Audience off the mark
- 29 Jun 07, 03:24 PM
I have received complaints this week about The World Tonight's coverage of two different stories - the changing of the guard at 10 Downing Street and our report from the Basque country that asked why ETA is still fighting on. In both cases I have to say I am puzzled as the complaints bear little relation to what we broadcast.
The complaint about our political coverage said:
- "Why are there only men discussing politics on this and so many other programmes? Women are under-represented in the arena of political discussions on the 大象传媒."
Now, how do you go about replying to this - as I do reply to all complaints as long as they aren鈥檛 abusive - when the programme in question (which you can listen to here) had a panel of three discussing the relative merits of Gordon Brown and David Cameron of which two were... how can I say it... women?
This is not as uncommon as you might think - but why do people take the time to complain about things we have not broadcast, rather than what we did? Do they not pay attention or do they hear what they want to hear?
I think a clue lies in the complaint above - someone who believes the 大象传媒 in general doesn't invite enough women on the air to discuss politics decides to complain about a programme to make a general point and - here I admit I am speculating - maybe he or she didn't listen to the programme carefully and heard what he/she wanted to hear. Or actually switched off early in a fit of rage and got on the phone/computer to complain.
Our presenter, Robin Lustig, tells me there may be another explanation. He says he was asked at a party recently why he says every night 鈥淵ou're listening to The World Tonight鈥, The person who asked this then answered her own question 鈥 鈥淚'm not listening鈥, she said 鈥淚've just got the radio on鈥.
Having said that, we are accountable to the public who have to pay the licence fee, so I will respond to the complaint as I respond to all others - politely but straightforwardly.
Alistair Burnett is editor of the World Tonight
