around 12.40pm:
BBC Suspensions
Number of editorial leaders suspended
Presenter Matthew Amroliwala also mentioned that Stewart Purvis said earlier that there is “a culture in the BBC that needs to be examined”. Well, you’re not wrong there Stewart, but can we trust the people who’re going to do the examining?
This story is also on BBC Views Online, BBC editorial leaders suspended – an article that cries out for a full length fisking. For now though, here are some highlights:
Sir Michael warned that the Trust, which oversees the BBC’s activities and represents licence fee payers, would be “watching very carefully” to ensure the correct sanctions were applied. “We will come back in a year’s time to make sure the BBC is a different place to the one it is today,” he added.
A year? How about monthly or quarterly reviews of progress?
In the House of Commons, Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said the government were “strong supporters of the BBC”.
There’s a surprise Harriet. The feeling appears to be mutual.
Broadcasting union Bectu has warned that junior production staff should not become targets in the inquiry.
Thank you, junior production staff, for sharing that with us.
Mr Thompson has also ordered an independent inquiry into footage that wrongly implied the Queen walked out of a photo session.
I wonder how independent this inquiry will really be – who’s paying for it?, who’s selecting the panel? and so forth. And how likely is it, do you think, that RDF, the production company, staffed by ex-BBC people, dependent on the BBC for a great deal of its income, will confess to everything, and that the ‘independent inquiry’ will accept that confession? Anyone fancy a bet?
One thing that struck me about yesterday’s events was that Peter Fincham wasn’t mentioned at all. It was Fincham, Controller of BBC1, who showed the faked clip of the Queen to a load of journo-reptiles, exclaiming ‘it looks as though she stormed out’ as he did so. Has ‘the frightened man in a suit‘ gone to ground? I wonder why the BBC’s own pack of journo-hounds aren’t digging him out like they would if this was any other story of corporate deception and incompetence.
Fincham shouldn’t resign. He should be sacked. Obviously he didn’t check the apparently astonishing clip he was given. What’s the point of him, then?
About that mutual feeling of strong support between Labour and Auntie, I was curious as to why Labour MPs chose today to ‘fess up to taking drugs.
Perhaps so that the “coverage” of the BBC’s failings could be all but buried by the time of the 6 O’Clock News broadcast, d’ya think?
Not to mention the Brazil plane crash, the Russian relations, and some “report” about crime, which looks like it came straight out of the “slow news day” bin
Indeed, even on the 1 O’Clock news they only devoted about 1 minute to the contest rigging and editors “being asked to step down from their position” – that’s a euphamism and a half for you
Radio 5 had full coverage of the golf, so no all day inquest about their latest scandal……..what a surprise.
Kid Gloves,
Are you saying that the Brazilian plane crash was specifically timed for now in order to bury the BBC scandal? I hope I misunderstood you.
Sorry, I see I worded that poorly…what I meant was, the BBC were lucky this time they had enough relevant news to make an effective cover up.
However the cannabis story and the “crime rates are the same” (is that even news?) were doubtless brought up just for the purpose of burial of beeb lies. Of course it could work the other way and the Beeb picks a busy time to release information re: it’s lies. During the build up to a by-election for example..
Kid Gloves
Yes, its called “burying bad news”, but when its done by a “news” organisation, that means that a number of BBC news editors get together and say “should we continue with this story…do we still want to be part of the “news”?” No doubt the BBC corps, fresh from their reading of Alistair Campbell’s diaries, also think that if they become the news itself- its time to move on. Problem is, they don’t move on, they are not sacked. These Beeboids just get on with their former lying and deceptive lifestyles and crawl back into the woodwork again.
There are no reports of police investigating FRAUD yet. Strange how Al Beeb is so upset that there will be no prosecutions against Blair in the cash for peerages affair. There was a definite cynical tone in John Humphreys voice this morning on Today. Will they get so upset if there are no prosecutions against the BBC. I wonder now?
Walking through Westminster yesterday lunchtime, the entire Strand to Trafalgar square was totally sealed off with police cars and tape (suspected package on a bus). News worthy, cameras around? No, not the slightest mention of it in the ongoing “War on Terror”. Also a couple of days ago how many hours did they spend on an anticipated response by Russia (and that Evil Tyrant who is much worse than Stalin, namely, Putin) and yesterday when it occurs 4-4, the BBC news is silent.
I hope somebody is saving the newspaper headlines from yesterday-priceless.
My favourite in METRO : B loody B ig C on,
My favourite in METRO : B loody B ig C on,
http://thumbsnap.com/v/UQRyfxZz.jpg