welcome to newswatch. later on the programme: this man was on our screens again this week. is the bbc giving nigel garage too much air time? was coverage of the new us administration's travel ban balanced and impartial, or did it panderto a growing anti—tromp hysteria ? and impartial, or did it panderto a growing anti—tromp hysteria? —— nigel farage. the prime minister's visit the us at the end of last week to meet president trump was the subject of considerable media analysis. not least the moment when the two appeared briefly holding hands. but some people were more exercised by a question put at a news by the bbc‘s correspondent. you said before that torture works, you've praised russia, you said you wa nted you've praised russia, you said you wanted to ban some muslims from coming to america, you've suggested there should be punishment for abortion. for many people in britain those sound like alarming beliefs. what do you say to our viewers at home who are worried about some of your views and worried about you becoming the leader of the free world ? becoming the leader of the free world? that was your choice of a question? there goes that relationship. so, did one question from a reporter had the potential to damage the special relationship? some thought it might have done and that our correspondent needed lessons in diplomacy. here is donovan chapel... i was left guessing at the motives of asking such a provocative question to somebody so easily provoked as donald trump. —— jonathan chapel. was it to undermine the relationship of the two leaders? or was it the bbc trying to make the news rather than report it? or was the correspondent showboating her question skills? whatever the motives, asking that question to donald trump in that forum lacked emotional intelligence. had donald trump taken emotional intelligence. had donald trump ta ken offence emotional intelligence. had donald trump taken offence to the question it could have had an impact on the future prosperity of the uk economy asa future prosperity of the uk economy as a whole. the bbc and laura chris burke are in a privileged position to be able to ask questions at press conferences like this. —— laura kuensberg. don't abuse the privilege. coverage of donald trump's presidency continued to exercise newswatch view was, in particular the bbc‘s reporting of the petition against donald trump making a state visit to britain. add the ban of seven countries' visitors to the us. —— and the ban. the ban of seven countries' visitors to the us. -- and the ban. the list of countries was originally drawn up by the obama administration. it wasn't invented by tram. many muslim countries themselves pose a travel ban on the citizens of many countries, including uk citizens, simply because they have visited israel. there has been little evidence of fare on biased reporting showing both sides of the story. it isn't anti—muslim, it is anti—terrorist. but reporters keep trying to push this question into the face of anyone they can to get an impact from viewers. on monday's bbc news, apart from the briefest of interviews with three people on staten island who had not been outraged by this band, no interviews were made about the many people in the us who are not outraged by this executive order. —— ban. this petition is open to fraudulent signatures. many people are not outraged and haven't signed this. the problem is that those who are not outraged are not deemed to be covered by the bbc. donald trump's claims about fake news and the media can only gain credibility if responsible news organisations like the bbc fail to give our unbiased, accurate and honest news reporting, orfair and balanced debates and discussions. that debate will continue. there was one bbc programme that had a clear defence of president trump's travel ban, sunday politics, and the guest was nigel farage. andrew neil began by asking him if he agreed with the president's decision to ban syrian refugees indefinitely from entering the united states. there are several countries on that list. he's entitled to this. i didn't ask you if he was entitled. but isn't my point. i ask if you agreed to stoplj do. point. i ask if you agreed to stop” do. if you look at what is happening in france and germany. if you look at angela merkel‘s policy on this, which was to allow anybody from anywhere in, look at what it has led to. the former leader of ukip went on to decide his views on immigration and on the government process on leaving the eu. the interview produced a strong reaction from viewers, many of whom have objected before about the frequency of his appearances on bbc news bulletins and programmes such as question time. two viewers reported their thoughts on camera. —— question time. this isn't a balance. this is a platform. his constant appearances on radio as well as the bbc iplayer to contribution in anti—immigrant sentiment in this country that has happened in the last few years. i think it's time the bbc recognised that nigel farage isn't just the bbc recognised that nigel farage isn'tjust some the bbc recognised that nigel farage isn't just some politician the bbc recognised that nigel farage isn'tjust some politician that the bbc recognised that nigel farage isn't just some politician that you wheel on to give a microphone into when people say nice things about refugees, he is a rallying point. —— give a microphone to. he is treated as good box office. photographs of him in pubs. hugely disproportionate access to other political programmes on the bbc. by doing so and by not challenging him. partly because he was treated in the first place as light entertainment and good box office, they have helped him to put things, without challenge, that actually affected the whole way the debate moved. this happened from the very beginning. it's only in the last two years he has started to be challenged. and by that