324 Responses to MONDAY OPEN THREAD…

  1. George R says:

    TURKEY.

    Where is the BBC-NUJ disclaimer stating that as a trade union, the National Union of Journalists is affiliated to the T.U.C. which campaigns for the entry of 80 million Muslim Turks into the European Union?

    There’s no BBC-NUJ disclaimer here by Beeboid REYNOLDS:-

    “Turkey PM Erdogan gives new push to EU membership bid”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25824512

    Alternative:-

    “Turkey and the European Union: requiem for a dream? ”

    http://www.todayszaman.com/news-337196-turkey-and-the-european-union-requiem-for-a-dream-by-azuolas-bbagdonas-ahmet-arabaci-.html?

       9 likes

    • George R says:

      Why does Beeboid Reynolds leave key facts vague in his report on Turkey, above?

      How vague is this sentence from above?:-

      “Critics believe it is culturally far-removed from Europe, and that because of its sheer size it could change the nature of the EU.”

      More specifically, it should read:-

      ‘Critics of Turkey’s entry into E.U believe that under Erdogan’s Islamisation policies, Islamic Turkey is culturally far-removed from Europe, and that because of its sheer size ( Turkey has approaching 80 million Muslims), its entry would rapidly change the nature of the EU into an Islamised continent.’

         13 likes

  2. AsISeeIt says:

    Steady, pat yourself on the back like that and you’ll dislocate your arm

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-editors-23032145

    ‘The Global Audience Estimate, released on Tuesday, shows that in the year 2012-13 the BBC’s global news services – that is, the World Service, World News and the website bbc.com/news – reached 256m people each week, a rise of 7% or 16.6m.’

    ‘BBC Arabic has increased its audience by 7m viewers, 6.5m of these in Egypt. The audience grew massively during the Arab Spring and has stayed high ever since.’

    ‘Despite continued censorship and satellite blocking, more than 40% of Iranians with a satellite dish watch the BBC’

    ‘The last few years have been tough for the World Service, with repeated funding cuts, job losses and the closure of some of our language services. Today’s good news comes despite, not because of this – our figures would be higher still were our journalism able to reach all the countries we did before.’

    ‘International broadcasting is a highly competitive business, which requires predictable, stable funding. The BBC Trust has announced the budget for the World Service will be better protected next year, when it moves to licence fee funding. ‘

    Perhaps plucky Iranian and Egyptian fans of the BBC will be chipping in their £145.50?

    Something tells me Cairo and Tehran adresses won’t be getting those shitty letters from TV Licencing

       17 likes

  3. AsISeeIt says:

    If you thought Today on Radio 4 was confusing….

    http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-01-13/justin-webb-why-do-people-mistake-me-for-evan-davis

    ‘Evan/Justin confusion syndrome has reached, in the past few months, quite epidemic proportions,” the Today programme host reveals’

    … what are we poor viewers to make of this conumdrum…?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25595219

    ‘There is only one person by the name of Mohaman Babalala working for the BBC. So, as he explains, it was quite a shock when another was heard on a Nigerian radio station.’

    The plot thickens…

    ‘….the other Mohaman Babalala had said… he was working on a project funded by the World Bank, which was part of Nigeria and Cameroon’s Flood Control Programme.’

    I hope you didn’t send him and bank transfers…?

    ‘My guess is that this man is pretending to be me for money – the local press in Cameroon is corrupt – and prestige.’

    You might be correct.

    ‘…at BBC Hausa, we travel to remote villages to report on people’s health, schooling and way of life. People often want to repay us in some way, to honour us.’

    How interesting.

       7 likes

  4. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Today on Today, the Thought For the Day immediately followed the segment on Anelka. We were told that, just as Nicky Campbell scolded – yes, it was scolding – a black Christian female minister on a recent Big Questions, Christian theology had evolved over the centuries beyond the old positions (Campbell didn’t equally scold the Mohammedan females who defended wearing the niqab, and in fact deliberately squashed an attempt to get at why they felt their religious belief directed them to wear it). The Right-on Reverend Graham James was directing this at people who claimed a vengeful God was causing the recent floods as punishment for Parliament’s vote on homosexual marriage. He said there’s no evidence God does this sort of thing.

    I wonder if the BBC would allow on somebody with the point of view that, while God may not be punishing Britain over that vote, perhaps it wasn’t wrong for people to believe that homosexual marriage wasn’t consistent with Christian theology.

       18 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Nearly Cof E Archbishop last time sticks the boot into a self-disclosing Christian who happens to believe in that stuff that our bish may have come into contact with in theology college!
      Graham thinks we`re all past that , Jesus of course judged no-one, and God`s just the granny in the attic who`d love her family to get along before the funeral that`s coming!
      That`s your church England!…Islam , at least knows there`s that tricky “Old Testament” notion that God is a God of anger as well as one of love…and if He`s not raging at the likes of Graham, then I`ll be …er…”fascinated!”
      I`ll not give Graham the scripture…he`ll not be checking it…but if anyone lives near Alan Partridges town with a church …tell him something about “what happens to people who deny Jesus before accusers…and then before God later on.”
      Who knows-may not be as serious as losing your Thought for the Day slot, let alone not getting a Fairtrade biccy with Giles Fraser!
      1 Peter 4.17-but who in the Cof E gives a stuff!
      At least the hafiz learn that Sura stuff,,,,and maybe Graham had better get on with learning something useful for the good of his throat…

         5 likes

    • flexdream says:

      As someone who presumably takes the Cof E shilling shouldn’t the Reverend concede that the Bible is full of ‘evidence’ that God at least used to do this sort of thing?
      I’m sympathetic to his point of view but I’m not employed by the CofE. If he is simply expressing his own thoughts then he should say so, and make it clear.
      Still, at least if he’s a Christian heretic he needn’t fear a violent visit from his more fundamentalist ‘brethren’.

         4 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        He does essentially concede that, flexdream. That was one aspect of the point of the whole lecture that Christian belief has developed over the centuries. It’s the exact same thing as Nicky Campbell condescendingly lowed at that black Christian minister woman. He was telling her – not suggesting, not asking, mind, but telling her – that things have “chaaaaaaaaanged”. Conversely, he refused to get into that with the Mohammedan ladies and their insistence on the niqab being part of their faith.

        Personally, I have no problem with a church deciding to update its doctrine, reinterpret things, and focus on different areas of the sacred texts. It’s up to the individual to decide whether to go along with it or go elsewhere. But when the allegedly impartial BBC constantly takes only one side of religious belief issues, it’s wrong. They wouldn’t have somebody do a Thought for the Day who wanted to remind everyone of, say Matthew 19:4 and Romans 1:26-27. It wouldn’t be allowed on air. Yet they do allow someone to espouse the opposite point of view.

           8 likes

  5. Guest Who says:

    Mid-afternoon cuppa, and a wee catch-up on FaceBook. Rather dominated by the BBC, who seem to have devoted many in the cubicle gardens to this corner of the media empire. I now know the pressing issue of the day is…
    BBC World News
    Is there a toilet problem at ‪#‎Sochi‬?

    Our correspondent Steve Rosenberg captured this photo in ‪#‎Russia‬.

