Can they possibly understand what a news article is? Are they too concerned about the poor delicate egos of their Somali news team that they daren’t criticise the blatant one-sideness of the coverage? What kind of NEWS article is headed “Fears stalk Somalia’s capital once again” What kind of reporter states so baldly “The advice from one and all is to get Ethiopian troops to withdraw from the country and … Continue reading →

Please use this thread for off-topic, but preferably BBC related, comments. Please keep comments on other threads to the topic at hand. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments – our aim is to maintain order and clarity on the topic-specific threads. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog. Please scroll down to find new topic-specific posts. Click through to read and … Continue reading →

Study these excerpts from today’s news. Excerpt 1: Britons held in Somali clash Several British terror suspects have been captured during the fighting in Somalia, it was claimed yesterday. At least seven Britons are said to have been picked up as they fled with fighters from the Islamic movement when they were forced out of the capital, Mogadishu. The men, all carrying British passports and including one said to have … Continue reading →

A BBC mole sent Stephen Pollard a “Mini briefing on the Israeli and Palestinians” that was either written by or forwarded by Jeremy Bowen. Read it, and Stephen Pollard’s comments, here. One memorable phrase: the way that Palestinian society, which used to draw strength from resistance to the occupation, is now fragmenting. Emphasis added. Readers might like to discuss the meaning of “strength” in this passage. The “kill various Palestinians” … Continue reading →

on BBC Views Online’s Entertainment page whenever they think there’s half an excuse to do so, whether it’s an award gained or a minor ratings triumph over ITV or whatever. Strangely, there’s a BBC entertainment related story just now that hasn’t made it on to Views Online’s Entertainment page. For some reason, Casting Director ‘groped’ actors, has been hidden away in the London/South section at the bottom of the England … Continue reading →

at the end of last week there were many, many Beeboid references to ‘the Prophet Mohammed’, as if Mohammed was generally accepted as being a, or even the, prophet. The BBC would, quite rightly, never refer to Jesus in their coverage as ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’, so I’m at a loss as to whether it’s plain laziness or multiculti-zeal that permits such reverential treatment of Mohammed. Mercifully, Martha Kearney on … Continue reading →

An Observer portrait of Migrationwatch chair Sir Andrew Green, and his recent Today programme appearance (RealAudio) contains some interesting asides. ‘We probably were reluctant and slow to take him seriously to begin with,’ says one senior executive in BBC News. ‘We probably didn’t like what he had to say. But then we were also slow to pick up on immigration as a story, not least because we are a very … Continue reading →

. I’ve been trying to get round to this for a long time, and I know other commenters have been noticing the BBC’s pro-Islam coverage in Somalia. The BBC is just rancid on this subject, and there may be good reasons why that is. I, partly inspired by the great blogger DFH, and commenters here, have been delving into the BBC’s Somalia coverage, and it’s murky. DFH had a great … Continue reading →

Rob Schneider wrote on 2 January: Natalie, In tonight’s BBC news Matt [Frei] was reporting on ex-President Ford’s funeral in Washington. He said (and I can’t remember the exact quote) that “He was a popular president. But he pardoned President Nixon and the country never forgave him.” That is simply not true and misrepresents history. Ford became president on 9th August 1974. He announced his decision about President Nixon on … Continue reading →

Pounce comments on one of today’s front page stories at the BBC: Skin bleaching cream couple fined A couple believed to have earned £1m selling toxic skin lightening creams were ordered by a court to pay nearly £100,000 in fines and costs. Yinka and Michael Oluyemi sold banned bleaching concoctions from their two cosmetics shops in south-east London. [snip] The church-going couple, who lived in a £725,000 house in Sydenham, … Continue reading →