps the BBC has realised that
England is not a "brown and pleasant land" like post-Hutton Iraq.

Regards, Roger

Of course the BBC will pander to the Scottish mafia, but never to the
educated minority (as such is their perception).
Regards, Roger

As a Scot, not a member of any mafia, and an educated person, I have to ask
whether you intended that comment to be as offensive as it seems to be?

Anne

"Anne Burgess" wrote in message
...
Of course the BBC will pander to the Scottish mafia, but never to the
educated minority (as such is their perception).
Regards, Roger

As a Scot, not a member of any mafia, and an educated person, I have to
ask whether you intended that comment to be as offensive as it seems to
be?

Anne

No Anne, just a reflection of the perception, often felt down south, that
the Scots wield rather more political influence in the UK than their
population warrants:-) It will be interesting to see however if the only
change made by the BBC is as a result of this pressure and not equally valid
objections raised against other aspects of the new forecasts.

Regards, Roger

Grover wrote:
BBC 'retilts' UK to placate Scots


The BBC is to change its controversial new weather maps after a storm
of complaints that they were confusing and biased against Scotland and
the north.

It will "retilt" the map from tomorrow, in what will be see as a
victory for viewer power and a humiliating climbdown for the
corporation, which has invested £1m in the hi-tech forecasts.

By straightening the "aerial view" of the UK, the BBC will redress the
main complaint that Scotland was shrunk out of proportion to the rest
of the UK.


Now they should go the whole hog and tilt it another 80 degrees
or so such that the view is a right angles to the surface. This, they
may need telling, is called a map and treats all areas equally provided
you don't want to look at the whole earth. Then, having got on what
they would no doubt call a learning curve, they could bin the whole
lot, and themselves, and hand back the presentation to the grown-ups.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey, for a short time one of the biggest
counties in England.

No Anne, just a reflection of the perception, often felt down south, that
the Scots wield rather more political influence in the UK than their
population warrants:-)
Makes a change from the perception here that the BBC weather map reflects
the actual view held by them south of the Watford Gap.

It will be interesting to see however if the only change made by the BBC
is as a result of this pressure and not equally valid objections raised
against other aspects of the new forecasts.
It will indeed. I have written objecting to the missing isobars,
quantitative wind speed and direction etc.

Anne

"Grover" wrote in message


The BBC suffered further embarrassment after it emerged that the
system, which was bought from the New Zealand Met Office, was turned
down by ITV in a revamp of its weather forecasts earlier this year.

"ITV avoided devices that are, perhaps, more appealing to television
producers than to viewers who simply want to know what to wear
tomorrow," the ITV News executive, Michael Jeremy, said earlier this
week.

I knew I'd seen them on the ITV.

As it happens they were used sparingly and in my opinion, to good effect
adding a true 3D effect. But the system was no more than a backdrop to
the weather-forecast. (In a slightly more informative than the presenter
waving at a screen sort of way.)


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

"Anne Burgess" wrote in message
...
No Anne, just a reflection of the perception, often felt down south, that
the Scots wield rather more political influence in the UK than their
population warrants:-)
Makes a change from the perception here that the BBC weather map reflects
the actual view held by them south of the Watford Gap.

It will be interesting to see however if the only change made by the BBC
is as a result of this pressure and not equally valid objections raised
against other aspects of the new forecasts.
It will indeed. I have written objecting to the missing isobars,
quantitative wind speed and direction etc.

Anne

Anne

For long I have been intrigued by the different perceptions held by people
in different parts of the UK. Inevitable, I suppose.

On watching the 22.27 forecast on BBC 24 just now I had the impression that
the map has now been changed - at least I could clearly see not only the
Shetlands by also Southern Norway, Holland and Northern France down as far
as Brittany. Perhaps someone could have a look at 22.57 and confirm or
otherwise.

Forecast still failing through information overload, although as far as wind
was concerned there was talk of strong winds over much of the country but no
arrows or speed indications at all. By the way, DC seemed to be enjoying
himself with the new graphics earlier this evening. I think his style
matches them.

Regards, Roger