HC Deb 02 December 1942 vol 385 cc1146-7
37. Wing-Commander James

asked the Minister of Information whether he will call the attention of the Governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation to the different reporting upon the 6 p.m. and the 9 p.m. news on 22nd November of a speech delivered by Sir William Beveridge?

Mr. Bracken

No, Sir, I cannot ask the Governors of the B.B.C. to delve into the vast mass of material from which the B.B.C. news bulletins are derived. If my hon. and gallant Friend will read through the various editions of any daily paper he will notice that frequent changes occur in the reporting of news items.

Wing-Commander James

In view of the way in which Sir William Beveridge had already been misrepresented on another occasion, does not the right hon. Gentleman think it very unfortunate that while the 9 o'clock news bulletin gave a perfectly fair report of an extremely interesting address the 6 o'clock bulletin made it appear that Sir William Beveridge had made a merely Socialistic speech to the Fabian Society?

Mr. Bracken

In answer to my hon. and gallant Friend, I must remind him that the reports of speeches vary, of course, on the B.B.C. as in newspapers, and I saw nothing in the B.B.C. report misrepresenting Sir William Beveridge.

Viscountess Astor

Had the right hon. Gentleman heard both reports, he would have heard a great deal that was quite, quite different.

Mr. G. Griffiths

Nothing of the kind.