NGO submit an official complaint to the BBC regarding misleading and damaging questions on University Challenge

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During an episode of University Challenge, broadcast on Monday 11 November, students were asked to give the common name the following ground-nesting bird:

“Circus cyaneus: A bird of prey similar in size to a buzzard. It is highly persecuted because of its perceived role in hunting grouse.”  

The answer that they were looking for was Hen Harrier.

The NGO have submitted an official complaint to the BBC regarding the question specifically and the implication behind it, which are both misleading and damaging, particularly toward those managing grouse moors.

We are particularly disappointed that the BBC, who claim to pride themselves on impartiality and objectivity, would frame a question on a supposedly intellectual quiz programme in such an unbalanced manner; in fact in a perspective that aligns more with certain lobbying narratives than with factual conservation outcomes.

Such portrayals undermine positive collaborative efforts in conservation. Grouse moor managers, in partnership with organisations like the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, actively support initiatives that have proven to be beneficial to hen harrier populations and upland biodiversity. In recent years, hen harrier populations have shown considerable recovery, with many successful breeding attempts specifically on managed grouse moors. Joint working between moor owners, gamekeepers, the Moorland Association and Natural England – all working through the brood management scheme – have facilitated a 200 year high in the UK Hen Harrier population, with the highest proportion of success being on land managed for grouse shooting.

These environments play a crucial role in conservation efforts and data from Natural England further substantiates these successes, contradicting claims that it is “highly persecuted because of its perceived role in hunting grouse.”

The NGO believe it is important that the BBC, as a public broadcaster, accurately represents ongoing conservation successes rather than perpetuating divisive narratives. As such we have requested that the BBC issue an apology and provide a more balanced representation of this issue.

Note to Editors:

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation: The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) represents the gamekeepers of England and Wales. The NGO defends and promotes gamekeeping and gamekeepers and works to ensure high standards throughout the profession. The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation was founded in 1997 by a group of gamekeepers who felt that keepering was threatened by public misunderstanding and poor representation. Today, the organisation has are around 13,000 members.
www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk