Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! It’s your space, use it wisely!
General BBC-related comment thread!
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Break up of ice sheets `thought` to be caused by increase in global temperatures.
No reference to who thought that, what or who pays them, or anyone else who thinks anything different.
Propaganda by omission?
It`s also noticeable that the `It`s man wot done it.` meme has been so effectively hammered into our culture that whether reporters use it or not,it`s a `given`.
That will be another presenter from Wales to replace that other presenter from Wales.A significant lack of English presenters across the board at the BBC on main news and current affairs;this at a time when devolution is happening.Don’t be fooled by those with english accents, some of them are Stealth Celts!
I don’t really care where they come from if they do the job properly to be honest.
Spot the headline spin
BBC Ceefax: Tories lose Iraq war inquiry vote
Teletext: War vote majority slashed
BBC: The government has survived an attempt by the Conservatives to force an immediate independent inquiry into the decision to go to war in Iraq.
Teletext: The Government’s Commons majority has been slashed to just 28 as it fought off a Tory motion calling for an immediate inquiry into the Iraq war.
The theme of both stories is that the Labour government has “survived” but had it’s majority reduced to just 28. So why doesn’t the BBC headline reflect the story? The BBC headline can’t resist the chance to take a sly dig at the Tories and associate them with losing.
The BBC: taking a sly dig at the Tories whenever we can, it’s what we do.
Benny: So why doesn’t the BBC headline reflect the story?
It does. It was an Opposition debate, and the motion to hold an immediate inquiry was a Conservative one. It didn’t get passed – so, the Tories lost their vote.
Hope that clears things up.
The reason I care Hugh is when there is a BBC Wales,Scotland,Northern Island,Asian Network etc,there should be,I feel,a BBC England.BBC English regional radio does not,by definition, acknowledge England as a nation.To then flood the airways with non-English presenting staff,often covering English-only matters,adds insult to injury for me.
Watch the BBC’s output across news and current affairs carefully,and be aware that,for example, people like Victoria Derbyshire and Shelia Fogarty call themselves “culturaly Irish”.Do the way they see themselves not determine the stories they cover and how they cover them – on immigration perhaps?
I’ve not even mentioned the production staff….
Btw, are not the Celts always that little bit more inclined to vote Left,along with immigrant groups?Does this not further impact on the BBC’s abilty to be unbiased?
It does. It was an Opposition debate, and the motion to hold an immediate inquiry was a Conservative one. It didn’t get passed – so, the Tories lost their vote.
Hope that clears things up.
Scott | Homepage | 26.03.08 – 3:42 pm
Your (faux) simplistic justification is pathetic.
When the govt has a substantial overall majority, it’s pretty well inevitable that the opposition loses.
The real news story is the much reduced voting majority on this occasion.
As usual, the BBC puts its prejudices before real news values.
…or, alternatively, that you put your own prejudices before objective analysis of BBC content.
…or, alternatively, that you put your own prejudices before objective analysis of BBC content.
Scott | Homepage | 26.03.08 – 4:13 pm | #
Without getting too deep into philosophical semantics – I don’t think any of us can claim that what we do here is “objective analysis”.
This blog exists to expose and disect bias in the BBC’s output – and fortunately (or unfortunately) the beeb keeps us really well supplied with raw material.
Perhaps if the bias ever stops we might get around to “objective analysis” – but don’t hold your breath.
JR revolving:
This blog exists to expose and disect bias in the BBC’s output –
Fair enough, but exposing something generally requires proof.
More often than not the proof offered here is that stories, no matter how similar to rival media versions, are biased simply because the BBC is, by definition, biased: “You’re biased because we say your are….”
There was an excellent program that went out on digital TV (not the BBC of course) that looked at the effect of sun sports, cosmic rays etc have on the climate. This has already been documented in the book “The Chilling Stars”
There is plenty of evidence to link the cycle of the sun to global events here on earth (such as the mini ice age).
Of course no one knows just how much of an impact this is having, but clearly it’s a stated fact that it does have an effect. More so that me driving my car around.
As I’ve pointed out before the graph that Al Bore uses to show the increae in CO2 levels starts to rise from around 1800 onwards. There was very litlte industrialisation at that pint in time, there were no cars, no jet aircraft, no pachage holiday snad most ships were still powered by sail.
Until the leftie lettuc eaters can explain that away, there will be no proff that rising CO2 levels are down to human activity alone.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/6362407.stm
Note the BBC review called it “controversial”. Only in the eyes of the BBC. The science is PROVEN. The issue is the scale of effect.
