A new BBC Radio 4 series called ‘Rare Earth’ featured the issue of raptor persecution this week, in an hour-long episode that focused on birds of prey.
Raptor persecution was discussed during the latter part of the show and had contributions from Mark Thomas, Head of Investigations at the RSPB and Robert Benson, former Chair of the Moorland Association and its current Director of the North Pennines.
The discussion was entirely predictable, with Mark setting out the facts and Robert dismissing them, aided by ridiculous questions to Mark from presenter Tom Heap, such as:
“I’m just wondering, though, if this is really as big a problem as you’re suggesting or if you’re just inflating it for reasons of getting membership and getting attention because you want an enemy?“.
Biting insight there, Tom, totally ignoring the evidence (science, statistics, national police operations, Government statements etc).
It’s a tedious listen and regular blog readers won’t learn anything new.
There was also a fair bit of judicious editing at the end, cutting out the bit where Mark pointed out that the Moorland Association had been recently booted off the national partnership for tackling raptor persecution because of its inability to cooperate.
A pretty poor programme, in my opinion.
If you can be bothered, it’s available here.
Raptor Persecution UK 
I’m going to have a listen then it’s maybe worth everyone making a complaint to the bbc if the interview was so poor.
I’ve tried in blatant cases before. Total waste of time and effort.
I might listen to it, if only to confirm that the BBC is always biased in favour of the views of the ‘establishment’. That means that huntin, shootin and fishing brigade can rely upon the BBC to further their cause.
Tom Heap is one of the reasons I decided I could no longer bear to watch Countryfile. So sad about BBC output – how the might have fallen!
Hi Ruth, I was hoping that you would refer to this programme which I found by accident whilst driving. I didn’t realise one of the presenters was Tom Heap, he usually specialises in “Nasty rural stories” on BBC’S Countryfile, he barely scratches the surface on controversial subjects, pretty much the style of that long running programme! His co-presenter made some ridiculous remarks when they summed up about her need to familiarise herself with upland habitats. Was there another guest besides Benson and Mark? Somebody made some remarks reminiscent of “Songbird Survival’s” favourite propaganda.
Another subscriber here who gave up watching Countryfile, mainly, but not only, because of Tom Heap. He’s very comfortable using the word “vermin”, which tells you all you need to know really
Let’s face it: people who work on Countryfile have form. Hagiographic articles on gamekeepers, managing to avoid any mention of snares, Fenn traps, pole traps, poison baits or any of the multitude of crimes carried out by them. It is one of the reasons I gave up watching the programme.
I am totally unsurprised that Tom Heap was involved.
To be fair, Countryfile did a good job covering the poisoned WTE in Dorset & the police’s subsequent botched investigation a couple of years ago. Charlotte Smith (presenter) pressed hard on Chris Loder MP & Dorset Police Chief for answers.
Thinking that the middle B in BBC isn’t Broadcasting, rather a two syllable word beginning with Bull!
I always listen to programmes in this series, and Tom Heap consistently seems to ignore any evidence presented in the programme that contradicts his stated view at the start. E.g. on a programme about sustainable harvesting wood; all the evidence from guests who’d done proper research on the subject, suggested it is not a sustainable practice and adds CO2 to the atmosphere faster than it can be taken up. But, Tom has a woodburning stove and likes cutting up logs, so in the summing up part said he still considered the practice was ok! (What is this man doing presenting environmental programmes?!). Personally, I think this programme or raptors tried to include too many issues. If they’d just stuck to raptor migration and the issues with that (wind farms, diclofenac, shooting, habitat loss etc) or British raptor species recovery since DDT and historical persecution, and current illegal persecution, it might have been better. They should have covered a narrower topic in more depth. Helen Czerski, the other presenter is much better than Tom Heap, but she’s a physicist specialising in bubbles in the oceans and the role of gases within them in relation to climate change. She’s very good on marine ecosystems, and I’m sure a very good scientist. But, she did declare an ignorance of raptors of the British uplands and seemed pretty lost in this programme. In the summing up, said she’d like to have had more scientific evidence about raptor persecution. And, this was the bit I found most frustrating. Why didn’t she ask for that before the programme went out? There is evidence, and very good evidence it is, but there was no time to present it, and her comments at the end implied it doesn’t exist at all (at least that was my impression). I don’t think it is true the BBC sides with the shooting brigade, I just think they do not employ commissioners, editors etc. with sufficient knowledge of natural history or an in depth understanding about issues affecting biodiversity loss, to produce good programmes on subjects such as this. I wonder if it is due to lack of money? This programme sounded like they’d just brought everyone together for the programme and then presented it with no real thoughts on it’s outcome. I’m just comparing with something like “In Our Time” with Melvin Bragg. He is so well versed in the subject before he presents the programme, and manages to get out of the academic guests a very valuable insight in to the subject they are discussing. So, the BBC can do it with very talented and intelligent presenters such as M. Bragg. Its very disappointing they didn’t do it for this episode of Rare Earth. The BBC needs a presenter like Melvin Bragg but who role as a presenter is dedicated to environmental issues – and given it is so critical that we all have a good understanding of them, its a real shame they do not.
I did not recognise the name initially but a quick search gave me the face which I instantly knew. I’ve seen him on Countryfile with a very pro shooting stance and plugging in the BASC, whilst sounding “I’m telling you, you don’t know”, typical of that type.
I listened to it on the drive up to Ripon to stay with friends over the weekend to attend the NERF conference ( which was excellent by the way) Heap was other shave said ignored the evidence to promote his own poor opinion based agenda. Mark was as expected was pretty good> Robert Benson as usual for the MA promoted their view , which seems to be from another universe for those of us with some knowledge of the issues, why are they given a platform to promote these xxxxx and deflections, if it was drug dealing or car crime they wouldn’t get that opportunity.
Radio 4 broadcast ‘Feedback’ which comments on recent programmes. Leave a written or recorded message on: feedback @bbc.co.uk or on 03 333 444 544. If enough people make contact criticisms of the programme (which was exceptionally poor in it’s coverage of raptor persecution in UK) might be aired.