Countryfile: Tom Heap visits a high security bird farm

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In a recent poll, it revealed that many people who live in agricultural areas were not happy with certain shows that air on the BBC. They fumed that it was not accurately portraying how people live in the countryside.

Programmes such as Countryfile, Springwatch, Autumnwatch and even long-running radio drama The Archers all came under fire in the poll.

Members of Countryside Alliance were less than impressed with the programmes that are all hosted by Chris Packham.

In the past, the 61-year has revealed he doesn’t favour certain countryside sports, including fox hunting and badger culling.

Regarding the shows Springwatch and Autumnwatch, as many as 90 percent of people who took part in the survey did not believe that the representation of country life was realistic.

89 percent of people felt as though Countryfile wasn’t focusing on certain issues that was of importance to a rural viewing audience.

Rural listeners of the BBC Radio 4 drama The Archers branded it a “contemporary drama in a rural setting”.

Two-thirds of The Countryside Alliance want to see the BBC licence fee scrapped and programmes made for the countryside, not just programmes about it, according to The Telegraph.

People who took part in the survey also favoured seeing more TV shows dedicated to rural sports, farming, and conservation and land management.

Findings from the poll conducted by The Countryside Alliance, which was made up by people 65 and older, will be given to the BBC as part of a “rural impartiality dossier”.

Discussing the survey, Chief Executive of the alliance Tim Bonner, said: “The BBC must appreciate that the minority rural audience does not feel fully represented.

“There is a desire for rural programming for the countryside, not just about the countryside.”

Tim continued to the Telegraph: “In short, rural programming should not only take into account what urban viewers may find of interest, and it needs to showcase the value of important rural activities like farming, shooting, hunting and angling

“Before the new poll came to light, some viewers had already complained that Countryfile was being “biased and unfair” on matters such as Brexit, farming, fox hunting and the environment.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We always welcome feedback and we’re very proud of the range of programming we provide.

“Programmes such as Countryfile and Farming Today cover a range of topics and views when reporting on farming and rural life across the UK as well as within our news coverage.

“As part of ongoing work to ensure the highest editorial standards across all our output, Countryfile is one of many programmes to be reviewed – it has not been selected because of any particular impartiality concerns.”

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