Peter Lewis

OK, nobody can really rely on statistics, they can always be twisted and shown in a favourable or unfavourable light. But it was especially noticeable today on the BBC news…

Notice anything wrong with this image of local election voting results from the BBC news channel?

73% of people see visual representations over textual information* so at first glance of this chart it looks like Labour (red) are doomed with a landslide victory for conservative.

Although the figures may be correct, the visual representation of them clearly is not. Looking at the “other” grey column, it’s around a third of the “conservative” blue column. “Liberal Democrates” yellow column just under half, then, hang on, the “Labour” red column is only just larger than the yellow column!

Most viewers would simply see the massive lead of the blue column, but in reality it should be halfway between the blue and yellow columns.

This just illustrates how important accurate images and graphics are - for any usage, and how a simple visual picture can immediately leave an impression or opinion on the viewer.

Are the BBC strong supporters of Conservatives, did they run out of red imagery or are they exaggerating the facts to make it seem more dramatic so they can sell the news? You decide!

* This statistic was completely made up, but as only a few readers may get this far, they’ll probably never know or care.