On January 19 2014 we lodged our first official complaint with the BBC, concerning an episode of Newsnight during which only male perpetrators of DA, and female victims, were mentioned:

http://j4mb.org.uk/2014/01/19/our-first-official-complaint-to-the-bbc-the-newsnight-piece-on-domestic-abuseviolence-7-january-2014/

Footage of the programme on our YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_arobNtUyU

We put a considerable amount of time and effort into our complaint, and included an analysis of the programme’s 50+ breaches of guidelines contained in the 215-page document, ‘BBC Editorial Guidelines’. It’s been almost four weeks since we lodged the complaint. Ever optimistic, we were starting to hope for some substantive engagement, but we’ve just received this:

Dear Mr Buchanan Reference CAS-2526463-VBBJ6H Thanks for your contact regarding ‘Newsnight’ on 7 January. We took your concerns to the Assistant Editor of Newsnight, who thanked them for their feedback. He added that the Newsnight team, as well as the wider editorial staff at BBC News, are aware that there are many male victims of domestic abuse and he appreciates you taking the time to contact us on this issue. He disagrees, however, that the report was misleading and is confident that it did not breach our editorial guidelines. The fact that this particular film and discussion focussed on female victims of domestic abuse should not be taken as a denial that men too can be victims. This is an issue that we have covered, for example: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25038695, which actually links to the Mankind campaign, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23876948 and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12126783. However, we have taken on board your comments. Thanks again for taking the time to contact us. Kind Regards <name redacted> BBC Complaints www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

The contempt for our complaint is evident from the start:

We took your concerns to the Assistant Editor of Newsnight, who thanked them for their feedback.

Um… he thanked our concerns for their feedback? The response continues:

He disagrees, however, that the report was misleading and is confident that it did not breach our editorial guidelines.

We outlined 50+ breaches of the guidelines. It continues:

This is an issue that we have covered, for example: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25038695, which actually links to the Mankind campaign, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23876948 and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12126783.

This is an example of a BBC tactical response to complaints which has been reported to us before, both generally and with regard to this particular programme. The BBC points to examples of programmes which aren’t in line with the thrust of the complaint, in an effort to discredit the basis of the complaint. Anyone who has the level of interest we have in DA is acutely aware that the overwhelming narrative on BBC programmes is of male perpetrators and female victims. Rarely are people concerned about male victims given a voice.

The final piece of contempt for our complaint, given that the BBC has manifestly NOT taken on board out comments:

However, we have taken on board your comments.

We’re going to escalate this complaint as far as we can, to OFCOM if necessary. The BBC hasn’t heard the last of this matter.

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