BBC Scotland has defended its interview with climate campaigner Greta Thunberg after it came under fire for its framing of her comments.
On Tuesday, the BBC Scotland website ran a story headlined: “Greta Thunberg: Scotland not a world leader on climate change”.
Within the piece, the broadcaster’s environment correspondent asked the activist whether she believes the country is a world leader on tackling climate change.
He asked Thunberg: “Now, you’ve recently criticised the UK Government for its creative accounting. The Scottish Government does include international shipping and aviation in its accounting and it’s one of the few countries of the world, perhaps the only that does that. What do you see as the position Scotland has? Do you see Scotland as a world leader?”
The 18-year-old replied: “No … I mean, there are some countries that do a bit more than certain others, but then if we look at it from a broader perspective then I think we can safely say there are no countries – at least in the global north – that are even doing close to what would be needed.”
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In today’s National, columnist Richard Walker argues there were a “few problems” with the story – adding: “I don’t know about you but I’m not convinced that quote justifies the headline on the website.”
Others were very critical on social media, prompting the BBC Scotland News PR team to put out a statement.
“For those asking about the interview between Greta Thunberg and our BBC Scotland environment correspondent Kevin Keane, it was an entirely legitimate line of questioning and the article and wider coverage provided the full context of the quote,” the statement read. The corporation then shared an image with the full quotes from the interview.
For those asking about the interview between Greta Thunberg and our BBC Scotland environment correspondent Kevin Keane, it was an entirely legitimate line of questioning and the article and wider coverage provided the full context of the quote. pic.twitter.com/mlhmHT0Y0X
— BBC Scotland News PR (@bbcscotnewspr) September 1, 2021
However the intervention only fuelled more criticism of BBC Scotland, with Scots responding accusing them of an “attack on Scotland”.
The account owner behind Lost Glasgow, which shares historic images of Scotland’s largest city, stepped in. “Having worked as a journalist – magazines, red tops, and broadsheets – for 27 years, my question is; why did you put the erroneous quote in inverted commas, as if direct speech, only to remove them when folk questioned you – then try to dig yourself out with this word salad?” they asked.
“She criticised UK Gov by name, licencing new oil fields. Where’s the headline?” asked William Brown.
Meanwhile Joanna Meier added: “Between this and the ‘creative editing’ of Douglas Ross' remarks to save him from scrutiny it's fair to say you have squandered what trust you had left.”
A spokesperson for the BBC told The National: "We stand by our coverage of the Greta Thunberg interview. It was an entirely legitimate line of questioning and the article and wider coverage provided the full context of the quote concerned.
"James Dornan and others are wrong when they accuse the BBC of editing recent comments made by Douglas Ross when the Scottish Greens joined the Scottish Government.
"For the record we fully reported both comments made by Mr Ross, in his media statement and in his Twitter post - and also the subsequent reaction to them by the First Minister and others - in various reports on BBC News. To accuse us of editing them is misleading and we have written to Mr Dornan, and others who share his view, and outlined to them what we reported on the day."
Meier’s comment comes after the BBC was accused of protecting the Scottish Tory leader from “valid criticism” by removing part of a quote in which he branded the SNP-Green deal “anti families”.
The language was derided by many politicians including SNP MSP Karen Adam who urged Ross to “break down” what he meant – the phrase has historically been used to argue against LGBT rights.
Rather than report the full quote, BBC Scotland paraphrased Ross – telling readers he said the deal “would punish hardworking families”.
SNP MSP James Dornan submitted a motion in the Scottish Parliament asking colleagues to recognise “that the Parliament is disappointed with the BBC editing of a statement made by Douglas Ross”.
A spokesperson for the BBC told The National that the article “reflected Mr Ross’s main criticisms”.
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