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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Jim Waterson Media editor

BBC chair suggests public may overstate appetite for impartial news

Pedestrians walk past a BBC logo at Broadcasting House
BBC chair Richard Sharp said the reality of what people actually click on or watch increasingly leans towards provocative and sensational content. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/Reuters

The chair of the BBC has suggested the public may overstate their appetite for impartial news, in the same way that “99% of people say they wash their hands after going to the loo”.

Richard Sharp said his organisation is facing the joint challenges of stopping audiences drifting away to more partisan news outlets, while at the same time warning that the BBC’s ability to provide accurate information is under threat because of funding cuts.

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