    He says “While visiting the Winter Olympic biathlon centre last Friday, in the mountains outside Sochi, I was taken short and dived into the nearest cubicle. I was a little surprised to find two toilets side by side (although only one toilet roll dispenser). What did it all mean? Had someone stolen the partition? Or was it intentional, to create a friendly all-inclusive atmosphere for athletes ahead of the Games? “

    What’s your take on the toilet set up for the Winter Olympics?
    Given there were.. are two, more a double take, surely?
    Still, closer to home, as questions are being asked…
    BBC News
    Britain’s first motorway pub: Would you stop here for a drink? http://bbc.in/1bfCAKe
    Being an F&B outlet, I’d say that was a distinct possibility.
    Actually this one is garnering some rather sensible responses to the ever more cretinous questions the kindergarden editorial dept. seems to pose try to crank up the outrage meter.

       6 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Well, golly. Questions were asked the other day by the BBC and lo…
      BBC Technology ‏@BBCTech now
      Twitter storm over Sochi twin toilet http://bbc.in/1c1ixTM
      A twitter storm you say? No. Shocked, I tell you. Shocked!
      ‘While the sight of twin toilets is unusual in European parts of Russia, it is not unknown’
      So… a cultural difference then?
      And as I have before shared, when a Camp America (down Evan) counsellor in Michigan, I required the full spread services of the Detroit Free Press to cover my morning regime blushes each day… as they had the exact same thing.

         1 likes

  6. JohnM says:

    I see that the BBC still persist with the ‘Bedroom Tax’

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-25828327

    Strangely they do not call the TV License the ‘TV Tax’

       29 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      It is now well known that the BBC figures that as long is something is stuck in ‘quotes’ all responsibilities evaporate (luckily, as with many areas of precedent, this applies only to things being said they feel like promoting), but I’d rather thought they had been chastened enough on this one to be a bit less overt.
      I was still looking for their back-up weasel ‘What critics are calling…’
      ‘dubbed the bedroom tax by opponents’
      Close enough.

         9 likes

    • #88 says:

      Quotations or not, I understand that the new DG has gone on record to say that the BBC were wrong to call it ‘The Bedroom Tax’ and it would not happen again.

         11 likes

      • flexdream says:

        Maybe he meant it would not ‘happen’ again. That is it would recur, but not in the same way as before, so in that sense it would not ‘happen’ again.

           6 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          Oh, lor… that one in jest will be fully absorbed into the next set of guidelines at Semantics ‘R the BBC.

             2 likes

    • BBC Heart Labour says:

      They also prefix it with “so called”. Just wish those on the right would start using “BBC Telly Tax” or if playing it safe, the “so called BBC Telly Tax”. Just make sure BBC and tax are together. Right wing…. up your game, for crying out loud.

         19 likes

  7. Pounce says:

    How the bBC fudges its reporting of child abuse inside Sweden.
    Sweden: Campaign to free Malaysian parents detained for smacking child
    A campaign is under way to free a Malaysian couple who are being detained for smacking their child in Sweden, it has been reported. Azizul Raheem Awalludin – who is working for Tourism Malaysia in Stockholm – and his wife Shalwati Nurshal, were reported to the authorities by an onlooker who saw them hit their 12-year-old son.

    Oh poor parents, they were seen chastising their son in public and some busy body reported them and you know what, we have all been there where we are out and about and our child plays up, a small tap on the hands and they are soon told off. But hang on what’s this from Malaysia a different account:
    said the detention of a Malaysian couple in Sweden for reportedly hitting one of their four children stemmed from a “cultural misunderstanding”.“It appears that this case stems from a cultural misunderstanding,” said the Seri Setia state assemblyman said in a statement. Nik Nazmi said that the detention of Azizul Raheem Awaluddin, a director of Tourism Malaysia in Sweden and his wife Shalwati Nurshal for hitting their 12-year old child for not praying, is regrettable.

    So when did this punishment transpire in public as the bBC reports?

    Perhaps after the scolding, the child went to school feeling a bit down and his teacher approached him, asking if something was the matter. The boy’s teacher informed the school counsellor. A report was then made by the counsellor and within a day, all the children were taken from the school and their parents were arrested,” said the source.

    All of the above were taken from the links the bBC provide on the story. Funny how the bBC report not only leaves out why, the child was punished, but when it transpired.

    The bBC, a no fit for purpose news agency which should be disbanded

       17 likes

  8. Henry Wood says:

    “I suspect my grandson’s baby bath is bigger than the Newsnight/Channel 4 News gene pool.
    Ian Katz’ latest signing for Newsnight, as “Special Correspondent” (can’t find that advertised), is Channel 4 reporter Katie Razzall. […] ”

    Well worth a read of the whole short article at:
    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/selector.html

       16 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Twitter gold delivered too.
      I don’t think they have to even pretend to advertise these roles at the BBC like other companies because, well, why bother?
      Probably see it as saving the licence fee payers money.
      Can’t wait to see what impartial gems our Katie impartially lets loose down the old Newsnight slipway as another genetic advocate, our Hugs, has assured us that what happens at home stays at home.
      Mind you, her powers of management inquiry and memory have been shown to be wanting a bit.

         12 likes

    • chrisH says:

      No relation to Lord Razzall is she?
      Just caught his name re the Lib Dem omnishambles (or should that be omnifumbles)…and thought it worth a punt.
      Not that I care-nonentity placeman spawns media poppet-or not as the case may be…
      Given Ben Wright and his dad Tony, James Mates and his dad Michael, and Sarah Smith and John…all very cosy there isn`t it?

         8 likes

  9. Leha says:

    Listening to Richard Bacon’s broomcupboard program on 5live today and he and a bBC “economist” were talking about the need to continue with migration of younger people into the UK or the recovery would fail – not a peep about the huge number of 16-25 year old british people who can’t get jobs of course.

       27 likes

    • Dave s says:

      It is in their DNA. Irrational analysis leading to useless gibbering. 5Live is just the most outstanding example of liberal idiocy in the media.

         19 likes

      • flexdream says:

        What is it about young immigrants that means they will not age and stay? Or maybe to look after them in their dotage we can take in more immigrants and boost the birthrate. And when those people age etc. etc.

           10 likes

  10. Pounce says:

    How the bBC news coverage about Aid to Syria just isn’t fit for purpose:
    So have you read this bBC article by Kate McGeown about just who is giving what in Aid to Syria.
    UN’s huge aid request for Syria
    Here is what people have dished out as of 21 days ago.

    _72308185_syria_donations_464gr.gif

    Well looking at that graph I note that the UK has given $380 million, hang on I thought I presumed that we (the UK had given over £600 million to Syria. So a quick butchers (Also on the bBC bring me this:
    The UK pledged a further $164m bringing its total contribution to $985m
    That was posted on the same day as the first article, yet a very well paid bBC journalist is over £600 million out with her figures on how much Aid the UK has given. Instead of promoting the fact that we (the UK) have given $200 million more than the whole of the EU combined. (yes combined) the bBC promotes this Sob story:
    Syria: UK must accept refugees as ‘matter of humanity’

    You know what I say, as do the majority of the British Population. Fuck them all, they made their bed, let them lie in it. If they want somewhere to live let them go to a nice Islamic country. Russia or even China. The UK is full,.
    The bBC, the f-ing traitors within our midst

       28 likes

    • ember2013 says:

      Wasn’t it nice of all those European commissioners to send some of their private money as aid, on top of the money raised in EU countries?

         13 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

           15 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Bloody stupid “Western Christian” countries head the list as ever.
      As for all the OIS, Green Crescent types-not so much.
      All one umma and caliphate…but, like the Palestinians that they keep in a convenient cage(a pet grievance for as long as it takes) it`s all a matter of using every crisis for their political aims.
      And stupid Western guilt brings the Day of Reckoning closer by the day.
      We must be mad-quite literally mad( to quote the only prophet that matters these days…fat lot of good it did him too!)

