Liberal Vision

How Murdoch shafted Clegg

Its 2105 and it is clearly apparent that it was a disgrace to allow Rupert Murdochs Sky was allowed into the Leaders Live Debate club.

When I have time I will analyse in detail – but seems to me a blatant attempt to shaft Nick Clegg. Look at the way the camera goes away from Nick whenever he speaks,… to scan the audience , the shots from behind, the reactions from Cameron – anywhere but Clegg’s face…

Meanwhile Cameron gets full face when ever he utters a word. Brown got a fair edit – but he’s not the threat to Cameron is he??

Its an utter disgrace… I am calling it as Brown’s debate – with Nick second. Cameron – for all the help from his Murdoch buddies comes third.

Thought: May be Sky News are just not very good?

UPDATE 2150

Sun/YouGov gives it to Cameron36%. Clegg 32% Brown 29%

Channel 4 poll gives it to  Clegg 52% Brown 31%. Cameron 17%

Update: 2156

ITV/Comres poll give it to clegg 33%, Cameron and Brown on 30% – suck on that one Rupert…. 

01:15 Update

Just returned from the BBC where I went into to give my analysis of the debate (on News Channel) and ended up being asked about tweeting and the blogosphere. What I was going to say – and will say here instead – is that it strikes me as interesting that the instant poll results tonight are in the same ball park as the national polls pre-debate. 1.It is very difficult to see how the Liberal genie can be put back in the bottle. 2.I wonder whether the instant polls tonight reflect a certain “settling of opinion” – i..e people have made their minds up pretty much and  judged the debate tonight based on their most likely voting intention – not the actual content  of the debate. If so we have a hung parliament.

I was amused to see today’s Sun headline whilst in the studio …something like “Cam saves the day”. With out question TV has re-invented itself and is THE medium of this election. The Leaders debates are the game-changers not the bloggers or tweeters. But what I find astounding is that newspapers are looking increasingly irrelevant and, when you look at the clearly co-ordinated attack fromTory attack-dog newspapers today ..is it any wonder? The Sun used to be really good at smelling political change in the air and moving fast. They appear to have just gone to sleep – or maybe its lack of sleep as Rupert Murdoch hurls abuse at them down the phone into the wee small hours. Did no one tell him The Sun didn’t actually win it for Blair back in 97?

Tags: "murdoch shafted clegg", Leaders Debate, Murdoch, SKY

A Party Leaders debate on Sky – you are kidding right?

So I understand from a joint press release on Friday that BBC, ITV and SKY have jointly agreed to offer the leaders of the three main parties in England (Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Nick Clegg) the prospect of a three way TV debate – one each hosted by ITV, Sky and BBC.

 I have two questions….

1. HOW THE HELL DID SKY GET A SEAT AT THE TABLE ?

Am I the only one to question why SKY gets a seat at the table when its owner has already declared for one of the party’s involved? Rupert Murdoch’s SKY operation cannot be considered impartial – and I for one would support any of the parties that declined to take part in a debate on that network.

2. WHY JUST A LEADERS DEBATE ? – lets see the lot of them…

I understand that the media are gagging for a “presidential” debate between the leaders . And we might wish that the leaders were “presidents ” standing on their own tickets – but they are not. David Cameron cannot control the ultra “get out of Europe” brigade, so sits on the fence on the issue, Nick Clegg cannot move without the “Federal Policy Committee” approval and Gordon Brown is ….well… fighting everyone in his party…. and teetering on the brink of a coup ….

These are not “presidents”. These are leaders of complex , fractious groups, who without exception, are facing bigger internal battles than they are external ones. I knew that politicians had lost touch with the real world – but when did the broadcasters lose the plot?

SO WHAT DO I WANT TO SEE?

(Nothing on Sky thanks a lot – your boss has made his views clear already).
Four debates on ITV , BBC1, BBC2 and Channel 4  (these all have independent news programmes that are unbiased).

Each debate covering one of the 4 great offices of state . This would involve the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary and their counterparts from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. At least that way we would get to sample a range of talents from across the parties not just the figureheads. Strikes me as fairer all round (and much more entertaining I’m sure)….

 

Tags: BBC, ITV, Leaders Debate, SKY