Michael Buerk, for years one of the main BBC newsreaders, and now presenter of the R4’s Moral Maze, has long been a trenchant critic of the BBC’s climate reporting. Almost a year ago, he took a direct kick here at the rampant eco-loonery when Peter Sissons savaged the corporation’s espousal of climate alarmism in his memoirs. This week, he’s renewed his attack on the BBC Trustees – along with Harrabin, Black and their crusader colleagues – in a new blog called The Fifth Column. He points out that although he himself does believe in anthropogenic warming, the BBC’s reporting of the issue is a pile of odure. He says:
What gets up my nose is being infantilized by governments, by the BBC, by the Guardian that there is no argument, that all scientists who aren’t cranks and charlatans are agreed on all this, that the consequences are uniformly negative, the issues beyond doubt and the steps to be taken beyond dispute.
There’s much more in his short, punchy essay (hinged on the BBC’s reporting of the Durban summit), all of it brilliantly crafted to say that the corporation’s stance on this topic is indefensible.
The only question now is whether Mr Buerk will be ignored (as usually happens), fired, or someone is paid to ridicule him. My guess is that it will probably be Fiona Fox. She’s got form.
PS: I missed this pre-Christmas piece of naked agitprop from Richard Black attacking those who dare to challenge that nice EU’s punitive new tax on air travel. Jaw-dropping, even by his standards.
Looking at the name of that blog I thought they were joining BiasedBBC in the campaign against the UK’s 5th Column, the BBC but it isn’t what they mean, but it dies look good and Buerk has written several good posts about hoooman wites, the riots etc.
http://www.thefifthcolumn.co.uk/the-agitator/human-rights/
“EU new tax on air travel”
It is theft. Calling theft a “tax” does not alter the fact it is “theft”.
That is the real guilt of Phil Jones and all his hand-wringing UEA climatologist chums. Every time they accept government and EU money for “climate research” they are aiding and abetting theft, from us. Black is an apologist for thieving from the people, under pretext of environmental protection. Climate Liars.
Odd isn’t it? The lefts only response to any crisis is to raise taxes …
I had a quick look at the FifthColumn site, and it left me feeling a little uneasy. I’ll wait till a few more people, better able to discern black ops. sites from the real McCoy before I become a regular reader.
That piece by Buerk is a good read, and most welcome – thanks for flagging it up, Robin. If only there were more perfectly intelligent well-placed figures within the BBBC prepared to think for themselves and have a little journalistic integrity regarding how the BBBC ‘reports’ the issue. Perhaps Buerk realises how much of a laughing-stock the BBBC’s ridiculous reputation (and legal duty) for ‘impartiality’ is in the light of their regrettable lack of balance on the matter of AGW.
Well, the fight goes on for all AGW skeptics but 2012 looks like being a potentially decisive year for us – the weight of public opinion (whatever that is) seems to have shifted away from unquestioning obedience to the ‘official line’ on AGW: more and more people are prepared to say they no longer trust or ‘believe’ in the hysterical claims of idiot, greedy, bullying NGOs and clueless politicians like Huhne.
In my own experience, staying with friends and family over the Xmas break (where I write from) I’ve noticed more and more of them prepared to openly mock the alarmist claims being made by the likes of Friends of the Earth, WWF and Greenpeace, etc. I call that progress – people are thinking for themselves at last, noticing how the ‘settled scieence’ seems very far from it based on the evidence of their own eyes and good old common sense.
The road goes ever onwards…
[..] people are thinking for themselves at last [..]
Really? Are you sure they just aren’t swinging with the pendulum?
I am firmly in the Buerk camp here. Humans quite possibly are contributing to the changing climate but the apocalyptic visions being offered by pressure groups, lobbyists and governments are channeled through a gullible and compliant media and they cheapen what should be a sensible debate. The BBC is one of the worst culprits – climate change alarmism has infected almost every area of its programming.
The BBC’s approach to AGW is like the story of the little girl in the Struwwelpeter: don’t play with matches or you will end up dying a horrible, fiery death. Comply or die.
But the Harrabins and Blacks of this world are so blinkered that they cannot see that there are various differing shades of opinion amongst their audience. In their world, people can be neatly divided into three camps: the “ayes”, the “nays” and the “don’t knows”.
I am convinced that he and his allies see it as their duty to discredit the “nays” while converting the “don’t knows” into “ayes” by hammering home the message as hard and as frequently as possible. The problem with this is that you end up polarising opinion and – as the CRU shows – arousing suspicion in your audience.
Glad that Buerk is not necessarily the usual sewer pipe disguised as an aquaduct.
Like Sissons, only wish he`d follow his own logic through, reflect on his many years at the BBC and then “repent” for his part in the dumbed-down, red herringed nature of the news that he and his paymasters still put out.
There have been a few worms turning surrepticiously at the Beeb these last few months….well at least with reversing lights a flickering and warnings coyly being coughed( reversing is a complex manoevre!)
After Copenhagen/UEA/AV/ditching of NuLiebore/Eurozone crisis/Murdoch/Dale Farm/riots/immigration…it`s about time that the clever end of the BBCs very shallow gene pool began to reflect on why they have been on the wrong end of the debate-as well as history-so badly and so often: and so recently.
Who knows…if Israel sticks around; they may yet speak sense on that issus too within our lifetimes!
And Israel is going nowhere…
Ploughing through the hopeless ToadyShow to find the bit about Tracey Emin being a Tory Stooge.
The womans sums up so much that is fake about the nation and its current artistic provision. That she is a Professor of Drawing somewhere where a Rolf Harris would nt be employed says so much about what is sick and wrong with the culture.
That said, her politics at least shows some artistic courage when the likes of Jupitus, Hardy, Toksvig and the Chapman brothers hoover up state taxes for feigning “rebellion” and “edgy talent”.
Grayson Perry might be the better craftsman/artist…but Tracey Emin is the braver person, so I`ll cherish her for that if nothing else.
As for the usual News review darlings…wave a Hockney at them and watch them blanch and slither away!
Must say I am enjoying the output this hols from the work experience guys.
The wimmin, and also some of the females, have got together to celebrate the sisterhood, and so far it’s all peachy.
They first of managed to include what may, or may not, be the lady Panda.
Lying about doing f-all and getting her photo taken at vast expense. Can see that would appeal in sequin central.
Another inspiration is a lady who, though unfortunate, seems to have become notable mainly by being a victim.
And one who wiggles her behind.
I am sure young teens (well, in Aunty’s studios) the country over are crushing on their new role models now.
Is there a tomb of the unknown single muvva these lightweights can sponsor?
You would be a fool to challenge Leftist orthodoxy if you are trying to to have a career in UK broadcasting. The whole point of the BBC is to promote tax slavery.
Can you imagine the outrage if the BBC were to produce a programme that questioned the morality of a Big State!!! If somebody who works for the BBC were to grow a conscience and question ANY of the dogmas of the Leftist establishment it would be career suicide,
Oh, my goodness, there’s a direct criticism of The Obamessiah in the caption for that photo accompanying Black’s totalitarian screed.
Barack Obama came to power pledging “global leadership” on climate, but has delivered little
The only time a Beeboid criticizes Him is when He’s not Left enough. Which hardly ever happens, of course. I think I can count them on one hand…..