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!
Bookmark the permalink.
Grant
I absolutely understand inflation figures. I think it is you that does not. I provided a link and reasoning to come to my conclusion. You state, without any evidence, that the cost of living is higher in october than it was in september this year, stating the government is lying. I ask you, have you seen the price of petrol recently? Last time I looked it was about 95p / litre. About a month ago it was up at £1.12/litre. That’s a fall in price, and we’re better off for it.
I tell you again, you have lost this argument. I am not a troll. I loathe Labour, and the BBC, but trust me on this one, prices have fallen between September 2008 and October 2008. But prices have gone up since the same months last year.
Do you understand indexes Grant? http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/cpi1108.pdf. And if you still don’t believe me, page 4 of that link will show which prices fell between sep 08 and oct 08
Accepting The Economist’s figures, it would appear that prices fell between September and October. So the cost of living does indeed seem to have fallen since September. However the headline inflation figure, which is what the reports are referring to, covers one year during which the cost of living went up.
However, I find it difficult to believe the Government figures. Aside from the cost of filling my car, I can’t think of any price which has fallen in the past month. My grocery bill is as high as ever.
‘Daily Mail’
“Supermarkets talk up price cuts…but hike prices by 21%”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1086822/Supermarkets-talk-price-cuts–hike-prices-21.html
Of course, we can expect the RPI Index to fall in the recession (BBC ‘downturn’), and for Labour and BBC to try to shift focus off rapidly rising unemployment.
Roland
Absolutely correct. I should’ve caveated what I said by noting that all figures are true as far as the method used to derive them. If the methodology used by the government’s statisticians a stinking pile of horse manure, which it may well be, then Grant does actually have both legs to stand on!
Grant,
The Government and the BBC dont need to share any pain. If they tell us that the cost of everything has gone down then there is no reason for them to put the tax of anything up. Unless they`re incompetent.
anyone else think that Niall Ferguson’s “Ascent of Money” was a rip roaring documentary…? cant wait for the next episode.
ZERO pontificating – he did what he , as a historian is supposed to do – just tell us what the history of money is.
how refreshing.. no agenda. just the facts.
archduke
Yes; Episode 1 of Niall Ferguson’s Channel 4, 6-part series, ‘The Ascent of Money’ was excellent. (For those, with access, who missed episode 1, it’s repeated on ‘More 4’ channel tomorrow night at 9 pm.) I’m looking forward to reading his book, (available at big discount online).
For those with access, his (brilliant) supplementary LSE public lecture on the same theme (duration 1 hour) is available here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fztdr/Briefings_Niall_Ferguson_Lecture/
The Economist 8:13
But, you didn’t answer my question about the difference between absolute and relative values !
I guess as an Economist and Chartered Accountant, maybe I do understand some of these matters !
Its All too much
“Can anybody guess why they are so obsessed with organ harvesting? Why are they actively engaged over a long period of time in attempting to get legislation imposed on an unwilling public?”
Simple really – bottle of wine a day ?
Hard drugs ? High risk sexual activity ? all these increase the risk of organ damage – I guess that the BBC want to maximise the chance of getting replacement livers for thie staff .
George R | 18.11.08 – 9:27 pm
yeah – i caught that lecture late at night on BBC Parliament.
WELL worth watching.
George R | 18.11.08 – 9:27 pm
LOVED the way Ferguson treated us the viewer with a modicum of intelligence – no moralising on pointing out that loan sharks charged 11 MILLION APR % in glasgow where he grew up himself.
he just gave us the facts – and let the viewer make a judgement call.
as i said – thoroughly refreshing. cant wait for the next episode.
On the economy, I reckon that there will be simultaneous inflation and deflation: deflation of assets in the UK because there is a slow-down so these prices will fall, and are falling. However, the fall of the pound and the absence of the industry which we used to have means that certain goods which we no longer manufacture (garments, industrial supplies etc) will increase in price to reflect the pound’s decline. So the price of goods in the shops will rocket post-Christmas. How to report that?
BBC takes a pasting from the Express. The snowball is gathering momentum.
