More bias at the Beeb?

How many of you are aware of the latest crime figures? You should be, since they show a remarkable overall decline of 9% compared with the previous year - at an accelerating pace!  Not only that, but the figures include a huge 17% drop in robberies, a 16% fall in serious violence and a 9% reduction in sexual offences. The only counter-trends were a 4% rise in gun-crime (but gun-related deaths and serious injuries were down) and a 21% surge in drug offences (related to the reclassification of cannabis as a Class C drug), both sets of figures representing just a tiny proportion of overall offences.

All in all tremendous news for the government and a wonderful opportunity for the media to calm fears and correct misperceptions about rising crime.

So how did our esteemed public service TV channel cover this exceptionally up-beat story? You've guessed it. The Six O' Clock News put it down about midway in the programme and led on the rise in the gun and drug crime figures (illustrated by a dramatic related package) with only the most fleeting references to the fall in the overall figures. Moreover their on-line, watch-again BBC News Player re-showing this edition of the Six O' Clock News headlined the item as "Crime rises by 4%". The 9 'o clock news summary referred to the 4% increase in gun crime but omitted to mention the overall fall. By 10 'o clock the story had been dropped altogether to find time for pieces about the calorie content of coffee and the latest on Amy Winehouse.

I am now seeking an explanation from the BBC (could it be that, post-Hutton, Aunty is averse to giving publicity for any government success story?). Watch this space for their response.