In the space of a few minutes on the Today programme this morning, we had two egregious instances of BBC climate change hype. First, it was claimed that 2013 was the official warmest year ever in Australia. As it happens, I was in Australia last year for a few weeks, it wasn’t that warm but the BBC managed to add that such extreme heat “fitted into the global pattern”. Really? … Continue reading →

None, really. Yesterday, on Today, John Pilger was allowed to come on and claim that “more than a million” people have been killed in Iraq since 2003. Now talking fiction is the order of the day from Comrade John but the BBC must have felt slightly embarrassed about this so this morning, around 6.50am, they wheeled on the latest UN special representative to Iraq. He was quizzed to provide a … Continue reading →

    Jeremy Bowen retweeted this comment on the 26th of December: #Hezbollah is pressing hard to be granted similar powers in security & foreign policy matters that Syria exercised in Lebanon for 15 yrs. — Mohamad B Chatah (@mohamad_chatah) December 27, 2013   Mohammad Chatah was then assassinated the next day.   Bowen’s only comment was this: Mohamad Chatah was always informative and frank when I spoke to him. … Continue reading →

  I think it was obvious that the BBC giving Miliband a prime time slot on Desert Island Discs was intended to improve his desultory image with the Public….they now seem to have admitted this was the case….. Desert Island This was also the year that Ed Miliband appeared on Desert Island Discs and Deborah Mattinson believes that, in general, the Labour leader’s image among the public is improving, albeit … Continue reading →

  Funny old world…there’s hardly a day when Maggie Thatcher isn’t blamed for everything that is wrong in the world…and indeed the BBC are pushing this tale hard on R4 and the web: Miners’ strike: ‘Police fitted me up’     Curious that the BBC completely ignore this: Margaret Thatcher judged to be best post-war prime minister by politicians of all parties Iron Lady valued for decisiveness, over traits such … Continue reading →

    BBC rejects subscription fee calls The BBC has rejected calls to introduce a voluntary subscription fee for its services. Responding to a government inquiry into the future of the BBC, it argued the £145.50 licence fee was the “most effective way” to fund the corporation. It warned a subscription model – where users only pay for the services they want – would exclude many who could not afford … Continue reading →

      David Preiser must be choking on his hash browns as he reads this from the BBC:     A big #YearOnTwitter for @BBCBreaking Across our television, radio and digital services we’ve delivered to huge audiences at regional, national and international level. Social media is an increasingly important part of our news output. In terms of breaking news that means @BBCBreaking and its eight million followers. So what’s … Continue reading →

  Via the Telegraph: BBC Radio 4 Today criticised for ‘left-wing tosh’ chosen by guest editor PJ Harvey Listeners flood Twitter with complaints over musician’s selection of contributors for special edition of flagship radio programme, including Julian Assange and John Pilger     And here Paul Mason, who has fled the sinking ship, seems to be saying something unusual about the BBC……   Brilliant @PJHarveyUK edition of @BBCr4today demonstrating difference … Continue reading →

    David has already mentioned Today’s guest editor, P.J Harvey….an undoubtedly highly political one at that, but the final flourish from her, her choice of her (non religious) ‘Thought for the day‘ was shot through with irony when you consider the BBC’s own control of information, its attempts to close down debate…want to make a critical comment about climate change…you’re a ‘denier’, want to critique Islam…you’re an Islamophobe or … Continue reading →

        As David notes there is great amusement at the climate scientists and Guardian/BBC journos etc getting stuck in the Antarctic ice.   There has been no mention of climate change at all for some reason in any of the BBC news bulletins I have heard…until today when the intrepid World at One broached the subject inviting in a renowned climate scientist (13:08)…because as you know they … Continue reading →