However, don’t expect the BBC to ever mention this on mainstream TV.
“I don’t think any of us can claim that what we do here is ‘objective analysis’.”
You are correct that it isn’t objective whatsoever. But is it possible to detect and document BBC bias in such a manner?
If I want to know whether my spirit level is biased, I put it on a level surface. If I put it on a slanted surface, the fact that the bubble is off to the left proves nothing.
Maybe not a perfect analogy, but how can I trust any analysis that comes out of this blog when the conclusions are already drawn before the BBC article in question is analysed.
A better analogy is that of a coin. If I want to measure the bias of flipping a coin, simply documenting 10,000,000 heads proves nothing whatsoever without also documenting the tails.
Hillhunt:
JR revolving:
This blog exists to expose and disect bias in the BBC’s output –
Fair enough, but exposing something generally requires proof.
More often than not the proof offered here is that stories, no matter how similar to rival media versions, are biased simply because
the BBC is, by definition, biased:
Alternatively.
“It`s not biased because hillhunt says it`s not….”
See sidebar..again,(yawn)
banjo:
Alternatively.
“It`s not biased because hillhunt says it`s not….”
Y-e-e-e-s.
Work out the difference between evidence and prejudice, and you’ll be getting somewhere.
.
I love this diary:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7312777.stm
The picture for today is straight from the “Drop The Dead Donkey” school of journalism – washed up on the beach: a child’s toy. The language is all emotional and not at all factual:
“Like something out of the film Toy Story, this little figure must have spent months at sea, surviving storms and maybe even being swallowed by an albatross and fed to a chick that then died.”
Maybe? Maybe someone is making up a story. I would go on but nowhere is there any context, or balance. What about the No. 1 threat to the albatross, long line fishing?
The entry from Tuesday tells us all how well the license fee is being spent keeping these 3 BBC staff in the manner to which they are accustomed:
“We stay in the old officers’ quarters” and “The head chef, Pong, urges me to try his spicy soups. A little bar overlooking a beach opens most evenings.”
Only most evenings? Pong! More spicy soup!
I hope the flights were carbon offset.
Hillhunt: “More often than not the proof offered here is that stories, no matter how similar to rival media versions, are biased simply because the BBC is, by definition, biased”
That’s sometimes the case, but I don’t think it is generally true. People here link to alternative versions of stories all the time. You might disagree that these show what the contributors claim, but it’s simply not the case that the majority of cases identified here can be dismissed on the basis that they are reported identically elsewhere.
I’d also note that when a discrepancy between how the majority of journalists tackle a story and how the Beeb is pointed out, the defenders of the Beeb tend to explain this in terms of its unique responsibilities, which influences its reporting. It follows therefore that where its reporting is similar to others it could still be failing in its duties.
Hillhunt
“You are Bias because we say you are.”
Listen dick head if 95% of the people commenting on this site think you are an dishonest or brainwashed cunt, does not mean you are. But it should start you thinking that maybe you are, at least.
Bias as in political bias is one highly nasty undemocratic thing, being just plane wrong, because the broadcaster has an evil radical agenda based in an establishment inspired New World Order, is not only another nasty thing. It is a direct threat to the prosperity and liberty of every single ordinary person on the planet. THAT INCLUDES YOURSELF, whether you have the wits or self honesty to understand this fascist reality or not.
The nature of world establishment conspiracies is that the evidence for such a thing, is difficult to obtain. Exposing such a thing is also a quick way of putting your very life in danger, especially if you are in a position of power and trust.
This because the conspiracy is so enormous and involves all aspects of the main stream media and secret services, which the worlds establishment COMPLETELY control. Real conclusive evidence for these types of conspiracies usually arrives when it is far to late to do anything about it. World Wars, political assassinations, global warming scams, economic slumps, and revolutions being fine and murderous examples.
You have been warned. Its your world as much as anyone else’s. So instead of being an ignorant patronizing git or a paid propagandist. Smell the roses and open your mind, before it really is too late.
It is not a matter of whether Global warming will result in many deaths, mainly in the 3rd world, because it would not, even if it was true. In a majority of cases global warming is a GOOD thing for humanity, especially the poorest members of it.
