….or shoots itself in the foot.
The BBC has commissioned a report on the BBC’s coverage of the ‘Arab Spring’…its conclusions….
The BBC’s coverage of the Arab Spring was generally impartial but could have benefited from greater breadth and context, according to the BBC Trust.
It said the BBC should have done more to authenticate user-generated content (UGC), such as mobile phone footage taken by activists or bystanders.
The Trust praised “the considerable courage of journalists and technicians on the ground to bring stories to air”.
Its report described the BBC’s overall coverage as “remarkable”.
The BBC said it was pleased to see the report’s broad support for its coverage as a whole and the overall recognition of much “outstanding” and “remarkable” journalism.
Having read the article it would seem there was a fair bit missing from the BBC reports…as with its European and Israel/Palestine reports when again background and context were missing. The BBC are quick to give some facts and then weave a mythical tale out of them and offering it to us as the journalist’s ‘opinion’…without context and background we, ourselves, cannot judge the plausability of such opinion.
However I think it fair to say that they also missed, or refused to acknowledge, the essential truth of these events…that the Islamists were always going to be the main winners in this set of revolutions.
The other point might be just how ready the BBC are to publish this report and yet have steadfastly refused to publish the Balen Report.
There really must be something quite bad in that report…just who would be for the high jump if it ever came out? Perhaps once Mark Thompson vanishes off to his next highly rewarding private media enterprise we may find out.
Update:
From the Guardian report on this story:
Alison Hastings, chair of the BBC Trust’s editorial standards committee, said: “Achieving impartiality across a range of conflicting voices, all eager to command world attention, and where propaganda and fact are sometimes hard to distinguish, continues to present a unique set of challenges. It is remarkable and a credit to BBC News’s commitment and bravery that the Arab spring was covered in a way the audience found engaging, especially alongside a number of other major world news events like the Japanese tsunami.”
A challenge to be impartial? Well only if you are offering opinions…otherwise it should be relatively simple…and making their own life simpler…to just report fact and if using uncorroborated information from unconfirmed sources then the viewer should be notified that the information is not completely reliable…but does provide some background and allow the viewer to judge for themselves.
And one more thing which will no doubt cheer up the Israelis…..Mortimer’s report into the accuracy and impartiality of the BBC’s coverage of the Arab spring, published on Monday, urged executives to limit Bowen’s travel “so that he would have more time to share his insight and provide them with overall strategic guidance”.
I’m certain the Israelis will be delighted to know that Bowen will be mentoring his replacements and instilling into them his insights and philosophy as well as guiding the whole BBC Middle East enterprise with a Svengali like mastery in his own inimitable style providing the viewers with an undoubtedly original if possibly unusual view of events.
A reprise.
Brian Sack on ‘ARAB SPRING’ (from Glenn Beck TV)
1 min video:-
Another reprise:
Will-o’-the-wisp BOWEN, geographically and politically.
Now ‘INBBC Trust’ fails to understand INBBC’s support for the Islamic nature of the ‘Arab Spring’:
‘Guardian’:-
“BBC promises to review Jeremy Bowen’s workload.
Middle East editor to be encouraged to ‘travel less’ following trust report into corporation’s coverage of Arab spring.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jun/25/bbc-jeremy-bowen-workload
‘Daily Mail’:-
“Islamists vs the Generals: How the Muslim Brotherhood’s election victory will plunge Egypt into political strife.”
By Michael Burleigh.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2164138/The-Muslim-Brotherhoods-election-victory-plunge-Egypt-political-strife.html#ixzz1ypV1wETs
Jeremy Bowen is normally based in Israel. Actually he is based in Jerusalem which he and the BBC may not acknowledge as part of Israel.
Please encourage him to travel as much as possible. Hang the carbon emissions. In the immortal words of Sheldon Harnick* “May the Lord bless and keep him – far away from us. Amen”
*From ‘Fiddler on the Roof’.
Our coverage of the Arab Spring was over-excited, admits BBC,” 😀
Paul Revoir – Daily Mail, June 25
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2164536/BBCs-coverage-Arab-Spring-sporadic-ignoring-uprisings-failed-favour-big-stories-Libya-Egypt.html
UH -OH!
“Egypt’s Constitution should be based on the Koran and Sharia law, presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi said.
