It's now exactly a year since I contacted the DCMS to find out why they wanted to give broadcasters an exemption from the Equality Bill. I'm still waiting for the information and a deadline has been set for 6 May 2010.

Readers of this blog, and others will know that the BBC is not a particularly trustworthy broadcaster. Quite apart from the competition irregularities on Blue Peter, I have shown that CBBC has

surreptitiously filtered out kids' messages from Newsround feedback pages and CBBC message boards

failed to take account of almost all kids wanting them to stay re: the message board changes/closures in December 2008

removed expert help for kids contrary to best practice expressed by the NSPCC

been untruthful in replying to the public about the axing of Grange Hill

The latter impropriety was raised with BBC management at the highest levels, but without success. The BBC Trust was also aware of this, but on 9 May 2008 gave management their full support, stating that the Trust was "satisfied that the public can be justified in maintaining its confidence in its BBC."

My last blog was about an election programme on CBBC.

A vote is cast into the ballot box

Andrew Neil counts votes in the 'first ever' CBBC election
Angellica asked: Which subject is most important to children and will get the most votes in our first ever CBBC election?

But, as I showed in my last blog, it wasn't the 'first ever' CBBC election. In fact the BBC has been doing this sort of thing back as far as 1983. I have suggested to the BBC that Election: Your Vote breached editorial guidelines, and am waiting to hear what they have to say.

From the above it can be seen that, far from meriting immunity from anti-discrimination legislation, the BBC needs to be kept under constant scrutiny.