         8 likes

    • Joshaw says:

      And presumably a portion of the EU’s 586 is ours as well?

      Good grief!

         3 likes

  11. Pounce says:

    The bBC report on the upgrading of the British economy by the IMF and they bring out Ed Balls in which to give us his Chicken licking impersonation about how the Sky is going to fall in. It seems to the bBC any good news about the Government has to hidden from view by reporting it as only bad news.

       17 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      They have to give the opposition some chance to put forward their views, and to be honest if they hadn’t wheeled out Ed Balls then it would not have been impartial at all.

      It’s when they start to wheel out loads of left wing economists who spout off in support of Labour and fail to bring in any to spout the other side that it’s bias !

         4 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Yet the BBC didn’t wheel out any Tory figure to balance out two Miliband/Labour-friendly segments on yesterday’s Today.

         12 likes

    • flexdream says:

      The IMF upgrade to the UK growth figures which will make the UK the fastest growing G8 economy wasn’t the last item on the R4 11pm headlines, but it was the penultimate. Less important than a randy Lib-Dem peer but more important than building problems in a Brazilian world cup venue.
      If it had been a downgrade would the BBC have given it more prominence? Tricky one to answer eh?
      Still no doubt Labour is glad to see growth, or is it the ‘wrong’ sort of growth?

         6 likes

  12. Thoughtful says:

    The British economy growing? Errrrrr no not really. The Current account defecit soared from £6.2 Billion in Q2 to £20.7 Billion in Q3 in other words we bought loads of ‘stuff’ but not from the UK.

    Wages rose by 0.2% but household spending rose by 1.7% and the net result is that the gap has been filled by people spending their savings. The ratio fell from 6.2 to 5.4%

    So this is a recovery which might well be built on sand, the only sustainable recovery is one which is built on manufacturing and export, and this does not appear to be the case.

    Time will tell of course & it might be that the Tories have been lucky with the timing of this and the collapse may not happen until after the election. On the other hand the whole house of cards could collapse at any time.

    Nothing here is certain.

       13 likes

    • will says:

      Wages rose by 0.2% but household spending rose by 1.7% and the net result is that the gap has been filled by people spending their savings. Perhaps your figures need to take into account the increased spending power arising from the reduction in income tax for us on modest incomes, the starting point for tax having risen by almost 50% since 2010 & by 16.5% in this year alone.

         10 likes

    • Dave s says:

      I agree. On these figures it is not a recovery that can last. I wonder what the export numbers are?
      I have noticed over the years that Germany , come rain or shine, always keeps on exporting more and more. This is why it is number one in Europe.
      There never was a magic secret to German prosperity.
      That this nation opted out of manufacturing in favour of financial services was our big mistake.

         9 likes

  13. Llareggub says:

    How far can the BBC’s favourite radical preacher go? Imagine if his statement was published by a ‘far right’ organisation. Hopefully Tell Mama will pick it up and the BBC will report it.

    http://www.britainfirst.org/britain-first/the-muslim-extremist-reaction-to-our-fightback-campaign-back-off-or-youll-face-reprisals/

       11 likes

  14. Dave666 says:

    North west covers food banks. More low paid workers including nurses are using them WTF? Nurses low paid what is everyone else on. Down at the food bank they interview ‘Courtney’ the 16 yesr single parent. A staff member mentions that one of their customers was an NHS nurse. Nurse / nurses. Total bollocks yet again.

       24 likes

    • thoughtful says:

      The version following the 10 O’Clock news “Well after I paid all my bills I have just £250 to feed my family and to buy petrol” Well I’m sorry love but running a car is a luxury! We also don’t find out what her bills are.

      Then it’s onto rising fuel bills – in one of the mildest Winters we’ve had in quite a few years!

      The problem is that we’re never going to know just how true and real this poverty is because for confidentiality reasons no media can release an interviewees finances, but I suspect that many of the problems are down to people living beyond their means, or having borrowed at high interest rates.

      These are not the deserving poor, they are the financially illiterate and irresponsible.

      I’ve yet to see someone who I could be satisfied was in genuine need.

         16 likes

  15. will says:

    Broadcast journalists just can’t stop themselves dressing up their reports with emotive terms. Today we keep hearing that Assad has been torturing & murdering “his own people”. No they are not, they are rebels who would have killed him given the chance.

       19 likes

    • flexdream says:

      It doesn’t come easy but I think the BBC coverage of this is correct. The timing of the announcement is clearly deliberate by Qatar but the BBC has hinted strongly at that. I don’t think it’s new news, just harder evidence of the evil practiced by the regime. But it doesn’t follow that the Syrian people’s interests overall are best served by now indicting Assad. That’s not going to work.
      First in any trial of a nation’s leader should be that maniac in charge of North Korea.

         0 likes

      • Deborah says:

        But the BBC is all too ready to report on the atrocities of the regime, and not on the atrocities of the rebels. There are two evil sides fighting it out, and the BBC’s taking sides does not make this government’s decision making any easier (although my thoughts are to keep out altogether)

           4 likes

  16. IsItMe? says:

    Just got BBC news on in the background.
    Breaking news! (quite seriously) “Police in Birmingham and Northamptonshire are investigating offensive Tweets to Stan Collymore”.
    I don’t know who to despair of most – Plod for wasting time on this nonsense? Or the BBC for so breathlessly reporting it?

       21 likes

    • flexdream says:

      I thought Stan was a big boy? These don’t seem to be threats, so is he really that bothered?

         16 likes

  17. chrisH says:

    Just heard the start of “The Long View”…re “the working poor”.
    Hosted by Jonathan Freeedland(Guardian serial journo)
    Witness 1…Jeremy Seabrook-well known lefty liberal who did much to “highlight” Thatchers devastation of the inner cities in the 80s.
    Witness 2- actress PRETENDING to need food banks as she would if she was Emma Grundy in the Archers( a first for me this one!)
    Witness 3-woman from the Joseph Rowntree Trust.
    Well, no further questions…bloody IDS and the Tories.
    Now turn off and tune in tomorrow for more lefty slurry(using actresses to play the parts of liberal handwringers who`ve been assaulted by a LibLord).
    Reckon we really need that Jimmy Savile film now…no shortage of BBC talent could play him!

       17 likes

  18. thoughtful says:

    I wonder with this old not the nine O’clock News ‘The Hey Wow Show (starts 2:29) if it was based on BBC program producers of the time, forcing guests to say the things they want them to hear, and being completely controlling and obnoxious into the process.
    Very Funny though

       1 likes

  19. thoughtful says:

    Newsnight interview with Neil Hamilton of UKIP was jaw dropping. Kirsty Wark who has apparently never attempted to hide her far left views, mounted an aggressive & hostile attack on Neil Hamilton which was frankly astonishing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a naked display of hatred by an interviewed for their guest.

    I’m sure that this one will be commented by others, unfortunately I can’t post a link as the program is still on air.

       32 likes

    • Oldbob says:

      I also saw it. It is clear to anyone who watched this that Sqwak made a totally disgusting attack on him and UKip and made no attempt at all to responsibly question anything. What the arrogant lefty idiot simply doesn’t get is that all this will do is add support to Ukip, regardless of the viewers political persuasion.

      Totally and utterly unacceptable conduct by a senior BBC journalist and hopefully simply hastens the on-going demise of Newsnight.

         37 likes

  20. Dazed & Confused says:

    Hope Not Hate and the Labour Party show their fully “democratic side”…..This video taken from the YouTube account of Labour councillor Ian Driver

       15 likes

    • Geoff says:

      What a wonderful vocabulary these unwashed idiots have.

