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pounce | 23.04.07 – 6:57 pm
in its post about the birth of Bangladesh the BBC appears somewhat remiss
It isn’t a post about the birth of Bangladesh.
It’s a write-up of an interview from the Arts programme ‘The Ticket’ with a Bangladeshi woman novelist.
As is perfectly clear.
The BBC’s Radio 4 News Christmas party cost £200,000
http://the-daily-pundit.blogspot.com/2007/04/thought-for-day-iain-dale-and-cherie.html
Pickwick/GCooper
I’ve just listened to that PM report on the trauma suffered by Palestinian children. No mention at all of the abusive jihadi mentality that so many Palestinians force upon their kids from birth. Those of us who look beyond the BBC for news have seen the photos of gun-toting infants with slogan-emblazoned bandanas. We’ve read the hate that appears in Palestinian schoolbooks and seen the sick anti-Semitic television shows that are broadcast to youngsters across the Middle East. But of course this report wasn’t concerned with such truths, followed as it was with a summary of the service for Alan Johnston. This was a reminder to Palestinians that, no matter what they do, they have no greater friend than the BBC.
You might be interested to know that it’s now official – the BBC admits it’s biased. I rang the Information Department to complain about a truly gross piece on R4s PM by Tim Franks (currently their ME reporter) about the traumatic effects of ‘Israeli occupation’ on Palestinian children. What with their fathers in Israeli prisons (Tim never explained why they were there) and the horrors of ‘the wall’ – the Palestinian kids are now subject to bouts of uncontrollable stone throwing at Israeli jeeps and Palestinian parents are driven to abusing their children. (You might think I’m making this up, but I’m not). In short – everything is the fault of the jooos.
In mid complaint the guy in Information felt obliged to explain to me that in reports ‘of this type’ bias was actually inevitable and that the BBC was not in any way trying to be balanced. In other words he did his best to tell me there was no basis for a complaint. It was simply “what the BBC do”. After some tedious wrangling with him he agreed (reluctantly) to get another beeboid to ‘ring me about it’ within ten days.
In my experience this is a first. Mostly you make a complaint and get a crap reply – they don’t usually refuse even to listen to what the complaint is, before rejecting it. A new low I think.
A BBC reporter is kidnapped and held hostage in Gaza. The NUJ calls for a boycott of … … … Israel.
(You could’t make it up.)
Hat Tip to phoebe
Oops – I didn’t realise the topic of the unbelievable bias of Tim Franks’ report had already been registered by many of us. Incredible that they’re trying to gag complaints about it!
dave t
I’m curious
Did you post this on the Daily Telegraph “Billy Bragg answers your questions on St George’s Day”
What is England? In fact where is England? As many readers will be able to testify when completing any on-line form, when you get to country the only option is from a drop-down box that contains UK. Why? Who gave these idiots permission to withdraw my country, is England no longer in existence? To be an Englishman in England (sorry United Kingdom) you are a member of a seething minority that is automatically classed as racist.
I think it is about time there was a revolution to return England to the World’s consciousness. For England and St George.
Posted by Davet on April 23, 2007 12:38 PM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=EP3ZSUNGA2NHBQFIQMFSFFWAVCBQ0IV0?view=BLOGDETAIL&grid=F11&blog=yourview&xml=/news/2007/04/19/ublview19b.xml
If so that’s two of us on there.
jr please note apostrophe in the right place.
Oscar | 23.04.07 – 7:47 pm |
Instead of ringing up blokes with Scottish accents, why don’t you compose a coherent complaint and submit it through the BBC’s complaints web page?
If you don’t like the reply you get, you can pursue the matter through various levels of appeal and get an adjudication.
It would be interesting to follow the process.
A BBC reporter is kidnapped and held hostage in Gaza. The NUJ calls for a boycott of … … … Israel.
…. and the BBC do not report the boycott… they only mention that the same meeting voted in support of Alan Johnston. As if the object of the meeting was to support said Johnston.
“Bias by omission – it’s what we do”
“in depth: muslims in europe”
its still there.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/default.stm
in iraq, mysterious “unidentified gunmen” gun down non-muslims. oh you BBC you tickle me with your “guess the terrorist” game.Maybe you should invite Bruce Forsyth to do a quiz show about it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6581827.stm
hmmm.. maybe they’re “militant” Jehovah’s Witnesses perhaps, or maybe the Martyrs Order of the Quakers has a detachment out there. Do I win my self-exploding prize? eh?
also ,in Iraq, attacks are “fresh”, like a pint of milk in the morning perhaps.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6584643.stm
again, these are caused by these curious self-exploding cars, that seem to have a life of their own out there.
