Rural groups challenge bias in BBC farming coverage

The BBC has been accused by upland farmers of systemic bias in its farming and rural reporting, as new polling shows a collapse of trust in the broadcaster across countryside communities.

The Regional Moorland Groups, representing upland organisations in England, say the findings present a “damning” assessment of a broadcaster that has “lost touch with the countryside”.

In a letter to the incoming director-general, they argue that “the BBC has a systemic problem with editorial bias and impartiality” affecting coverage of upland farming and moorland management.

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A YouGov survey of 6,495 adults found that only 2% believe the BBC represents rural areas “very accurately”.

More than half of rural residents (53%) say the broadcaster continues to rely on a narrow set of organisations when reporting countryside issues, echoing concerns identified in a 2014 BBC Trust review.

Just 24% of Britons consider the BBC unbiased on rural matters, while 37% of rural respondents believe rural areas are depicted inaccurately and 38% feel personally misrepresented.

Metropolitan bias

The groups say coverage shows a metropolitan bias, with rural stories “too often viewed through the lens of environmentalism” and reliant on “fluffy” imagery rather than the realities of farming and land management.

They claim the broadcaster is overly dependent on a small number of NGOs to set the agenda, while gamekeepers, farmers, land managers and rural workers with generations of experience are routinely absent from reporting.

The letter references recent controversies, including the resignations of director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness, stating the BBC’s impartiality issues are “institutional, not incidental”.

It also cites comments made on BBC platforms by contributors, including environmentalists Chris Packham and Mark Carwadine, as examples of limited balance in programming on field sports and upland farming.

The groups conclude: “This is not balance. This is not impartiality. This is ideological framing masquerading as environmental journalism.”

Recommendations

They urge the new director-general to appoint independent rural correspondents, strengthen editorial standards, and create an autonomous rural affairs department to ensure farming voices are properly represented.

In response, a BBC spokesman said: “The BBC is committed to covering rural affairs and reflecting a breadth and diversity of opinion in our output, per our editorial guidelines.

“We’re proud of the range of dedicated programming on TV and radio, as well as covering rural stories on BBC News from across the UK.

“The BBC’s rural advisory committee includes a wide range of people outside the organisation who share insights from farming communities and provide feedback to the BBC to help ensure our content is accurate and relevant.”

The spokesman also noted that BBC News has a rural affairs correspondent and producer who report on rural issues across the UK.