Time for Al Het from Naughtie?

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Remember James Naughtie’s disgraceful interview with the Israeli Ambassador Ron Proser on Today 22nd December? I commented that Naughtie seemed unaware of ex President Jimmy Carter’s reputation as the most anti Israel US President ever. To further a point, Naughtie produced one of Mr. Carter’s notoriously disparaging statements, saying:“I take it you don’t regard him [Carter] as somebody who is anti-Israel in his bones!” “Does Naughtie know nothing about this … Continue reading →

The Elephant in the University

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In yesterday’s mini round-up I began with the BBC interview with cherubic Qasim Rafiq, who appeared to be baffled by the behaviour of his best friend the baby-faced underpants bomber.The BBC’s apparent assumption that the twosome’s association with the UCL’s Islamic Society was as good as a character reference was baffling too. They accepted it as a kind of alibi and seemed to be satisfied that for this reason alone … Continue reading →

Yesterday, Today and (probably) Tomorrow.

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You know the annual round-ups we get in the media at every New Year? This round-up is of items from the last couple of days, just to indicate the direction the BBC is taking. The interview with bushy-bearded Qasim Rafiq, the former best friend of the underpants bomber who swears that nice Mr. Abdulmutallab couldn’t possibly have been radicalized in the UK, or at the UCL, or in the Islamic … Continue reading →

MORE ON PETER THOMSON….

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On Monday, I posted about BBC The World editor Peter Thomson, who it turns out, is secretary of the fervent climate change group the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ). What actually does this mean? Well for starters, according to the SEJ website, he’s very keen on pushing, as well as his own organisation’s climate change guide, another publication that seeks to influence and underpin journalists everywhere. It’s called the CRED … Continue reading →

HAPPY NEW YEAR…

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Just popping in to thank you ALL for your support during 2009! Yes, I know the redesign of the site caused concerns but most have stuck with us and I am delighted with the new team of writers who have made such an impact with some incisive posts in recent months. Most of all, I thank you, dear reader, for clicking the button and coming along here. I do hope … Continue reading →

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE: GREEN VICAR SHOCK

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It’s pretty darn unusual for the BBC website to cover the death of a local Church of England vicar; in fact, pretty much their only interest in Christianity and our established religion these days is in gay bishops. When I was in BBC local radio, it was only when a local bishop popped his clogs that we reached for our microphones. Unless, that is, he’s a revered green camapigner. Such, … Continue reading →

End of Year Quiz

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1.Who ends sentences on an upward inflection and is too cool to, you know, pronounce the ‘T’ at the ends of words?A.) Some Teenagers; B.) Labour MPs; C.) Mark Thompson; D.) The terminally insecure; D.3. ) Puff Daddy. 2. Who repeatedly trots out the well known ‘inflated-salaries-of-BBC-management-defence’ “ if we want the best we need to pay top whack” without explaining why the same argument doesn’t apply to the comparatively … Continue reading →

Pathos in Gaza

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Who commissioned Katya Adler’s pathos extravaganza that BBC News24 has aired several times today?What news value does it have, apart from being a gratuitous reminder of Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians, just in case we forget about all that for a second?Now that there aren’t any juicy war crimes to salivate over, did the BBC’s Middle East Editor brief Katya to seek out a cute enormous-eyed child to tug at … Continue reading →