“Car bombs have rocked the Iraqi city of Ramadi, killing 20 people,”
maybe its just an iraqi thing. maybe Iraqi cars are just a bit more dangerous than normal cars.
oh, and in case you missed it – today is the 59th anniversary of the formation of Israel
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1177251154808&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
curiously, this isnt featured on the BBCs middle east page.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/default.stm
maybe they’re just more concerned about the “fresh”ness of self-exploding Iraqi car bombs.
archduke:
Other reports indicate that Christians were also killed, not just the mysterious “minority group”:
http://www.haloscan.com/comments/patrickcrozier/6196057003722776891/#338676
Dear Ministry Of Defence,
The BBC has learned about the self-exploding Iraqi automobile. I would like to offer this suggestion with regards to our operations in Basra. Could we not just bring the troops home and replace them with an army of Arthur Daly’s, selling Iraqi cars to the Basra insurgents? Secondly, since Iraqi cars are cheap, could we not ship a few over to Afghanistan and give them to the Taliban. Within a week, no Taliban.
Kind regards,
Archduke
Biod -> in fairness, i think you might have misread that Yahoo report.
“The gunmen checked the passengers’ identification cards, then asked all Christians to get off the bus, police Brig. Mohammed al-Wagga said. With the Yazidis still inside, the gunmen drove them to eastern Mosul, where they were lined up along a wall and shot to death, al-Wagga said.”
looks like it was just Yazidis who were shot.
(although i am aware of the woefully under-reported plight of the Assyrian Christians…)
looks like it was just Yazidis who were shot.
You’re right. That yahoo report has been updated since I looked at it yesterday.
Changing the subject; I was reading the BBC report about the Iranian fashion police and was struck by the sweet little image used to illustrate it:
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42393000/jpg/_42393422_scarf66.jpg
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6584789.stm
biod -> thanks though for that link. it explains a bit of background to that massacre…
“Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a police spokesman for Ninevah province, said the executions were in response to the killing two weeks ago of a Yazidi woman who had recently converted to Islam after she fell in love with a Muslim and ran off with him. Her relatives had disapproved of the match and dragged her back to Bashika, where she was stoned to death, he said.”
so this is the Iraqi POLICE – not the Americans, not the British – the IRAQIS themselves – who are saying that it was a Muslim reprisal.
this aspect is left out of the BBC report..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6581827.stm
Regarding the “self exploding cars”, notice that even Al Jazeera (of all people!) is a bit more fortright than the BBC…
“Suicide bombers strike across Iraq”
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/AED35FCE-530C-480D-95F7-10A9EC70B24D.htm
the bbc’s coverage is getting beyond parody.
its turning into a version of The Onion.
I’m sick to death of this debate about ST Georges day – every 23rd April some BBC type mentions that St George wasn’t even English – I say so what!!
“St George became patron saint of England for the same reason as the legend of his slaying a dragon became attached to his name. His martydom, as does the legend, symbolises the triumph of Christian faith, hope and charity in the face of evil. A better and more fitting symbol for this country today can hardly be imagined!”
quoted from the right-wing think tank Civitas.
http://www.civitas.org.uk/blog/2005/07/st_georges_cross_for_england_a.html
St George was the son of Christian converts – this is what gets people -its nothing to do with him not being English – The BBC and their ilk – cannot stand a christian symbol (and nor nowadays can the CofE).
St Georges Day is not a modern invention – it goes back centuries.
“Ecclesiastically speaking, St. George’s day, 23 April, was ordered to be kept as a lesser holiday as early as 1222, in the national synod of Oxford. In 1415, the Constitution of Archbishop Chichele raised St. George’s day to the rank of one of the greatest feasts and ordered it to be observed like Christmas day. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries St. George’s day remained a holiday of obligation for English Catholics. Since 1778, it has been kept, like many of these older holidays, as a simple feast of devotion, though it ranks liturgically as a double of the first class with an octave.”
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06453a.htm
Saint George is the patron saint of;
Portugal, Hungary, Georgia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovenia,Palestine
Aragon, Bavaria,
Norwich,Beirut, Barcelona, Istanbul, Genoa,
Scouts,saddlemakers equestrians,field workers, archers, armourers,farmers, archers.
