Men in Tights

Well, jodphurs anyway. It seems to be stating the obvious that this BBC article is absurdly skewed. Absurd, because in its efforts to appear impartial it becomes necessary to bastardise history and neuter rational understanding. Of hunting the BBC says ´Not only is the hunt itself steeped in ritual, but opposition towards it is just as well established, with meets as regularly attended by protesters as by those taking part.´ … Continue reading

Driving politics – Voters’ views in US bumper stickers

is the BBC News Online strap to a pop-up ‘in pictures’ collection of US election bumper stickers. It has been featured on various News Online pages over the weekend, currently appearing on the Vote USA 2004 index page. But does the BBC keep to the impartial middle of the road ‘driving politics’, or do they pull to the left or the right? Here’s a BBBC round-up of the BBC’s chosen … Continue reading

Beware of the Leopard.

(With apologies to the late Douglas Adams.) “But Mr. Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months.” I can confirm that the BBC’s Ceefax service did report on CBS’s retraction of the Bush memos. “Oh yes, well, as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn’t exactly gone out of your way to call attention … Continue reading

Saddened and appalled, but thankful for the BBC’s honesty

– watching the BBC 10 O’Clock News just now the main story is the tragic and barbaric murder of Eugene Armstrong, one of the Americans kidnapped along with another American and a Briton in Baghdad recently. To their credit, the 10 O’Clock News (in the forms of Huw Edwards, Nicholas Witchell and another correspondent whose name escapes me) was unequivocal in describing this latest atrocity as a murder (all three … Continue reading

Tories cry foul over Hartlepool campaign airtime

is an interesting article in Saturday’s Times, about the conflict of interest for the BBC created by the Labour Party’s unsubtle scheduling of the Hartlepool by-election for the last day of their annual conference in Brighton: Senior corporation figures had offered to balance coverage of the last day of Labours conference – the day of the poll – after the Tories complained, The Times understands. But Liam Fox, the Tory … Continue reading

They really don’t get it

 The people behind Radio Forth are hoping to be granted the new Scottish east coast license: A COMMERCIAL broadcaster is promising to challenge the BBC’s “boring” and “leftish” current affairs coverage by launching a rival radio station. Scottish Radio Holdings, which already owns a number of stations north of the Border, will apply to media regulator Ofcom this week for the new FM licence covering Edinburgh, Fife and Lothians. It … Continue reading

Many a true word spoken in jest!

Private Eye magazine’s regular Lookalikes feature this fortnight highlight’s the striking resemblance between Vladimir Putin and Andrew Marr of the BBC, rather in line with the observations of BBBC aficionados: Sir, Have you noticed the sinister similarities between these two? I have heard that one has his roots in a subversive organisation involved in the dissemination of enemy propaganda. The other is a former head of the KGB. Should we … Continue reading

Growing up gay in Jamaica

is a featured article in BBC News Online’s Magazine section, concerning the disturbing oppression of gay people in Jamaica. Taking this as inspiration for a new BBC News Online Magazine ‘Growing up in’ series, here are some suggestions for future instalments: Growing up female in Iran – exposing the feudal oppression of girls and women, including cases like that of Atefeh Rajabi; Growing up agnostic in Saudi Arabia – the … Continue reading

Melanie Phillips on fine Beeb-bashing form…

A short excerpt to whet your appetite: Later in the programme (8.31) there was an item about why John Kerry’s presidential campaign has gone pear-shaped. The assumption here was that, since no sentient individual could possibly support President Bush, and since therefore it was inconceivable that Kerry would not win the election, there had to be some extraordinary reason why Kerry was mysteriously doing so badly. The fact that he … Continue reading