BBC’s Richard Bilton – correspondence

This is the email correspondence I had with Richard Bilton, presenter of BBC1’s three-part series, Britain on the fiddle. For background please see my article about that programme.

Dear Richard,  [Sent: 07/11/2013]

I didn’t enjoy ‘Britain on the fiddle’. I thought some of the factoids presented at the start of the programme, for instance, were misleading. But I’m sure you’ll be getting complaints from others regarding the facts.

My real concern was how the programme so blatantly reinforced rightwing tabloid framing of the issue. I’d be interested to know whether you subscribe to this viewpoint personally (it very much seemed so, watching the programme). I’d also be interested to know how these programmes come about. Who decided, on behalf of TV licence-payers, that the BBC would run these hour-long programmes, scapegoating “benefits cheats” – rather than, say, focusing, on corporate tax avoidance, ongoing bank bailouts or high-level fraud in government/city (each of which are reported to cost the country more than benefits fraud).

Do you not think the public already hears enough about welfare fraud from politicians and the rightwing press?

Sincerely,
Brian Dean (News Frames)
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Dear Mr Dean   [Received: 08/11/2013]

Thanks for your email. I’m sorry you are unhappy with our programme.

I understand the points you raise and feel I should set out my position.

I’m a journalist and I treat stories on their merit. Fraud against the state is an important issue. The vast majority of people who claim benefits do so because they rely on them. The minority who abuse the system spoil it for everyone else.

The first episode looked at benefit claimants. Further episodes look at those who cheat the tax system and those who commit VAT fraud.

I believe journalists and programme makers should cover controversial topics and issues irrespective of any criticism that may follow.

Most of my work is for Panorama. This year alone I have examined the government’s policy of giving tax breaks to big business, the tax avoidance policy of Barclays Bank, the construction industry’s use of an illegal ‘blacklist’ and the mistreatment of workers in the garment industry.

Each of these programmes attracted some criticism, but I believe each was important in highlighting nationally significant issues.

Regards

Richard Bilton

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Dear Richard,  [Sent: 08/11/2013]

Thanks for your reply. You defend your programme (which targeted benefits claimants) by saying: “Fraud against the state is an important issue”.

But the first 3 minutes showed two cases: a £95,000 game-show winner, and a £52,920 expenditure on a Rolex watch. And from there you pile on the tabloid clichés. Your introductory statement cites a figure of “£20bn stolen from the state”. (DWP estimate for benefits fraud: £1.2bn).

Do you honestly believe you gave this “important issue” the serious treatment it deserved?

Sincerely,
Brian Dean (News Frames)
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Dear Mr Dean  [Received: 13/11/2013]

I appreciate your position, but I’ve explained why I believe the issue merits attention.

To pick up on two of your specific points, you say our programme was about benefit claimants. It wasn’t. It was about individuals who steal significant amounts from the benefits system. The two are not interchangeable. The benefit system is crucial to millions of people. Those who steal from it undermine the system for everyone else.

On the figures, £20 billion is the total amount of money lost by the state because of fraud. In later programmes we look at cases involving VAT fraud and tax-evasion.

Regards

Richard Bilton

(Of course, I’d written, correctly, that his programme “targeted benefits claimants” – within the context of fraud – to distinguish from the other targets that he claims later programmes on tax and VAT will tackle.)

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Dear Richard,   [Sent: 13/11/2013]

Thanks again for replying. In an hour-long programme about benefits fraud, you gave the “£20bn stolen” figure without mentioning that only £1.2bn of that is down to benefits fraud. I don’t think the purpose was to inform.

Enough said, I think.

Thanks,
Brian Dean (News Frames)
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