They cant all be little Englanders.
Instead of ringing up blokes with Scottish accents, why don’t you compose a coherent complaint and submit it through the BBC’s complaints web page?
Mr Reith – I can see you are trying to be constructive. But this really doesn’t excuse the ‘bloke with the Scots accent’ intervening in the complaints process in this way. For the record nine times out of ten I do send a ‘coherent complaint’ through the website. On this occasion I decided to make a coherent complaint by ringing up. This is a perfectly valid procedure according to BBC rules and it’s up to the BBC to do it’s job and at least listen to what I have to say.
Another impressive doc from Dispatches – Between the Mullahs and the Military. A very disturbing insight into what is happening in Pakistan by Ziaddin Sardar. (not someone I usually admire). But this was brave stuff of the kind the BBC now always bottles out of.
TPO
I’m dave (space) t not davet whoever he is.
Oscar – I too watched the C4 programme on Pakistan and it was very good indeed. Showed all sides, often without passing comment but allowing US to make up our own minds.
Best bit? The jolly politician saying ‘stop any man on this street and they’ll agree that the Army are not good for the development etc of the country’ ‘Excuse me Sir. Do you think that life is better under the Army? ‘ “Yes.” Jolly politician leaves with face like thunder……
But they did make a valid point that come the elections later this year there may be a turning point as people get angry at the Army. I also worried about the sheer numbers being indoctrinated in the madasasdarahs; 3 million students!
He is also patron saint of the city of Milan and of carmaker Alfa Romeo (who were once based there)
I also worried about the sheer numbers being indoctrinated in the madasasdarahs; 3 million students!
dave t | Homepage | 23.04.07 – 9:32 pm |
Yes scary stuff. And what about the guy who’d been released from Gitmo going back to lead the ‘insurgency’? Not something a BBC doc is likely to own up to.
It may April 23rd and St George’s day but the assault on our English culture is unrelenting. You might have thought that on this day at least there would be a little respite, but that would be naive.
Some is overt, such as today’s BBC Radio 2 ‘debate’ arguing its lack of relevance in a ‘multi-cultural’ society.
Much is insidious, such as the BBC web coverage that sarcastically leads, “Another St George’s Day, another smattering of minor events and muted celebrations around England.” It’s not only the Beebiods. Google UK, who wouldn’t dare pass St Patrick’s day, AIDS day, Holocaust Day, Global Warming Day etc etc without a specially commissioned logo, doesn’t recognise St George as worth celebrating.
The idiocy and ignorance of Razia Iqnbal’s comments at the premiere of SPIDER-MAN III today had to be seen to be believed. Poor Tobey Maguire did not know what to say, having evidently failed to receive a question that deserved a response, and Kirsten Dunst looked like her smile had been pasted on with glue. A suggestion to the Great White Whale: with however many thousand employees you’ve got, would it have been impossible to find someone who actually knew something about super-heroes and send them? Or, to put it another way: [deleted]
[Would commenters refrain from making unsupported allegations or insinuations about named individuals. We do not volunteer to be sued on your behalf.]
Edited By Siteowner
Anonymous: the patron saint of the city of Milan is St.Ambrose, bishop of Milan, Doctor of the Church, teacher of St.Augustine, and the man who dared to turn an Emperor out of his church because he had bloodily repressed a revolt. As for Alfa Romeo, they bear the arms of the city of Milan, so presumably they are also under Bishop Ambrose’s protection.
“Jon | 23.04.07 – 8:51 pm ”
and st patrick was a Briton. but the irish dont have endless arguments about where he came from.
“Anonymous | 23.04.07 – 9:41 pm ”
probably an oversight on google’s part. they most certainly DID have a george and the dragon logo last year. but pointed noted alright. bit dismayed that there wasnt a st george on there this morning…
“oscar | 23.04.07 – 9:21 pm”
saw that too. C4 are ON FIRE in the documentary department this year. unrelenting, thought provoking and just damn good stuff…
Roxana – did you ever see – or hear – Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins?
Chuffer
Yes I did, and readily concede it goes both ways. 😀
I see today’s BBC News website refers to the ‘spectre’ of Le Pen in the French elections. Why is Le Pen a ‘spectre’ but Gordon Brown the pension-snatcher, is not?
And why is John Prescott not a spectre too? In fact he could be a ‘Lecher-Spectre’ – hows that for poetry, Beeboids?