However following the plans dictated to national governments by the UN, will without any doubt whatsoever result in the premature deaths of possibly BILLIONS. It is not a method of saving humanity it is a method of reducing the projected population of the world by as much as 60% by the year 2020. While reducing our freedoms and prosperity in the west to little more then captive slaves.
If you or anyone else already feels like a captive slave. You now know why you do.
Hillhunt: “More often than not the proof offered here is that stories, no matter how similar to rival media versions, are biased simply because the BBC is, by definition, biased”
Whereas your “proofs” more than 9 times out of 10 consist of a “funny” answer, repeating ad infinitum the same insults and no proof whatsoever.
“…or, alternatively, that you put your own prejudices before objective analysis of BBC content.
Scott | Homepage | 26.03.08 – 4:13”
I searched hard.
Still yet to find your own evidences, proof or “objective” analysis.
All I could find was your irregular opinions which without exception always say the BBC was 100% right and unbiased.
Are you an in-the-closet BBC employee?
The picture for today is straight from the “Drop The Dead Donkey” school of journalism – washed up on the beach: a child’s toy. The language is all emotional and not at all factual:
There was a much, much better example on the brief clip shown on BBC Breakast TV this morning. The Journalist, without a blush on his face pointed to a large pile of plastic debris, most of which could indeed have floated across the Pacific, and pointed out conveniently on top of the pile a full size intact CRT computer monitor. Announcing in hushed tones that it too had floated across the Pacific to land on this idyllic atoll.
Experiment: Take one full size CRT Monitor and one large tank of water, add monitor to tank of water and observe, CRT monitor sinks to bottom immediately. If you find a CRT Monitor on a beach the cause is probably fly-tipping not oceanic circulation.
Misterminit
You suggest a strawman level of checking into bias.
Let us for the sake of argument assume your level of analysis is correct.
I can only assume that you have given the BBC this level of analysis yourself, otherwise you would be a gross hypocrite for suggesting it is needed for others.
What were the scientific basis of your massive in depth analysis?
What were your results?
How did you marshall the enormous resources similar to that of the BBC itself to do this task at that level?
As you are clearly so large and important why haven’t I heard of you?
You obviously have done all the work and can save us all a lot of time and effort by merely making your knowledge public so don’t be shy, let us all know, now.
When the govt has a substantial overall majority, it’s pretty well inevitable that the opposition loses. The real news story is the much reduced voting majority on this occasion
Indeed its called ‘spin’ the presentation of factual information in a way that is deliberately intended to mislead, but which the accused can say was actually factually correct.
Here’s another piece of spin masquerading as journalism from the good Dr Crippen
http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/2008/03/cheap-dishonest-headline-from-bbc.html
Atlas:
Listen dick head if 95% of the people commenting on this site think you are an dishonest or brainwashed cunt, does not mean you are. But it should start you thinking that maybe you are, at least.
It’s a surreal experience, being shouted at by a man who re-writes The Matrix in the style of a depressed town hall clerk, but I’m trying to enjoy it.
Deploy The Sentinels. Immediately.
P-k-b:
Let’s try to make it simple. You see a story on the BBC.
1. You think it might be dodgy….
2. WAIT
3. Check & see if anyone is running it. Are they, by any chance taking a similar line and/or using similar phraseology?
4. If yes: GO NO FURTHER. This is not bias.
5. If no: Ask yourself – which facts have they actually got wrong here, or which important details have they omitted? If none: GIVE UP.
6. If they have: Is there an obvious reason for this? Human error, mistranslation? If yes: Call it an error and ask for an explanation.
7. Or is it an honest difference of approach? If yes: GIVE UP
8. If no, ask these important questions:
a) Would an open-minded person agree with me? Or
b) Would they, like me, start from the assumption that these geezers are bent and that’s an end to it?
9. If (b): GIVE UP
10. If (a): Publish.
.
In fairness to BBC, given the volume of the output and its special posiiton in the pantheon of broadcasting, especially news broadcasting, it would be impossible to please all the people all of the time. Some complaints will valid, some will be unfounded and some just personal gripes. That is the privledge of blogging.
However given the constant and steady stream of criticism from what might broadly be called the “right”, much of which does seem to stand up, would suggest that there is a systematic liberal / left / metropolitian / latte and Guardian bias within the Beeb.
On the plus side, I notice that if we plug away at some issues on this site the BBC does seem to get the message. So maybe there is hope.
