I just did something unusual. I listened to Feedback on BBC radio 4, whereupon I heard a strange item.
Roger Bolton summoned Alison Hastings,chair of the Trust’s Editorial Standards Committee, to talk about the BBC Trust’s upcoming review of the impartiality of the BBC’s coverage of the Arab Spring.
Oh Roger! You challenged Alison about the wisdom of appointing Edward Mortimer to conduct it, in view of his close friendship with Chris Patten! “No problem” said Alison, “We commissioned Mortimer to do the review without Patten’s knowledge.”
Not verbatim, but I think that was the gist. So that’s okay. Then Roger sharpened his probe to a steely edge, and with a rapier-like lunge inquired if Alison knew what impartiality actually was. Oooh! You cheeky monkey! As it happens, she gave a pretty good explanation of impartiality, to the effect that it all depends on who says what about what to whom, and when.
In the Observer Peter Preston said that the BBC could save a lot of money by not bothering with this – in his opinion, pointless review. I mean, will they have to spend squillions in legal fees to protect the outcome’s secrecy?
“You might as well commission a Jeremy Bowen report on Mortimer’s impartiality.” he adds, drolly.
I agree. I mean, you might as well get Kevin Connolly to examine the fashion trends of the Arab Spring. Oh.
Anyway, I do hope they enjoy themselves re-living all that breathless footage of Tahrir Square in which they managed to overlook all the signs of the rebels’ antisemitism right up until the storming of Cairo’s Israeli Embassy, an occurrence that no-one including the BBC could honourably ignore.
Edward Mortimer is a fan of the Ayatollah Khomeini, and a rabid antisemite himself, so I can guess what sort of impartiality he’ll be looking out for. “We got it about right,” he might say, ”file it in the cupboard, next to the Balen report.”
Mr Preston writes much the same in the socialist guardian : http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/oct/30/bbc-arab-spring-impartiality-enquiry
It’s all so incestuous; and we all know what incest produces. Retards.
john in cheshire,
“Mr Preston writes much the same in the socialist guardian…”
Haa, you do realise that “The Observer” is effectively “The Guardian on Sunday” and you’ve just linked to the exact same article?
“It’s all so incestuous; and we all know what incest produces. Retards.”
Oh the irony!
Another, ‘Haa, gotcha’ from Desperate Dez.
However there is repetition for effect, and repetition ad nauseam.
Though again seeing the actual point of the post ignored for a silly subbing snark.
Dez, you do the same thing over and over again, ironically, and simply prove what’s being said about the BBC and its deafult groupies more eloquently than could ever be hoped.
Have you any (sensible) comment on this:
‘
Impartiality is an impossibility – even for the BBC
‘
Or the fact that the Observer/Grann seems unaware of the claims made by Helen Boaden that might suggest the two cheeks are unaware of what passes between them.?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2010/09/impartiality_is_in_our_genes.html
my site
you must be totally devastated! 😀
How many other “close” anti-semitic friends does the wretched Patten have ? I don’t have any.
if I had any who did admit to being jew haters,then they wouldn’t be my friends any more
simples!
Itwf,
Exactly !
Interesting that Peter Preston in the Graudinge adds a question as to whether it is really worth paying for 24 hours a day of Radio 3 these days – why not just 6 hours a day ?
That applies to most of the BBC’s output. Much much less is all that is needed and worth paying for.
If it were politically impractical to abolish the licence fee in one fell swoop – reducing it to £50 per annum would do, anything more the BBC should raise by subscription channels.
John,
There is an argument for cutting all the BBC’s “popular” dross as this is well-served by the commercial channels.
So get rid of all the soap opera’s, game shows, Left-wing comedians, pop music etc.
That leaves, classical music, classical drama, documentaries, a skeleton news output. To this could be added a serious science and education component instead of the dumbed down garbage currently produced.
So, that leaves us with , maybe Radio 3 and 4 and 1 TV Channel.
Total anual cost £200-500m max.
Add to that a truly independent Trust, not populated by Left-wing lickspittles like Patten and Bob’s your uncle, job done !
“operas”, before Dezzie boy picks me up on it !
PS and get rid of all the sports coverage , except Test Match Special, of course.
Yep as I for one am perfectly happy to ‘chose’ to pay Sky/commercial channels for their great coverage of sport and could afford it better if I wasn’t ‘forced ‘ to pay the BBC !
I noticed a new book by Richard Gott (former employers: the grauniad, the KGB) on a bookshop’s shelf, a week ago. What do people like Mortimer and Gott have to do and say, before the establlishment stops protecting and, indeed, promoting them?
Yes, I must admit when I first heard “Feedback” on BBC R4 a few years ago I did feel encouraged. It became a must listen to programme.
And then the scales fell from my eyes.
Though Roger Bolton may sound earnest and on the side of the listener as he “puts it” to them BBC Knobs who never listen to their listeners, it soon becomes more than obvious that those same BBC Knobs could not care a tuppenny f*ck about their listeners and Dear Old Roger does not really pursue them for answers. I quickly became very fed up of “producers”, “spokespersons” and other Rag, Tag and Bobtails repeating the very same BBC shute I had heard for years and years.
