In a short note to his staff members, the incoming director of the BBC has expressed his dissatisfaction with the content provided by the platform, especially comedy shows that he said tend to serve only one side of the political spectrum.
BREAKING: The new Director General of the BBC will axe comedy shows that mock the regime.
— Gordon Bennett (@RadishRave) August 31, 2020
This is absolutely shocking.#ToryDictatorship #ToryBritainhttps://t.co/rANX9Kgjlw
In his statement, Tim Davie, seemed to outline his policies leading the British public broadcasting corporation as he took office on the 1st of September, which require the organization to "represent every part of the country."
According to the Telegraph, Davie's comments on the need for an overhaul addressed shows that are leaning towards the left-wing, especially comedy ones that are routinely biased against"Brexit, the Tories, and the US President Donald Trump."
This comes on the same day the Guardian published an article on conservative comedians not being afforded a platform on BBC, which goes against the organization's efforts to appeal to a broader audience.
This BBC move to axe Left-wing comedy shows is long overdue - but it’s too little, too late
— Martin Daubney (@MartinDaubney) September 1, 2020
Endless, snobby “jokes” about Brexit & Trump make BBC “comedy” shows are about as funny as Ebola ?
https://t.co/42qJsLchxu
#BBC is really dreadful. I hope the new boss can get rid of the ideology and biases, and bring back journalism.
— Ursula Castellotti, IMC (@UCastellotti) September 2, 2020
However, social media users widely shared the news of Davie's efforts to seemingly redirect the BBC into a different approach covering local and global events, with some praising it as "a long-overdue and much-needed step" to balance views presented by the public media organization, while others deemed it as "an attempt to impose political agendas on journalists."
The fascist Tories are dismantling every part of this country that made it great. They have no soul and no understanding of what makes a modern, vibrant society.
— Duncan Giddens ?????⚽️ (@DuncanGiddens) September 1, 2020
Some commentators associated the new BBC direction with the conservative government's need to "take over" the media so they promote their own policies, calling it a "fascist" tactic and pledging to stop watching BBC and turn into online news outlets instead.
Good job there's the Internet and YouTube then.
— David Taylor Shanahan #3.5% #FBPE #rejoineu (@DavidTaylorShan) September 1, 2020
It is the role of satire to challenge the powerful, and good comedy punches upward, not downward. If the government's policies are so flawed, and Brexit so indefensible, that they cannot withstand mockery then the solution is not to stop the mockery, but to change the policies.
— Cliff Smith (@cliffsmith23) September 1, 2020
Some also argued that comedy shows often target those in power because that is the only way to keep governments from committing mistakes, which, according to them, is why BBC comedians seem to target the conservatives and right-wing politicians more than the ones on the other side of the aisle.