More from the inter-faith AJ vigil
Then, on the portico of one of Britain’s most famous churches overlooking Trafalgar Square, the BBC’s deputy director-general, Mark Byford, led the gathering in a silent reflection.
He said: “For the last 75 years, the BBC has relied on an extraordinary group of people who go into the world’s trouble spots, often just as everyone else is getting out – remarkable, courageous journalists who brave hardship and face danger because they believe the story needs to be told and who are driven by truth and integrity.
(D)HYS:
Boris Yeltsin dies: Your reaction
Ah, yes – he helped end communism, saw the break up of the USSR and the move towards the free market – hence it’s not “Your Tributes”.
The BBC, its hatred of the US and half a story
Indonesia pollution trial ending
A US mining executive faces a maximum 10-year prison term in Indonesia if found guilty of dumping toxic mining wastes into a bay on Sulawesi island. Richard Ness, head of Newmont Mining’s Indonesian subsidiary, says the mine did not exceed pollution standards before it stopped operations in 2004. Mr Ness has been on trial in Jakarta for nearly two years. Local villagers say they are suffering from tumours and skin diseases caused by mercury and arsenic poisoning. “I’m positive there has never been any pollution and I think most people are starting to realise that,” Mr Ness has said. Studies of the waters around Buyat Bay, where the pollution is alleged to have occurred, have shown conflicting results.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6584965.stm
As usual the BBC highlights the involvement of the US in the so called poisoning of a Muslim area.
A study conducted for the Indonesian government showed mercury and arsenic levels were much higher than national standards. But tests by the World Health Organization and other groups have found that pollutants in the water were within normal limits.
Conflicting, well according to the BBC. Here are a few snippets the BBC have left out of this story.
1)The so called study for the Indonesian government which showed high levels of heavy metal pollution. Was conducted by the National Police Central Forensic Laboratory. Which is strange as the laboratory was not accredited as required by Indonesia’s Environmental Monitoring Agency. When this information was made public the judges approved the re-sampling of Buyat Bay by Australian Laboratory Services (ALS), an internationally accredited environmental laboratory in Indonesia.
Re-sampling confirmed that mercury and arsenic levels are within normal parameters.
2) There is a discrepancy of 10 water samples taken by authorities at Buyat Bay and surrounding waters. As a total of 34 samples appeared in the indictment, while only 24 samples were actually taken. The samples also show pollution in Totok Bay, which is an entirely separate body of water to Buyat Bay, and waste was never placed there.
3) “Even the person making the original complaint against Newmont, Jane Pangemanan, later recanted and testified she did not diagnose any heavy metals disease,”
4) The BBC kind of leaves out these little snippets about the Island.
Sulawesi braced for more violence
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1691110.stm
Three Indonesian girls beheaded
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4387604.stm
Sulawesi Christian priest killed
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6054152.stm
So let me get this right, an American working for a pan American/Indonesian Company is accused of poisoning the land with no proof what so ever other than a report by a company which isn’t registed with the Indonesian government. (The BBC say’s it is)
http://www.resourceinvestor.com/pebble.asp?relid=30112
The land is currently a hotbed of Islamic militancy (I think chopping the heads off of 3 school girls for Allah answers that) and the BBC conveniently leaves out such information and the BBC makes sure that people reading its report are informed It’s those capitalistic Yanks again
I wonder why?
A bit late but – its good.
It seems Boris Yeltsin doesn’t merit “tributes”, just a “reaction.” No surprises there, then.
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6149&&edition=1&ttl=20070423234744
This curious formulation appears both in the DHYS intro and in the main news story :
In the same year he was hailed as a hero and a defender of democracy when he mounted a tank in Moscow, rallying the people against an attempt to overthrow Mr Gorbachev’s era of glasnost and perestroika.
It is true that the coup against Gorbachev was an attempt to overthrow his “era of glasnost and perestroika”, but Yeltsin hardly rallied the people in defence of Gorby’s glasnost and perestroika. He banned the Communist Party within four days of climbing onto that tank !
It is of course an essential progressive (and hence BBC) meme that Gorbachev led the Soviet Union from dictatorship onto the path of democracy, and the August coup was just a wee hiccup on the way. Gorby was a goodie, and it’s actually a bit of a shame that a new liberal Soviet Union led by Gorby didn’t smoothly take over from the old one. For there is much to regret in the passing of the Soviet Union, in particular • American hegemony ! Reagan was a deranged militarist nutter (when he was awake) and he had nothing to do with the Soviet Union’s crumbling away. In fact if it hadn’t been for all his Evil Empiring, the Soviet Union would have morphed into Sweden by 1988. Likewise that crazy old Pope and the Milksnatcher • they had nothing to do with it either. It was all down to Gorby-the-good.
