Frances Rabbitts reviews ‘The Noble Liar’ by Robin Aitken (Biteback Publishing, 2018).

If you have ever been irritated, confused or upset by the blatant liberal bias of our national broadcasting network, this book is for you. Written by an ex-BBC journalist and executive who spent 25 years at the Corporation, The Noble Liar exposes the BBC’s ingrained ideological slant, taking its cue from Plato’s concept of a ‘noble lie’: a myth told knowingly by those in power for what they perceive to be the greater good, and/or to further their own particular agendas.

Accessible, punchy and full of up-to-date examples (some well-known, some less so), this is an easy read and a personable, non-academic contribution to the growing reaction against the left-wing hegemony suffocating the British media class.

Naked Bias

From Brexit to Trump, Aitken unpacks obvious examples of naked bias in BBC coverage, backed up by research, statistics and quotes. He then delves into history to understand the reasons, both sociological and ideological, behind it.

As he makes his way through decades of ‘noble lies’ perpetuated by the BBC – surrounding subjects including feminism, abortion, multiculturalism and immigration – what emerges is not a conspiracy theory about evil masterminds seeking to indoctrinate the British population, but a picture of a Corporation overwhelmingly staffed by sincere liberal ‘believers’, acting in what they think is the public interest and genuinely blinkered to the possibility that they might be wrong.

What is refreshing about Aitken’s writing is that he provides a working example of what BBC reporters should be – accurate and fair-minded, impartial and honest, not imposing his own beliefs on his work. In fact, having read the book I am none the wiser as to his own opinions on any of the issues he covers – only that he tends towards conservatism, recognises that the BBC is chronically slanted in the opposite direction and wants to understand why.

Aitken provides a working example of what BBC reporters should be – accurate and fair-minded, impartial and honest, not imposing his own beliefs on his work.

Like Melanie Phillips, Aitken traces the origin of the issue to the left-wing’s reactionary hatred of Britain’s Judeo-Christian heritage – a hatred which increasingly unites even the most disparate of causes and victim groups. Aitken is brave enough to acknowledge that Christianity is the real foundation of everything that was once ‘great’ about Britain (including the BBC), and that no framework has yet been found to equal or replace it as the foundation of Britain’s national identity.

Meanwhile, still enjoying levels of cultural influence and public respect and a reputation for journalistic excellence that no other media group can command, ‘Auntie the apostate’ has despised her own heritage and is busy evangelising the masses with a new gospel:

The BBC is not some virtual mirror that society holds up and sees itself reflected back; a mirror changes nothing – it merely shows us what we look like. The BBC far more resembles a preacher; a good preacher does hold up a mirror to people and says, ‘Look, this is who you are’, but…then goes on to say ‘And this is what you should be’…it is the BBC’s role as preacher that we need to be aware of and closely examine. (pp244-5).

Facing the Consequences

Though there is no vitriol in Aitken’s analysis, neither does he hold back from stating the full implications of his arguments: that slanted, selective news coverage and the BBC’s near-total silence on the harmful consequences of liberal policies and laws, together with its undermining, dismissing and omitting of conservative voices, constitute a gross dereliction of the Corporation’s duty to open up controversial topics for fair, full exposure and debate.

These topics are of extreme national importance; therefore, the BBC has been directly complicit not only in the suppression of true debate, but in the deterioration of British society. Thankfully, Aitken finishes on a positive note, reminding readers that no ideology or culture is immune from change or challenge.

The implication of Aitken’s arguments is that the BBC has been directly complicit not only in the suppression of true debate, but in the deterioration of British society.

Cathartic Reading

At times, Aitken becomes so engrossed in critiquing left-wing shibboleths that concrete examples from BBC coverage seem to fall by the wayside. More of his own personal story could also have been included, even though this has previously been published in his other books. And there is no mention at all of the BBC's prejudice against Israel - a cornerstone of its liberal worldview. However, these criticisms don’t detract from the overall satisfaction of reading an author who clearly values truth over myths, facts over convenient fictions or strategic omissions – and has very valid points to make about British media bias.

For those wanting a more sophisticated philosophical exposition of leftist ideology, it won’t go deep enough – as per Aitken’s background, this is a journalistic commentary. However, it remains a very cathartic read – saying out loud everything you ever muttered inwardly about the Beeb – and will be accessible to all, regardless of belief, if obviously irksome for those who incline left.

‘The Noble Liar: How and why the BBC distorts the news to promote a liberal agenda’ (paperback, 288pp) is available widely in bookshops and online. On Amazon for £7.72. Available on Kindle for less.

Watch the New Culture Forum's interview with Robin Aitken about the content of the book by clicking here.

Notes

1 By ‘left-wing’ and ‘liberal’, we mean the particular strand of radical leftism, inspired by atheism, humanism and Marxism, that has come to dominate the mainstream media in the West.

2 This might have been expected given his former history with the BBC, covered in his first book, ‘Can We Trust the BBC?’ (2007). See also ‘Can We Still Trust the BBC?’ (2013), which focuses on the revelations about Jimmy Savile.