Author Archives: David Vance

CAPTURED?

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Biased BBC reader Clifford provides his first contribution…

“The news reports onRadio 4 (the only BBC source I’ve used about this) since yesterday (11 October2011) evening have carried the story of the deal to release Gilad Shalit, anIsraeli soldier, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. All the reportsI have heard have used the word ‘captured’ to describe how Shalit came to beheld in Gaza by a Palestinian militant group, which is possibly not entirelyunder the control of Hamas, though for years Hamas has made no real effort tocontrol it.

To ‘capture’ means to seize someone who is meant to be in legal custody in thenational territory concerned. The normal word for taking someone, including asoldier, against his will across an internationally recognised border, as theborder prevailing between Israel and Gaza is, when he was on his own side ofthat border, as Shalit was at the time (2006), is ‘kidnapping’. However, thatdistinction is either too complicated and subtle for BBC journalists or, inview of the BBC’s record in such matters, the failure to observe thatdistinction is a calculated attempt to present the kidnapping of Shalit by aparamilitary Palestinian group as legitimate. This was either linguisticincompetence or (as I suspect) biased reporting — the BBC is capable of usingthe word ‘kidnapped’ when it wants, as in its reporting on Afghanistan.”

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MULLAHLOVE!

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The BBC has instantly knee-jerked into the natural default mode of disbelieving anything the US government says. Sarah Montague was quite visceral in raising her skepticism about US allegations that Iran has been plotting to carry out an act of terror on US soil. In fairness, both of her guests during the 7.50am interview on Today rather agreed that when it comes to the rogue regime of Iran, anything was possible. But what gets me is the line Montague was taking which distills down to the simple proposition that Iran would never do anything as silly as using Mexican killers to carry out the assassination of the Saudi Ambassador to the US. Iran has a good friend in the UK State Broadcaster which is more inclined to swallow the tripe from Tehran than anything from Washington.

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MORE EURO REQUIRED!

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It’s a tricky one. The Slovakian Parliament has dared reject the will of the Eurocrats and so the whole Bail-Out is thrown into even further chaos. What approach will the BBC take? Cue interview with two Europhiles in the form of Sir Howard Davies and Lib-Dem MEP Sharon Bowles. Howard wants to see a central European Treasury imposed so that future major financial decisions do not require anything as irritating to the great and the good as the pesky will of the individual Nations States, and Bowles howled that what we need to deal with Europe’s problem is…erm…more Europe! Nicely balanced interview there

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ALL ABOUT PRIORITIES…

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It’s all about editorial decisions. Confronted with the breaking news that the entire Eurozone Bail-Out has been thrown into chaos thanks to Slovakia rejecting the deal even as the US accuses Iran of planning acts of terrorism on US soil using Mexican killers, it’s only natural that the BBC focuses on the searing issue of the day; Is Liam Fox gay? Pathetic. The BBC’s continued baiting of Fox comes down to nasty little rumours and wink-wink say no more innuendos over his sexuality. I thought the BBC considered being gay to be the highest calling of human behavior so their rank hypocrisy on this matter is stunning. I suggest that most people couldn’t care less about Fox’s sexuality but the Westminster village, and the BBC, is obsessed with it to the exclusion of FAR more important issues.

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THERE MAY BE TROUBLE AHEAD…

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Slovakia’s parliament has voted against measures to bolster the powers of the eurozone bailout fund, seen as vital in combating the bloc’s debt crisis. The governing coalition had linked the vote to a confidence motion and as a result has effectively been toppled. Slovakia is the last of the eurozone’s 17 member states to vote on expanding the European Financial Stability Fund.

Then the bad..

“However, the BBC’s Rob Cameron says a second vote could be held soon and is likely to succeed.”

Good old Rob – getting in that by-line within seconds of the news breaking. Keep on repeating, the Eurozone will succeed, the Eurozone will succeed.

