The day started with a surprise…the BBC giving plenty of coverage to the suggestion by what started off as the ‘independent think tank’ Reform that prisons are being run better by private companies than the public sector. Presumably the ‘Reform’ policy institute caught the BBC napping….because it was only later in the day that ‘Reform’ suddenly became a ‘centre right think tank’…meaning everyone can relax….you can ignore this research…the Public … Continue reading
I was on the BBC this morning discussing what is termed the call “from MP’s” to “name and shame” those companies who are not paying the requisite amount of tax. I HAD wanted to bring up Margaret Hodge’s personal experience of minimising her tax affairs via the Stemcor company in which she has a “tiny” amount of shares (£1.8m) but was warned off the issue as the famously litigious Hodge … Continue reading
Wednesday arrives and so does a new Open Thread. Over to you folks…
This item by Mark Easton has got the attention of quite a few readers I can see. This is quite a neat dissection of it by a B-BBC reader… “An article on the BBC website today by Mark Easton entitled ‘Why have the white British left London?’. Few of the glaringly obvious reasons are discussed; rather, it is all presented as something normal and natural. In fact, it’s largely down … Continue reading
A lot of people don’t like the French National Party leader, Marine Le Pen and her policies. They would like to prevent any of her policies being heard in public. Perhaps some like the BBC’s Jeremy Hardy would take the extreme position of advocating shooting BNP members and their ilk in the back of the neck. Who is the extremist? Le Pen is speaking today at … Continue reading
The BBC continues its barrage of ‘educational’ programmes on global warming for the allegedly hard of thinking among us…. ‘Expedition to the End of the World’ Not much subtlety there…much like the BBC’s title ‘Fighting The War’ for a series on the Iraq War…which had the sole purpose of painting the war in the worst light possible. Its latest effort is a gloomy, doom laden offering capturing the thoughts … Continue reading
If only BBC journalists had the same backbone: For over a decade, the Arab television broadcaster Al-Jazeera was widely respected for providing an independent voice from the Middle East. Recently, however, several top journalists have left, saying the station has developed a clear political agenda. Doha tries to lead public opinion by the nose. More than ever before, critics contend that the broadcaster is following a clear political agenda, … Continue reading
For the BBC it is an article of faith that Hamas are full of good intentions and that try as they might they are unable to control other groups within Gaza. Given the ruthlessness and total grip over Gaza that Hamas has that was always an unlikely scenario. Hamas in all probability has complete control over every event in Gaza including who launches rockets and when into Israel….and the ‘detainment’ … Continue reading
From BBC Watch: BBC CoJ debates the use of the term ‘Islamist’ The College of Journalism’s own article: ‘Islamist’ – acceptable shorthand or dangerously misleading? BBC Urdu’s Aamer Ahmed Khan gives rise to the suspicion he may not be a reliable witness: “The confusion is where you use [Islamist] interchangeably with the words ‘militant or extremist’. It’s just plain wrong – as wrong as calling a tortoise … Continue reading
How will the world cope with BBC journalists on strike? Radio 4 was a Today free zone this morning and my blood pressure the better for it! Are you enjoying the silence?