I supect that most bloggers here hope to see balance rather then right wing rhetoric in the Beeb’s output, and would wish to achieve a better BBC rather than see it done away with. It is still potentially the finest broadcasting organisation in the world. Though I would not miss BBC 4 and R1 Extra!
Hillhunt. Check & see if anyone is running it. Are they, by any chance taking a similar line and/or using similar phraseology? – If yes: GO NO FURTHER. This is not bias.
So if the Guardian, New Statesman and Marxism Today are running a line it is OK for the Beeb to follow?
What about it Hillhunt?, show us all the posts where you have agreed that something the BBC has reported on was biased.
Now is your chance to present the evidence that you are as impartial as that wonderful institution that you spend so much time defending.
The BBC, extreme makeovers and half the story.
EU migrants relocating to the UK
Public concern over immigration has led the government to announce a stop on unskilled workers arriving from non-EU countries. But every year refugees and immigrants who have gained citizenship elsewhere in the EU migrate for a second time – to Britain. Abdi Mohamed is one of 10,000 Somalis who have come to Leicester in recent years from other EU countries. When his wife got a Dutch passport he joined her in the Netherlands – and then brought the whole family to Leicester.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7312814.stm
The above article is about how the BBC reports on the growing influx of Somali people who have gained asylum in other EU countries who then relocate to the Uk but primarily Leicester. So what excuses does the BBC give for those 10,000 people?
Racist behaviour,
Hard to find a Muslim community in Holland?
How about having to study in which to gain a taxis licence?
Strange how the BBC have only just found this story. Here is how parliament recorded as submitted by Leicester council the subject in 2004 (Yes 4 years ago)
“Evidence is notoriously difficult to come by and therefore the data below should be regarded as indicative. Some 10,000 Dutch Somalis—EU citizens—migrated to Leicester from 2001 for reasons,”
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmhaff/165ii/165we22.htm
Hang on, the BBC tells only 10,000 Somalis have relocated to Leicester. Yet the above tells me that number moved across between the period 2001 and 2004. In fact a Dutch blogger quoting a Dutch TV program puts the figure at 30,000 Somalis have left Holland in which to find a better life in the Uk. (No wonder the geezer the BBC interviewed couldn’t find anyone living near by)
http://charlesfred.blogspot.com/2006/01/dutch-somalissomalilanders-in-uk.html
Funny enough in 2005 the Daily telegraph mentioned this mass exodus and gave a reason why?
“In 2001, after a Dutch crackdown on benefit fraud, 10,000 Somalis moved from Holland to one East Midlands town – Leicester.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2005/08/02/do0202.xml
But the BBC version, doesn’t inform you of the main numbers, nor the main reason. Instead they paint this picture of nice Britain (for future immigrants I bet) as compared to racist Europe.
The BBC paints this rosy picture that there are more employment opportunities for Somalis to be found in the Uk. Here is what the BBC had to say on that very issue in 2005.
African-born immigrants in Britain are doing better economically than many other migrants, a major new survey shows.
The report, by the Institute for Public Policy Research, however showed that only 12% of the Somalis living in Britain are employed compared to just over 81% of the South Africans, 73% of Zimbabweans and 61% of Nigerians.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4222812.stm
The BBC, extreme makeovers and half the story.
Pounce,
I cannot recall reading in any Dutch newspaper or even on Dutch TV that 10,000 somalian refugees left Holland to move to the UK.
The reason for the crackdown on benefit fraud in the Netherlands was mostly to target Dutch citizens who were taking advantage of the Dutch labour laws.
As for Muslim communities in Holland, I can safely say that the Netherlands has along with France the highest proportion of Muslim citizens outside of a Muslim country.
Rather a shame that on the BBC news at 6PM they failed to give ANY airtime to the speech by John McCain today. Funny that every time Obama or Hillary farts, the BBC find the time to include it.
And in the BBC article on plastic floating in the Pacific ocean, the BBC never said whee this crap is coming from? The UK (well we either burn it or bury it don’t we? or recycle)
Perhaps China and India? Can’t see the BBC pointing the finger at China on this. They don’t want banning by their new buddies again do they?
Joe the BBC while happy to report that tens of thousands of Somalis granted EU citizenship in countries other than the UK have moved here to live. Not only fail to mention that Denmark and Holland have not only clamped down on their benefit system, but fail to link the fact that of the mass exodus which started after that clamp down on the mainland. 88% of Somalis living in the UK do so on benefits. Now there’s a story.
As for no seeing no dutch media outlets reporting on that story. Send a missive to the Blog i linked into.
