writes:
One story prominently featured over the Easter holiday weekend was the leftie march to Aldermaston, including various puff-pieces in advance (i.e. advertising for fellow-travellers).
Monday’s ‘News front page’ featured two links to stories about this relative non-event. The same story is highlighted a day later on the UK news page:
Joy as nuclear marchers hit base
Deep joy indeed. The story, by Hannah Bayman, features interviews with various protestors, Giulia Giglioggi, 11-year old Leela Levitt (from Southampton “pleading with parents Malcolm and Latha”, Daniel Franceschini and Reverend Hazel Barkham.
Knowing the BBC’s rigourous and honest approach, I did a little Googling for these people.
Giulia Giglioggi returns nothing. Google helpfully suggests “Giulia Gigliotti”, from Southampton, who it turns out is a major organiser of such protests (inc. a letter in the Grauniad signed ‘Giulia Gigliotti, Nuclear Information Service’) – all omitted (or simply unseen) by our scrupulous BBC inquisitor. (‘Nuclear Information Service’ turns out to be www.nukeinfo.co.uk – also based in Southampton).
Reverend Hazel Barkham (Google alternative ‘Barking’!) is also, unsurprisingly, a prominent anti-nuclear activist, popping up around the web and around the world.
So, how could our rigourous BBC reporter omit to mention the prominence of these anti-nuclear organisers whilst writing such a happy, nay joyous, report of this traditional outing?
Another spot of Googling, this time for ‘Hannah Bayman’, reveals a number of interesting Hannah Bayman coincidences:
– Revolutionary Communists “Rock around the Blockade at Guantanamo” (in April 2000 no less), inc. Hannah Bayman “I am really interested in the Pioneers and the UJC (Union of Young Communists)” (Link);
– “Operation Desert Rescue – 9.6m children in danger” – list of supporters includes “Hannah Bayman, Southampton, BBC journalist” (Link);
– Socialist Worker 26Apr03 letters page – an angry rant about Iraqi freedom, from Hannah Bayman, Southampton (Link);
– Globalise Resistance “free Nicola and Richard” petition – signed by Hannah Bayman, freelance journalist (Link);
– The Observer 21Jul02 letters page – Hannah Bayman of London N1 writes “People across the world have marched against Israel’s war in Palestine, including 80,000 in London in May, largely ignored by the mainstream British press. In September thousands more are expected to rally in London against the threat of a bloody war in Iraq. In November thousands of activists will converge in Florence for the European Social Forum, a weekend of demonstrations and debate on the future of the anti-capitalist movement.” (Link)
It seems I’m not alone in doubting the objectivity of Ms. Bayman – Robert Hinkley has posted details of his dealings with her here and here. Note also the picture here which is remarkably like the BBC picture here.
For those with long memories, I wonder if the Chris Blake in the first picture is the same as the one interviewed by Hannah for the BBC here. If so, Hannah seems to have a remarkably intimate interviewing technique – too intimate one might think to ensure the impartiality and objectivity that a Beeb-taxpayer might expect from the “World’s premier news broadcaster”, as they term themselves.
Just to be clear, BBC reporters, like everyone else, are entitled to their personal opinions. However, in the interests of transparency, when a reporter interviews a personal acquaintance (in this case Chris Blake, a former comrade on a political magazine “Resist”), it is, at best, a discourtesy to his or her readers not to mention it.
Hannah’s just a perfectly ordinary middle of the road metropolitan liberal. Her views are not at all extreme among her friends and colleagues.
What’s wrong with that, for heaven’s sake ? You don’t think the BBC’s there for Joe Public, do you ?
None of you are Blair supporters are you?
I Howled, I howled!
Susan, give us a break for God’s sake – Chris Blake wasn’t interviewed as a man on the street and no one, BBC included has pretended he was.
He was interviewed as a protester at a demonstration. Simple as.#
The reporter has already explained it was an opinion piece and it was blatantly presented as one – you don’t agree with him – so what?
No one was pretending his views weren’t radical, but reading this blog it’s as if you guys want him silenced because you don’t agree with him.
