General BBC-related comment thread

! 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.

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168 Responses to General BBC-related comment thread

  1. Martin says:

    I wonder if Michael Prick will be investigating?

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/mailonsunday/article-1026534/Commons-Speaker-CLEANER-awarded-MBE.html

    I guess not.

       0 likes

  2. Martin says:

    I wonder if Michael Prick will be investigating this one as well?

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1026540/How-No-10-aides-shielded-Blair-blame-cash-honours.html

    I guess not.

       0 likes

  3. Jack Bauer says:

    Gibby, nice satirical one!

    Hope it gets on board Boneheaded Kickers.

       0 likes

  4. will says:

    God the BBC are STILL going on about Caroline Spelman

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_po…ics/ 7455172.stm

    What about Peter Hain BBC?
    Martin | 15.06.08 – 11:08 am |

    As is the Mail
    Nannygate MP Caroline Spelman’ paid her childminder with MPs’ expenses for almost TWO years’

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/index.html

       0 likes

  5. pounce says:

    Martin: wrote;
    ”You only have to look at the bile and hatred spouted by the BBC to know this story is true.”
    Well having a butchers at the BBC’s moderated HYS page on Presidents Bush’s visit to Europe it appears you are spot on.
    Added: Sunday, 15 June, 2008, 11:20 GMT 12:20 UK
    During his unwelcome visit to Britain, this war-mongering idiot should be arrested for crimes against humanity and sent to the Hague. Why does he need to pollute this planet and inconvenience people with his grandiose entourage – totally unnecessary – we don’t need to say farewell to this loser, just GOOD RIDDANCE. And pray that no one like him well ever be in a position of power.
    Sandra Henson, London
    Recommended by 5 people

    Just wondering if the BBC would allow the same to be said about ‘Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’

    Added: Sunday, 15 June, 2008, 11:12 GMT 12:12 UK
    All of the haters that have been commenting DO NOT believe in freedom, but rather socialism. To each his own but, I enjoy America with it’s current Liberty. Plain and simple. I feel sorry for the new immigrants to America as they do not know how much the media lies about President Bush.
    Goodwill on Earth!
    Sue, Austin USA
    How can you speak of freedom when you live in a theocrasy? And how ironic you critisize Irans democratic system when yours is just as flawed.
    Sam

    http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=1&forumID=4936&start=15&tstart=0&edition=1&ttl=20080615124655#paginator
    Oh how the BBC loves to allow people to lie on a moderated board. Iran a democratic country? in order to promote its leftwing inspired ideology which it has no problem airing as the truth.

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  6. Martin says:

    Will: So what abou the other stories in the Mail about Labour sleaze? How come THEY don’t get mentioned?

    I’ve already posted a list. Try finding ANY of them on the BBC news

    Also. Why is it that when the BBC got the story about the missing files they went big on it for about 12 hours just at a time when McBean needed a distraction over the 42 day vote, yet the current story about MORE lost files is almost ignored by the BBC?

    How come the BBC don’t feel the need to do an interview with Bob Marshall Andrews (Labour MP) who has come out in support of David Davis?

    You just know if a Tory MP had come out in support of a Labour MP the BBC would be going big on “Tory split” or “Cameron can’t control his party”

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  7. Gibby Haynes says:

    Gibby, nice satirical one!

    Hope it gets on board Boneheaded Kickers.

    Looks like they accepting it. Weird.

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  8. Gibby Haynes says:

    *accepted, duh.

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  9. David says:

    “You just know if a Tory MP had come out in support of a Labour MP the BBC would be going big on “Tory split” or “Cameron can’t control his party”

    Martin, look for the Quentin Davies stories on the BBC. They are full of “major blow for Cameron”, “massive boost for Brown” etc.

