The BBC doesn't do itself any favours.
This evening, on the "regional" Scottish news programme, Reporting Scotland, they interviewed Ann Ballinger from the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association.
Someone at Pacific Quay, though, decided that the on-screen graphic introducing Ms Ballinger would introduce her as from the "Secondary Teachers' Association".
In the current climate - with recidivist Scottish Labour candidate Catriona Renton being appointed to report (doubtless impartially) on Scottish politics, among other issues which suggest that the integrity of the Corporation is seriously compromised (being forced to apologise for the appalling Kirsty Wark's treatment of the First Minister; a BBC presenter caught on camera mocking the SNP Conference with Alan Cochrane)- the BBC really ought to explain why they decided to omit the word "Scottish" from the name of the organisation.
Was it an attempt to mislead viewers into believing that Scotland does not already have an independent, entirely different education system from England?
Was it an attempt to persuade viewers that Scotland's Trade Unions exactly mirror those of our southern neighbours?
My opinion is that it was an attempt to persuade their viewers that everything in Scotland is entirely in tune with, identical to, and subservient to, England, and to under-emphasise the extent to which structures in Scotland are already broadly independent.
When Scots are forced, on pain of imprisonment, to fund the BBC, we should be entitled for even their pathetic "regional" news output not to distort fact.
It's a small thing. But small things matter. And lots of small things add up to A Big Thing.
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