      Come the glorious day….

         15 likes

      • kev says:

        If they are protesting about animal cruelty why don’t they protest anything halal.

        Probably because there would be a backlash against them and all lefty’s are cowards.

           30 likes

    • Oldbob says:

      Disgusting left wing fascist scum, but great to see how deeply Ukip has them rattled nevertheless.

         20 likes

    • Deborah says:

      Whatever I think of the police and their Federation re Andrew Mitchell I would not envy the police having to deal with these darlings. I presume the cameras were to try and catch police brutality if they possibly could.

         7 likes

      • Llareggub says:

        Perhaps Farrage has a plan. Perhaps he has hired these goons, who resemble characters from a Fellini film, to turn up and represent the kind of opposition provided by Labour, Lib Dems, and Cameron’s supported UAF. Who are the fruitcakes?

           4 likes

    • DICK R says:

      They should be encouraged they are piling on the UKIP votes by the truckload !

         8 likes

  21. Ian Rushlow says:

    Subliminal… the article seems innocent enough: high street store Debenhams has decided to use some larger size mannequins in its stores, that more accurately reflect the range of sizes that people come in (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25402020). Fair enough. But scroll down to the second photograph, which depects a white man carrying a naked female mannequin. There are three other people in the shot, known to the BBC as “Asians” (sic) and one of them has a headscarf. They all look disapproving or dismissive. This is not a random stock photograph used to illustrate a street scene; rather, someone has sat down and put some effort into choosing a photograph that contains other, more subtle themes. And of course, way down towards the end of the article we hear from Dr Sarah Riley, who “…has conducted research into how we see ourselves in relation to our bodies, gender and appearance, and has worked with the Government Equalities Office…” and who says “recent research has shown that people want to see models and figures that look more like themselves and be told that is beautiful. This call for greater diversity also extends to the range of ethnicities represented on the high street.” Of course, if the BBC were really on the ball they would know that mannequins – certainly ones with heads and realistic features – are highly offensive to some Muslims as Islam disapproves of depictions of the human body.

       18 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Bit intrigued by the proliferation of new BBC outlets for ‘news’, which appear to feel the need to have sub-designations that explain the heft of the topics chosen. Hence… Magazine, #trending, etc.
      At the end of the day they mostly appear means to keep the cubicle gardens occupied, with a bit of help from outrage industry ‘sources who say’.
      Give a million monkeys typewriters… Or 10,000 kids a keyboard & publish code… you are unlikely still to get Shakespeare.
      And should this one get propelled to the broadcast screen, one wonders if any readerouterette declaiming portrayal of idealised versions of image will ponder that most of them seem to have been selected for being easy on the eye vs. easy to see.

         6 likes

    • Oldbob says:

      Only a matter of time before we see some “gay” mannequins in burkhas then. That should fool the religion of peace members for a while.

         14 likes

      • Felini says:

        I’m not sure how you envision portraying gayness through the medium of mannequins but I’m fairly sure there are Muslims who would be very offended if said mannequins were wearing burkhas.
        If they weren’t all so afraid of angry muslims FCUK probably would have tried it by now just for the publicity.

           5 likes

  22. Oldbob says:

    BBC news reporting this morning that the climate change ship of fools clowns that got stuck in the Antarctic have finally arrived back in Australia. Minchen and Turnbull fawning over them as if they are hero’s. Then we are treated to a clip of Turney, the climate change clown in chief, holding a press conference. Apparently, the movement of the ice was “a unique event and totally unpredictable”……….Utter bullshit if one reads the facts on the Bishop Hill blog etc.

    No danger of the full and complete facts being broadcast about this circus by the biased BBC though and absolutely no mention of the primary reason for it being to provide “proof” that the Antarctic is “melting” and that the “melting” ice trapped the religious idiots.

       28 likes

  23. AsISeeIt says:

    BBC News Channel are most anxious to tell us all about Stan Collymore and his Twitter-spat with Liverpool fans (although the BBC make no direct reference to that hyper-sensitive northern town – calm down, calm down)

    But when it comes to rather more weighty Twitter matters (with a BBC connection to the story) it seems the cat has the corporation’s tongue.

    H/T Guido Fawkes

    http://stephentall.org/2014/01/21/we-should-support-lib-dem-parliamentary-candidate-maajid-nawaz-in-the-face-of-death-threats/

    ‘In this instance, Maajid Nawaz was simply challenging the BBC’s (myopic) interpretation of a particular (narrow) view of sharia’

    ‘…Maajid being subject to a campaign to de-select him as a Lib Dem candidate, led by Respect MP George Galloway – and to death threats via Twitter’

    The BBC: Happily sharia complient for your £145.50pa

       17 likes

    • IsItMe? says:

      Something tells me that the death threats issued to Maajid Nawaz are meant somewhat more seriously that the threats made to Collymore.
      Wonder why the BBC isn’t interested?

         11 likes

      • IsItMe? says:

        Oh, and surprise, surprise, R5L’s “Your Call” is all about abusive messages on twitter.
        Of course, they are only interested in certain types of abusive messages.
        I certainly don’t condone posting abusive messages of any sort on the internet. But I am heartily sick of people running to the police any time someone says something mean. If a threat of violence is made – and there is good reason to believe that threat is serious – that is different. In BBCland, however, calling someone “black” is much worse than threatening to kill them.
        One of the few areas I agree with Cameron is in his assessment of people who use twitter: “Too many tweets make a …”>

           12 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      The BBC’s treatment of this story is interesting. They see it’s important, and Nihal has done a segment on it for the Asian Radio. But that’s a targeted demographic, not meant for the wider public. Which is why Nihal mocked Nawaz for not wanting to appear on his show. It’s a valid point to say that he might need to get used to defending his actions in public if he’s going to be a politician, but it set the tone for what followed, intentionally or not.

      Nihal made sure to point out in his opening remarks that “the quickest to anger are the loudest”, and those are the voices the media usually relies on to report stories. But that, he says, is not the reality, and Mohammedans aren’t really like that. Oh, sure, he’s “asking” it in that way presenters like to pretend they’re merely opening up a debate rather than directing the audience towards the desired outcome. He was practically telling any angry listeners not to call in, or at least to tone it down so any gora listening don’t get the wrong impression.

      At least, that’s the impression he gave. The show itself turned out to be a bit different. Nihal did confront Mohammed Shafiq over using an inflammatory term to criticize Nawaz, and called him out over his hypocrisy for claiming to defend Nawaz’s right to do whatever he wants while at the same time making a fuss about how Nawaz shouldn’t do whatever he wants and using terminology which has inspired violence and murder to condemn him.

      Amusingly, the next guy Nihal spoke to sounded all reasonable and made all the right noises, right until the moment where he said Mohammedans should direct their anger not at Nawaz but at whoever drew the cartoons. Oops.

      At one point, Nihal announced a new tweet from Shafiq that he was telling all UK Mohammedan organizations and informing Mohammedan countries about what Nawaz had done. Gosh, what do you think about that, audience?

      The next caller mentioned the old South Park episode “Super Best Friends”, and pointed out that nobody complained about depicting Mohammed until after well 9/11 when everybody started catering to Muslim outrage. They get too worked up, he said, need to calm down about being offended, he said. The caller was not a Mohammedan, and Nihal used that to dismiss his opinion.

