Why are the BBC so Anti-MS / Pro Sony?

[Codehead]

This may sound like a whinge, but bear with me.

I regularly use BBC News and Times Online for my daily news fix. The Times doesn't have much of a clue when it comes to tech stuff, but the Beeb has a pretty good tech section. However, there seems to be a real bias in the writing.

Anything Sony does is presented as the best thing ever, while MS news is ignored or pushed down the page unless it's bad (RRoD, etc).

Yesterday for example the headline of the tech page was "Sony's mini PSP is the talk of E3", casting the dropping of a failed format (UMD) in a positive light. Maybe the new PSP is a big deal, but the DSi didn't get that kind of coverage, and has wider appeal IMO (I've only seen 3 or 4 PSPs 'in the wild' compared to the countless DSs knocking around).

Today I expected to see something about Project Natal, even to a skeptic like me the tech seems to be promising, other media outlets are getting very excited about it, calling it the future of gaming and so on. The BBC Tech headline? "Microsoft unveil new controller".

The article is very matter of fact and even manages to get a dig in:

Sales of the Xbox 360 hit their peak in 2008 and are now expected to decline

 

[DrinksInBars]

sponsorship?

maybe the guy ownsa psp or ps3 and is hoping for some games :lol:

 

[brynhh]

It's a bit bizarre because they don't take funding from advertising, it's all publicly funded and from selling shows like Top Gear abroad. Strange one that, but then again I wouldn't trust their tech news much anyway, a lot of the time their computing news is like trying to explain tech to a baby.

 

[hodg100]

I'd love to see what answers you'd get if you'd posted this in the PS3 section, the 'enthusiasts' over there are convinced the entire media is anti-Sony

Perhaps these articles are just written by one guy (Darren Waters) who's a PS3 fan?

 

[GMC79]

Think your right there, but i tend to ignore most stuff related to gaming on TV, 3rd party mags etc, Fed up with rants about this that and the other, cant do better than your favourite forums for all the info you need

 

[Hillskill]

Every broadcaster has to have a good relationship with Sony. All SD TV is broadcast off Digibeta and all HD TV is broadcast from HD Cam & HD Cam SR. These are all Sony Formats that will only play and record in their respective Sony VTRs. The BBC must have invested millions in Sony kit and therefore negotiated some pretty good deals in the 30 years that Sony have dominated the broadcast formats. No doubt Sony mooted their end of the bargain too !

ALL media is influenced in some way, no matter how impartial it claims to be.

 

[Codehead]

Obviously I'm biased too. However, I do try to be neutral these days and not get drawn into format wars. It just really grips my poo when it happens in the mainstream media.

Perhaps I need to find a new news site.

 

[kdc]

Every broadcaster has to have a good relationship with Sony. All SD TV is broadcast off Digibeta and all HD TV is broadcast from HD Cam & HD Cam SR. These are all Sony Formats that will only play and record in their respective Sony VTRs. The BBC must have invested millions in Sony kit and therefore negotiated some pretty good deals in the 30 years that Sony have dominated the broadcast formats. No doubt Sony mooted their end of the bargain too !

ALL media is influenced in some way, no matter how impartial it claims to be.

while true that most broadcast equipment is sony based to say that the bbc needs to provide pro-sony news coverage to maintain a good deal is pretty redundant. Any time the BBC has to buy anything the contracts get put out to tender with suppliers, in the case of sony, yes they will get a discount due to volume purchase.

I think this case comes down to one reporter with bias toward a product he probably owns rather than a corporate wide stance.

Seeing the BBC's reliance on windows based technology within I can guarantee you they have more to lose by losing a deal with microsoft than they do with sony...


and before I get accused of being a fanboy I have owned all three current gen consoles and both handhelds and contrary to popular opinion its the games that make a system not the tech.

 

[Hillskill]

while true that most broadcast equipment is sony based to say that the bbc needs to provide pro-sony news coverage to maintain a good deal is pretty redundant. Any time the BBC has to buy anything the contracts get put out to tender with suppliers, in the case of sony, yes they will get a discount due to volume purchase.

I think this case comes down to one reporter with bias toward a product he probably owns rather than a corporate wide stance.

Seeing the BBC's reliance on windows based technology within I can guarantee you they have more to lose by losing a deal with microsoft than they do with sony...

