| Has the BBC’s integrity been compromised?
As a continuation of a theme
The BBC’s neutrality, perception and power.
The BBC was accused in a post in the UK section of being biased reporting on the Israeli attempt to get their kidnapped soldiers back from a terrorist organisation and following war. The consensus was that the BBC was anti Israeli due to its left wing tendencies, recruiting procedures etc.
I’m gutted I missed this topic when it was hot.
But as a new member, I’m reading through topics, and this is of great interest and importance. I agree that most British press is anti Isreali. I don’t understand why, I’m sure after a 5 year long random rocket barrage against civil targets in and around Shepherd’s Bush and White City would maybe change thier perspective, but maybe not. Nothing makes sense about hating a race, nation or religion as a whole. But who says humans have to make sense.
So to try to get the discussion started again hopefully :-
I propose that the BBC have become Timid and Tired, Tow the Line Toadies for Tony’s Cronies.
( and it just happens to have a tabloid ring to it!)
The argument for the case is - that after the Andrew Gilligan, report on the PM’s ‘sexed up WMD’s in Iraq document. The BBC was subject to an enquiry, it lost it’s well thought of head honcho. Had a new team of bosses brought in by (gov) appointment. And has been very very careful to tow the line since. Slow with reports and conservative comment.
FYI, Gilligan was right, but lost his job anyway.( Now with Sky I think) Has never had an apology.
- Dr David Kelly lost his life. There are just too many incongruencies about this tragedy.
- Alistair Campbell still wields power of sorts and other voted for and unvoted for officials that were involved, likewise.
- And the BBC is now alot more fearful of p…ing off the Government.
Because Teflon Tony cannot and will not let little people or little things like truth integrity and honesty stand in the way of his personal beliefs in running the county & its foreign policy.
- From the start of the Iraq war this country’s majority (according to national polls) has been against such a war and yet daily a lot of people are killed over there. It’s not going to stop either by the looks of it.
- His teams have over the years strengthened central control. Yet professed to decentralisation ( Devolution )
- Surrounded themselves with self serving cronies and set up a nice lucrative exit strategy by getting in bed with big business through awarding highly profitable government contracts to them.( PPP) Or the Cash for Boardroom Seats crisis as it will come to be known
- Weakened or defamed competition and given critics good reason to stay quiet. (Fear)see Gilligan/Kelly above) & Cook and Short to name a few
To control the media is to control the masses. New Labour have had a very cosy relationship with the media moguls (Murdock) from the start, with the print media tied up and control of the presentation or timing of the news on the BBC. (Indirectly of course, via the DG to the various editors and controllers of the news programmes.) Gives Team Blair a credibility to kill for!
I also think that it would be very naïve of anyone to believe they use this control on a daily basis to control the mundane. No. But to sneak news out under cover of other stories, change exaggerate or downplay a story at the critical time. I’m sure that Tony’s advisers have read the Prince and the Art of War too. So far they have always got away with it.
We have run into a situation where we already have a presidential style cabinet.
All /a lot of worthwhile (old guard) opposition be it left , right or liberal have left politics for good or leaving their parties.
-We never had a truly proportional democracy anyway. (What is the benefit of 1st past the post?)
I fear a dumbing down of our society not through boredom or disinterest. But because we are being led quite cleverly by the nose via our national media and most of us don’t even know it! I had drink with a junior editor from channel 4 news once, I commented that they are the ones who tell us what to think and believe and she wholeheartedly agreed. Scary!
Please don’t mixup one mans geo-political fantasy with the fact and present it as the BBC News. It will lead to lack of credibility. Pity the fool uh.. fool me once and …uhh well it’s a well known saying … well shucks just look at FoxNews and the eloquent Bush!
I simply do not believe that the BBC is able to face off the government in a test of wills, they have to play ball, and as such are open to being played and therefore so are we!
All power to the internet as a varied source of what’s going on out there.
Read storyX in the Syrian Times compared to storyX in the Ha’aretz and make up your own mind.
And remember ‘Good Night and Good Luck’
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