      Most callers condemned Nawaz to varying degrees. The end result was, despite Nihal’s and the BBC’s best intentions (or what he presented as his intentions, which may not be the same thing), a show about Mohammedans calling in and expressing their anger and condemning Nawaz. Bottom line: While Mohammedans shouldn’t necessarily get so angry that they want to kill someone over this, Nawaz shouldn’t have done it and nobody should do things that are offensive to Mohammedans. Not much progress, BBC.

      Nihal can ask whether or not British Mohammedans should be more careful using terminology which might incite their co-religionists to violence until he’s blue in the face, but it’s a charade because the reality is that almost everyone except the non-Muslim caller said Nawaz was wrong and that nobody should offend Muslims. Don’t offend Muslims, and Muslims won’t use terminology which might incite violence. Simple enough.

      So the BBC has addressed the issue, made all the right noises, job done.

      Best of all, the BBC took the opportunity at the end of the show to give someone the chance to start talking about how the persecution of Anelka for making the quenelle gesture showed how Muslims were being persecuted. It’s illegal for him to offend Jews, but it’s okay for people to offend Muslims. A pointless shouting match between some Muslim female advocate for free speech and some Muslim guy who was angry about being offended ensued. Nihal didn’t know how to handle it, and tried and failed to direct the discussion in a more coherent direction.

      The takeaway again was that, while people have the right to say what they like, and Mohammedans shouldn’t get so outraged over cartoons that they want to kill people, people should not say things which offend Muslims because it causes problems. In other words, the exact opposite of what Nihal tried to claim at the outset, that the idea that most Muslims are just that outraged is a false representation of the Muslim community. If it’s a false representation, then his Muslim callers must have been fringe outliers. I think in reality, once again the BBC’s Narrative is shown to be rather false.

      Good intentions, I suppose, but poorly handled. I can’t say what the intended outcome of this was supposed to be, but the result surely wasn’t anything helpful to society.

         10 likes

      • AsISeeIt says:

        ‘The takeaway again was that, while people have the right to say what they like, and Mohammedans shouldn’t get so outraged over cartoons that they want to kill people, people should not say things which offend Muslims because it causes problems.’

        And that, I’m afraid, pretty much sums up BBC (lack of) thinking on the matter of violent reaction to supposed offence.

        How does that line go…?

        ‘I won’t need to go berzerk – if you don’t scratch my nice blue Merc’

           5 likes

  24. AsISeeIt says:

    I’m currently having to boycott BBC 5 Live

    Here is a friendly little exchange – hardly ‘speaking truth to power’ is it….

    Robert McLaren ‏@RobMclaren1962 1 hr
    @LordMcConnell Great interview on @bbc5live with @NickyAACampbell Intelligent considered opinion as always

    Jack McConnell ‏@LordMcConnell 28 mins
    @RobMclaren1962 @bbc5live @NickyAACampbell Thanks Robert – although it was surprisingly short.

    Nicky Campbell ‏@NickyAACampbell 20 mins
    @LordMcConnell was v VG. Your 2 answers said it. Good stuff.

    How cosy.

       9 likes

    • noggin says:

      you re not missing much!
      “Panto” is in full indignant offended mode over yawnnnnnn! … twitter “Trolls”.
      laughably has arch offended … wait for it
      “broadcaster”?? Stan Collymore 😀 as a
      guest.
      where s he broadcasting from? the “dogging park”
      must be a slow news day, must check on real broadcasters to get the news.

      how low can you go?

         14 likes

    • uncle bup says:

      Lord McConnell aka ‘Struggler Jack’.

      Maths teechur, Stirling district cooncillor, and First Minister of Scotland. Rose without trace.

      F*** me – and the West Albanians think they’re grown-up enough to leave home.

         3 likes

  25. AsISeeIt says:

    BBC News Channel set aside the 9am news headlines to bring us another Syria marathon

    Enough already!

       9 likes

    • Oldbob says:

      And they have just now interrupted a report on more falling unemployment to bring us William Hague and Wanky Moon at a Syrian conference. Thing is though the sound failed and it threw the drones all over the shop………idiots !

         15 likes

  26. Llareggub says:

    Russians hunt terrorist including the widow of one of their leaders, says BBC

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25839176

    Perhaps they found them before the BBC had a chance to give them a favourable interview

    http://rt.com/in-motion/dagestan-suicide-bomber-terrorism-819/

    As Mr Punch used to say: ‘That’s the way to do it’

       9 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘Perhaps they found them before the BBC had a chance to give them a favourable interview’
      That of course should read ‘before the BBC gets to offer them an opportunity to explain their motivations (and, in some cases, ‘Pal ‘o mine’ dietary tips)’.
      Mind you, as the process of setting up some of these PR outings can end badly before broadcast, it may be getting less secure for even a Beeboid-bedecked emoter to find themselves next to their interviewee without a tingle or two around the collar line worrying about a bit of beard on beard security precaution if there’s a funny droning sound on high.

         5 likes

    • flexdream says:

      The Russian Government (rt.com) is still playing games over terrorism.
      Caucusus terrorists are ‘heinous’ (http://rt.com/op-edge/russia-terrorist-attacks-caucasus-139/)
      IRA terrorists ‘struggle against the state oppression ‘ (http://rt.com/op-edge/ireland-human-rights-defender-998/)
      I think some in the BBC are sympathetic to all terrorists, Irish, British, Chechen, Russian, Palestinian and Sri Lankan.

         3 likes

  27. Roland Deschain says:

    You know, I’m getting sick of being lectured about racism by people whose entire existence seems to revolve around looking at the world in terms of race. The latest, highlighted on this morning’s Today programme, was the shock that three award-nominated black actors had to go to the USA for their big break. Like that’s never happened to any white actors.

    Simon Albury and Gary Beadle were brought on to discuss it with Justin and, guess what? The entire interview was carried out on the basis that accusations of different treatment for different races was true. No-one, but no-one suggested any other possible cause. It was taken as read.

       31 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Fully agree, but at the BBC it is not just the ‘ism of race, but across the board, darn near daily.
      The Today top topic running order from FB:
      Good morning. Today’s presenters are Sarah Montague and Justin Webb. Coming up: Syrian life for the average citizen* (0645), being gay in Russia (0745) and Stan Collymore’s call for Twitter to do more to combat abusive tweets (0830).
      *And this ‘average citizen’ is billed elsewhere as ‘a woman’. Given the BBC’s record for representative, impartial sources, especially in that neck of the woods, the path to her being used to speak for the nation would be interesting.
      ps: I see your Editor’s comment has produced a result. Odd given the others were just what Aunty ordered. Can a closing be far behind?

         8 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Latest updates from my FB feed just now…
      The Today Programme
      Gary Beadle and Simon Albury discuss the lack of diversity in Britain’s creative industries.
      Black actors held back by UK prejudice
      Actor Gary Beadle says young people from ethnic minorities need to see more positive images of themselves in film and television.

      The Today Programme
      Stan Collymore discusses the responsibility of Twitter to combat abusive tweets.
      BBC World News
      ” When I started acting I didn’t know anything” Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra talks films and pop music. ‪#‎Bollywood‬ ‪#‎PriyankaChopra‬
      The lack of representation some are experiencing still is a scandal.
      Though it must be said a few commenters the BBC is speaking at are suggesting they are not be spoken for as much as Mishal, Tulip and the girls (plus some of the women) have suggested.

