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I think it's one thing getting news from the public but it's a separate issue broadcasting their comments and reactions.

I'm not interesting in Joe Public's comments or concerns on a story, whether I'm watching Breakfast or Newsnight. But particularly with Newsnight, I want to hear an experts opinion on the subject, or a professionals analysis of a situation, not what the guy next door thinks.

I can ask Joe Public myself what their opinion is, but I don't have access to the experts and professionals the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ does in their reporting.

How about a story about The Death Of DR. Kelly and how the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ seems to have lost their editorial independence since then.

I have tried to raise many stories for coverage, from the illegal movement of nuclear weapons, to the foreknowledge that Peter Powers had on 7/7.

Or why not do a special report on all the D-Notices you have had to follow.

or best of all, you could do a wee story on how Prescott Bush. the grandpa of the Bush Clan, went to jail in WWII for colluding with the enemy (the Nazis) and for treason (he led an attempted fascist coup in the US). It in the library of congress so its not some wild rumour.

the truth will set you free

MORE PLEASE of viewers and listeners input as you are doing. As Hank points out, absolutely huge stories are covered up, and if they finally are outed, we get brief coverage and then the story is put to bed once more. Surely we must all push and shove the whole time for more of the truth to be found in our news media, and less of the trivia items we are faced with daily- you know the sort of thing, presenters interviewing each other on which football teams they think will be relegated, 'Do e-mail us with the names you give to your car', or 'Will Dwain Chambers really make it in Rugby League?'
The response of posters on this site to the opportunity to put a question to David Miliband, illustrate how motivated and interested viewers of NewsN and other similar programmes are.

Its a good idea that viewers can suggest stories. I am a tad cynical about how you can objectively represent viewers opinions without being subjective. If its a poll, which can be very interesting, thats quite different although possibly the stats would have to be represented carefully. But the airport story is a good story and its important. Mongo think:

whistle blowing good and viewer stories good
viewers opinions just yabba yabba yabba.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the public informing the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ of issues which aren't being raised, and the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ then investigating those issues. If Newsnight viewers don't like that, it may be a good idea for Panorama to only investigate issues the viewers have raised, and Newsnight to investigate what the Newsnight team wishes to be investigated. Having both approaches would enable viewers to watch the programme with the approach they prefer, and enable the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ to fully implement both approaches.

Peter Barron's points are well made and I agree with the balance he has struck.

While a lot of viewers comments are trite or poorly presented and therefore have to be discarded, the Beeb has a duty to listen to its paymasters and trawl every possible avenue for news.

With various unseen pressures trying to suppress information these days, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ represents the comparative freedom, we the audience enjoy compared with much of the world.

For a credible news programme to publish viewers opinion as news would be weak. To receive a tip-off, properly investigate, offer the oportunity of reply to the managers and then air a serious report is entirely correct.

By the way - what makes you think it's just airports? CRB checks for doctors/nurses/teachers etc only cover the years the person has lived in the UK - if they lived 30 years in (eg) Zimbabwe first there no realistic way of checking for offences commited in that 30 years. Some 'Western' countries can provide information, but many other countries can not/will not - very poor countries may not actually have central records to check.

List of countries able to offer checks is openly displayed on the CRB website.

Jeepney Man,

I find your comment one of the most shocking i have ever read.

Your comment essentially reads that you dont mind being lied and misinformed because you feel well informed compared to others.

Would this be similiar to being a well treated slave compared to a badly treated slave.

I know its a trite and poorly presented argument but i for one would rather fight for the truth and fight to live free, and i would sooner have my newsmedia report nothing then feel they have to report lies due to pressure from unnamed places.

Its this attitude that is the reason we can have what few liberties we have stripped from us and continue on the road to a police state.

But i guess as long as they dont come for you Jeepney man.

I'm one of those guys who couldn't give a t**s what some punter on the street thinks about this or that news item. Radio 5 drives me to distraction in this respect: I just turn it off when Joe/Josephine Public comes on. If I want to hear the views of the man on the street about the Burma cyclone, I'll walk up to my pub and ask him. But when I have to pay a licence fee to hear John from Epping tell me what he thinks of Gordon Brown's plight at the moment ... forget it. I'm with Paxman on this one.

I fear some can't distiguish the difference between viewers contacting journalists about a story, and the views of 'the public' about a story.
I couldn't give two hoots what Nigel Smith from Milton Keynes thinks about the state of the economy. Is he an economist? A financial advisor, almost certainly not, so how worthwhile is his opinion exactly? Probably not a lot.
Well done for saying no to this ridiculous fad where the users 'generate' the content. If they had a talent for it they would be producing it professionally.

Well if it wasn't for the tip off we wouldn't have known about the huge black hole in security at airports! Who knew that foreign criminals remained unchecked before going to work at a British airport? It's only thanks to a tip off from the public and Newsnight's investigation, that has come out.

It's great that Newsnight want viewers input - for instance the Deputy Leader Leadership where we, the viewers, were able to write in with our own questions, then with the London Mayoral Debate and more recently with David Milliband.

This User Generated Content gives to much influence to the 'Points of View' Stereotype middle class Conservative and I have noticed that it is being treated as representative of public opinion by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ news programs. Who sound more like 'Angry from Tumbridge wells' every day.
I think many people know that the very few angry 'Points of view' letters have had an unfair influence over ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ programming policy. It would be completely unfacceptable for a relatively few middle class Conservatives to have influence over ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News and Current affairs and potentially the way people vote or accurately dont vote.