Auntie: “How do you like your news little dears?” Public: “If you’re asking whether we like our news rancid and shot through with mould in a congealed puddle of grease or fresh, we’ll take the latter. Somehow, Auntie Beeb, this does not seem like a real choice.” It may be a bit rotten and unfounded but the BBC (al Reuters , Amnesty International and the ACLU) think you need another … Continue reading
When is a 55.5% increase “almost double the amount”? A. When it’s BBC London* reporting today on Camden Council’s planned increase in school dinner spending from 45p per head to 70p per head. This is most likely straightforward incompetence rather than bias – but the tendency for journalists to hype and over-hype stories is ever present, particularly among younger journalists reporting on run-of-the-mill stories like this – but please, BBC … Continue reading
– as spotted by one of our ever observant commenters. Here’s a taster: Do you remember Today’s James Naughtie, who gave the game away in the run-up to the general election by referring to Labour as “us”? Do you remember on election night how Andrew Marr said that things were going “worse” than expected, when what he meant to say was “worse for Labour”. You have only to imagine Marr … Continue reading
Norm Geras has another clear example of BBC ‘balance’. Recall that only last week we had Ronaldo’s visit (to where was it?) as case in point. Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.
The following article by Scott Norvell ran on May 20th in the European edition of the Wall Street Journal. It mentions Robin Aitken, Justin Webb and this blog. There is also quite a bit about the coverage of Malcolm Glazer’s takeover of Man U. Robin Aitken has nailed it. Those of us who pay the BBC’s annual £120 license fee but grit our teeth every time we watch one of … Continue reading
Anon writes: Natalie, whoever moderates this site.The day the left-wing bottom feeders decide to slough off work, whilst promising a summer’s worth of skiving, all the while HOOVERING up licence fee cash from people they threaten and imprison, and this is the best you can do…’Robert Ayers writes to say that you can read an interview with three prominent Iraqi citizens here’…? Caaaaam on, let’s be having you. **Lady, if … Continue reading
writes to say that you can read an interview with three prominent Iraqi citizens here. Part way through, Nasir Flayeh Hassan is discussing the pluses andminuses of the American occupation, and remarks: What I think is definitely an American failure is the inefficiency of their media, comparing with the anti-American media, like Algazira and Alarabia, BBC (especially the Arabic department), Radio Monte Carlo, etc. This was a very serious point … Continue reading
While the BBC get all excited about cool new British cloning, and fresh monkey business, they apparently haven’t noticed a whacking blow to their greatest environmental news fetish- news that the Antarctic is putting on weight. (via A Tangled Web) Oddly no-one ever seems to learn that when it comes to a lot of the investigations we perform in science today our knowledge is in its infancy. At least one … Continue reading
This picture series is entitled “French Left split over referendum.” The opening page says: “A battle is on for left-wing votes as France’s referendum on the EU constitution looms. Most supporters of the centre-right UMP party are expected to vote Yes, ignoring the far-right No campaign. But many Socialists appear ready to defy party leaders by voting No, with the far-left. BBC News asked a selection of left-wingers for their … Continue reading
That is the question asked by The Scotsman’s Jenny Hjul. (Hat tip: Gary.) She says: His presence in Washington begs two questions: why did BBC Scotland feel it needed to send its own man when (a) it is currently implementing drastic cost cuts and (b) the BBC’s Washington correspondent, Clive Myrie, was already there and more than up to the job? Also, if BBC Scotland really, really had to send, … Continue reading