         5 likes

      • Justin Casey says:

        I find the viewpoints of Stan Collymore on internet abuse a bit much tbh… He may not like the abuse he had at the hands of Liverpool fans but he certainly does like the abuse he suffers at his own hands in the car parks and public spaces were he meets up with other perverts to watch even more perverts abusing each other in depraved acts that during the daylight hours are where our children play and often come across evidence of the night before in the form of used rubbers empty tubs of lube and possibly semen and bodily fluids which plose a very real health risk should any of these discarded items be ingested by a young toddler… Hepetitis, uyrinary tract infections, non specific STDs… I think Collymore is a complete cnut and a pervert who abuses himself outside the house and when he is at home any woman stupid enough to be left alone with him… Look at how he beat Ulrika down… the very fact he did it so readily even though he was in a bar shows he has nothing but contempt for any definition of morality… I myself don`t have a twitter account, but tomorrow I intend to open one up with the specific intention of bringing my opinion to his notice so that he can report me and use his claims of “mental problems” to justify his twisted and disgusting behaviour on those occasions and to attempt to claim i victimised him… Bear in mind he was unable to provide a qualified Psychiatric report to back up his claims in court and on both occasions was found guilty… I will then turn tables on him and have my cake and eat it when I produce a confirmed diagnosis and medical papers to defend me as I actually can produce a defence on these grounds and will say exactly what I think of him being a disgusting excuse for a human being and go into great detail of why i think that and why he needs to go fcuk himself and get out of my face when I am allowed to speak and make a statement in my defence… I don`t care… I know that all that will happen is that my diagnosis will protect me and make him rue the day when he started telling the normal non perverted people on twitter about moral equivelance, how dare he??!! I wish I lived near him, I would actually go knock on his door and say what I think to his face if I could, but I guess twitter tomorrow will have to do for now… I will make a public show if he has the gall to complain about what I think of him… some people need to get some self awareness… Sick mastrubating wife beaters are nearly at the top of the list… just underneath social workers who claim compensation and unfair dismissal after allowing innocent little children be slowly beaten to death whilst they looked on or ignored thier suffering… There`s a difference between being a true victim and someone who makes themselves a victim for the trolls… He and people like Shearsmith are offensive to me in thier actions and thier arrogant public appearances claiming victimhood after recieving public villification for thier criminal and myopic insults to common decency… U hear that Collymore… ?? U r going to like me, ur going to like my sock puppet accounts too… and also my abilty to originate from proxy sources in Far East Asia too…. I remember u had a fanbase in China when you still played football instead of with yourself…. hahahaha

           3 likes

  28. Philip says:

    Just read the US ‘rights’ ruling stating that a Muslim Aikido student can insist on his Islamic rights (against the rights and wishes of everyone else including Tutors in class). Sports segregation according only to Islamic law prevails. http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2014/01/19/human-rights-court-does-it-again

    On a more bizarre UK Marxist twist; We already have nu Labours ‘Unisex’ (gender neutral) socialist toilets at ‘top’ Universities whilst the same ‘top’ Universities now prescribe Islamic style segregation of male and female students. Even Marx would be puzzled how that works. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/…/universityeducation/…/Universities-can-segregate- men-and-women-for-debates.html

       11 likes

  29. George R says:

    Another reason for BBC-Democrat to be even more pro-Obama, anti-Fox News, anti-Murdoch:-

    “Bombshell:
    Obama Administration threatened to destroy reporter’s career”

    Read more: http://pamelageller.com/2014/01/bombshell-obama-administration-threatened-destroy-reporters-career.html/#ixzz2r7etXWuq
    Follow us: @Atlasshrugs on Twitter | pamelageller on Facebook

       6 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      The BBC will say the President knew nothing about this, and certainly didn’t set the tone for people in His Administration to do something like this. It’s just a rogue operative acting alone, out of bounds. Never mind all the times people in His Administration publicly attacked Fox News and demonized the organization, and He Himself disparaged Fox News.

      Meanwhile, they’re certain the Chris Christie not only knew all about his aides coordinating a lane shut-down with his friend at the Port Authority, but he set the bullying tone for his administration and ordered them to do it. They’re so convinced that they censor news of the Hoboken mayor’s shifting story and public approval of him even after the attempted shakedown supposedly happened.

      The BBC won’t report this statement from Van Susteren unless their fellow travelers at Salon or the NY Times publish a defense of the President and/or an attack on her.

         8 likes

  30. George R says:

    Beeboid greenies print their chums’ Friends of Earth propaganda, as headlines:-

    “‘Burnt out’ EU likely to curb climate goals”

    That very first phrase which Harrabin’s sorcerer’s apprentice, McGrath uses here: “burnt out,” is taken from Friends of the Earth propaganda, and is used prominently to political colour McGrath’s whole report.

    The Beeboid pro-greenie propaganda here gives more political weight, of course, to the Friends of the Earth lobbyists and occupiers than it does to national European governments.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25828181

       7 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      The coordinated message circle of virtue between BBC and BFF #prasnews is getting a bit out of hand.
      Usually a blatant job is run through the Graun first to get a degree of separation and then the BBC ‘reports’ on that.
      One day they are going to leave in the author’s byline contact or the embargo request and the cat will be out of the bag. Like they care.

         7 likes

  31. AsISeeIt says:

    Nicky Campbell for an Oscar, a Bafta, Golden Sporran?

    http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/21/bbc-host-nicky-campbell-in-tears-during-coronation-street-right-to-die-debate-4272454/

    ‘BBC host Nicky Campbell in tears during Coronation Street right-to-die debate’

    Just possibly Nicky was in tears because the BBC pro-euthenasia agenda has just been trumped by his caller – one Nazia?

    ‘I’m also a practising Muslim. I believe God gave me this life and God will take this life.’

       14 likes

    • DICK R says:

      She must have asked for a pay rise so her character was written out !!!

         5 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      So if a middle-aged man called Nicky cries enough to show that he really, really cares, and that he finds it oh so difficult and painful, is it okay to start killing people before their time? Nicky cares deeply, you know. It’s okay to make them die prematurely if you care. I’m sure he’ll be just as deeply moved to tears once his ideological mates start redefining down the reasons the State can “assist” suicide. Did I mention he cares so much that he’s moved to tears over this difficult issue?

         10 likes

      • Dave s says:

        Empathy, empathy. It is all about empathy. The liberal’s emotion par excellence.
        A soap opera goes for a ratings bonanza and this Campbell emotes.
        Is our culture worth fighting for? Sometimes I wonder.

           4 likes

  32. George R says:

    “Fame for Ed Balls’ squeezed middle: BBC uses shadow chancellor’s belly to illustrate story on obesity”

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2543880/Fame-Ed-Balls-squeezed-middle-BBC-uses-shadow-chancellors-belly-illustrate-story-obeseity.html#ixzz2r8D32N2a

       4 likes

  33. Arthur Penney says:

    bad news for the BBC.

    Interviewee on Today has the temerity to suggest that we have the third lowest electricity bills and fifth lowest gas bills in the UK and that a lot of the cost is to cover insulating our old housing stock or the extra energy needed to heat them due to heat loss.

    Now desperately trying to find or trick someone to say that the real reason we have high bills is the high profits of those nasty energy companies.

       12 likes

  34. AsISeeIt says:

    So it seems Lib Dem supporters are not all the kind of whole grain yogurt munching wind-powered Euro-loving pacifists we thought they were.

    Here’s one who does more leaning on her front gate and smoking on her front step than she does political fence-sitting.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25840761

    ‘Deidre Kelly – known as White Dee – spoke to the deputy prime minister on his weekly LBC radio phone-in show.’

    ‘She told him she had switched from voting Lib Dem to Labour because she was angry at his coalition with the Tories – but could be persuaded back.’

    Now do correct me if am in error but…. I heard that she was asked how she voted at the last General Election and she said she voted Labour. The coalition agreement was made (public) after the election.

