I missed this and am indebted to the wonderful Ozzie blog Greenie Watch for pointing it out. Don’t faint, but the BBC Editorial Complaints Unit has actually upheld a complaint against Roger Harrabin. Here it is:
ECU Ruling: BBC News at 10, BBC1, 25 January 2010
Publication date: 19 July 2010Complaint
In a report on calls for Dr Rajendra Pachauri to resign as Head of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the BBC’s Environment Correspondent referred to him as “the UN’s top climate scientist”. A viewer complained that this was inaccurate and misleading, as Dr Pachauri’s scientific qualifications and credentials were in a field unrelated to climate science.
Outcome
Although the phrase was intended as journalistic shorthand for the occupant of the most prominent international post connected with climate science, the implication that he was himself a climate scientist was materially misleading in the context of this report. Upheld
Further action
The Editor of BBC News at 10 is reiterating to his team the importance of accuracy in the introduction of our contributors.
What the complaint ruling doesn’t say of course, is that Mr Harrabin, along with Richard Black, worship at the altar of the IPCC and the execrable Dr Pachauri daily, and report his every utterance with the reverence that the BBC normally only shows to Islam. For a truer picture of the Indian railway engineer, see Richard North’s latest blog here.
The Beeboid comments are a joke, ‘journalistic shorthand?’ what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean? Bollocks more like.
Harrabin and the rest of the tools at the BBC spout this sort of claptrap continually, note how the BBC hammered Cameron after his ‘slip’ about 1940, the BBC twats didn’t let that one drop for weeks.
Mongs the lot of them.
If only the filthy white working/lower-middle class scum would stop taking holidays, driving their cars and heating their homes then we’d all be alright!
RH
I read the apology in this morning’s Sunday Telegraph and thought – even before I read your cited comment by Richard North – that if the person traduced was prepared to accept that as an “apology” (and I assume that Dr P and his lawyers were indeed so prepared) then the article in question must have been substantially true.
BTW I can see why Dr P was incensed about being described as a “climate scientist” since describing anyone thus is tantamount to calling them a corrupt, mendacious, money-grubbing, loud-mouthed, dishonest piece of excrement. Dr P is, of course, a distinguished railway engineer.
“Top climate scientist” is shorthand? So it’s common practice to just make up definitions for words as it suits them?
What Harrabin did was lie to the public. Plain and simple. At last someone is noticing.
Bless.
I have added ‘intended as journalistic shorthand’ to a long line of weasel excuses for lapses in professional, objective journalism from Aunty.
I think her finest scribes might be better tasked with ‘creating’ seemingly positive poster quotes for dire plays from slating critiques.
{Programme Name:} news
{Transmission Date:} 25/01/2010
{Network:}
{Summary:} Misleading reporting of the IPCC heads qualifications
{Complaint:} Referring to Dr Rajendra Pachauri as one of (“the world’s top climate scientists) instead of a former railway engineer with a PhD in economics with no qualifications in climate science.
{Reply:} Yes
{Under 13:} No
Dear BBC viewer
Thanks for your e-mail.
Please accept our apologies for the delay in replying. We know our correspondents appreciate a quick response and we’re sorry you’ve had to wait on this occasion.
I understand you were concerned by Rajenda Pachauri being referred to as the IPCC’s “top scientist”.
As head of the IPCC, Dr Pachauri holds the top job in international climate science. We believe that describing him as the UN’s top climate scientist is an acceptable shorthand to use – it is a reflection on his job role rather than his credentials.
I’d like to assure you that I’ve registered your comments on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily for all programme makers and commissioning executives within the BBC, and also their senior management. It ensures that your points, and all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC.
Thanks again for taking the time to contact us with your concerns.
Regards
BBC Complaints
Maybe I should frame it…