Author Archives: David Vance

BONUS CULTURE

By | |
9 Comments

The BBC has been to fore in attacking the “evils” of bonus culture in the Private sector. Even this morning the topic loomed large on the Today programme. However there seems to be some double-speak in play..

At the beginning of 2009, Mark Thompson, director-general of the BBC, announced an end to bonuses and a pay freeze for senior employees. After years of executives living high on the hog, it looked as though he had finally got the message. Last May, the incoming chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, said he would ensure that senior managers did not receive bonuses or perks. He had rightly described management pay at the Corporation as a ‘toxic issue’. How, then, can we make sense of the revelation that last year the BBC paid bonuses amounting to £275,000 to four senior managers? One of them — Chris Kane, head of corporate real estate at the BBC — received a top-up of £155,000 in addition to his salary of £206,000.  

Perhaps the BBC should deal with the problem inside itself? Do as I say rather as I do….

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

TALK TO THE TALIBAN

By | | ,
13 Comments

It’s really all so simple when you understand the meme.  The US is always wrong and the US military in particular is evil, a global bully. By way of contrast the Taliban are noble, exuding a humanity few truly appreciate, apart from BBC presenter Lyse Doucet. I was relieved to read the BBC dutifully report that despite the atrocious desecration of some of these noble humanitarians by evil Marines the Taliban have said it will not stop their commitment to the peace process. Taliban – heroes. Marines = enemies of civilisation. Oddly enough, the BBC don’t seem to be that interested in the mutilations, the maimings, the decapitations and the murders which the Taliban impose on fellow Afghans. Desecration seems a one way street these days.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

IS IT COS I IS A CRIMINAL?

By | | , ,
20 Comments

Well then, it’s been a busy morning on the BBC pushing the old “Institutional Racism” narrative. I do hope Diane Abbott was listening. It seems that whether we like it or not, the Met just can’t stop themselves from stopping and searching disproportionately large amounts of black youth.
As Lord Adebowale puts it, “this is poor customer service”. Just one point. Wonder why NO ONE on the BBC mentioned this little detail?  Still, never let the facts get in the way of the narrative, right?.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

BBC AUSTERITY

By | |
8 Comments

Recession? What recession?

The expenses of senior BBC bosses have soared by 20 per cent in a year largely as a result of the costly move to Salford. Executives face fresh accusations of profligacy after spending on rail fares shot up by 57 per cent, while its hotel bill surged by 70 per cent. Figures, which cover the opening months of the new Media City, show the financial impact of the BBC’s plans to become less ‘London-centric’ In the latest numbers covering a three-month period from April to June 2011, the combined expenses bill of the top 102 senior managers grew to £183,276. This is a rise of a fifth on the same period of 2010 when the total was £152,257 – and came as the rest of the UK faced an austerity drive.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

DESTROYING INNOCENCE

By | |
17 Comments
BBC's Sex and Relationship Education
Interesting story here over on The Mail.

“A sex education video produced by the BBC for children as young as nine has been criticised as being ‘like a blue movie’ by an MP who said the material is ‘shattering the innocence of childhood’. The video aims to teach children aged between nine and 11 about growing up, the cycle of life, feelings, family life and friendship. But included in the CD-ROM is an animated video of two cartoon characters making love and a computer-generated sequence showing a couple having sex, accompanied by a graphic explanation. There is also footage of a naked man and woman, used to demonstrate the differences between the sexes, information about ‘wet dreams’ and masturbation, and graphic diagrams of genitalia.

Sexualising childhood – part of their mission to inform. My congrats to Andrea Leadsom.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

ALWAYS IN THE WRONG

By | |
10 Comments

Are these two paragraphs related?

First the lead …

“British police are to investigate claims that UK secret services helped in the rendition of a man to Libya.”

And then…

The Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service said MI5 and MI6 officers would not be charged over separate torture collusion claims

Is the BBC disappointed that our secret services have been proven INNOCENT of the crimes that some fevered imaginations construct? No, that could not be right. Could it?

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

TAKING THE PROVERBIAL..

By | | ,
66 Comments

The BBC leads its news this morning with the news that the Taliban are “furious” about the video of some US soldiers urinating over the dead bodies of some Taliban terrorists. Sorry, I mean fighters. Have to say I couldn’t care less about what happens to these savages who chose to pick a fight with the US military but the BBC certainly seems vexed about it. Could someone please explain that the Queensbury Rules don’t apply in war. I wonder if the Taliban have the BBC on speed dial?

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.