    So how has she switched to Labour because of the Lib Dems going into coalition with the Tories?

    Call me a conspiracist but I get the feeling that BBC central would settle for a Labour/Lib Dem coalition next time round.

    BBC : Anything but the Tories.

       15 likes

    • Frank Words says:

      I wonder if Labour would like to use her in their next Party Political Broadcast?

         8 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        She could have been a shoo-in for a ‘disgusted’ ringer in the next QT Brum audience, but possibly blown that cover even for the BBC’s ‘who cares’ dirty tricks squad.
        Interesting nickname for this day and age.
        Hope the BBC picture eds didn’t get her to sign any release forms for that picture as they may be looking for a substitute if Ed’s people didn’t find his as funny as claimed.

           6 likes

  35. DJ says:

    The Jeremy Whine Show right now is asking what kind of apology Lord Rennard should give….

    ….the Lord Rennard who’s never been proven to have done anything at all.

    Just in case you didn’t get the hint, first up was a feminist nut introduced as a campaigner against violence to women (violence, where did that come from)?

       18 likes

    • DJ says:

      ….and now we’ve just had an actor reading the apology we could give…..

      ….so apparently the BBC is now reporting fantasise of what the victims of PC lynchings could say, if only they’d confess to witch craft.

         14 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        So can we now publish the apology the BBC ought to give to the public for their sins?

           12 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          The ‘Apology for an Impartial Broadcaster’ title does have a neatly Beeboid ring to it, so don’t give ’em ideas.
          That’s a whole new wing of another bit of top floor real estate, at least £400kpa, staff, Fridays off, Wimbeld on, no accountability and around a half dozen lawyers and PR ‘spokespersons’ on station to field any astounding uncuriosity or memory loss questions. Reporting only to Chris Patten of course, and only during months with a ‘Q’ in them. [Job not advertised for FoI exclusive reasons].
          The precedent of enacted fake explanations as ‘news’ may see the #lawofunintendedconsequences return to haunt them and their mates, mind..

             3 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        ‘…….and now we’ve just had an actor reading the apology we could give…..’
        The OutrageIndustry has thrown up more than a few instances where I could give airborne figs for any of the sides snagging the headlines, and the Limp Dem’s ongoing implosion across the board has been one of only passing interest.
        However, I do get a bit more interested when guilt until proven innocence is the default, and especially when the ‘seen to be atoning’ brigade take the high ground demanding apologies all round.
        But when the national broadcaster is reduced to joining in and making up what it thinks it would like to happen if it got its way as ‘news’, they have truly jumped the shark.
        No fan of yet another ‘Good Lord’ in the Prescott mould (with is how Ms. Temple must have ended up) at all, but this chap has, unlike his predecessor, yet to admit or be found guilty of anything save being unattractive. And John just being John seemed to score more movin’ on than flak, as I recall.

           5 likes

      • Roland Deschain says:

        Is there an autotune remix of the apology available on YouTube yet?

           3 likes

  36. flexdream says:

    Just dipping into the Downing Street Years by Mrs Thatcher and it mentions Israel (and Libya) supplying weapons to Argentina during the war. This has now been reported elsewhere e.g. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/8463934/Israel-supplied-arms-to-Argentina-during-Falklands-War.html but was it reported by the BBC? I think it must have been but I couldn’t find it.

       3 likes

  37. Doyle says:

    Tonight on BBC 2: ‘Russia on Four Wheels’

    ‘Anita Rani encounters migrant workers and gay rights protesters in St Petersburg. Justin Rowlatt spends time with bear hunters and visits Russia’s biggest arms fair.’

    Congrats BBC, you’ve managed to pigeon-hole four of your favourite subjects – immigrants, qweers, animal rights and guns – into one hour of programming. And some people claim it isn’t biased.

       18 likes

    • Milverton says:

      I watched it last week and there was a strange piece about Russian agriculture in which Rowlatt bemoaned that the land, no longer collectivised, was now in the hands of big business. He seemed to long for a return to Communism. It was all a bit odd.

      As for Rani, she makes my skin crawl. The smuggest creature ever put behind a microphone, despite being up against very strong opposition.

         12 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘Justin Rowlatt … visits Russia’s biggest arms fair.’

      Recall when he was tweeting about this whilst conserving GHG’s left, left and left of centre in a four by four wheels good sort of way.
      Challenged on quite why an arms fair seemed to have brought out his inner, giddy James May, he claimed, Slick-Willy style, that he didn’t enjoy it. Apparently.
      Thinking the Ethical part of his handle may need a review soon. He can keep the other bit, though the Mrs. seems to be taking over that part too.

         4 likes

    • ember2013 says:

      It seemed to be about two BBC presenters having “a larf” in Russia at our expense. The visit to the graveyard of Russian gang members seemed staged. Would there really be former henchmen waiting around in case curious people arrived?

      I never know what to believe with BBC documentaries these days.

         10 likes

  38. Thoughtful says:

    The Media Show Radio 4 and an accidental admission of the ‘Massive left wing bias’ at the BBC

    Ed Vaizey, minister for UK Culture, Communications and Creative Industries is today asking senior figures in TV, film and arts to explain the lack of diversity in their industries. We talk to two people attending that meeting; playwright and actor Kwame Kwei Armah and senior TV executive Pat Younge, and ask the founder of the Cultural Diversity Network, Clive Jones, why he thinks black, asian and minority ethnic representation in the creative world is low and is actually going down.

    Worth a listen to as apparently a ‘more liberal group of people you could never meet, than those in the BBC’ !! apparently they will be horrified to learn that they haven’t been as diverse in the sharing of their jobs as they should have been.

       14 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Must capture that audio clip for posterity.

         4 likes

    • JimS says:

      The killer quote is at [10:54].
      There is also a strange assertion at around [10:30] that 60% of the media world in the UK is based in London but that 40% of London’s population are black/mixed race. Do they think then that the BBC in total should be a quarter ‘black’? Maybe not all ‘Londoners’ are ‘British’? Do a tenth of BBC staff have to be French just because the City is full of French bankers?
      This item just illustrates the London-centric few of the media world and its rank hypocrisy, (Polish plumbers yes, Somalian minimum-wage ‘creatives’, No!).
      The solution is probably just to pull out all BBC services in London and beam in Al Jazeera on all channels!

         8 likes

  39. Thoughtful says:

    http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/sohail-pervez-hassan-samad-jailed-6548098

    Yet another two who will never make the BBC news and yet another pathetic politically correct sentence.

       10 likes

  40. Peed off prod says:

    Just an observation ,funny how they use a pic of MP Aidan Burley showing him wearing a poppy in this report.
    Subtle or what ? but then again here in Northern Ireland we are well used to the local lefties at the beeb having sneaky digs at anything not to their liking.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25836506

       10 likes

  41. Jeff says:

    Something was strangely missing from the BBC London news. ITN had the story as their lead; a gang attack on a railway train in Edmonton north London. Terrified commuters were locked in carriages as baseball bat wielding thugs smashed their way through the train chasing their victim. It just didn’t warrant a mention on the Beeb. Auntie thought it more important to inform us about the plight of poor Stan Collymore being racially abused on Twitter. Very unpleasant, I’m sure but hardly on a par with hundreds of commuters terrified by an armed gang! There was another story of how tough it is getting a job if you’re an ethnic minority actor in London. My heart bleeds for them, but it’s hardly as important a story as the unthinkable (not so long ago) of decent Londoners being assaulted by armed gangsters.
    Now why do you think the BBC chose to pretend this event never happened?

