Today had an expose of a national television network that broadcasts propaganda for the government…..Syrian not British.
Ghatan Sleiba, an ex-correspondent from a government affiliated news channel, met with the BBC’s James Reynolds near Turkey’s border with Syria and provided some insights into how the government controls the media’s message.
The final words made me smile….
‘The people can’t trust us…..the Syrian nation is a simple nation…they believe who ever smiles on TV and they believe who ever cries on TV…God help the Syrian nation.’
I had exactly the same thought when I heard that!
My goodness, you couldn’t make it up! Ghatan Sleiba was probably asking for some top secret in-depth advice on the arts of subliminal indoctrination… A few episodes of Eastenders or Newsround would soon see the rebels taking off their shoes in order to run away quicker! Game over 🙂
I don’t pay for a TV license ‘do you’
No, and they will leave you alone if you mention the following. (1) The BBC and Climate Change: A Triple Betrayal: GWPF Report 5. (2) Complaint to the BBC: Mensa Space Special Interest Group Newsletter 152. (3) Can we Trust the BBC by Robin Aitkin.
By coincidence I ordered this book on Monday. Now I’m even more eager to read it. It should arrive today. I’ll pass any little nuggets on when i find them.
I’ve been watching a lot of British TV drama on Netflix recently and if you watch a block of it all at once there is certainly a pattern to the plots and a very definite angle to the stories. No bad Muslims. Right-wing crazies behind every rock. Journalists are always noble, gays are always victims, senior police officers always corrupt, business men always crooked, vicars always stupid, husbands always weak, wives always strong, children always defiant, students always dirty, college lecturers always lecherous, working class whites always threatening, upper middle class whites always corrupt and having affairs, immigrant families always frightened…Cliches by the yard. Plots written by number. (By the way, in British drama you’ll find businessmen, senior police officers and vicars are often pedophiles – except Richard Johnson who is always the incestuous father). This is all making for very boring viewing as I can work out the plot of police/detective drama in ten minutes. But back when dinosaurs ruled the earth I wrote TV so I have a professional interest. Maybe I’ll write a film called “The Miserable Detective” as that is who they all are – the same character – miserable, friendless, miserable, cynical, miserable, rude, miserable, drunk (always on whisky – how do they keep a clear head?) and oh yes – miserable.
Seriously I’m sure Shapiro’s book will be helpful.
(The exception to all the above is Michael Kitchen in “Foyle’s War” – how nice to see a strong character, honest and principled. There aren’t many around.)
When you think of it, the paradox is that political correctness means that only white male actors have the privilege of playing the full scope and variety of acting. For Black actors, there is the conflict between playing it with realism and not being depicted in derogatory way.
Correct Richard. And black and Asian actors are pissed off with it.
Coming soon to an opera house near you:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/oct/20/black-otello-ronald-samm
20/10/09
“Astonishingly, no black tenor has ever sung the role of Otello in a professional British production of Verdi’s opera – until now. Trinidad-born, Guildhall-trained Ronald Samm is to take the role in December for Birmingham Opera Company, for which director Graham Vick is creating one of his trademark walkabout productions in the city. Even today it’s not unusual to see a white tenor blacked up for the role; for this production, controversially, black bass-baritone Keel Watson will “white up” to sing Iago.”
I wonder how long it will be before opera joins the theatre in PC world.
So I suppose that, from now on, Otello will have to be performed by a black tenor, even though Otello is a Moor, and we won’t be allowed to see top white tenors of Domingo’s standard in the role.
And it will be one sided, as usual.
Just like to add – race is the only context in which Otello is likely to be mentioned on BBC TV at all.
Othello was a Moor. Moors are Berbers. The original indigenous Berbers, who still exist in the mountainous areas away from the coast, cities and trade routes are white Caucasian. The Islamic Arab invaders became the new Moor elite, and the Black Moors are the decedents of slaves, from a slave trade, that the European slave trade has its origins.
I wish you would write it, Louis, but just how do you think you would ever get it into production given the current state that British ‘drama’ is in? I just can’t bring myself to watch any of it now as my BP is in need of constant monitoring, if you get my drift.
LOL, he could be describing the BBC and the Labour Party.
Just listened to – and read the web report – again. Here’s a sentence with Beeboid echoes:
“We produce the news according to what the channel’s managers want. If I produce a report that echoes their opinion, I get a bonus. But if it’s based on my opinion without representing their view it won’t get on air.”
I witnessed an example of this back in the 70s when a senior manager and a Panorama reporter argued about a Northern Ireland film. In the film, the reporter had a shot of a street, around a corner came a tank, and he cut to teenagers throwing stones at the tank.
The manager (editor of the programme) wanted the order changed: teenagers first, then the tank, thus reversing the storyline from “the army arrived and antagonized the teenagers” to “because the teenagers were disruptive, forcing the army to intervene”.
Never mind which version was right, the reporter (I assume) was editing the film as he had witnessed the incident, the manager was forcing the orthodox version of how it should be.
The dispute between reporter and manager went on till it was declared too late for that Monday’s programme, perhaps it should go out next week. Later it was deemed that the moment for the film has passed and I don’t think it ever went out.
Assad’s thugs are that subtle but the effect is the same.
CORRECTION: “Assad’s thugs are NOT that subtle but the effect is the same.
I reckon that the Today programme is just one long thought for the day for those who don`t get the Guardian free with the lattes in some public sector oasis that squats over those who seem to end up payong for it all.
A Muslim call to prayer for those too lazy and indisciplined to be Muslim…reflex idiocy, shroud waving from the chattering classes who sell wristbands from Cancun or Bali-and every damn lazy prejudice that sandbags any efforts to actually SEE what they`re doing to the country.
This is the plan-to run from one liberal cause to another begging for Mandelson and Heseltine to schmooze us a coup of the progressives-those who hate Israel, the USA but love CommieCon…or the EU as they call it!
I hate this f***in furball of a show that smells of lavender oil…it sets the Tone fror the day and has got to be garrotted asap.
This morning-the Scots want more windfarms-why, Harrabin himself says so, from a wind turbine sales convention!
The Olympics will also provide us with an “intangible legacy”….no, don`t ask-it will only make sense when the last Beeboid is stuffed and sent to Lewes for Bonfire Night.
And TFTD was about homelessness-as all around the speaker were people with houses to spare…but we`ll not be ever hearing about those!
For Gawds sake, send for Dignitas…