In his Alistair Cooke lecture, (BBC Radio 4 tonight), DAVID MAMET opposes political correctness, and argues for the need to uphold freedom of speech against government threats. (Mamet’s 25 minutes lecture available here):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/alistair_cooke_lecture.shtml
Mamet is travelling on a significant political journey:
“Mamet swings to the Right”
[ Opening extract]:
“There has been quite a little hubbub created by a confession written by David Mamet, the great theater and film writer and director, in which he claims he is no longer a ‘brain-dead liberal.'”
http://stkarnick.com/blog2/2008/03/david_mamet_swings_to_the_righ.html
In his Alistair Cooke lecture tonight (BBC Radio 4), DAVID MAMET argued against political correctness, and for freedom of expression which is under threat from government. His lecture is here (25 mins):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/alistair_cooke_lecture.shtml
David Mamet is on an interesting political journey:
“David Mamet swings to the Right”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/alistair_cooke_lecture.shtml
Sorry for repeat. Computer glitch.
Recently on CNN’s Lou Dobbs nightly show he had Niall Ferguson whom he described as one of cleverest people he’d had on.
Roughly at the same time on Dimbleby’s USA QT the BBC treated us to Simon the Schmuk.
World’s apart.
it’s great isn’t it– the Conservatives are getting blasted by the media for demanding financial common sense –that we shouldn’t really spend more than we can afford,and that public spending should increase at an affordable rate, and Labour applauded for being “brave” for borrowing 30 billion to loosen up the economy and pay back in the way of tax rises whenever- whatever etc. You see Gordon was told by the IMF that borrowing could be a good way of stimulating an economy –but they failed to add that the economy needed tio be realitivey debt free in the first place. It seems we are going through a period of particularly dumbass economics
sorry about my spelling
Anyone picked up this? Talksport’s Jon Gaunt sacked for calling some jobsworth of a councillor a Nazi. And as Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand abuse vulnerable individuals, the BBC sees no need for pulling the trigger. Why is it so hard? What goes on in the parallel universe of BBC executives that makes it acceptable to not only broadcast such filth, but to back the presenters and staff involved to the hilt?
Will86: I’m delighted Gaunt has been fired.
The rights and wrongs of Gaunt aside (I’ve never listened to Talksport), Will86 makes an excellent point.
It seems independent radio stations, governed by Ofcom, can act with extreme rapidity if a broadcaster offends, while the BBC (governed by no one at all) does as it pleases to protect its favourites.
I see the increasing attention in the media being given to those who will no longer pay the TV tax. Would it not be a good idea for this blog to start to collect those standout cases where the bias has been most clearly displayed? This may be very useful if the BBC decides to make an example of anyone in court.
At the very least, knowing that evidence was available, this would perhaps cause the authorities to pause.
,
On BBC World Propaganda America just now, Matt Frei was talking to two United Statesians: one female environmental, and a male photojournalist who is also an environmental. The discussion was, unsurprisingly, about how environmentals can take advantage of the world-wide economic downturn to encourage people, and other things which caused my eyes to glaze over.
I was reaching for the remote when the woman stated that nearly all scientists in the world agree that Global Warming is a real danger. “90%, I think it’s 100%.” Frei Boy agrees that everyone thinks it’s real. I switched it off because Frei then asked the bearded photojournalist about how everyone can force China and India to behave properly once the economy recovers. The bearded photojournalist started talking about a fellow photojournalist who traveled to China…*click*.
Opinions only, and little white lies to support them, so typical of BBC World Propaganda America.
DB | 18.11.08 – 4:09 pm
and to continue on from that poll
Only 13.7% failed to identify Sarah Palin as the person on which their party spent $150,000 in clothes
Only 6.2% failed to identify Palin as the one with a pregnant teenage daughter
And 86.9 % thought that Palin said that she could see Russia from her “house,” even though that was Tina Fey who said that!!
i hate beeboid lefty scumbags :+:
Not being very good at sleaping I was watching news 24 in the small hours.
Did they really say that as inflationwas down to 4.5% the cost of living had gone done.
I am no economist but I thought that meant I was 4.5% worse off than I was a year ago.
The average beeboid will not be worried about paying the rent or the price of gas. Some of them will spend more on drugs per week than I get paid for a months work.
I see that today’s front page contains news of the BNP’s membership containing coppers and teachers. Will we also be treated to a front page story about membership of the various Communist parties?