The Soviet Union certainly had its bad points. But it had its good points too and the baby was thrown out with the bathwater. So Boris deserves a pat on the head for foiling the coup. But what he should have done then is hand the reins back to Gorby, to let the Communist party oversee a transition to democracy. (As Communist parties are wont to do, of course.) So no tributes for you, Boris.
How a British jihadi saw the light
I read somewhere that Le Pen actually got the same number of votes as last time. There was a higher turnout this time so tyhe FN %age fell.
Obviously the Beeb/MSM would much rather dwell on the percentages in this acse.
Er, that would be ‘case’ of course.
Biodegradable | 24.04.07 – 12:37 am | #
How a British jihadi saw the light
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_extracts/article1685726.ece
Every single person at the BBC, from top to bottom, should be forced to read that article with their eyes pinned open with matchsticks.
Know your enemy.
BBC Games, hmm could be fun. How about:
Brothers in Arms Fight your way through right-wing prejudice to have a civil-partnership ceremony.
Call of Jihad You are Billy an Indian, sorry Native American. You must hunt down your bible thumping Uncle and, strapping dynamite to your tummy, blow him to hell!
Dark Messiah You are a Roman and must hunt down the Jesus in Judea
Iraq: Total War – self explanatory
Call of Duty you must sit in a BBC office and refute posts on an evil blog by green pen wielding nutters.
F.E.A.R Infiltrate a news media outlet and start spreading stories to breed fear and loathing amongst the population. When you have helped your mates in a neo-fascist Labour Government enough become an MP and pass authoritarian legislation to turn the free peoples of your country into slaves.
Civilisation Gather together you huddled masses of left wing insurgents and Islamic fundamentalists and burn down Western Civilisation.
Half-Life Discover how to enrich uranium and build an atonic bomb. Take it to Israel and show those pesky joooooos how to die.
Tomb Raider Hunt the desert for non-Islamic religious artefacts faith and smash them.
Carmaggeddon 3 You are a presenter on Top Gear and must drive around the USA insulting every fat stooped Yanquis you find.
SWAT4 Rescue the hostages, hmm no hang on …
And so many more coming your way soon …
Stuck Record,
Many thanks for the link.
As many people as possible should read that Times article, whether BBC or not.
“Brothers in Arms Fight your way through right-wing prejudice to have a civil-partnership ceremony.
Call of Jihad You are Billy an Indian, sorry Native American. You must hunt down your bible thumping Uncle and, strapping dynamite to your tummy, blow him to hell!
Dark Messiah You are a Roman and must hunt down the Jesus in Judea
Iraq: Total War – self explanatory
Call of Duty you must sit in a BBC office and refute posts on an evil blog by green pen wielding nutters.
F.E.A.R Infiltrate a news media outlet and start spreading stories to breed fear and loathing amongst the population. When you have helped your mates in a neo-fascist Labour Government enough become an MP and pass authoritarian legislation to turn the free peoples of your country into slaves.
Civilisation Gather together you huddled masses of left wing insurgents and Islamic fundamentalists and burn down Western Civilisation.
Half-Life Discover how to enrich uranium and build an atonic bomb. Take it to Israel and show those pesky joooooos how to die.
Tomb Raider Hunt the desert for non-Islamic religious artefacts faith and smash them.
Carmaggeddon 3 You are a presenter on Top Gear and must drive around the USA insulting every fat stooped Yanquis you find.
SWAT4 Rescue the hostages, hmm no hang on …”
That’s a pretty good list.
BBC QUAKE: Travel through the time gate and kill (edit) the trolls.
Dave Cameron has opened PMQ with a very interesting question regarding a ‘leak’ of sensitive information….
Do we have more info on this?
Time to swing into action B-BBC!
This is a very juicy story!!
Re. Inside North Korea: I don’t get it, whats your point? Perhaps you can enlighten me?
Re. Inside North Korea: I don’t get it, whats your point? Perhaps you can enlighten me?
Joe | Homepage | 06.05.07 – 2:07 pm
“The wise man points to the moon, the fool looks at the finger.”