“The Koran is our constitution, the Prophet is our leader, jihad is our path and death in the name of Allah is our goal,” Morsi said in his election speech before Cairo University students on Saturday night.”
hmmm! … now where?, is that peace part :-D?
the voice of the “moderate” islamist eh!
link
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_05_13/74584752/
Is Turkey the next domino to topple to Islamic rule?….ho hum: Our Dave had better hurry and get them into the EU before it happens.
And if they do go Islamic it’ll be all OUR fault for not letting them in. Yawn.
“Will Egypt become the new Iran?”
By Con Coughlin
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/concoughlin/100167315/will-egypt-become-the-new-iran/
Yes, of course it will. And God help Israel because if obama is returned to the US Presidency, he sure as hell won’t.
Q.“Will Egypt become the new Iran?”
A. Yes
The BBC’s coverage of the Arab (Muslim fundamentalist!) Spring impartial? Oh, that’s a good one! They’ve practically been calling for war and an aggressive military international intervention on a constant basis starting with Tunisia and Libya and now Egypt and Syria – AND THEY’VE GOT IT WRONG ON SOOO MANY ISSUES one being a complete disregard for impartial evidence pointing to rebel war crimes in addition to government hostilities. Their reporting has been so one-dimensional it’s untrue!
Funny how the BBC’s beloved ‘freedom fighters’ (Muslim fundamentalists) are killing and threatening to wipe out Christian minorities in these so-called new-found democracies – BUT the BBC don’t care because they are so at the feet and beck and call of their Muslim masters that all else is irrelevant.
much “outstanding” and “remarkable” “impartial” journalism” …. impartial”?
today.
Radio 5Live, talks at length to a rep from the LSE,(london school of extremists) this morning, over Egypt … (shakes head) yep!, thats a load off
lots of talk of democracy and transition ???
you want a real laugh? … check out
BBC Egypt election results – Your Views
“Once in government Dr Mursi can begin the process of reconciliation” ??? … must be talking about El BBCs “moderate” islamists?
as an update, Radio 5Live trumpet
the MB/Mursi state, “our struggle for democracy goes on ” what? … could go wrong? is he being ironic?
oh and just before el bbc puts out the bunting, for its “carnival atmosphere” just a little rain on the parade 😀
“The Muslim B’Hood takeover in Egypt shows Arab Spring is radical Islamic nightmare,”
Congressman Allen West, June 24
link
http://www.facebook.com/notes/congressman-allen-west/the-muslim-bhood-takeover-in-egypt-shows-arab-spring-is-radical-islamic-nightmar/376111592441874
It was remarkable juvenile, parochial, and devoid of any real discussion and context. It relied on any man with a phone and any piece of unverifiable information that would suffice to convince the Western populace the NATO intervention is in order.
Absolute shoddy, pathetic journalism. No wonder the Guardian is writing a eulogy about the BBC. Say goodbye to the little freedoms you have left, Copts.
‘Daily Telegraph’, front page headline, preview for 26 June:
“Arab Spring spawns new generation of UK terrorists.”
“An MI5 chief is warning that al Qaeda is luring would-be bombers to train in Libya, Egypt and Yemen, says The Daily Telegraph.”
http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/media-gallery/16253231
No doubt, INBBC in its Muslim Brotherhood political alliance is sanguine about it all.
Supplementary; details of important ‘Telegraph’ report.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9354259/Arab-Spring-provided-new-breeding-ground-for-British-terrorists-spy-chief.html
It is not known whether INBBC regards it as its duty to report this to the British people, or to conceal it from them in the broader political interests of the ‘left’-Islam alliance.
Impartial reporting of the Arab spring.
Must be why tonight, the bBC aired on the 10pm news a film clip where a bBC reported spent 2 weeks with a group of people who while reciting the koran laid an ambush for Syrian troops. Problem was the troops came from the wrong direction and the terrorists/freedom fighters had to do a runner. Afterwards the bBC reported the beauty of these terrorists/freedom fighters was how quick they were to rally to defeat the military.
Funny enough the bBC do likewise in Afghanistan.
Why did ‘INBBC Trust’ choose Edward MORTIMER to review INBBC coverage of ‘Arab Spring’?
Here is an article by Hugh FITZGERALD of June, 2006 which indicates why.
“Islamintern Propaganda: The Players”
http://www.newenglishreview.org/print.cfm?pg=custpage&frm=3195&sec_id=3195
Re EM, there’s an interview with him here:
http://www.righttononviolence.org/?p=1261
Here’s an extract:
Who are the writers you recognize as shaping your vision of the ME region?