    You get the feeling that Gordon Brown could defect to the Conservatives and it would be painted as bad news for Cameron. Actually, thinking about it, the man is such a Jonah it probably would be bad news for Cameron…

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  10. The Cattle Prod of Destiny says:

    Gibby Haynes | 15.06.08 – 2:03 pm |
    It’ll be gone on Monday when the boss gets in and realises the moderators were asleep all weekend.

    Still fun while it lasted. 🙂

       0 likes

  11. Peter says:

    Oh come now,why the fuss about the beheading in Bonekickers,there used to be a ritual decapitation every week on Songs of Praise.

       0 likes

  12. Glauca says:

    STOP PAYING THE TV LICENCE’s Campaign

    http://www.tpuc.org/stoppayingtvlicencefees

       0 likes

  13. Jack Bauer says:

    Please…

    It’s Boneheaded Dickers

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  14. David says:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7453275.stm

    Yet another article claiming a Tory split with very little evidence whatsoever. All speculation, gossip and guesswork from Martha Kearney.

       0 likes

  15. George R says:

    The BBC, the ‘Today’ programme -continues to go out of its way to assist in the promotion of Islam and Sharia law in the UK. Some context from ‘Harry’s Place’:-

    ‘Sharia is the answer to everything’

    “The debate about Sharia courts sparked by the Rowan Williams has died down now, but an attempt has been made to re-activate the call for accommodating Sharia Law in the UK. The call has come from Faizul Aqtab Siddiqi, who was interviewed on Radio 4’s Today programme this week. Siddiqui is a part-time barrister, who spends his remaining time attempting to be a PR agent and advocate for his particular vision of Islam within Britain. He has been keen on the extension of Sharia law for some time…”

    http://www.hurryupharry.org/2008/06/14/sharia-is-the-answer-to-everything/

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  16. Jason says:

    File under anti-Americanism: Kevin Connolly’s ‘thoughts’ on display here:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7453357.stm
    …politely put, it’ll curl your toes — not just pedestrian, ignorant and smug in the normal style of the airhead-Brit familiar to many Americans, but a step beyond: tone deaf, hopelessly adrift, tedious, drab and awful. And not saved in any way by the disclaimer that this is an example of ‘personal reflections by BBC correspondents around the world’.

    Jeez, are they hiring kids straight out of the 6th form now? That was probably the most badly written attack on capitalist freedom I have ever read!

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  17. Hugh says:

    Guardian: Labour MP backs Davis’s challenge

    Times: Rebel Labour MPs join David Davis campaign

    Independent: Bob Marshall-Andrews: This folly has provoked a unique alliance

    The Press Association: Bob Marshall-Andrews, said he was “very sorry indeed” that Labour looked like they wouldn’t put up a candidate.

    Daily Mail: Labour rebel Bob Marshall-Andrews and other Left-wing MPs will support Mr Davis in the election.

    BBC: *tumbleweed*

    Because of the unique way it’s funded?

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  18. Martin says:

    Hugh:

    REad Nick Robinson’s blog. CAn this REALLY be the best he can come up with? 10 reasons?

    He might lose

    He might win

    Wow! You must need a massive IQ to work at the BBC.

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  19. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Martin,

    It’s more like 10 different Nick Robinson hopes will happen. Since he and the rest of the fourth floor are looking for any excuse to portray the Tories as weakening or in trouble, Davis’s stunt must be bad for them.

    Still I guess it’s evidence that the BBC has a higher opinion of Cameron than I do.

       0 likes

  20. Martin says:

    DP (USA): I just think they are looking for every angle to attack the Tories on. Again the BBC have not mentioned Bob Marshall Andrews (a back bench Labour MP) talking about David Davis.

    Why not? Is it not newsworthy at the BBC? Plenty of other netowrks seem to think so (Sky, The Guardian and the Indy for starters)

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jun/15/labour.daviddavis1

    Why doesn’t the BBC seem to make ANY mention of dissent amongst Labour MP’s over the 42 days?