More BBC nonsense about Hillary Clinton
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7314726.stm
The fact is BBC she told a load of bollocks As usual the BBC only give us half the story. She has told that story at least THREE times in the laft few days. She EVEN Clarified it in one speech when asked about it (after someone else who went with her refuted what she said)
On Fox News Colonel David Hunt was in charge of her security and even said she told a load of bollocks.
The BBC article as usual goes in for the attack on George Bush and John McCain, who made an error in a speech. Anyone can do that. But Hillary repeated the same lie at least three times.
Come on your BBC arseholes, tell the facts, not what you want people to hear!!!
Here is a proper account of what has been going on over Clinton.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03262008/news/nationalnews/now_bunko_hill_is_under_fire_103582.htm
I see the BBC manage to hide the involvement of a certain Scotsman in the total shambles that is the FSA. In fact the BBC stick a link up about how McBean is sticking up for Nationalisation. Well BBC, why was Northern Rock allowed to get into such a frigging mess it had to be bailed out? GORDON SODDING BROWN!! Tell the FACTS you arseholes.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7313896.stm
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Newsroom_and_Speeches/Press/2001/press_44_01.cfm
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2003/press_44_03.cfm
“Under Gordon Brown’s early stewardship of the Treasury, back in 1997, responsibility for banking regulation was taken from the Bank of England • its brief was reduced to setting interest rates and “maintaining financial stability” • and handed to the financial regulator, the Financial Services Authority”
Link
http://www.moneyweek.com/file/35808/how-gordon-brown-failed-the-banking-test.html
“88% of Somalis living in the UK do so on benefits. Now there’s a story.”
I know. My sister lives next door to a large fatherless Somalian family. They’re extremely noisy and they don’t speak English so she can’t tell them to be quiet. Council doesn’t care.
She plans to move to Canada. No doubt she will cite “immigration” as her reason.
Sarcasm on:Complaining about a stupid immigration policy is obviously evidence of mental illness
analysis bbc style
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7314650.stm
analysis of the offence of the democratically elected goverment to get Basra under their lawful control(Or that should have been a more correct analysis)
Adam Brookes conclusion is:
“It is a fight for economic resources.”
The take home message is:
Their is no good or bad in iraq.
No mention that Maliki is part of a democratically elected goverment.
No mention of the unpleasant facts about Moqtada Sadr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moqtada_Sadr#Assassinations_and_violence
No mention of the fact that the Mehdi army is not under the control of his leader and that in fact it is more a criminal organisation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehdi_Army#Loss_of_Control
No mention of the fact that the Mehdi army is responsible for most of the sectarian violence out of the shia side.
No mention of the situation in basra which was lawless.
analysis BBC style
Mike, thanks for that analysis of a BBC analysis.
You beat me to the punch.
The only thing I can add is how the BBC miss out Irans role in all of this.
BBC One Panorama 22:35 Thursday 27th March – A Party Political Broadcast on Behalf of The British National Party?
http://simondarby.blogspot.com/2008/03/bbc-one-panorama-2235-thursday-27th.html
Another lengthy article tonight on the 10 O’clock News about the evils of plastic. I actually thought the reporter at one stage was going to link it to global warming. I still don’t discount the possibility.
We were promised an “in-depth report” on tomorrow night’s news. Does anyone know what exactly are we being softened up for?
Yes. We and it is to do with Climate Change. The BBC have already made this point. Plastics come from oil. Oil=evil=America=evil west.
Roland wrote;
” Does anyone know what exactly are we being softened up for?”
I saw that. I have to admit that I agree with the media. (Note I said media) this topic has been doing the rounds for years ref Plastic in the ocean and the BBC only picks it up now.
Now I spent 6 months on Ascension Island , 12 months in the Falklands and 6 months in Belize. As I was a Boat op it really pissed me off how much crap we throw into the sea.
A lot of this crap is actually thrown off ships, and seeing as many Flag of convenience outfits are found in the Far East and pay little regards to the laws of the sea. You don’t have to look far in which to find the dirty bastards.
However that doesn’t answer your question. Well after looking at the map the BBC uses and in which it redraws the North Pacific drift and the location of Midway. I presume that the BBC is going to pin this on the States. Oh and the reason the call it Midway. Is because its midway between Asia and the US. The point the BBC refers to as Midway is around where Hawaii is.
Oh and where the majority of that rubbish comes from at Midway.
