12/05/2012 Newswatch

Welcome to news watch. Should these are three candidates got more of a

look-in. During the coverage of the mayor of London, elections had been

dominating the news. Last weekend saw Francois Hollande in the run-

off to be the President of France. There were local mayoral elections

also. The results were brought to worse by David Dimbleby in a

marathon overnight programme. are looking at how people voted in

the English and Wells council elections. -- Welsh. I could

mistakenly think I was watching a general election. Panellists are

not talking about local politics, they're talking about MPs. Where

are the councillors? They also complained about Jeremy Vine and

his graphics. We are looking at key ward change. Does that remind you

of anything? Various comparisons were made. I do not understand why

Jeremy Vine must be sitting in a strange looking swimming pool.

Another wrote that he looks like he is trying out for Strictly Come

Dancing. This is the overall figure, I will give it to you. Protests

about the coverage of the election started before Thursday night. It

started on the sensitive issue of how airtime should be given to

various parties and candidates. A debate showing the London mayoral

elections. Only for the candidates were invited. One of the missing

made her objections clear. -- only a four. There were seven candidates

in the selection we should all be given a say. I think what will

become part of the Siobhan Benita problem, they were given the same

number as the Green candidate. They were not given enough airtime. She

has a serious record in the civil service, why should she not have a

chance with interviewers and be tested in front of you in the same

way as other candidates. Canada Mac was excluded from debates on who

should become be London mayor. Why didn't the smaller parties receive

equal representation to the larger ones and the same number of party

election broadcasts? The answer is that BBC allocates broadcast time

in relation to previous election success. The BBC it takes its rules

from the cannot the century elections. -- the turn of be. At

the last general election, more than one-third of the public voted

for parties other than Labour and Conservatives. 10% for small and

minor parties. We also found out recently in the by-election at

Bradfield, Wade George Galloway 1, he was a situation that was coming

increasingly common in Britain. Those dissatisfied with Labour

Party do want to vote for the two main parties, wanted to find an

outlet for their protest. -- where George Galloway one. You need to

look at the broadcasting rules and the nomination rules together.

is a trend that has been seen across Europe, smaller parties

taking a greater share of the boat from Greece to France. The BBC will

revisit its rules regarding election coverage. Rick Bailey

joins us now. Are they too rigid the rules? We have one set of rules.

Before each said elections, which drafted new guidelines and we let

people comment on them. They are specific to each election. For the

next set of election tax, we were to that process again. -- next set

of elections. The problem of Siobhan Benita, because she was an

independent she did not get airtime. They said it is ridiculously skewed

towards the status quo and very unfair. It is, isn't it?

candidates got a lot of air time. They all got more coverage than

they ever have. There were three TV interviews, 3 -- six radio

interviews. All the other candidates got a lot of coverage.

The idea that they were excluded is not true. Yet, they borrow only for

participants in the live TV debates -- there were only a four

participants. We must criticise the incumbents and those who want to be

mayor for the next four years. There was a debate with too many

voices would not be helpful to the electric as a whole. It is a little

bit like a chicken and egg situation especially for an

independent. Because they do not have a party and they do not stand

at the last election, inevitably they are disadvantaged in terms of

highly political broadcasts and appearing in formal debates.

must judge who gets the coverage. We take our guide from the

electorate. Parties that have a track record should get some

coverage. That is not the only criteria. If you worry new

candidate for party, that does not apply. We look at current electoral

support. We look at all things to charge the support. Opinion polls

can play a large part in that. We did all that and made that

judgement. We got the right level of coverage. Did the BBC adequately

reflect what many people think are significant changes to the

political landscape, not just in the UK, but across Europe?

Fragmentation of the party system and new systems rising. We look at

each election separately. In the European elections, they get the

same level of coverage as the major parties. In the mayoral elections,

85% off the people who voted last week voted either Labour or

Conservative, 85%. The third candidate got less than 5%. The

idea is that the votes are disappearing, that is not true. You

must look at East election separately -- each election.

Elsewhere, we watch the news of the nine men who sexually exploited

teenagers in crushed -- Rochdale. They wear of Pakistani or Muslim

Origin. -- they were of. Thursday saw the latest stage in the build-

up to the big summer sporting event. The lighting of the Olympic flame

in Greece. These were the author wrote. -- these were the author

wrote -- view were. Let's return to the elections. Last Saturday

afternoon when Joy Dinsdale e- mailed. We are still being