By Julie Macgregor



Whatsupic -- Sunday saw over two thousand people gather at the BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow to protest over biased coverage of the Scottish independence referendum. The demonstration, organised by pro-independence activists, was arranged to highlight the pro-union stance of the publicly funded broadcaster.

On September 18th Scots will be asked if they wish to become an Independent nation.

The referendum has inspired a wave of grassroots activism across Scotland. Over 350 local pro-independence groups have been formed with many thousands taking to the streets to canvass voters. Meetings are being filled to capacity in towns and villages across the country.

“The referendum has sparked a reinvigoration of Scottish political interest” said one of the protest organisers. “People see an opportunity to have their voices heard - something that is unusual for voters in Scotland. I haven't witnessed political engagement on this scale in my lifetime. The Yes campaign is driven by ordinary folk with no previous experience of activism. It is wonderfully positive, based on a determination to create a Scotland which serves its people rather than its masters. It is driven by hope and anger. Anger at a corrupt establishment and a government which does not represent the views of Scotland. The BBC, a service which we are bound by law to finance, is being used as a propaganda machine. The protest represents the anger felt by many about the BBC’s blatant attempts to manipulate the political thinking of the population which funds it.”

Professor John Robertson addressing the crowd

The crowd was addressed by Professor John Robertson of The University of The West of Scotland. Robertson, who recently published his analysis of coverage by both the BBC and independent channel STV, accused the broadcaster of selective coverage of independence related stories and a skewed representation of Scotland’s political view. During a speech lasting nearly 20 minutes, The Professor discussed areas of concern such as a tendency to focus on bad news stories and messages of fear, the BBC’s use of celebrity endorsement of the Union, repeated messages of warning about the risks of independence, a tendency towards more aggressive interviewing of Yes supporters and accused the corporation of ‘demonising the the First Minister’. He cited examples of good news stories which went unreported by the BBC and other mainstream media, accusing the Scottish journalistic elite of being “in it together”. The Professor finished by inviting others to provide evidence to rebut his claims. Staff inside the building held YES posters to the windows as the Professor spoke.

The BBC has also come under fire from its own staff for its association with pro-union lobby group CBI. Members of the National Union of Journalists believe that the broadcasters’ impartiality is incompatible with CBI membership. Many (including former Director General of the BBC, Greg Dyke) consider the BBC to part of a Westminster conspiracy to maintain the current British Political system.

The BBC reported briefly on the protest but claimed that 350 attended - downplaying numbers by approximately 80%.