Sound news judgment?
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- Date published:
8:37 am, May 15th, 2018 - 48 comments
Categories: Jeremy Corbyn, Media, Russia, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, uk politics, you couldn't make this shit up -
Tags: bbc, owen jones
There have been ongoing complaints from the left about BBC’s editorial independence. You would think that the doyen of world journalism would do its best to make sure that it treated UK politics in a fair and balanced way.
But there have been grumblings for a while. They reached a crescendo when Newsnight used the above graphic during a recent show. The picture of Corbyn appeared to have a digitally altered hat. The original picture showed him wearing a non descript hat but with what appeared to be a few Photoshop tweaks it was made to resemble a Russian hat.
RT collated the arguments against what happened in this video.
A number of people complained. The BBC has responded by claiming that the backdrop was an editorial decision based on “sound news judgment”.
From the Guardian:
The BBC has formally rejected complaints that its Newsnight programme Photoshopped an image of Jeremy Corbyn to make him look “more Russian”, insisting that the programme’s use of the picture was “impartial and fair”.
The corporation’s complaints unit said the decision to show a photo of the Labour leader wearing a “Lenin-style cap” in front of the Moscow skyline was not designed to convey an impression of pro-Russian sympathy on Corbyn’s part but was in keeping with an editorial decision made on the basis of “sound news judgment”.
Video of the alleged Photoshopping incident attracted millions of views following the Newsnight episode broadcast on 15 March, in which the programme discussed Corbyn’s reaction to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury and alleged involvement of the Russian state.
Viral footage of the graphic prompted 48 people to formally complain to the BBC that the decision to use the image of Corbyn wearing a cap represented anti-Labour bias on behalf of Newsnight, that the image had been manipulated to emphasise the Russian elements of this hat, and that this bias had been compounded by the decision to include a stylised Russian backdrop.
The BBC’s complaints unit rejected this and ruled the main reason Corbyn’s cap looked more like a Soviet-style fur hat was that the image had been projected on to a large curved screen in the TV studio.
The ruling admitted that some members of the public illustrated their complaints with copies of the original photograph next to a screengrab of the equivalent image in the programme, in which the hat did appear to be slightly taller.
“This, however, was not the result of Photoshopping or otherwise manipulating the image. It resulted from the fact that the screen on to which the image was projected is curved, meaning that the image as a whole appeared higher in relation to its width than it would on a flat surface.”
The BBC may be correct. Petapixel has concluded that the change in the shape of the hat was caused actually by the curved screen rather than photoshop.
But the overall impression created by the image, that Corbyn is a Russian stooge, is unmistakable. And especially frustrating given the Conservative Party’s strong links to Russian funders.
And if the above graphic is actually sound news judgment I will eat my hat.
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- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
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- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
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The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...17 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
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- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
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- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
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- First arrests made under gang patch ban
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- Better support for victims of sexual violence
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- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
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- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...21 hours ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
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- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
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- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
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- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
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- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
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- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
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- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
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- Health survey results to help drive change
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- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
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- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...3 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
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- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...4 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...5 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
Five new Aquaculture Settlement Areas will help ensure Ngāi Tahu shares in the opportunities aquaculture offers for Southland’s economy, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The Aquaculture Settlement Areas (ASAs) I’m announcing today set aside space so the Crown and Ngāi Tahu can assess their potential for aquaculture development. ...7 days ago
- Government launches review to ensure electricity market is fit-for-purpose
The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity, Energy Minister ...7 days ago
- Speech to Social Investment Hui: Jack and his whānau need our help
Kia ora koutou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai. Ki te mihi atu ahau, ki te manwhenua nei, Te Atiawa, Ngāti toa rangatira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you, Andy, for your introduction. Let me acknowledge you as the new Chief Executive of the Social Investment ...7 days ago
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- RNA editing is the next frontier in gene therapy – here’s what you need to know
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne IoanaB/Shutterstock The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its ...32 minutes ago - Yes, you still need to use sunscreen, despite what you’ve heard on TikTok
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Lee, PhD Candidate, Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Karolina Grabowska/Pexels Summer is nearly here. But rather than getting out the sunscreen, some TikTokers are urging followers to chuck it out and go sunscreen-free. They claim it’s healthier ...32 minutes ago
- Humans are killing off the old and wise animals that hold nature together. Here’s what must change
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keller Kopf, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Charles Darwin University Laxmikant Ameenagad, Shutterstock In humans and other animals, ageing is generally associated with a decline in biological function. But scientists are now discovering older animals perform vital roles in populations and ecosystems. ...32 minutes ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Author provided/Google Earth Earlier this year, a caver was poring over satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he came across something unexpected: an enormous, mysterious scar etched ...32 minutes ago
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The trouble here is the BBC is THE model promoted by many here for greater State involvement in the media landscape. Yet even with an organisation supposedly set up to provide professional and independent reporting of the issues of the day free from the ‘evil’ influence of money it is accused of being biased. I fail to see what supposed benefits the BBC model brings in such a situation.
Even if the model is great – this just shows it’s not incorruptible .
