BBC Europe enquiry uncovers some home truths

12.00.00am GMT Wed 26th Jan 2005

Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament welcomed the findings of the independent enquiry into BBC reporting as sensible and timely.

"This report confirms that BBC coverage of EU affairs has been too heavily influenced by the Westminster style of adversarial politics, over simplifying debates and missing the subtleties of EU decision-making", said Watson. "The lack of knowledge of the British public is certainly due in part to failings of full and independent reporting from the national public broadcaster which must now be rectified before next year's referendum on the Constitution. Britain has 78 MEPs but they are seldom seen or heard on main BBC programming," he added.

Chris Davies, leader of the British delegation of Lib Dem MEPs in the Parliament was also upbeat in his assessment:

"For a report to recommend that the BBC should be aiming to inform people about how decisions are made at EU level rather than just entertain them is a truly welcome development to which no-one can object," he stated. "Eurosceptics will find little comfort in this report. It highlights the BBC's past failings in treating the European Institutions like those of a foreign planet rather than as part of Britain's own decision-making machinery. If these recommendations are taken up by the Governors, it is possible that the British public will no longer be amongst the least informed about EU affairs."