For years now, people living and working in rural communities have muttered that the BBC doesn’t really “get” them.
Now those whispers have landed squarely in the open, as a new survey suggests many countryside residents feel the broadcaster has drifted toward what they call a “metropolitan mindset,” far removed from daily farm life.
Rural Viewers Say Coverage Doesn’t Reflect Their Reality
The survey, carried out by the Regional Moorland Groups, asked people across the countryside how accurately they felt the BBC portrayed issues affecting their lives.
The responses weren’t exactly glowing: nearly four in ten said the coverage was off the mark.
Only a tiny two per cent believed the BBC captured things “very accurately,” while most others leaned toward either mild approval or uncertainty.
Frustration Over Whose Voices Get Heard
One of the themes that kept coming up was the sense that those who work the land—farmers, gamekeepers, upland managers—aren’t given the space to explain their own stories.
instead, many felt that urban campaign groups with little hands-on experience get priority airtime.
The Moorland Groups argue this creates a skewed conversation, especially around sensitive topics like predator control, grouse shooting, and moorland care.
Concerns Rooted in Years of Cultural Shifts
Sir Johnny Scott, who once presented on the BBC and is well-known in farming circles, didn’t mince his words.
He suggested that since the 2004 hunting ban, the broadcaster has leaned heavily into what he describes as “north London socialism,” drifting closer to single-issue activism than balanced reporting.
In his view, this shift has left rural heritage and long-standing traditions on the defensive.
Flashpoints Around Badgers and Bovine TB
One of the most heated examples mentioned in the debate is a BBC documentary fronted by musician Brian May about the badger cull.
Farmers who watched the programme felt that it glossed over how badgers contribute to the spread of bovine tuberculosis, instead focusing blame mainly on farm cleanliness.
The National Farmers Union publicly criticised the documentary for lacking journalistic balance on what is a notoriously complicated subject.
A Letter Calling for Change at the Top
With a new BBC director-general arriving, the Regional Moorland Groups took their chance to push for reform.
They wrote to both the incoming chief and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, urging the network to rethink how it handles rural issues.
Their message was blunt: too many vital working-land voices are missing, and too many campaign-led ones dominate the frame.
Spotlight on How Rural Issues Are Prioritised
One example that particularly irritated the group was how little attention was paid to the recent farmers’ tax raid announcement in the Budget.
They pointed out that the BBC’s long-running agricultural drama The Archers gave the issue barely half a minute on air, despite its serious implications for farmers across the UK.
Friction Around Chris Packham’s Role
And then there’s Chris Packham—an enormously popular BBC presenter whose environmental activism has long annoyed parts of the countryside community.
His critics argue that he has become the face of anti-field-sports campaigning, and therefore can’t appear neutral when rural land management comes up in BBC coverage.
His name has become something of a lightning rod in this wider debate.
BBC Stands Firm on Its Approach
When asked to respond to all these concerns, the BBC insisted it remains committed to fair and wide-ranging coverage of rural life.
The broadcaster pointed to the many TV and radio shows dedicated to countryside affairs, and emphasised that its Rural Advisory Committee brings in voices from farming communities to help keep content grounded and accurate. Chris Packham himself has been approached for comment.
A Bigger Conversation Still to Come
For now, the question hanging in the air is what happens next.
Will the incoming leadership at the BBC make visible changes to reassure rural audiences?
Or will the gap between city and countryside perspectives continue to widen?
People on both sides seem to agree on at least one thing: this conversation is far from over.
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