BBC calls abortion "contentious" and declines to provide advice

[Howj Begg]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/14/bbc-attacked-for-failure-to-provide-abortion-advice

Healthcare organisations have called on the BBC to reverse its "stigmatising" decision to not provide information about abortion.

After an episode of Call the Midwife, in which a character died as a result of complications from an illegal abortion, women who visited the BBC Action Line website complained there was no advice relating to abortion.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) raised concerns about the omission, and the BBC said it had chosen not to include abortion because it was "contentious" and it did not want to be seen as "supporting one side".

"It isn't possible for the BBC Action Line to offer support for abortion and similarly contentious issues without referring people either to campaigning organisations which take a particular stance on an issue or to organisations which provide it," said a spokesperson.

"Doing so could imply the BBC supported one side or another in any contentious issue which it does not do in its coverage."

Bpas, which provides reproductive healthcare to women and advocates reproductive choice, has now signed a letter to the BBC which was published on Thursday, expressing "disappointment".

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, Family Planning Association (FPA), Marie Stopes UK, the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists are among the co-signatories.

Pretty worrying this. It may be a small thing in itself, but it seems to be symptomatic of a larger change in the BBC. How has this happened? Bannon's influence on the Tories then filtering through to Tory pressure on the Beeb?

[imitationleather]

The real question is how a man who appears to actually be a decomposing corpse apparently has the ear of so many politicians and news networks.

Someone bury the fucker already!

[pancreas]

The BBC is drifting towards fascism. It's a long way away from that at the moment, obviously, but the direction of travel is pretty clear.

I think I might #cancel, if I had a red button.

[Buelligan]

Yes, it really is quite frightening when the BBC behaves like Fox.  Something has to change and soon.

[Blumf]

"to organisations which provide it"

Er... they mean NHS? The BBC can't refer people to the National Health Service?

[Buelligan]

Not if they're up the duff and they don't want to be.  If they're happy about, sure.  If they need help they can fuck off.

[Howj Begg]

Er... they mean NHS? The BBC can't refer people to the National Health Service?

Bizarre language isn't it, like it's been parachuted in from a US corporate press release. It's framing it like the American situation, with private womens healthcare providers singled out and attacked by conservatives, and defunding state healthcare on barely disguised religious grounds.

Where is the contention in this country? I'm not asking that rhetorically, I'd like to know, if anyone here knows. There was a recent abortion provision bill for NI in the Hoc which didn't pass, i think?

[Johnny Yesno]

the BBC said it had chosen not to include abortion because it was "contentious" and it did not want to be seen as "supporting one side"

This is bollocks. By their omission, the BBC has taken a side.