time the normalisation had happened. why did you have nigel farage on the programme? the main stories worm theresa may's visit to washington and a subsequent story which has dominated the headlines this week over donald trump's travel ban. the other big story of the week was on brexit and the commons debate about the passage of article 50. those were the big stories. nigel farage was a guest and an appropriate guest on both of those stories. he was the first british politician to meet donald trump after his election. and he was a massive player in the referendum campaign. a lot of you say he isn't ukip leader now and he may not be as close to trump as he claims to be. we regularly on the bbc invite former politicians onto our programmes. former leaders. ed miliband was on the bbc this week, for example, nick clegg is a regular guest on our programmes. it isn't unusual that we should invite somebody onto the programme who is not currently leader of their party. but they are both mps. nigel farage has never been an mp. he is an mep. he was elected such. he is also leader of his party's political group in the european parliament. he is still a person of some influence. a lot of viewers say he is easy ratings and always has been. you know when you invite him on he will say something controversial. he represents a strand of political thinking in the uk. there is no doubt about that. as party leader he had a track record of political success. so, for example, his party came first in the european elections in 2014. the general election in 2015, the party in the popular vote came third. this is someone... we are not able to exclude him from our programmes. he has a track record of electoral success. and he does represent a strand of political thinking in british politics. many people do find what he says offensive. particularly as we heard in those of your comments. his comments on immigration in the current climate, people feel he has stirred up anti—immigrant sentiment. do you think it is responsible to have him up? not everybody will like what he says. we will get people on our programmes some people will disagree with. it isn'tjust that they disagree, it is whether it is responsible when some people feel there is a growing climate of tension around immigration and the bbc chooses to have someone viewers feel have views that are staring up anti—immigrant sentiment. feel have views that are staring up anti-immigrant sentiment. we can't be involved in making value judgments about politicians. ethical judgments. they can't. not when they come from a major party. ukip is a major party, there is no doubt about that. we can't be making value judgments about whether what they have got to say is morally dubious. that isn't our role. we are an impartial broadcaster. there was no evidence nigel farage has said anything illegal. that's never been anything illegal. that's never been a risk. he shouldn't be treated any differently than any other politician from the other major parties in the uk. you work on sunday politics and daily politics. a lot of viewers were concerned about how often he is invited onto bbc programmes, including question time. using the bbc has him on too often ? time. using the bbc has him on too often? he has on a radio programme, as well. it is only the second time he has been on daily politics. i think he has made half a dozen appearances either as part of a panel or part of discussions on bbc television over the past six months. i don't think that is too great a number. on our programmes, of course, andrew neil is a robust interviewer. we always want politicians of the highest calibre from whatever political party. thanks very much. and thanks to all of you who recorded or send us your views on this this week. your opinions could feature on next week's programme. you can contact us: you can watch previous discussions on our website, as well. that is all from us. we will be back to hear your thoughts about bbc news coverage again next week. goodbye. coming up in sportsday, the latest from the davis cup tennis when britain are playing canada. ireland's's women get a last—gasp winner in the opening game of the six nations. they won 22—15 with a try after normal time. scotland haven't won a mat in the six nations since 2010. —— match. we will also have the latest from the championship. now on the bbc news channel it is time for the film review. hello, and a warm welcome to the film review on bbc news, and taking us through this week's cinema releases is mark kermode. mark, what delights do you have for us this week? well, we are, as you know, in awards season, so we have loving, an oscar—nominated drama. we have gold, the new film starring matthew mcconaughey. and toni erdmann, oscar—nominated two—and—three—quarter—hour german comedy. i look forward to hearing what you have to say about that. loving first of all — a true story about a couple who helped to change the law in america. it is a true story, absolutely. ruth negga is up for a best actress oscard —— ruth negga is up for a best actress oscar for her portrayal of mildred, the pregnant bride of richard loving. this is in the 1960s in virginia. the couple get married in washington, dc, because there is less paperwork. they come back to start building their home only to be arrested, imprisoned, and forced to leave the state, which does not agree with their marriage. they are not allowed to be married. so they have to move away. they write a letter to bobby kennedy and it gets passed onto the aclu. despite the fact they are very private people, and the film is a keen to point out how much they wanted to keep themselves to themselves, the next thing they know they find themselves in the middle of a battle which is going from court to court, and apparently all the way to the supreme court. here is a clip. you go to the virginia state court next, right? yes.