When troops die in Iraq the exact circumstances seem in one sense insignificant. But I think it’s worth pointing out that the seven US troops who died near Fallujah today were killed by a car bomb which the BBC, in reporting both before they identified the cause of destruction as being a car-bomb, and afterwards, defined as an ‘ambush’. This seems wrong to me, because for one thing it is … Continue reading →

In the Technology section of the UK version of BBC News Online last Tuesday there was a story headlined Howard in vote ‘spamming’ row. I expected, reasonably enough, that the headline referred to Michael Howard, leader of the UK’s Conservative Party. It turns out, for those with time to click on the link and read beyond the headlines, that it’s about John Howard, the Australian Prime Minister, and some political … Continue reading →

from Jeffrey Archer’s

Whilst reading this Guardian story (“Republicans bring out the knives”, indeed) that mysteriously appeared on BBC News Online I noticed the Related Internet Links list reads: – 2004 Republican Convention – Counter Convention – George Bush – John Kerry Who or what is Counter Convention I wondered? A quick look later, and lo, it’s a website set up by a ‘collective’ of ‘protestors’ and ‘activists’ who are ‘dedicated to helping … Continue reading →

Last Wednesday, 25AUG04, News Online featured a story headlined Gay group protests over Mobo list about the nominations of artists whose songs include allegedly* homophobic lyrics, as highlighted by the gay rights group Outrage! When I went back to look at the story after the weekend it had changed: – the first paragraph used to end ‘allegedly include homophobic lyrics’, – the word ‘allegedly’ has now been deleted – so … Continue reading →

Miller time at the Convention. Naturally I’m not going to say the BBC is worse in some of its US political coverage than other media- after all, they have less at stake than the US networks. Also, today I watched an appallingly cut report on ITV that gave the only articulate lines to Michael Moore- the rest was frenzied Repugnican ‘whooping’. Furthermore, the only reason I am led to make … Continue reading →

I’d say the BBC has been quite muted. Obviously there’s a lot of politicking involved- you are not getting a glimpse into anyone’s soul- but from the BBC you would think that the whole thing was hollow as an easter egg. Take what were generally regarded as quite powerful speeches on the opening night. Rob Watson had his own way of presenting them. On John McCain, he said ‘what John … Continue reading →

Below I asked What’s the difference between an interview and a sketch?, as helpfully demonstrated by Brian Wheeler of BBC News Online. By way of a related follow-up: What’s the difference between new news and old news? Unfortunately, News Online don’t provide an answer this time. Surprisingly, the same Gorgeous George Galloway puff piece, last updated on Friday 13AUG04 (allegedly!) is still featured on the main BBC News Online Politics … Continue reading →

I was saddened very much by a letter in yesterday’s Sunday Times*, concerning the horrific judicial murder in Iran of a sixteen year old girl, Atefeh Rajabi, because, it appears, she annoyed the so-called judge at her so-called trial for the so-called crime of “acts incompatible with chastity”. Googling for the story produced a number of supporting accounts, including this one at Iran Focus. Reports of the case were also … Continue reading →

here are a few repeats of a classic BBC News Online error – this one being one of my all-time favourite examples of the ignorance, laziness and inability of BBC News Online journos and their editors (who should know better – assuming they actually read what they edit)! 10SEP2002 Rock stages show of strength [Peter Caruana, Gibraltar’s Chief Minister,] had earlier declared that Gibraltar was “at a crossroads in its … Continue reading →