This has been puzzling me and others for some time. It's counter intuitive: Reform in office would defund the BBC regardless of how much of a boost they try to give them now.
A focus group report noted that one comment was that the Lib Dems were 'invisible'. No wonder: they have over 70 seats in the Commons, but get very little air time. The Greens have as many MPs as Reform and more councillors but might as well not exist.
One BBC answer is that Reform are ahead in the polls. I don't recall that being the criterion for coverage in the past. If Reform fall back, will coverage also reduce? I doubt it.
Another is that they are a news story. Last night the BBC's news values were that the death of an American wrestler was more important than a major trade deal with India. It will be interesting to see what sort of coverage the new 'Fruit and Nut' party (as yet unnamed) gets.
BBC commentators will no doubt claim that it is their job to hold the Government to account. It's a shame they didn't pursue some of the scandals under the Conservatives as vigorously.
Part of the answer is that many of the high ups at the BBC, not least hapless supremo Tim Davie. were Tory appointees. Commentators like the 'weasel' Chris Mason and Tory Laura come across as closet Tories or at least they miss the tip offs they got under the Tories (add the rat Peston on ITV to that crew). Laura's attempts to score 'gothchas' are a pathetic substitute for television journalism. Davie has even floated changing programme content to align it with the values of Reform voters.
Impartial broadcasting? Sadly no. When I did TV work (starting at age 13) I preferred Sky to the BBC because the latter was so obsessed with 'balance' that it killed the story. Perhaps it was a necessary price.
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