And PJF, who cares what two-bit organistations those couple of Aldermaston people also belonged to – certainly not me.
If the reporter had included them you know perfectly well you would be criticising her for “promoting” them.
Finding members of peace groups at a peace march? I just don’t see the conspiracy or bias there.
Grow up the lot of you.
Susan, if you need a break, why not have a Kit Kat?
It’s also most amusing to see that one of the online petitions Ms Bayman has signed which you are so very outraged about was calling for the end of sanctions.
Now, if I am not very much mistaken, the pro-war, pro-Bush lobby keep telling us that one of the major benefits of the war in Iraq is….. the end of sanctions.
In fact, Blair and Bush had to push this policy through the UN past an unwilling France and Germany.
So surely you guys should be applauding our young reporter for her views in this case.
No?
Can’t have it both ways, JohninLondon, Susan, Natalie et al.
Paul
A young journalist writes an article about a PEACE demonstration and, my gosh, she has been on some PEACE demonstrations in the past and you guys HATE her for that?
The values of the bloggers on this site are seriously skewed.
Paul
Bayman was asking for the end of Iraq sanctions BEFORE Saddam was toppled. So she was NOT in step with UK or US policy at that time.
Laura – [deleted] Her report includes no comments from the other point of view – for instance that these protestors are frequently unemployed nutters.
This is such an obvious point, why can’t you see it ?
Edited By Siteowner
Bayman, why don’t you work for one on the independent news channels? [deleted]
Edited By Siteowner
Hannah, in your comments about your impending visit to Cuba on a “brigade” you say: “I want to hear what the young Cubans feel about the revolution and their way of life” http://www.revolutionarycommunistgroup.com/frfi/154/154-rat.htm
. Were they able to express the opinion that they were unhappy living in a country with no press or personal freedom of speech? A journalist in that totalitarian state would give their right arm to have the freedom of speech [deleted] Wake up! The BBC is not “Rock Around the Blockade”.
Edited By Siteowner
I am interested to see you are still all discussing my work more than three weeks later.
John, I was reporting views of demonstrators at Aldermaston and at the G8 – huge news events which I was asked to cover by editors – not my own.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Cuba since the trip you mention and agree in part with the point you make – I said I wanted to find out about young people’s views and I did, making many friends there who I stayed with again, some positive about the revolution, some not…none terribly keen on US foreign policy I’m afraid though.
I could take this blog more seriously if so many of the bloggers weren’t using fake names/psuedonyms.
Natalie Solent and Robert Hinkley are the same person, for example.
Shame you guys don’t apply the same rigorous policies of transparency and fair-dealing to your own websites that you do to BBC News Online.
Cheerio.
Goodness, you are still spending time arguing among yourselves over my story – surely this fun alone must be worth your licence fees?
Unfortunately for us all, 99% of the stories I write do not carry a byline.
So just in case you missed them, please find links below to some of my other recent big-hitting stories.
Now remember, by your logic, John and simoninwales, the views expressed in them all are actually MY views, rather than those of the people quoted…
… giving me a world view so schizophrenic it is even more worrying than Robert Hinkley’s alleged alter-ego…
😉
ASYLUM PROTESTERS HOPE FOR APPEAL
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/3641589.stm
CAMPAIGNERS WIN SUPER PORT FIGHT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3641677.stm
WIFE DIVORCES HUSBAND OVER VIAGRA
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/3638439.stm
ANGER AT STUDENT’S BODY PARTS ART
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3632333.stm
And once again, I implore you to organise a 52-mile, four-day pro-nuclear/anti-BBC march across the South.
It would be a great story and I would love to interview all involved.
Please contact me with details when you’ve got it sorted.
😉
Still waiting…. 😉
John in London – Oh come off it, there was no violence at Aldermaston on any stage of the four-day march.
And it is clear from your posts on this site that you help drum up support for events supported by an extremist minority that result in much violence….. I’m talking about the war in Iraq by the way.
If you have a look back at the coverage of the G8 and other protests, BBC News Online aired plenty of opposing views.
Do you object to protesters being heard at all – I suspect that is the problem here.