No such thing as bad publicity?
Why my national news broadcaster is devoting several minutes to the Shadow Chancellor’s speech patterns, especially with a rather political ‘expert’, is beyond me.
Actually the nastiest smugfest by a load of London luvvies I have heard in a long while.
However, the BBC seems to be in the vanguard of a movement to ‘get’ this person by any way they can, as was conducted with Mrs. Palin.
Not what I expect from an objective news broadcaster, or to pay for.
Peter
Perhaps not what you expect from an objective news broadcaster, but you expect it from the BBC, don’t you?
O/T – anyone else find the interview with the Home Secretary on Today chilling, where it is to be an offence for men to pay prostitutes who are under the control of pimps – something the men could not possibly know. She seemed to find nothing wrong with this. To be fair to Evan Davies, he tried to push her on this but did not have the time.
eric:
I see that today’s front page contains news of the BNP’s membership containing coppers and teachers. Will we also be treated to a front page story about membership of the various Communist parties?
eric | 19.11.08 – 7:59 am | #
————————–
Why? have they been leaked too?
Roland The Home Secretary’s proposal is actually much more severe, the prostitute does not need to be controlled by a pimp, merely ‘involved in prostitution for the gain of a third party’
Consequently a prostitute earning money to support her family would also fall into this category. Indeed I suspect that a smart lawyer (what other kind are there) might also suggest that since the money is used to pay bills that the local Tesco could be ‘the third party who gains’
This looks like a classic piece of ill thought out legislation that may have many unintended consequences but which does bugger all to deal with the original issue.
Labour’s Lord Desai calls for disestablishment of the Church of England
The £multi-billion BBC musn’t have enough funding to be able to report on this story. Or maybe they just don’t want to report stories that make the Labour party look like it’s full of traitors that hate Britian. ( eg. Labour activist in ‘Soviet spy’ row)
When it comes to reporting on members of the Labour party, the BBC just wants to stick to heart warming stories that show what lovely down to earth humans members of Labour are:
Mandelson admits Strictly ‘envy
Labour MP tattoo’s majority on foot – news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7693834.stm
The BBC: Perverting the course of democracy. It’s what we do.
Arthur
I don’t think the consequences are unintended at all. The Government knows what will happen but doesn’t care, as long as it is seen to be doing something.
dave s | 19.11.08 – 12:55 am:
Dave you’re so right on all counts.
First, newspapers are really starting to take an interest in the TV licence refuseniks. This could be the BBC’s “fall-of-the-Berlin Wall” moment. If the movement gathers pace the BBC is utterly finished. End of story.
Take a look at the main op-ed piece in yesterday’s Express, by political editor Patrick O’Flynn:
WHY SO MANY ARE REBELLING AGAINST THE SNEERING BBC
The above article was more impressive typeset in the print newspaper. Take a look at it here (and download it).
As for cataloguing the BBC’s biases, apart form my own case study, which I humbly submit is the most devastating example (concerning as it does the BBC’s sustained conscious failure to report impartially the political controversy that helped bring down the last Conservative government), there is now such a mountainous resource of material proving that the BBC flagrantly and routinely breaches its Royal Charter, no-one need fear a successful prosecution. It just won’t happen.
Memo received and understood by BBC news staff: ‘On issue of UK immigration figues: always try to use word ‘migration’, always use lower figure where possible.
So, the simple fact of
UK IMMIGRATION WAS 577,000 IN 2007,
becomes in a cryptic BBC headline:
” UK net migration rises to 237,000 ”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7737134.stm
Sir Andrew Green, ‘Migrationwatch’:
“How many more people can our small island take? As population heads towards 70 million has the penny dropped for Labour? ”
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1087201/SIR-ANDREW-GREEN-How-people-small-island-As-population-heads-70-million-penny-dropped-Labour.html
Justin Webb offers up a predictably slanted analysis of Prop 8 on his blog. It’s all about the Moromons. There’s no mention of the other churches and groups that supported the proposition, nor the 70% of African-Americans who voted for it, and there’s no comment about the thuggish tactics adopted by those unable to accept the democratic verdict of their fellow citizens (they’re happy picking on old ladies but I bet they won’t venture into Watts to make their case). And yet again Webb links to Andrew Sullivan, whose deranged anti-Palin rantings have earned him a special place in the North America Editor’s heart.
