BBC Council Result Coverage

[peterl]

The time has come for us to work together to restore the standard of election coverage we are used to and that the country deserves!

As I'm sure everyone has noticed, the BBC decided not to provide a detailed breakdown of council results online this year, but rather just a scoreboard, which does not allow you to see who has won seats where. If we don't take action, this will be the standard of results from now on, requiring significantly more effort to find out how our respective parties have done in different parts of the country.

I therefore ask everyone who values council by council breakdown to let the BBC know how you feel that we might return to the pre-2015 standard from next year.

You can use an online form to send your comments here: ssl.bbc.co.uk/faqs/forms/?eid=&id=SGH8JD2FEB9TMSL9SDAQGUIAL6&mid=&uid=962432142#anchor

[mrhell]

I was really unimpressed.

[carlton43]

May 11, 2015 15:09:42 GMT peterl said:

The time has come for us to work together to restore the standard of election coverage we are used to and that the country deserves!

As I'm sure everyone has noticed, the BBC decided not to provide a detailed breakdown of council results online this year, but rather just a scoreboard, which does not allow you to see who has won seats where. If we don't take action, this will be the standard of results from now on, requiring significantly more effort to find out how our respective parties have done in different parts of the country.

I therefore ask everyone who values council by council breakdown to let the BBC know how you feel that we might return to the pre-2015 standard from next year.

You can use an online form to send your comments here: ssl.bbc.co.uk/faqs/forms/?eid=&id=SGH8JD2FEB9TMSL9SDAQGUIAL6&mid=&uid=962432142#anchor

Complaint made about result sequence and detailed results online. And about the awful GE coverage on TV.

[davewild]

I already complained to the BBC a couple of days ago. I also have not been able to find any of the national newspapers having provided a breakdown either, which they usually do, such as The Guardian did in 2010 here: www.theguardian.com/society/table/2010/may/07/local-elections

[Pete Whitehead]

The Telegraph had a breakdown on the back of their election supplement on Saturday

[manchesterman]

It was less than I would expect, however having sat through the 8 hours of ITVs election coverage over the past 2-3 days, I was thankful I did watch the Beebs coverage on the night.

[The Bishop]

Again, how was ITV's coverage so bad?

[Robert Waller]

Hardly any display of detailed results, very few declarations broadcast (and these usually prerecorded with the outcome displayed at the top of the screen), frequent long discussions in the 'opinion room' with a variety of non-election experts, frequent contributions from someone discussing the election on Facebook, very basic graphics, main presenter (Tom Bradby) who often admitted he had little specialist knowledge of electoral detail ("I should know this but I don't"), two academics sitting on screen at table but contributing surprisingly little of value (Jane Green of Manchester U often making points relating to British Election Study in general - long term and either irrelevant or untopical) and far too occasionally Colin Rallings (Plymouth) who seemed oddly disengaged and sticking to the exit poll script long after it had been overtaken by results re the overall majority possibility then likelihood, the whole thing looked cut-price and low key ... that enough for a start?!

[The Bishop]

Worse than the BBC, then - and they were none too special though probably marginally less awful than in 2010!

[Harry Hayfield]

May 11, 2015 18:19:17 GMT davewild said:

I already complained to the BBC a couple of days ago. I also have not been able to find any of the national newspapers having provided a breakdown either, which they usually do, such as The Guardian did in 2010 here: www.theguardian.com/society/table/2010/may/07/local-elections

The Guardian has gone down several degrees in my estimation most notably for their loss of interest in data. Forty eight hours after the polls closed they had a general election spreadsheet on their Datablog in 2010. As far as I can tell no such data from 2015 has been published up to this point.

Well, seeing as we are incensed, I say we take on the BBC at their own game and hold our OWN election night service for the devolved Assemblies of Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and London as well as the local elections and do it via the myriad of online broadcasters that are available. I don't mind tackling Wales (and unlike the BBC in the past, I will mention the regional list votes by constituency) the only downside being that I am not sure if I would be able to stay up all night (but that said if 2011 is any guide the first result will not be announced until at least 0230 BST)

[Andrew_S]

My general election spreadsheet will be available within a few days. I know others are already available.