       23 likes

  42. Jonathan Matthews says:

    A friend told me about your site and suggested I might enjoy it. You have no idea how much entertainment it has given me. Thank you.

       7 likes

    • stewart says:

      Well its only fair that we should reciprocate
      ( I think I told your freind the same ,some time ago)

         3 likes

  43. JimS says:

    Yesterday Eddie Mair on PM [18:20] gives ‘Climate Change Protestors’ an easy ride as they are let off because of legal procedural errors.
    Unlike Lord Rennard their wrongdoing was clear for all to see, putting Europe’s largest coal-fired power station at risk for 16 hours. Where was Eddie’s call for an ‘apology’? Surely the rest of us deserve one?
    By chance on the same programme we had a report on the armchair managers in parliament putting the boot in to ‘the big six’ for not ensuring continuity of supply. Where were they at Christmas?
    At least PM put some effort into reporting the difficulties in repairing overhead line, which by its very nature, is hard enough to access in decent weather. Or could it have been just a chance at having a dig at Cameron’s failure to reset his own consumer unit?

       8 likes

    • Old Goat says:

      “…armchair managers in parliament …”

      …the chairman being none other than Trougher Yeo, of that ilk.

         2 likes

  44. Llareggub says:

    St Nelson has a rabbit in his ear, undignified?
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25845603

    Perhaps it was Bre’er Rabbit

    http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/78857/Brer-Rabbit

       5 likes

  45. thoughtful says:

    What does the BBC do when two of it’s supported causes clash with each other? Well it’s at that point we see them begin to behave as we might like to the rest of the time.

    The first cause is green issues and the boss of Npower tells us that green (stealth) taxes will double by 2020 forcing the average energy bill up to at least £1500 pa.

    The flip side of this is the effect it has on the poor and fuel poverty. For a long time I’ve been saying that there is no need for a ‘living wage’ it’s the stealth taxes which need to be removed and no new ones levied.

    Ofgem are trying to say NPowers figures are incorrect, but I know who I believe !

    Politicians are so removed from reality that they cannot see past the end of their noses. They have a belief that gas & electricity can be taxed as petrol & diesel is. So ignorant are they that they seriously cannot see a problem with a £10 000 average utility bill, after all people pay for the petrol without too much complain, why won’t they pay for utilities the same.

    Better buy some warm clothes !

       11 likes

  46. chrisH says:

    Newsnight seems to think that the drop in unemployment is nothing in that the Tories promised this too far, too fast…or something like that. Poor wages, part-time yadayyada.
    The report had a Beeboid asking the proles what they were earning per hour…if only Birmingham had a few natives who could understand the Beeboids impertinence…and ask how much our Beeboid was getting paid to ask such insulting questions.
    To be honest, the sooner Ian Katz gets the gluestick and pasta taken off him, so he can do his Commie collages for a more select bunch of BBC types-as opposed to inflicting this crap on the rest of us-the better.
    FFS, target your diatripe Katz…leave it all for Pollys soiresss and stop wasting our maoney on Labour vanity projects such as this.

       11 likes

    • Oldbob says:

      Its only purpose was to turn the positive news into negative. I turned it off the moment that the first “prole” interviewed turned out to be one of those “men”.

      Utter Katz inspired bias and drivel as usual.

         8 likes

    • Colonel Blimp says:

      Conservative Central Office tweeted this morning that a Beeb reporter had genuinely responded to the employment stats with the words “Many people will be worried that the figures are so good”…

         16 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        ‘Many people will be worried’
        Echo chamber reporting rather defined there.
        S/he was probably speaking for all those s/he works with, lives with and talks to.
        Hence, semantically, s/he was actually playing down the numbers.
        Unless ‘speaking for the nation’.
        Then s/he’s just an overpaid minority shill for a propaganda outfit trying to skew public opinion by misrepresenting it.
        BBC SOP.

           0 likes

    • ember2013 says:

      The “Khat” segment riled me no end. Newsnight decides to send a junkee journalist to Africa to cover the effect that a ban in the UK has in Kenya. Apparently foreign governments (to Kenya) are meant to ignore the negative effects of drugs (in the case of khat – mental illness) just to ensure the continuing existence of foreign industries so dependent on supplying just one product.

      Junkee journalist seemed quite keen to reverse the ban, not because of some great libertarian instinct for Brits, but because Khat is popular amongst Somalian immigrants to Britain.

      You couldn’t make this up.

         2 likes

  47. uncle bup says:

    St Ella of Creasy, Kirsty Squawk, Joan Tart, and Anne Facelift having an ‘aren’t all men bastards’ weeparound on what used to be Newsnight.

    We’ve got Lunchtime Slags, we might as well have Suppertime Slags as well.

    Well done Katz.

    Top man.

    Sorry – top wimman

       13 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘Well done Katz. Top man.’
      Beyond the daring ‘mix it up’ ed style, Mr. Katz does still seem to be a consistent performer on the accuracy front too.
      Ian Katz (@iankatz1000)
      22/01/2014 22:04
      Oops, that was wrong Anne Robinson apparently….cant see right one but hopefully we have right on on #Newsight later….
      All the ‘news’ that’s ‘apparently’ fit to broadcast. Hopefully.
      Worth every penny.

         1 likes

  48. Chris says:

    Not sure how many of you are UKIPers (probably a lot given the resistance to propaganda by the BBC!).
    But we now have a website/ news site for non MSN news.
    -> http://www.ukipdaily.com/

       9 likes

  49. Pounce says:

    Nothing to do with the bBC, but this on Cif is a brillant retort against the ethical toffu munches and I just have to share it with others:

    fevriul @ Vintagebeauty

    21 January 2014 11:43am
    Recommended
    27

    Some of us are still waiting for an apology for the sinking of the Belgrano

    Since when do you apologise for sinking a warship of a country you are at war with ? God you lefties are insane!

    Also seeing as he denies said actions why should he apologise?

    Plus I’m sorry but touching someone’s knee?? GET A GRIP

    If it was George Clooney they would have jumped his bones ..pathetic , grow up and act like adults!

       13 likes

    • flexdream says:

      Go easy on the tofu tack. I’m vegetarian and I always supported sinking the Belgrano. Even the Argentines accepted it at the time as part of the war. It was only taken up by the left in Britain as a cause celebre.

         5 likes

  50. Ron Todd says:

    Newsnight reporting on the rising number of people working. Did Ed Balls script it for them? Cannot be easy to be that negative about good news.

       11 likes

    • Milverton says:

      That Andy Verity piece could have been a Labour party political broadcast. Disgraceful.

      Mind you Five Live announced the news at 9.30 yesterday morning with a distinct air of bitter disappointment.

         3 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘Cannot be easy to be that negative about good news’
      http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/01/22/guardians-catatrophism-leads-circulation-to-plummet/
      At least, unlike some in the family, Aunty has found a unique way to fund her way through such things no matter what.
      Comments to the piece fun, too. Like this relationship note:
      ‘You won’t find any mention of the tax avoiding in the BBC article, but then the BBC is one of the highest readers of the guardian, buying more copies of the Guardian than any other’

         4 likes

    • uncle bup says:

      Verity a Radio 5 Cackle refugee.

      His Student Grant schtick on Cackle was to berate CEOs on lefty-liberal crap such as did they pay every worker living wage, did they do a carbon offset every time they got in their car and suchlike – and usually mob-handed with whoever else was in the studio.

      Tosser basically – and as ever with Droid financial journos – knows f-all about his subject.

         0 likes