BBC backs down after weather map storm

LONDON - Irate viewers in Britain forced the BBC on Friday to abandon a new TV weather map that made the south of the country look bigger than the north, after a stormy debate that even reached the House of Commons.

In a country famous for obsessing over the weather, viewers had bombarded the public broadcaster's website with complaints about the new graphics, which also replaced familiar stationary "cloud" and "rain" symbols.

"If you meddle with the British weather in any way whatsoever you get a big reaction," acknowledged BBC Weather Manager Andrew Lane.

The BBC said it would now change the "tilt" of the map to allow viewers to see more of the north of England and Scotland. The newly revised map will make its debut on Saturday. Lane said it showed that the broadcaster was listening to its viewers.

The raucous debate over the weather map had even reached parliament. But Scottish National Party MP for the Western Isles Angus MacNeil, who raised the matter in the House of Commons, said he was now satisfied.

"I would like to congratulate the BBC on returning to a very good weather forecast," he told BBC radio. "This has been a very big issue in this area."

Other viewers had complained that the BBC had turned England's green and pleasant land a muddy shade of brown. But Lane said the new colour would remain "a key part of the new system".

Many complained that they could not see Scotland while others said the new map was a mess.

"My husband who suffers from vertigo found the constant movement made him feel quite dizzy," Ann Walker, from Stratford-on-Avon in central England, said.

- REUTERS