Except you haven’t explained how it is corrupted beyond an opinion that it is biased against Corbyn. There is a large number of checks put on the BBC to supposedly ensure editorial independence and reduce bias yet you think these have all be circumvented somehow.
“you haven’t explained how it is corrupted beyond an opinion that it is biased against Corbyn”
Gosman recently you seem to be obsessed in hair splitting, fermenting arguments and trying to provoke acrimony. While I believe you to have always had a trollesque approach you really seem to have gone off the deep end.
I’m not going to bother to do your work for you – if you want to claim the BBC isn’t biased against Corbyn I suggest that you have your monocle’s lens prescription checked
If you can’t explain how it can be biased despite the supposed processes in place to stop this then just state it.
It comes down to the people – maintaining balance in a subjective environment requires restraint – putting the Kremlin in Corbyn’s background violates that principle. May’s government, like Key’s, is a steaming pile of shit and depends on vilifying the opposition rather than outperforming it. Their BBC appointees are in this instance following their government’s preferences.
What you are therefore stating is the process of appointing people to the oversight of the BBC is open to political abuse. This would tend to suggest having it is quite dangerous.
A public broadcaster, subject to public expectations and scrutiny, however flawed, is still a better model than anything the “free” “market” has ever come up with.
Except that the people who do the appointments are elected in some shitty way, rather than just being rich enough to buy Fox News.
By your logic, having any media is quite dangerous.
The argument here is that the political appointments are causing bias in a State run broadcaster. If we take that as a fact then it suggests State run broadcasters themselves are inherently dangerous as they are open to this sort of political interference.
State broadcasters are less open to interference by their paymasters than private broadcasters are, bacause private broadcasters have essentially zero public oversight on their hiring practises. Would you ban all broadcasting?
Quite – almost as dangerous as the commercial abuse that has seen the likes of Fairfax and Murdoch wreck our own media.
May should be punished relentlessly for this abuse, and the BBC pressed to return to professional standards – not sell out to wretched privateers who could never build a comparable institution.
So because ‘better’ is not perfect we should just stick with ‘worse’?
That is what the RWNJs always seem to want.
Compare and contrast..
BBC posts picture of JC in “digitally” altered hat and is roundly criticised for bias.
Fox News host Sean Hannity has open line to DT
This of course is not bias – just plain propaganda. Everything else is Fake News!
I would say that under a state funded media the public have far more control on bringing the 4th Estate into line, than what is blatant propaganda foisted upon an unsuspecting public by a compliant and deceitful “independent” private news channel.
Your point being what? I don’t think anyone seriously disputes Fox news is biased.
hahaha. Fox news would disagree with you – they say they are ‘fair and balanced’- did say ( but its still used by their commentators!
After Ailes was ditched by #metoo, it doesnt feature as much
Now its ” “Most Watched, Most Trusted.” and occasionally ““We Report, You Decide”
You must keep up Gosman, your facade is slipping like Fox’s
Yeah lots of News organisations think they are one thing when they are another.
Ok I shall repeat it for you S l o w l y.. as you seem to be unable to assimilate more than one concept at a time.
I would say that under a state funded media the public have far more control on bringing the 4th Estate into line, than what is blatant propaganda foisted upon an unsuspecting public by a compliant and deceitful “independent” private news channel.
and the Gosman model of free market – ie: Fox news, is a bastion of freedom, yeah right….
Fox News is not funded by Taxpayers money and is also not the only source of information available to people. If you don’t like Fox News don’t watch it.
The problem with that assertion is that all the other media are private as well and follow the same line if not quite as radical.
There are lots of media options Draco. Even some that might satisfy your particularly unique take on the World. 🙂
Gosman, your spin once again produces confusion, seriously I said ‘your model’ quite clearly in my statement – so saying it’s state funded means you are deliberately trying to misrepresent what I said. My point was simple, the model you purpose produces a piles of dog shit like Fox news, infowars and britgosman. Let alone bad jokes like TV3, CNN and MSNBC all of which are just bloody awful.
I like how your answer is, just don’t consume news. I’d say like to somthing witty, instead, I’m left with that sick feeling your just a wrecker who wants the world to burn.
[citations needed]
I certainly don’t support the capitalist structure of the BBC.
TBF
As the Labour Govenment’s Associate minister for Transport would say, Corbyn is just an old, white, male who should retire.
Isnt saying ‘wasnt photoshopped’ just sematics?
With those sort of 3D background images ( in this case largely curvature) they have to be digitally changed to to have the right effect on the 2D home TV screen.
Another example is the advertising images sprayed on the ground during sports matches. It appears normal proportions when screened on your TV but is sort of elongated when you are on the grass- they use a digital technique to create the actual ground image.
I do not have TV so am spared the exposure to such things 🙂
Plus I object to Photoshop being given the credit as I am a Paint Shop Pro user 🙂
Shows how important it is not to have ‘little bird’ syndrome. That’s where you just open up and swallow everything that you get fed by any of your connections. That leads to a sort of nanny, mummy and daddy state that doesn’t have kind intentions towards you or anybody.
I think we are turning into po-faced little axolotyls and should grow a bit of skin.