Mormons, not Moromons.
As the name Niall Ferguson is being bandied about on here with some approval can I also recommend his book(s) on the “British Empire”. The one I have read, something like “How the British Empire made the world” (I’m sure somebody will know the correct title)I found non-judgemental and helped me to put many events into a context that would not necessarily find approval among the apologists for Empire.
Gerald Brown
Yes, Niall Ferguson writes about important issues of history which does not, apparently, appeal to the BBC, e.g.:
“Eurabia?” (by Niall Ferguson)
http://www.hoover.org/publications/digest/3020481.html
yes Gerald –“How Britain made the modern world” –unsentimental, factual and very readable not sentimental whining as per Schama. In conclusion Ferguson says that all countries aspired to empires – and that Britain was not only the most successful but one of the most conscientious (compared to Germany,France, Russia, Spain etc etc) This book should be offered to school kids as a proper objective history book. And to some members of our idiot government as well
George R and frankos
Thank you both. I will put Eurabia on my reading list.
I can imagine an interview question for potential news beeboids. Have you read any Niall Ferguson? You have? What did you think of it/them? A subtle way of weeding out the independent / off message potential employee!
Jon William’s self-serving editors blog Off-limits, 14 Nov 08, has come for criticism in an earlier thread, especially this claim.
In the past, the Israeli government has accused the media of being manipulated by Hamas – on one occasion, claiming that images of children holding candles were actually taken in broad daylight, in a room darkened by drawn curtains.
This translates in BBC speak to, “The Israeli government says so we won’t bother investigating the claim because they always lie.”
As no one has produced a picture with light streaming in through the curtains as they did with the Palestinian ‘legislature’ ‘candle stunt’ so it could not have happened. The alternative, that Palestinian photographers have become smarter in picking their camera angles, will never be considered.
Meanwhile I came across a report not likely to be covered by the BBC any time soon.
Nov 19, 2008 0:30 | Updated Nov 19, 2008 7:00
PA: ‘Hamas is staging Gaza blackouts’
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
“There’s no shortage of fuel in the Gaza Strip and the Electricity Company is continuing to function normally,” said a PA official. “Our people in the Gaza Strip have told us that the blackouts are all staged as part of the Hamas propaganda.”
So the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority says that the candles are a hoax but the P.A. isn’t reported by the BBC.
J.W. says The best way we can report the facts – whether in Gaza, or elsewhere – is first hand, using our own BBC reporters. In order to do so, the Israeli government needs to facilitate access to Gaza. I hope they will soon do so.
Deegee says the BBC ignores facts that don’t suit the Hamas narrative.
Nick Cohen: “Let the BBC beware of the wrath of suburbia“
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7737134.stm
^^^^ they use the “i” word
Deegee,
Your link was to B-BBC.
But never mind.
There are 266 results on google for this subject, here are some for starters.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1201070777685
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1226404771503
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message668431/pg1
http://docstalk.blogspot.com/2008/11/pa-hamas-is-staging-gaza-blackouts.html
Deegee,
Your link was to B-BBC.
Sue | 19.11.08 – 11:50 am |
Oops – Thanks Sue 🙁
Arthur – Agreed. Today had a woman from a prostitute lobby group arguing just this.
The Bias Must End – Wrong:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7684669.stm
DB – You misrepresent Webb’s blog. He’s reporting on a fact – the anger in some quarters against the Mormon church – not on why prop 8 was passed.
Gerald – Ferguson is a brillinat historian. I’ve read his Empire book, an excellent corrective to the usual slant on the British Empire. He’s on a par with Shama and Roberts I reckon. And is very much his equivalent on the right: a world class historian who is happy to turn his considerable learning to polemic when the siutation warrants it (so eg on the back of his Empire book, he ran lots of stuff saying the US needed to fill Britain’s shoes in this regard). Roberts is the same. It’s exactly what I’d expect from a historian.
deegee,
Another candle-lit demo in Gaza… with blazing street lights in the background:
http://backspin.typepad.com/backspin/2008/11/last-one-out-please-turn-off-the-lights.html
See also Hamas Blackout Unplugged