Author Archives: Ed Thomas

From the shadow (cabinet)

By | |
21 Comments

John Redwood offers an account of trying to get the BBC to cover a point of view they don’t like. He is grateful that finally some of the BBC’s less central programmes gave him the chance to convey his view on the subject of what should be done with Northern Rock. We can see that he has been successful, but nevertheless was shunted off by the BBC from their “daily bread” programming to their less prestigious and more niche programming because, they said, “nationalisation was the likely outcome.”

(Hat tip to Iain Dale)

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

General BBC-related comment thread:

By | |
297 Comments

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may be moderated.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

Comment necessary.

By | | ,
18 Comments

I must make at least some comment on this terrible journalism done by Clive Myrie in his hit piece on the Czech Republic.

It was mentioned by several people in the comments, and I must not let it pass. I would like to take it apart piece by piece but alas haven’t time. Maybe readers can assist?

There is immensely loaded language, a lack of information, and the accuracy of it has already been questioned by the Czech Government. Social Affairs Minister Petr Necas has “accused the BBC of “classic journalistic distortion”.”

He is absolutely right. Myrie’s report on what he called “cage beds” in mental homes was a disgrace. Your humble B-BBCer has numerous Czech contacts and has consulted with many who have without exception been angry when they read the tone and content of the report. Myrie tops it all by his self-righteous BBC busybodying in the service of a Greater Cause:


“Finally, we had evidence that a member of the European Union was not fulfilling its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.” Finally!

Here’s a taster of some of Myrie’s language (with comments):

“Faint sounds could be heard coming from a room nearby – the sound of children wailing.” (yes, and mentally handicapped children never moan, do they?)


“Only then did she reach through the bars to stroke the head of the male teenager inside, as if stroking an animal in its cage at the zoo.” (which animals in a zoo would Myrie be allowed to stroke, and isn’t such human contact the very thing that one might look for in caring nursing?)


“I wanted to find out what happens to the mind of someone who spends much of their life in a cage” (no, ignoramus, a so-called cage bed, and if you bothered to ask yourself why the kids didn’t show signs of malnutrition or why there were no urine or faeces stains visible, or how they were clothed, you’d realise they would have to leave their “cages” accompanied by a nurse and have human contact directly on many occasions every day. Honestly- -ed. I should point out here, Myrie was making a TV item- perhaps you have seen it? It is clear from this clip that the children were clothed, clean and nourished)

Needless to say, the BBC went in by lying, under false pretences, and discovered not very much at all, to be honest- hence the furore which they’ve nicely played down by keeping the Czech response from getting the publicity which the report got.

I could of course go on, but as I said, I haven’t time :-). Read it and judge for yourselves. This is so bad that the words “well meaning” have no meaning in this case.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

How the BBC reports

By | |
Comments Off on How the BBC reports

good news from Iraq.

Ham-fisted editorialising of the news: “Reporting from Baghdad, the BBC’s Jonny Dymond says the IMF and UN statements amount to a coincidental chorus of approval that tops off what have been, by Iraq’s dismal standards, a good few weeks.”

False attribution of progress: “The change in the political mood is largely down to the passing of a law on Saturday, enabling some members of the Baath Party of Saddam Hussain to re-enter the military and bureaucracy, our correspondent says.“

No mention of the real cause of progress:

see here

Ends with a flourish: “Violence continued in Iraq on Wednesday as a woman suicide bomber killed eight people in Diyala Province, and three US soldiers were shot dead in Salahaddin Province.”

Violence continued (news-wise)after a four day gap during which no US or coalition soldier perished. source.

(hat-tip to David Vance)

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

General BBC-related comment thread:

By | |
361 Comments

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may be moderated.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

A Tenderizing State Media Organ

By | |
65 Comments

When I saw this article about Spanish organ donation I thought that it was a bit odd, coming out of the blue. What event brought that into focus? What’s the news value?

Well, now I think I know. Gordon Brown wants to add organ snatching to his list of accomplishments.

I should say I am not against organ donation, but the State’s active involvement is what makes me queasy, and I am uncomfortable with the Burke and Harean possibilities it conjures.

That’s by the by. What’s wrong is the BBC’s publication of an article, which, en passant, might influence public opinion in favour of Government policy. Don’t tell me they are unaware of the Government’s moves as they portray how “The Spanish organ donor system is a remarkable story of human generosity in the face of grief.”

Not that the Spanish system is an example of what Brown is trying to do here- not so simple. Merely that they have (clearly) a proactive policy and this may be seen as emblematic of what the Govt here would like to do.

Another thing which makes me uncomfortable is that the BBC is clearly carrying water here for Euroland Lisbon agenda types who insist we must all learn best practise social and economic welfare from our Euro neighbours. It is one more example of integrationist journalism.


Update: 15.00 GMT. The Beeb really want this reform badly. See here and here among others. This is quite clearly a coordinated assault on public opinion, which stems from No. 10’s initiative. As Bodo puts it in the comments:

“The Govt and the Beeb have obviously been cooperating for a few days [at least] on what would be in today’s news.”

Managing the news, of course. No room for mention of the Alder Hey scandal, either.

Extra: as Pounce points out in the comments, our children are not to be excused the BBC/Government information drive. Never too young to follow Govt policy y’know.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

General BBC-related comment thread:

By | |
224 Comments

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may be moderated.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

Making Derry Derry.

By | |
29 Comments

According to David Vance, the BBC ran a documentary last night about the Protestant exodus from Londonderry (some 18,000 people over 30 years leaving about 300 Protestants in a city of 54,000). His claims are interesting, as the BBC is, among other things, an apologist for the Tony Blair era Good Friday agreement. A whitewash of sectarian history could then be expected, and according to Vance was given as the BBC used talking heads to imply the exodus was some strange psychological phenomenon where inadequate Protestant hysterics lost their nerve, upped, and went.

But,

“Here’s what my wife experienced – not felt.

Her school bus was stoned on a regular basis as it travelled through the city centre. She and her friends had to lie on the floor to avoid being cut by glass. The “youths” who conducted this stoning came down from the Bogside, each day. Her mother was almost killed when an IRA bomb exploded in Shipquay street, without warning. Her swimming instructor, Norman Duddy, who was an RUC Inspector, was brutally shot dead, in front of his sons outside his place of worship. Who would stay in such a hell-hole?”

After viewing a clip of the programme, I concluded that though there are incidents of violence mentioned, the overall argument is that a few incidents created a psychological effect resulting in the exodus. Vance’s account- and others- suggests rather that pressure was directly applied and quite possibly systematically applied through violence and intimidation. Where were the British army at that time? Well, I suspect that’s really a central issue in this case- the willpower of one community backed by violence that wasn’t matched by the other. And that, perhaps, is the untold story the BBC won’t tell. And if the BBC, the British state organ, won’t tell a story that the Unionists need to be told, who will? And if they don’t tell it who can blame eager Irish Nationalists from assuming once again- as always- their untainted victim status?

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

General BBC-related comment thread:

By | |
569 Comments

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may be moderated.

Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.