Does anyone remember the Green MP who sought to enable more satire of politicians?
https://www.greens.org.nz/news/speeches/gareth-hughes-debates-parliaments-anti-satire-rule
Yes, it was the Greens.
At least in New Zealand, as distinct from the UK, Labour is in power.
This government should expect far more serious critique and parody than it already gets.
Labour is just damn lucky that they have a female Prime Minister who is pregnant, to ensure that everyone (including the Police) leap to her defence whenever they get undermined.
We should be encouraging satire, not bewailing it when it happens to our team. Plenty agree:
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018643706/you-can-t-be-serious-satire-parody-and-copyright
In fact there’s a new bill coming through Parliament to promote even more criticism, using bigger extractions other other peoples’ work to do so. And wait, it’s from the government side of the House again. Here’s the relevant clause:
“Section 42 amended (Criticism, review, and news reporting) Replace section 42(1) with: (1) Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of criticism or review, of that or another work or a performance of a work, does not infringe copyright in the work if such fair dealing is accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement, or if the purpose is for parody or satire.”
Hell, only in the last month we had that moron of a Minister Claire Curran try to the heavy the Chair of RNZ, and manipulate to get their most senior news manager fired rather than take any of the criticism herself. Utter cowardice, brought on by her lies.
The left should take parodic attacks as a badge of honour, and if their supporters fail to deliver back as good as they receive, that is the fault of their own imagination not anyone else.
I’m with you about the satire but the above image doesn’t appear to be satire.
The you would have to define the difference between parody and satire and framing such that is was actionable in legislation. In a contestable democracy with a free media, trying to action that in a court is positively Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others.
The BBC is losing credibility
I’ve always been somewhat bemused by the idea that the BBC represent some kind of higher order of broadcasting.
They have never done anything in terms of news programmes bar promote and protect the most conservative narrative within British politics.
In which case it should be broken up. Left wing people can get together and buy up elements of it and broadcast the ‘truth’ as they see it.
🙂
WW2 – BBC good, news generally reliable, not just propaganda.
The halo still shimmers. I don’t think it should be broken up.
😛
I think you’re misunderstanding the meaning of “conservative” there Gosman.
No just the libertarian lie repeated again and again, funny you’d think we ain’t heard it for the last 40 years…
It is quite ironic that this piece has The Guardian of all news sources commenting on the Corbyn Bias..
Remember this…..
Our report found that 75% of press coverage misrepresents Jeremy Corbyn – we can’t ignore media bias anymore
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/jeremy-corbyn-media-bias-labour-mainstream-press-lse-study-misrepresentation-we-cant-ignore-bias-a7144381.html
The Guardians response…
‘Yes, Jeremy Corbyn has suffered a bad press, but where’s the harm?’
https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/jul/19/yes-jeremy-corbyn-has-suffered-a-bad-press-but-wheres-the-harm
Fuck The guardian…..guardians of the neoliberal status quo, who will, and have unrelentingly attacked any threat to it.
Hey give the guardian a bit of slack. Perhaps they are trying to make up for their previous ‘bad press’ . Anyway it gives him a chance for some public announcement, further exposure, keeps him floating on the sea of controversy.
The Guardian is probably the biggest obstacle (media wise) in the path of a real progressive project taking power in the UK..the editors of that rag would rather eat their own babies than allow Corbyn to bring in a Socialist Labour into power in the UK, that much is plainly obvious.
Everybody knows The Mail etc are right wing and anti Corbyn, but don’t understand that The Guardian is just as anti Corbyn as well, and I know plenty of progressives that swallow most of the bull shit that the Guardian spews out because they trust it.
Dividing the Left is all that the Guardian is good for…well they seem to be doing an excellent job of doing just that….that’s for sure.
Well said Adrian Thornton. + 100
I “photoshopped” it and the hats are the same size in the two comparison photos.
What’s happened is that the contrast in the hat has been totally lost (but not the rest of his face!) so the hat in the BBC picture has lost all it definition which makes it look more like a cossack hat – https://www.furhatworld.com/russian-hats-c-42_45.html. And by adding the red cast, the hat appears black when in fact it’s blue/dark grey.
I don’t know how they can possibly say they didn’t alter it. The loss of contrast might just be poor editing but the red cast is purposeful.
Barfly got it right at 1.1.1.1 but people continue to feed the troll. Gosman’s game is clear but responders play along.
The win for him is he wrecks threads and I suspect he’s sitting there clapping his hands with glee.
I just give up any thread he is involved with. I haven’t got the spare time to waste.
+100 yes he’s very good at it so DNFTT.
Malcom’s trying similar editorial re-engineering at the ABC on behalf of Murdoch as one of the rats they swallowed.
Trying ? The ABC is a shadow of its former ebullient self.
I believe the BBC is part of the UK Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet so claims of political impartiality should be critically assessed.
The BBC has long shown stock images of Corbyn in black fur hat contrasting with white short cropped beard and hair. It might be bit of a tease, but Lenin is often portrayed in a proletarian baseball-type cap.
Corbyn looks like Marcus Aurelius watching the end of the Imperium.