A WELL-KNOWN BBC Scotland presenter has launched an attack on a popular pro-independence media monitoring Twitter account.
Martin Geissler, who presents news for BBC Scotland on both TV and radio, had been hosting the Sunday Show yesterday morning.
MSM Monitor – a prolific Twitter account dedicated to calling out perceived anti-independence and anti-SNP biases across the media – was watching. They shared a post criticising Geissler for appearing “hyped” during the programme.
“Eyes popping out of his head at times,” the account, which has more than 40,000 followers, commented. MSM Monitor also accused the presenter of having an “aggressive” approach to interviewing sources.
But Geissler hit back at the prominent Twitter user, accusing the account of being “obsessive” and “weird”.
There was a time (long ago) when I had respect for this account. It made some really valid points which made me pause and think about my work. Now it’s reduced to this. It’s relentless, obsessive, often abusive, constantly exhausting and, well, just a bit weird. Shame really. https://t.co/iPLrTV1VK0
— martin geissler (@mmgeissler) June 25, 2023
“There was a time (long ago) when I had respect for this account. It made some really valid points which made me pause and think about my work,” he claimed.
“Now it’s reduced to this.”
The journalist went on: “It’s relentless, obsessive, often abusive, constantly exhausting and, well, just a bit weird.
“Shame really.”
In response to the attack, MSM Monitor insisted it is as “obsessive about highlighting poor journalism as BBC Scotland is about ferries”.
MSM Monitor has now blocked Geissler following the interaction.
The row comes after BBC Scotland issued its second correction linked to the SNP in two weeks.
On Friday, the BBC’s corrections and clarifications page was updated to apologise for an error relating to a claim about Humza Yousaf “U-turning” on a manifesto promise.
“In a Good Morning Scotland interview, and in a tweet trailing the interview, we said that the First Minister was U-turning on a manifesto commitment to provide free school meals to all of Scotland’s schoolchildren,” the correction read.
“We should have made clear that this commitment was in relation to all of Scotland’s primary school children only, not those at secondary schools, where the SNP’s manifesto had pledged only to run a pilot scheme for free breakfasts.
“We apologise for the error.”
Earlier in the month, the corporation reported on Margaret Ferrier – the MP facing a recall petition in Rutherglen – without making clear that she is no longer a representative of the SNP.