“The majority of plastic refuse is generated from municipal solid waste disposal at sea, coastal landfills and runoff, and from sea-going vessels (Colton et al. 1974). Ocean currents, winds and the location of disposal influence the abundance and distribution of plastic in the North Pacific Ocean. The warm Kurishio current, which flows north-east near Japan, and the North Pacific current, which flows across the north central Pacific Ocean, move through the main feeding areas of North Pacific Ocean albatrosses and are probably responsible for transporting most plastic material from sources further to the west (Fry et al. 1987; Harrison 1990). In 1979-1980, 108 of 109 items found in Laysan Albatross regurgitates and carcasses at Midway Atoll were of Japanese origin (Petit et al. 1981). Increasing knowledge of the atmosphere as a transport medium for organochlorine toxicants from third world users to the oceans (Iwata et al. 1995), and the concentration processes in the phospholipidenriched sea surface (Hardy 1982; Napolitano and Richmond 1995) lend a sense of urgency to the continuing task of monitoring plastics in seabirds since plastics may be another surface to which organochlorines may adhere. The effects of plastics may be far more subtle than mechanical blockage or reduced food consumption.”
Taken from the report
Plastic ingestion by Laysan Albatross chicks on Sand Island, Midway Atoll, in 1994 and 1995.”
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Albatross-Plastic-Ingestion1997.htm
oh and the BBC map with makes Midway into a third of the way.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44515000/jpg/_44515392_312e3db0-0854-422a-996c-24c566cec690.jpg
The Independent Asylum Commission criticises the UK’s asylum policy and would you believe it Dominic Casciani
jumps to it and produces a report that al-Beeb places right at the top of BBC Views Online:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7314710.stm
No chance of Migrationwatch receiving similar treatment that’s for sure.
So far only Dominic Cascani of the BBC and the Independent (what a surprise) are running with this Independent Asylum Commission piece.
Looks like these two leftie organisations have decided to run with this and nobody else can be bothered, or, the IAC has briefed/leaked to these organs only.
Now our environmentally-friendly BBC is spreading deadly infections …
http://preview.tinyurl.com/2gnerd
Roll up, roll up for the BBC-sponsored demo.
Heathrow’s T5 open to passengers
The story starts out OK, does not use the word “controversial” – unlike previous reports about the new terminal, but paragraphs 4 and 5 tell us:
Anti-airport expansion groups hope 500 people will take part in a “flash mob” protest at the terminal at 1100 GMT.
Organisers say they intend to carry out a “peaceful and legal event” at the international arrivals area.
So the BBC are very happy to tell us the time and the place for this morning’s demo.
Next week: how to make placards, use a megaphone, what chants to use, …
The new report(mentioned earlier) into BBC Arabic radio bias is available here (pdf):
Click to access Report_6.pdf
Rod Liddle on the BBC’s coverage of the Mehdi Kazemi case:
“The case of Mehdi Kazemi has been reported with a degree of sympathy by the liberal British media which, by and large, doesn’t like seeing people hanged. The BBC found itself in a bit of a bind because, while it wholly approves of sodomy, it approves of Islam too. Both are on its Category One list of stuff which deserves to be treated nicely in news reports. And so we were told that while Iran was a ‘conservative’ society which did indeed exhibit the occasional bout of homophobia, it wasn’t necessarily the case that Kazemi would be strung up as soon as he got back. If he pretended not to be gay, he’d probably be OK for a while. At other times we have been informed that Islam is a peaceable religion which has nothing at all against homosexuals, it’s just the macho, patriarchal culture which prevails in that part of the world. This little nugget of voluntary self-delusion is true only if you accept that Islam itself is a product of the macho, patriarchal culture in that part of the world. There are 57 member countries of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, of which 41 sign up to state persecution of homosexuals and ten put them to death.”
http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magazine/features//i-know-why-the-government-wants-to-send-homosexuals-back-to-iran-to-be-hanged.thtml
March of the Zealots
Great article from Rod Liddle. Here is another must read – long but well worth the effort:
http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/zealots.htm
It’s a long way down to this general thread, isn’t it?
Anyway, interesting if not directly relevant research flagged up by Iain Dale:
Do Journalists Generally Swing to the Left?
http://www.iaindale.blogspot.com/
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-baker/2008/03/19/four-times-more-journalists-identify-liberal-conservative
http://www.stateofthemedia.com/2008/
Oscar, good link.