One of the reasons citizen media has evolved in to such a formidable (but very likeable) beast is that it recognises that the corporate media leave stuff out they don’t like or agree with. This results in bias and confusion amongst the public. This won’t go away but it can be partially redeemed by becoming empowered to find out for ourselves and to find sources that focus solely upon the facts and their analysis. With this in mind Dorset Eye has utilised a wonderful charity that does just this.
Some of the highlights this week:
Claim: Energy bills will rise by £500 million a year if the UK leaves the EU.
Conclusion: Not correct. This is one estimate of the cost of leaving the EU’s ‘internal energy market’—but leaving the EU won’t necessarily mean leaving the market. And the estimate doesn’t make any attempt to count effects of Brexit on bills.
Claim: There has been a 10% funding cut in real terms in sixth form and further education.
Conclusion: That’s correct. Spending for 16-19 year olds in sixth forms and colleges fell by 10% between 2010/11 and 2014/15, after accounting for inflation, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
You can join the discussion/debate on these issues and many others at https://www.facebook.com/dorset.eye and/or
https://www.facebook.com/groups/280126085520259/
AND on Twitter at @dorset_eye.