I pointed out a reason that a broadcaster would need to have a good relationship with Sony. So your saying they could get by with computers and without video tape TBH they clearly need to be in bed with both corporations to function.

 

[Hillskill]

Perhaps Jonathan Ross & Russell Brands (sacked) Editor has been moved the Technology news desk

 

[dazza1011]

The article is very matter of fact and even manages to get a dig in:

to be fair

Speaking to the BBC, Piers Harding-Rolls, senior analyst with Screen Digest, said the success of Natal depended on a number of different factors.

 

[runam0k]

I've noticed that about the BBC too. It doesn't bother me with other websites - human nature says articles and even whole websites may lean one way or another - but it's the BBC and I kind of expect more. Whoever writes the tech articles is very consistent. It has been noted a bunch of times.

Taking it to a level higher (above the tech editor), do you think Microsoft would drag its feet getting iPlayer on 360? I can't help but think the Beeb has issues with Microsoft.

 

[winstano]

I've always found it to be the opposite way round... The BBC seem to jump on the slightest mistake by Sony or Apple and crucify them! (But then, that could just be me that sees this)...

I guess it's all subjective.

 

[ricflairandy]

Ive noticed it with bbc, to be honest its just lazy journalism. I mean if they botherd to check sales figures they would see that the 360 still outsells the ps3 both in hardware sales and multiplatform games.

 

[Codehead]

I've always found it to be the opposite way round... The BBC seem to jump on the slightest mistake by Sony or Apple and crucify them! (But then, that could just be me that sees this)...

I guess it's all subjective.

I suppose it does depend on your point of view.

Another example that springs to mind is the three day long feature for the run up to Home being released compared to the single story on the Newsbeat page about NXE (mainly about the audio glitch).

 

[Nivek TT]

I find the beeb to be pro-Sony, not just the website even outlets such as Radio 1. PSP got loads of buzz when it first appeared, DS barely a mention.

Moyles seems to love his Xbox though

 

[p9ul]

I've always found it to be the opposite way round... The BBC seem to jump on the slightest mistake by Sony or Apple and crucify them! (But then, that could just be me that sees this)...

I guess it's all subjective.

I would have thought the Beeb would butter up to Apple seeing as a lot of departments all swapped over to Mac's not so long ago...

 

[GMC79]

I just wish they'd team up to make one super console, best of both worlds.
Wont happen but can dream.lol

 

[p9ul]

I find the beeb to be pro-Sony, not just the website even outlets such as Radio 1. PSP got loads of buzz when it first appeared, DS barely a mention.

Moyles seems to love his Xbox though

As does Jonathon Woss & Vernon Kaye... the latter never seems to shut up about XBox live.

 

[xox Godders xox]

I think that we're wired to be a bit paranoid and defensive about things we feel some sort of affection or loyalty towards. In America (where political opinion is largely polarised) those on either side of the political divide always insist that the media is biased in favour of their opponents. In football, fans always say that the refs/officials favour their rivals. etc etc.

I don't deny there might be some bias but I think our perceptions are probably a bit skewed.

 

[Blitzmage]

I don't think you will ever find a news site which is totally unbiased. Humans are very opinionated so editors will be no difference. I'd be surprised if anyone ever REALLY likes all their consoles exactly the same, even those that own all three.

Even if you only allowed people to write stories for the console they like that would mean there would be a lack of criticism and negative news would never get posted.

Thats why it's proberly best just to read a few diffrent news sites just so you can average it out yourself.

 

[Deleted member 92943]

I think it's because Sony give the Beeb 1st look at a lot of stuff that they're working on. The BBC got hands on with PlayTV about a year before it was released and also a secret PS3 game which is apparently still a secret

 

[loz]

BBC NEWS | Technology | Microsoft unveils new controller

 

[Codehead]

They've updated the page through the day, it reads a bit better now.

I think I may have worked out why they're a bit upset though:

Both Nintendo and Sony consoles stream video content using the BBC iPlayer.

Mr Kim played down allegations that Microsoft had opted to team up with Sky purely to differentiate itself from its competitors.

 

[dazza1011]

lets face it the reason MS dont have iplayer is that they would have to give it for free as the BBC wouldnt let it be charged for.

bottom line = cash