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GETTING TO THE REAL CAUSES

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Did you realise that “questions remain” over the causes of the thuggery and feral maligance that infested the streets of some of our major cities a few months ago? Oh yes. Professor Tim Newburn, of the LSE, is working on a shared piece of “research”with The Guardian (tick box) looking into the real causes behind the riots! Naturally, the BBC is there to provide the Professor with a soapbox. Naturally the reasons are complex and just because the overwhelming number of those convicted for their criminality already had convictions, this should not lead us to put two and two together and get five, says Newburn. Let me save them a whole lot of time and money; It is clear that Thatcher is to blame, that the evil Coalition is forcing people to take to the streets and that only a return of Labour to government can save the day. Pip Pip…

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INSTITUTIONALISING ALTRUISM?

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“Institutionalising Altruism” –  an interesting phrase used by Lord Hennessy in this interview on the BBC this morning. His Lordship holds the view that any changes to how the NHS operates that would mean that the lines of responsibility do not lead back to the Health Secretary are most unwelcome. It’s a perfectly valid view albeit one that I take issue with. However my question is WHY the BBC only chose to allow this singular point of view during the interview slot? Why was no one allowed on to argue that the NHS desperately needs to have responsibilities devolved downwards, away from politicians and towards people trying to make decisions on what patients need? The fact is that Hennessy holds the same view as the BBC – namely that the NHS is good for our health whether we like it or not! Any challenge to the NHS is an indirect challenge to the BBC which is one reason it so defensive of the status quo.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FRIEND

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It’s all about WHO you know, don’t you know?


Julia Middleton; founded ‘Common Purpose’, a member of the Media Standards Trust and founder of the left wing Demos think tank. A good friend of the BBC’s Robert Peston.

Robert Peston; Media Standards Trust member and supporter of ‘Common Purpose’….his ‘Speakers for Schools’ charity works with the Education and Employees Trust….

Anthony Salz; on the board of the Education and Employees Trust which supports Peston’s speakers charity, an Media Standard Trust trustee and used to be vice chairman of the BBC board of governors 2004-06.

Brandon Gough….Common Purpose chairman 1991-98, now chancellor of the University of East Anglia (of CRU fame).


Sir David Bell….chairman of the Media Standards Trust until he joined the Leveson Inquiry into media (er News International!) standards, and Common Purpose trustee.

They don’t need any lessons in networking, how to make friends and influence people….just get your foot in the door and you’re made for life it seems…so much for social mobility.

Hat-tip to Biased BBC contributor Alan. 

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MINIMUM WAGE, MAXED OUT!

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The BBC are great advocates of the Minimum Wage and this piece of analysis provided in this FOI request provided by B-BBC reader Alan may explain why;

“BBC researchers or admin staff are clearly well rewarded for their endeavours.

Looking at a BBC reply to a freedom of information request it stated that:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/foi/classes/disclosure_logs/rfi20101040_common_purpose_spend_200506_200910.pdf

‘As not all training is recorded centrally, in order to respond in full to your request the BBC would need to carry out an audit of each of its departments to check their local training records to ascertain how many BBC employees attended. As there are over 20,000 staff currently at the BBC, we estimate that to carry out this search would take more than two and a half days. Under section 12 of the Act, we are allowed to refuse to handle the request if it would exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit has been set by the Regulations (SI 2004/3244) as being £450 (equivalent to two and a half days work, at an hourly rate of £25).’

 Now dusting off the calculator and tapping away quickly tells me that £25/hour for an 8 hour day, 5 day week, 52 weeks a year would give a not too shabby salary of over £50,000.Not quite Jonathan Ross territory…but not bad anyway for shuffling a few files about. Also of interest might be this revelation about the BBC’s purpose behind sending people on ‘Common Purpose’ courses….

‘As background, Common Purpose training was provided as a structured exercise to assist senior editorial staff in building partnerships and developing knowledge, experience and contacts in their local area. This is consistent with the BBC’s public purposes (as set out in the Charter and Agreement), in particular “Sustaining citizenship and civil society” and “Stimulating creativity and cultural excellence”, both of which require editorial staff to have a thorough understanding of the social and cultural characteristics of their local area. Staff who attended the course reported that it had been both a really useful learning/training experience and had also opened up a huge network of contacts.’

Building networks, contacts, friendships, partnerships…..always something that would need very careful handling….ensuring that people do not become too close to that network, too reliant on it, or too subservient to it….doing its bidding rather than the network working for you.

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