Expanding on Ed’s post re Jeff Randall,

I’ve always said that the BBC are neutral betwen Tories and Labour – they’re happy to attack the Tories (from the left) or Labour (from the left). Good to hear this from ex-BBC business editor, Jeff Randall. But surely the BBC’s journalists give the government a hard time? ‘They attack Labour ministers, but usually for not being sufficiently left-wing.’ On the BBC and immigration : ‘Whenever we had an anti-immigration … Continue reading

Aunty Learns Nothing; Reports Little

Aunty was very anti- the Iraq war. We all know that. Yet, in the wake of Hutton and in the light of numerous gaffes that astounded even their own, she seemed to be learning something. Yet, like a misshapen dingy filled with gas, the BBC keeps righting itself idiot side up. Today you can find the BBC reporting how Gen Musharraf has come under pressure over the US air strike. … Continue reading

BBC impartiality?

This incident requires an explanation. Memo to Beeb: there are some attentive listeners out there. Enough to catch you out if you behave just as you like. Then, this is also an important testimony from Jeff Randall : ‘On the whole, they treated business as if it was a criminal activity’ Of course, his arrival made some impact, but if that’s so, then what about the impact of a whole … Continue reading

Satire Still Dead,

says Mark Holland, in a piece on the new Channel 4 (non-BBC) output which takes a sideswipe at BBC ‘comedy’ (which on Radio Four means Jeremy Hardy, Mark Steel and a host of public-school lefties, one of whom must be called Sally for some reason). These days we all know how to read between the lines, Pravda style, during any BBC news broadcasts we’re unlucky enough to catch. On the … Continue reading

Bare-faced headline for a bearded dictator.

Not that I disparage Iranian democracy of course, it just seems that there’s a niche in the market left by certain mainstream broadcasters. But today the BBC have held the frontpage for Ahmadinejad to proclaim that ‘Iran ‘does not need nuclear arms’ What this is is full-on propaganda from the terrorist-in-chief. What Iran doesn’t need, of course, is nuclear energy. As VDH comments aptly: ‘Any country that burns off some … Continue reading

The Small Sacrifice of Truth

The sanitisation and idealisation of the religion of Islam proceeds apace at the Beeb. It must- as this culture is being more and more forcefully advocated by its adherents, so it requires greater and greater efforts to retain management of the news in a way that the Beeb feels is responsible. After writing this post originally, I heard of the terrible stampede at this year’s Hajj. I am naturally sorry … Continue reading

Something about the picture

Something about the picture in this article reminds me of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s the utopianism I think. So, as multiculturalism (and lifestyle choice) becomes religion, religion becomes problematic, though, as Ritter points out, Sir Iqbal and Mr Jones get different treatment. And no, it’s not just the media treating the two cases differently. There’s no mention of Mr Plod actually knocking on Sir Iqqy’s door. Click through to read … Continue reading

The BBC celebrate

the humour of the late left-wing Labour MP Tony Banks, “known for acid tongue and sharp wit“, who “will be remembered for his hilarious insults“ “Tory MP, Terry Dicks, was dismissed as “living proof that a pig’s bladder on the end of a stick can be elected to Parliament”. The former sports minister, who became Lord Stratford last year, showed reputations did not intimidate him when he accused Lady Thatcher … Continue reading