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  21. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Gotta love this latest bit of brilliance from the HYS about the Irish ‘No’.

    please, please, will you inhabitants of those bleak little islands off the north coast of europe get out of the eec and let the rest of us get on with it. De Gaulle was right to oppose british membership .He knew the brits would be nothing but trouble. Again please get out!

    keith white, san roque cadiz

    Don’t you all wish you could? (never mind the silly confusion of Brits and Irish)

       0 likes

  22. Peter says:

    “to remind you of the words of Ken Clarke, upon questioning whether he had read the original Treaty…’Not one word, no matter what it says, I fully agree with it…’ One thing to dismiss something you don’t apparently understand, quite another to sign up to it even not having read it… “

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  23. Peter says:

    “please, please, will you inhabitants of those bleak little islands off the north coast of europe get out of the eec and let the rest of us get on with it. De Gaulle was right to oppose british membership .He knew the brits would be nothing but trouble. Again please get out!”

    Lucky De Gaulle had those bleak “little islands” to take refuge in,better than being in a Nazi prisoner of war camp.
    Pity we bothered,Europe could have been part of the collapsed Soviet Empire now.Wouldn’t those Siberian troops just have loved Paris?

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  24. Tom says:

    Anyone hear Gabby Logan’s show on Radio 5 this morning? Totally rigged – with Kevin Maguire given full spout on the latest lost data scandal – could happen to any big organisation, he said, and besides there are LESS civil servants to deal with all the work than before. He added that under the Tories there would be even fewer civil servants, the implication being that even more data would be lost if we are foolish enough to vote for them!!

    Then on to to David Davis – an attention-seeking maverick but one whose actions nonetheless revealed the split in the Tory Party. At this point Quentin Davis was wheeled on to underline the message that its of course always better to leave the Tory Party.

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  25. Don't get me started says:

    brand new here. Slowly been waking up to the BBC’s very jaundiced points of view on many subjects (the middle east in particular)

    So where’s the best place to get my news from? Where do you lot recommend? I have always liked The Economist … what’s others take on them?

       0 likes

  26. Jason says:

    It’s funny, but doing a Google search of “best source of unbiased news” brought up the following Yahoo Answers thread in which multiple deluded idiots claim that the BBC is the best source, and…wait for it…one person even says “anything by Robert Fisk”.

    There is however one sane voice who mentions this site in response….although the first comment is from someone who appears to be suggesting that the BBC is slanted toward the right….just goes to show how many thoroughly clueless people there are.

    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080508143329AAklmpC

       0 likes

  27. Infection says:

    That’s it. I’m giving up on this site. I keep pointing out errors, bias, etc. and I get no reaction from you lot. You don’t seem to do anything but rant and moan and opinionate, exactly like al-beeb. You are completely ineffectual. My family and friends in Israel point out that al-beeb has no influence over anything that happens in the region and that the British place too much emphasis on the media anyway. I think they are right. Whatever al-beeb says will not make one jot of difference to policy makers. As for this site ,it’s just a nest for egotistical people with opinions about regions they have no real knowledge about, never having visited, much less learned about the languages and cultures. So in saying goodbye, I would urge you all to stop wasting your time with B-BBC!

       0 likes

  28. backwoodsman says:

    Don’t get me started – try Guido !Beats the offerings of the dead tree press hands down.

    Major rant, only those beeboid f**kwits on ‘Farming Toady’ , could let somebody from Natural England (one of nulabours’ most criminal creations), whine about being ‘short of money to implement projects’. Thats because you spent it all creating a bureaucratic monstrosity completetly irrelevant to the countryside. Natural England , probably the only institution to rival the bbc for uselessness and pro labour bias.

