08 Jun 2007 11:58 AM:
I began this thread several days ago so as I promised here is an update. I have repeated the original posting, slightly modified at the end if anyone wants to know what all the fuss is about.
I made my complaint to OFCOM who replied instantly to let me know they will investigate my complaint. Surprisingly, the same day I e-mailed ITV, I received an unbelievably lengthy reply from the programme researcher, who was clearly rattled by my comments. I accept some of the points he made but my main gripe was that the programme broadcast to millions of people an interview with a failed estate agent who pointed to a row of villas and said,. 'Behind there, they are still building all the brand new ones and they are not selling. They are stood empty.'
Here is the researcher's explanation: This reflects that these new buildings, which were either under construction and yet to be sold in the new phase of the development, were about to come onto the market. In the context of oversupply in the housing market this implies it's even harder to sell the re-sell properties on the same urbanisation when there are more about to come on the market. Some of the homes in the urbanisation were "new" and had had not sold, I'e they were re-sells which had never been lived in.
That seems like nonsensical autobabble to me. I don't understand it but the statement seems like a pretty poor attempt to justify a lie. Remember, the houses the estate agent referred to were all sold 14 months ago. If you read my original comments you will see I am a newspaper journalist and if I had published such inaccuracies I would have been severly reprimanded. I have a feeling Mr McDonald is going to have egg on his face when OFCOM discover how ineptly researched and bigoted the programme was. Watch this space.
ORIGINAL POSTING
Trevor McDonald's appalling report on the state of the property market was a disgrace to journalism. It was bigoted, biased, inaccurate and full of lies as it set out on its pre-determined plan to sensationalise the situation without any regard to the facts.
I'm not disputing that the property market in Spain has cooled but there were many things about the programme that iritated me. I'll start with the interview with an estate agent in Murcia called Heather Ward, who claimed, through misty eyes, that she had sold only one property in the last six months, a fact that is hardly surprising considering her apparent total lack of knowledge of the area she was filmed in.
The lady in question was pictured near an awesome town called Calasparra on a development where I bought a villa 15 months ago. The builder is one of the best in Spain and this is a small, unique development which releases just 20 properties a year. Here is a list of the laughable errors she managed to spectacularly make in her 45-second interview.
'Here we see a new property that has never been sold' - WRONG: The villa she referred to was almost certainly on Phase one of the development and the builders have a policy that they would not begin building the next phase until all the villas have been sold. They are on phase six now, but more of that later.
'Behind there, they are still building all the brand new ones and they are not selling. They are stood empty.' WRONG: She is referring to phase five, where I bought a property in 2006. If memory serves that phase sold out in eight weeks. Yes, most of them are empty because they have only been completed (on time) within the last four weeks.
'The minute somebody seems to get in these properties, within months, they are selling and wanting to be out.' WRONG: I have spent several weeks on the development and have made many friends there, perhaps from a dozen different properties and they are all blissfully happy with their villas which are built to the highest specication. I can specifically recall one lady, who has lived there for more than a year, who described the way of life, the development and the town of Calsaparra as 'magical.' Yes, there are properties for sale but not in particularly high numbers.
You should know that all the information I have given is not hearsay or gossip. I learned everything directly from the builder.
It is ironic that the 'expert' estate agent made all these pathetic and inaccurate claims, standing on a piece of high ground which is within 20 yards of the site office which contains, as well as helpful and knowledgeable staff, a large map of the development with coloured sections depicting properties that have been sold. Perhaps the reporter Jonathan Maitlin could not spare the time to bother to check the facts.
One final example of the bigoted, biased journalism was the shot of the development the viewers saw as the commentator droned on about bad investments. The villas do not include the erection of swimming pools and most owners are installing their own using the services of local builders. Many of the purchasers of villas from the early phases are now fully installed with pools with the avenues completed and looking picturesque, showing the quality craftsmanshift of the builders but, of course, this would not help the programme makers who were determind to depict the development in its worst light. So what did they do? They obviously scoured the development for the latest phase where several pools are being installed, giving the viewer the false impression that the site was unfinished and the builders nowhere to be seen. Yes, buiding is going on but the development is very beautiful and surrounded by a forest and wonderful mountains.
Your choice of this development as an example of the property crash was ridiculous. Did you know that Phase Six, which is just 20 villas, went on sale off-plan in April, 2007 and now every property has been sold. They won't be ready for another year but I guess you wouldn't report that as it would undermine your pre-determined plan for negative, over-the-top sensationalism.
I have made an official complaint to OFCOM who regulate television programmes and await their reponse. I am sending my comments to the builder, too, and, more importantly, to the progamme makers though I am not anticipating a response from the latter. I will keep you informed of any developments.
This message was last edited by letissier123 on 6/8/2007.
This message was last edited by letissier123 on 6/8/2007.
This message was last edited by letissier123 on 6/8/2007.This message was last edited by letissier123 on 6/8/2007.
Thread:
Trevor McDonald's disgraceful TV programme
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