Enemies of Reason Poundshop potshots at the media moral maze.

The BBC gives more of a shit about the integrity of sports personality of the year than its political coverage

...and I can prove it. No sweeping statement, this.

BBC sports personality of the year is not about who gets most votes. It's about who gets most votes that the BBC deems worthy of winning. Confused? Well, in 1991, angler Bob Nudd got 100,000 votes. These were discounted. In 1996, Justin Fashanu received thousands of votes. These were discounted.

The BBC was keen to preserve the integrity of SPOTY, keeping it safe from organised attacks via email, presumably on the basis that these were unrepresentative and, because they were organised by a small minority, abused the voting system.

Well, remember that when you look at the 'most recommended' comments on today's BBC Have Your (Reactionary) Say. The discussion is local elections, so given that the Tories received thousands upon thousands of votes, Lib Dems came second and Labour third, is this reflected in this messageboard debate? What do you think? Thanks to Akela for the tipoff:

No elections in my area this time but I would have voted BNP. The only party with the nuts to tell it how it really is.
Blah Blah Blah, Soham

Recommended by 203 people

The question was:

Did you vote in the elections? How do you see the results? Are they good or bad for your area? What impact will they have on the national politics?

Right, so the most recommended comment is about someone who didn't even vote, who is backing the BNP, in the face of the usual thoroughly shit showing for them in a real election, as opposed to an internet messageboard.

And:

I voted for the BNP in my area I dont think they will ever
win or come to power in BOLTON as they speak more truth as
to what people think. But of course people cannot say what
they think or they will be called a RACIST. What a sad world
we now live in when a person cannot say what they think because it may offend a British Subject not an English Person
if history serves me right ENGLAND not British was always
the one to be. So all i can say is if you are English then stand
up and be
Bill W, Bolton

Recommended by 156 people

Another BNP type at the top. And how did they do in Bolton? Er, well, not tremendously well actually. Labour won with the Tories second and the Lib Dems third. Have a look at the results here if you like. From what the local rag is saying, the BNP got just 807 votes in total. Yet they get a massive showing on the BBC's national messageboard.

Yes, I voted for the BNP, and very happy that I did.
Susan Nelson, Leeds

Recommended by 144 people

So here we have an utterly false picture of voting provided by the BBC's messageboard. But they can't possibly interfere in interactive user content... well unless it's sports personality of the year, obviously, which is far more important than the matter of fascist goons ramping up support for their scum political party and using the BBC's website to do so.

Incidentally, I'm not a 'no platform' type. I think everyone should know what the BNP stands for and what they want. Denying these bastards the oxygen of publicity is a foolish move that merely gives them some kind of mystique and allure that their nasty policies don't merit. However, surely when your messageboard is being completely manipulated beyond the reality of public opinion, you ought to take a look at it...? No...?

No, apparently not. Despite the Conservative Party's massive victory in the local elections, the BBC messageboard is all about the BNP.

Someone, somewhere, is probably wringing their hands and meekly worrying about the whole thing. Someone somewhere else is delighted that it's such a piece of piss to hijack the BBC's national platform.

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