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  29. George R says:

    Two BBC reports on religious activity in the UK:

    1.) Christianity:

    “Christians ‘told not to preach'”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7430085.stm

    2.) Islam:

    “Muslim community looks for home”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7454664.stm

       0 likes

  30. UncleDaddy says:

    Copied this from a Jihad Watch posting:

    http://www.teletext.co.uk/entertainment/news/8316d32d2dcb4334712254e79f46bd80/BBC+defends+Muslim+beheading.aspx

    I really find that offensive. Where do the beeb get the idea that all ideologies must be of equal moral weight? Anyone could tell you that is a stupid idea, obviously some things are better than others – or what would be the point in choosing one action over an other? They are constantly trying to make Islam look better by snuffing out Christianity. Whether the beeb likes it or not, no true Christian would ever behead another human being. However, by the standards of their own religion, many very brutal people are “good Muslims”.

    Is it a “doctrine” of the beeb that all ideologies are equal(ly inferior to secular humanism)? Christianity is clearly morally superior to Islam, just as democracy is clearly superior to dictatorship. I don’t see where the confusion is coming from.

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  31. DB says:

    In the BBC’s Statements of Programme Policy (2008/9) Mark Thompson singles out Bonekickers as an example of the BBC’s commitment to its “editorial priorities“. A further example is a new series which “will examine American history in the run-up to the US election”. The presenter? Left-wing Obama-supporting BDS sufferer Simon Schama.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/statements2008/

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  32. Sue says:

    Start the Week. Radio 4 this morning.
    Intro from STW website.
    The Islamic world is now united against the West more forcefully than at any time since the Suez Crisis, argues the historian WILLIAM DALRYMPLE. But it hasn’t always been thus, he says, and accuses ‘Islamophobic’ commentators who write about a ‘clash of civilisations’ between East and West of making the conflict worse.
    Selected Gems from esteemed guest Mr. Dalrymple included: (I paraphrase)

    People who criticise Islam ….Martin Amis and Melanie Phillips…. don’t know any Muslims.

    Islam is has much in common with Christianity……. Islamophobia is far worse than antisemitism which came from Christianity.

    If the Palestinians had their own state – contiguous, including something with East Jerusalem – I am convinced there would be no more conflict……. They assure me all the problems with the west are because of foreign policy

    Fellow guest, campaigning journalist Felicity Lawrence, mentioned something vague about terrorism. But no worries. It’s only an unrepresentative minority. Some admiring references were made to Edward Said and Daniel Barenboim then I switched off.

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  33. Ryan says:

    “If the Palestinians had their own state – contiguous, including something with East Jerusalem – I am convinced there would be no more conflict……. They assure me all the problems with the west are because of foreign policy”

    Hmm, a better idea would be if the arabs that happen to self-describe themselves as “Palestinians” got out of Israel and found themselves a new home somewhere else in Arabia, bearing in mind that the nations declaring themselves to be Syria and Lebanon et al were little more than an imperialist construction. Israel was created by its own people and is governed by its own people, a fact that should normaly justify its right to exist in peace.

    Still, that’s not a take on history that is likely to find favour at the Beeb.

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  34. John Reith spins in his grave says:

    Breaking news on the BBC website:-

    Elian Gonzalez, the Cuban boy at the centre of an international custody battle eight years ago, has reportedly joined Cuba’s Young Communist Union.
    He was quoted by Communist youth newspaper Juventud Rebelde as saying he will never let down ex-President Fidel Castro and his brother Raul.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7455748.stm

    They’re obviously wetting their Calvin Kleins with excitementthat some poor kid has been brainwashed for six years………….”Rejoice, rejoice”

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  35. pounce says:

    The BBC ,crying for murdered journalists and guess who Abu Bowen names?
    Dealing with dangers of war reporting
    As a new memorial is unveiled to journalists killed while carrying out their work, BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen describes how war reporters deal with danger as a routine part of their job. If you asked most journalists whether a story was worth their life, they would say absolutely not. The BBC’s Abdul Rohani and Nasteh Dahir were both recently killedBut then I have never met a journalist (and in that I include all varieties of news people) who goes out on a day’s work in a dangerous place expecting to die. ….. My friend and colleague Abed Takkoush had been a driver and fixer for the BBC in Lebanon for 25 years when he was killed by a shell fired by an Israeli tank crew on 23 May 2000.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7456018.stm