Roger Bolton does for BBC R4 the exact same thing as the BBC shills do for the EU.
p.s. I just emailed my brother this week on the 9th November:
“I was listening quite happily to the World At One on BBC R4 and had managed to get to 28 minutes in without losing my equilibrium. The subject being discussed was the immigration fiasco, though how gucking Labour dare voice a single word on the subject after their open doors policy beats me. So the World At One turns for an opinion to:
LORD KINNOCK !!!!!
Jesus wept! Just the first few words out of that slimy, hypocritical, Welsh windbag had me scrabbling for the remote control to switch the radio off. I simply cannot stand that man and his voice turns me into a homicidal maniac!
And as I say, Labour complaining about immigration policies … ”
p.p.s. I’ve not paid my TV licence yet which expired on the 30 Oct. I will pay eventually because I do watch occasionally but I think I will first wait for a few red letters.
What do Roger Bolton, Laurie Taylor and Ernie Ray have in common ?
They all start their “shows” with a cheery, matey “Hello “.
For some reason, it makes me puke.
Heh. Be thankful it’s not that creep Evan Davis. It wouldn’t just be a cheery “Hello” but “Hello, mate”.
Millie,
Or “Hello sailor ” !
Henry,
Quite agree.
“Feedback” is a typical BBC whitewash, to give the impression the BBC cares about its paying customers’ opinions. But, what we think has no influence on the BBC’s output whatsoever.
As for Kinnock. A Left-wing trougher, the ultimate political failure and thick as two short planks. Perfect material for the BBC !
Just like you, Henry…I would have expected this show to actually take a few complaints seriously.
And then I remember how it set up Peter Hitchens a few months back by selective editing…this after he had reason to complain about how Today treated him when he dared to take on David Nutt about “legalising drugs”.
Ever since then, All Roger Bolton has done is squauk about “the cuts” as it applies to his bit of Beeb output…and (in particular) the prominence of his show in the schedules.
I found Points of View to be less of a doormat than Boltons excuse of a show.
Let`s hope the organ donors of Wales could use one never-used spine from “Feedback”…or Splashback as it ought to be renamed!
Alison on why Edward Mortimer “…looking for an individual who has some sort of expertise in the field, so that it’s meaningful, and also somebody who you’re not going to immediately accuse of being less than impartial themselves…”
Immediately??? Well not from the the name, we’ll do a little research first. Let’s see – Google Search – Edward Mortimer…hmmm something here from Jihad Watch, I wonder why they wouild have published something on him nearly 6 years ago.
Now I see – it took me 2 minutes – if this guy is supposed to be impartial enough for the BBC it shows exactly what slant they want in the judgement on their ‘impartiality’.
Since they rely on the general public not bothering to do any research, and simply accept everything the BBC spews out at face value, this impartiality review is only a ploy to enforce the view they want to be adopted.
Expect more twisted logic from the BBC!
And how much are the BBC paying Mortimer for this “review” ?
It is our money, so we should be told.
Another example of the BBC’s impartiality was on Today this morning. To discuss the failing European project dragged on were Timothy Garton Ash (lefty Guardian columnist and council member of the European Council on Foreign Relations – an EU front organisation) and lefty euronutter Mary Kaldor (founder member of the ECFR). This 5 minute love-in and party political broadcast on behalf of the pan-European political class concluded that all we need is a super-state of Europe (which will gain the respect of the Chinese) and maintenance at any cost of the euro.
Yes, it was 5 minutes of pure EuroBabble, with a compliant presenter making up the trio.
Its a bloody economic tsunami happening, damaging all of us, all because Euronuts designed an unworkable currency. Yet the BBC keeps giving time to apologists for the disastrous policies that have led us here.
Yes, inviting only a couple of Europhiles to take part in the discussion – without an opposing point of view (especially when that opposing point of view appears to have been proved right by events!) – was bad enough, but James Naughtie’s cosy questioning just added insult to injury. This pair should not have been allowed a consensual free ride from ‘Today’.
This sort of imbalance never seems to work in the opposite direction. Whenever you get a double interview featuring a eurosceptical guest (like Bill Cash on Friday or John Redwood last Wednesday) they always appear to be teamed up with an ardent europhile (here Roland Rudd of Business for New Europe or former MEP John Stevens).
Beeboids and their fellow Eurofanatics are living in La-La land and no amount of wishful thinking and bullshit will change the facts.
They are in denial and cannot adapt to the new world order.
The game is up, but they can’t believe it .
Pathetic yesterday men, as extinct as dinosaurs !
Any chance of a new board???
Alison Hastings is also the Chair of the Audience Council England. The chairmen of the regional councils listen to what the regional council members say and present their views at a national meeting, then Ms Hastings reports to the Trust. So I guess the Trust hears what has gone through two selections.
I heard this item as well. Apart from the content, hearing Ms. Hastings say (along the lines of) “we have taken some important LEARNINGS from it” nearly blew my gasket. Top BBC bod – can’t speak English properly.
Utterly pointless process they went for. Now, were they to assess Anti-Semitism at the Beeb, that would be another matter. (Tho’ of course a waste of time as the conclusion would as we all know it would be) – but even the Guardian has copped to Anti-Semitism in the past few days.
“We got it about right,” he might say, ”file it in the cupboard, next to the Balen report.”
The Balen Report is locked up in a safe surrounded by a pool of sharks that get fed daily by Jeremy Bowen and Jonathan Dimbleby.
http://www.planetclaire.org/quotes/hitchhikers/
I miss Douglas Adams.
Like Orwell, he seemed to write about what he knew.