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BBC showed blatant bias on diet, complain angry vegans

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...n-angry-vegans/

Quote:

The BBC has been accused by vegans of failing to challenge “fatuous propaganda” from an author whom they claim misrepresented plant-based diets on air.

The broadcaster was hit by a barrage of complaints after Kirsty Wark interviewed Joanna Blythman, a food writer, on Radio 4’s Start the Week programme on Monday.

She made claims including that a vegan diet “cannot compare in nutrient density” to a meat-based diet and vegans would have to take supplements to get enough vitamins.

Furious listeners accused Ms Wark of lacking impartiality in her handling of the issue, while others suggested the BBC had given airtime to “fatuous propaganda on behalf of the meat industry”.

The presenter attracted further ire by suggesting in her opening to the programme that veganism was a “fad”.

One listener, Theresa, from London, said in a complaint read out on the station’s Feedback programme: “To hear the presenter Kirsty Wark say without challenge that eating 14-year-old beef will do now harm - implying to the environment, maybe even the animal - is ridiculous and offensive.”

It was claimed the programme traced veganism back to a religious group “obsessed with masturbation”, which Theresa said was a “gross misrepresentation” of the movement.

According to another complaint, Ms Blythman was allowed to talk “absolute rubbish” without anyone “daring to contradict her”.

The interview caused such consternation that Viva, the vegan campaign group, published an 800-word rebuttal to what it described as “blatant misinformation and biased reporting from the BBC”.

“The presenters managed to make wild, unsubstantiated claims on all aspects of veganism - from the environment to nutrition, and even human rights and culture,” the response said.

“How ironic to state that ‘there is a plethora of information out there yet very little of it is authenticated’ when the BBC themselves are sharing misinformation and presenting it as fact.”

Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City, University of London, told Feedback Ms Blythman’s claims about supplements were “not necessarily true at all” and Ms Wark’s reference to veganism as a “fad” was “a bit demeaning”.

However, he said in defence of the broadcaster: “(Ms Wark) is a very experienced presenter.

“Start the Week is a programme which is discussing and representing particular books so I think it is an occasion when book writers can have their say.”

He added that research would go on to “undoubtedly show difficulties and advantages in all sorts of diet”.