    Abu only names the Jews as guilty of murdering journalists, which is funny as the last two BBC reporters were murdered by Abu’s friends , plus since when has a driver been a journalist? (But then maybe the average driver could report better than the dross the BBC comes up with)
    Here is a website on how many journalists have died over the years. Funny enough more hacks have died at the hands of the ROP™ than of any other cause including the nasty jews.
    http://www.freemedia.at/cms/ipi/deathwatch.html
    But hearing the truth from the BBC, especially Abu Bowen is something that dreams are made of.
    The BBC ,crying for murdered journalists and guess who Abu Bowen names?

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  36. Sue says:

    The new sculpture is surprisingly light-polluting for the BBC. I thought they didn’t approve of that sort of thing at all. MMGW anyone?

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  37. Sue says:

    Infection | 16.06.08 – 7:48 am |
    Flouncing off is infectious it seems.

    So many sad farewells.

    I understand why you make those comments, but the BBC certainly has influence over U.K. opinion, which affects me practically every time I talk to somebody.
    I doubt the BBC will change, but what’s to lose? A bit of typing? Or as Alex once said, “Save yourself a bit of useless typing.”
    I was going to say : I don’t save useless typing. I throw it away.

    But I didn’t bother.

    I wouldn’t expect my comments to have much effect on policy makers.

    I frequently get the feeling that I am wasting my time, but expressing one’s opinion, sometimes with no response, doesn’t mean one is opinionated and egotistical, does it?
    Anyway if you have already gone not much point in asking.
    Bye.

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  38. Jason says:

    “Correspondents say the Cuban government carefully guards Elian’s privacy”

    What a nice way of putting “carefully denies the freedom of speech of all Cubans”. It brings to mind the ways in which the Soviets carefully guarded the privacy of everyone in the Gulag.

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  39. George R says:

    Sue:

    For more about the BBC’s chum (who was given BBC2 programme in which to largely denigrate the British in India, and extoll the the Mughals):

    “William Dalrymple’s Bad Day”

    (by Hugh Fitzgerald)

    http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/10736

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  40. DB says:

    Judging by the contributors to Radio 2’s “Che Lives” documentary I don’t expect there’ll be much criticism of the brutal commie murderer:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/06_june/12/antonio.shtml

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  41. Martin says:

    WOW! We’re sending thousands more soldiers to Afghanistan are we? WEll the BBC would have you believe it

    “…Britain will announce extra troops for Afghanistan later – bringing numbers to their highest level yet, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said…”

    Er actually it’s about an extra 250 soldiers.

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  42. DB says:

    The BBC is reporting that Avon and Somerset police have arrested a man on terrorism charges. Probably a member of that notorious group of Christian fundamentalists renowned for chopping the heads off Muslims in and around the city of Bath.

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  43. Reimer says:

    apologies if this has already been covered in the voluminous comments –

    “Che Lives!

    Tuesday 17 June BBC Radio2
    2233 – 2330
    To mark what would have been Che Guevara’s 80th birthday artists, actors and authors explore the impact of the man and the myth. ”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/musicclub/doc_chelives.shtml

    This is being heavily trailed on R2 and the trailer distinctly lacks ambivalence about this character eg “He was a revolutionary who looked like a Rock Star” and “We examine why Che is still a potent symbol for change”. The only unpredictable aspect so far is that it’s on R2, not R4. Contributors include Germaine Greer and Ricky Gervais. THIS is what I pay my licence fee for (upon pain of jail)

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  44. George R says:

    BBC selective on Muslim Malaysian PM:

    “Malaysia PM play down handover”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7456002.stm

    BUT, the BBC never did report on its website Badawi’s Islamic demand that Sharia law be extended in the UK.