Maxime Rodinson. Walid Khalidi. Mohamed Sid Ahmed. Fred Halliday. Ernest Gellner. Kanaan Makiya. Edward Said – even though, of course, they disagreed strongly with each other. Perhaps above all Israel Shahak, whom you may not think of as a writer, but he wrote indefatigably – thousands of pages translating bits of the Hebrew press which he knew the government press office would never translate; long handwritten personal letters; and one or two important small books, especially “Jewish History, Jewish Religion”. A strong and brave man, not always right perhaps, but one of those who makes it just about tolerable to be a member of the human race…
http://www.thejc.com/blogs/jonathan-hoffman/bbc-uses-admirer-antisemite-assess-arab-spring-reporting
“Yet More Bowen Arrows For Israel From Yet More BBC Quivers? ”
by Daphne ANSON.
http://daphneanson.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/yet-more-bowen-arrows-for-israel-from.html
‘generally impartial’
So, Helen’s 110% genetic ideal got a few mutations creeping in they can’t ignore any more? And how better to not ignore it than use a vague term like that.
For a BBC sub, if the target was out of favour that might get written as ‘BBC is increasingly found to be partial in its reporting’.
One does note that the ‘impartiality’ word does crop a lot from many who seem to feel that saying things makes them so.
As I await the results of The Trust’s ‘investigations’ on several factual complaints – on their colleagues – I am somewhat resigned to the fact that they will probably decide that they are ‘remarkably’ comfortable that they got it all about right. Or if there are any issues they can’t answer, this will all be stuck behind an FoI exempt, lawyer-protected wall to ensure their ‘unique’ level of delusional self-satisfaction is maintained.
I don’t recall this generally impartial, outstanding and remarkable coverage once describe the Arab Spring as a vindication of GW Bush’s Freedom Agenda.
btw, I’m amazed that the Beeboids can tweet away with (in some cases) no apparent regard to impartiality rules.
I’m not registered on Twitter (one distraction too many) but you don’t have to belong to keep an eye on the usual suspects – just google their name plus Twitter.
Our favourite man, Jezza, can be found here:
https://twitter.com/#!/jfjbowen
That’s odd, why have the BBC released a report on their coverage of the Arab Spring, a report that says the BBC’s coverage is ‘generally impartial’ but have not released the Balen report into the BBC’s impartiality in reporting on Israel? If the Balen report cannot be released because it is an internal report aimed at checking its own standards of journalism, the report being held for the purposes of journalism, why can this new report be released? Am I too suspicious when I think it may because one clears the BBC and the other does not?
Guessing the word ‘unique’ about covers it, as with most other things. You could ask them to explain but, well, you know how that works.
I wonder how long before the BBC see themselves as obvious candidates for even greater exclusions as powers who don’t like being held to account…
http://order-order.com/2012/06/26/secret-police-legislation-gives-power-to-reject-fois/
As I understand it, they are already ahead of the fuzz in this game, so doubtless will see any new parity as an excuse to make themselves exempt from answering any questions, anytime, on anything.
It was, of course, covered a while ago..
http://biasedbbc.tv/category/freedom-of-information/
So what this boils down to is that they think that they got it about right…
When it comes to back-slappery, The Editors is a go-to goldmine:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2012/06/user_generated_content_and_ara.html
I wonder how many comments will make it, and how long it will stay open this time?
Ironically, I found this via a BBC thread…
http://drybonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Egypt.%20Sinai
Wonder how long it will last before being removed as ‘off topic’… on a thread discussing ME affairs.
Jeremy Bowen’s reporting on the middle east is dreadful. He makes out like he knows it all, but he’s always proved wrong by events – ALWAYS. He then whitewashes the past subsequently. But what else should we expect from the world’s slickest Gramscian Marxists?
And Lyse Ducet, or whatever you call her, was on the brink of hyperventilating and a bout of ‘fu*kfaceitis’ (thanks, Tony Soprano) as she reported the confirmation that the Muslim Brotherhood had won the presidential election – she loved it. “look at the little brown people in Tahrir Square – aren’t they simply wonderful?”…
“Can we trust the BBC? As its slanted coverage of the Arab Spring is laid bare, how the reputation of the corporation is rotting.”
By Steve Doughty
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2165081/Can-trust-BBC-As-slanted-coverage-Arab-Spring-laid-bare-reputation-corporation-rotting.html#ixzz1yw6xQ011
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