The BBC, promoting Fear & Misinformation...

When I got the call to go watch Doctors, as it had a bit about breastfeeding in it, today, I said I wasn't going to watch it. I've given up expecting anything but incompetence from this shoddy drama. I won't bore you with the details, but shall we say it's not been known to be very factually accurate, or breastfeeding friendly.

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Well, I ended up watching it, and even I was beggared by what came up.

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A conversation from a GP to a patient, in England:

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GP: Did you know it's illegal to interrupt a Mum and baby breastfeeding these days?

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Mum: Yes, I know. But that's only up to six months. He's 7 months old now, no help for me. I can be done under public indecency you know?

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GP: No!!

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Yes, no! This is complete codswallop! Total and complete mumbojumbomyth. The very myth that sparked a huge panic earlier in the year. You cannot be done for public indecency when breastfeeding in public.

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If this was any other channel, you could complain to OFCOM, under the Accuracy rules. But it's the BBC, you have to complain to the BBC, about the BBC.

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And I've just spent 20 minutes trying to let them know about how inaccurate their info was, and how much harm they have done, and how they must retract the info now. But no one wanted to know. I even got a nice man on the phone to phone INTO the editorial unit that OFCOM stated I need to speak too... but no one wanted to know. The usual fill in a form... we'll get to it.

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So if you are angry about this, you will have to follow the BBC in how to complain to the BBC, about the BBC.

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Sound rigorous to you?

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Phone 03700 100 222 or web email.

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I've highlighted two aspects - factual inaccuracy over the Sex Discrimination Bill. This is presumably what they meant by 'illegal to interrupt' comment as it's England. They presumably mean the measure whereby you can sue if you are discriminated in supplying goods and services, because you are breastfeeding. This is a civil action, and there is no time limit on the age of the baby, as there is no time limit on maternity provision. But it's not illegal to do it - you can just be sued for it afterwards! So the six months thing is really damaging. The other is raising that breastfeeding in public is not illegal, and does not come under the Public Indecency laws as they stated.

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Honestly, such complete rubbish, going out prime time to Mums! Arrgghhh!!!!!! Although at least they shot themselves in the foot by saying it is illegal... they can hardly claim they meant something in the upcoming Single Equalities Bill... when they stated it _was_ illegal. And that would be the Single Equalities Bill that doesn't mention breastfeeding in it...

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Hands up who bets they'll say "We're sorry we got it wrong, but it's what people think and it's important in a drama to say what people think and it was a nice positive story about breastfeeding so it doesn't matter, does it?" And they'll say all that in about 4 months time...

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