    The ‘Telegraph’ had this:

    ” Malaysian president Adbullah Badawi calls for British Muslims to live under sharia law ”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/malaysia/2100495/Malaysian-president-Abdullah-Badawi-calls-for-British-Muslims-to-live-under-sharia-law.html

    And ‘DHIMMIWATCH’ had:

    “Malaysian Prez: Muslims in Britain should live under Sharia”

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/021343.php

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  45. David Preiser (USA) says:

    George R,

    Not to worry. They’ll have the Archbeard of Canterbury on later in the week to announce it.

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  46. Martin says:

    Just a heads up to remind people of “From jail to jihad” which is on tonight.

    I’m sure I don’t need to remind people which network it isn’t on!!!!

    No doubt we can expect BBC Newsnight to slag it off, claim it’s full of lies and then the West midlands Police get involved again.

    Good on Channel 4 I say. Perhaps we should give them all the TV tax money and simply shoot the BBC?

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  47. Martin says:

    I see the BBC have been very sneaky. You might remember that I posted that when the vile Michael Prick was snooping around David Davis’s constituency last Friday in his BBC Newsnight report he stopped a woman in the street and asked he if she agreed with “locking up Terrorists for 42 days”. I gave a time index for that in my original post.

    I went back to the BBC Newsnight website today as I was going to upload that segment to Youtube (as it’s factually incorrect and misleading) but it no longer seems to be in the streamed version of the Newsnight report. They just cut back to the studio.

    Did anyone else record it?

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  48. David Preiser (USA) says:

    China Love is back in full swing on the BBC. The fancy China Tourism Bureau ads have been going on BBC America for some time now, and there have already been a couple of warm fuzzies sent China’s way by reporters.

    Now Radio 3 is starting it’s two weeks of exploration of the wonders of Chinese arts. Today’s Performance on 3 will be a very boring Chinese orchestral suite. I know it’s boring because this is a re-broadcast of an April concert which I’ve already heard.)

    The BBC states very clearly that all this China Love is just to get people informed about the host country for the upcoming, all-important Olympics.

    Do they always do this for Olympic host countries? I don’t quite remember anything like this before.

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  49. David Preiser (USA) says:

    BBC World is doing a panel segment right now about how awful it is for Palestinians versus Israelis. Oh, sorry, I mean the BBC is doing a panel discussion with six different people from the region who live in different area, in order to get a perspective on lives in different regions.

    There are two people from Gaza, two people from the West Bank, and two people from Israel. That’s right, the BBC came up with a way to stack the panel, but tells us with a straight face that they are doing this specifically to show how people live in the different areas.

    The Palestinians recite the horrors of their lives. The Israelis are forced to apologize. They just say that they try to do their best, to live their lives, they feel sorry for people in Gaza. But they’re just there to and grovel.

    Hang on, one Israeli girl – another American who has made Aliyah – is allowed to express her concerns about continued Palestinian attacks inside Israel, and fears about Iran. An Israeli man speaks up right after, trying to express that he needs to know what other people’s intentions are before he just submits. The Beeboid scolds him immediately, and tells him to listen to how horrible it is in Gaza, asking the Palestinian girl to repeat her laundry list of tragedy.
    Now a Palestinian male is reciting the “Gaza is a Prison” mantra.

    Oh, all of this is Israel’s fault entirely. No mention of Arab countries that might support them, Egypt’s own border, or, you know, Hamas.

    This could not be more stacked against Israel, and that’s the only purpose of this panel. It’s disgusting, and the Beeboid presenter is obviously taking sides.

    I’m switching off now before I break something.

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  50. Martin says:

    It is still there on Newsnight. Don’t know how I missed it. Very interesting though. Looks like Prick has no problems with assuming Muzzie’s are all terrorists witohut being found guilty. Good lad!

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