96 TEARS.

I’ve been away all day and just back but have listened to the BBC at several times and the coverage of the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough football crowd disaster was omnipresent. I remember watching the story unfold – it was undeed a terrible event and I feel sorry for all those bereaved families BUT the relentless MOPERY emanating from Liverpool and the BBC’s slavish coverage of it was over the top. Over on A Tangled Web, one of my fellow writers, Mike Cunningham, also picked up on the scale of the BBC coverage. Wondered what you reckon?

Untenable?


It is big news that the BBC has actually upheld some of the complaints against Jeremy Bowen. The way they’ve wriggled and jiggled out of the remainder is an indication of the wider battle we’re faced with.

Whether or not they sack him remains to be seen; it’s just the tip of the inherent bias iceberg really. The tenacity of the complainant Jonathan Turner is remarkable. Anyone else would have lost the will to live long ago.

General BBC-related comment thread

. Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. This is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! It’s your space, use it wisely!

THOSE SMEAR MAILS – WHO IS TO BLAME?

Anyone else caught this interview with Armando Iannucci on Today this morning? It allegedly concerned parallels between story lines in his TV programme “In the Thick of it” and the current McPoison Gate. I noted that Armando was able to get the sly line in that David Cameron also has spin doctors around him and so the culture of spin and spite evident in the current case was likely to continue under the Conservatives. BBC subtext; they are all the same, Save gordon.


General BBC-related comment thread!

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. This is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! It’s your space, use it wisely.

SHIVER ME TIMBERS!

Happened to catch BBC News at One O’Clock on R4. I see they are now pushing the line that the decisive actions by the French and Americans off the Somali coast may actually increase the risk to the lives of mariners! Those pesky pirates may stop being so co-operative next time round. Can’t stand up for falling down, eh?

IMPLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY…

Anyone else catch Postie Johnson being interviewed by Naughtie this morning on the topic of those Downing Street smears? For me, the crux of this interview – which sums up the BBC approach – is that Johnson was blatantly allowed to get away with suggesting that Gordon Brown could not be held responsible for everything that people who surround him get up to. Naughtie eventually DID bring up the substantive point that McBride was not exactly some anonymous low-ranking individual but rather a senior and trusted Brown strategist but even then, he let Johnson walk away from the clear infererence. Gordon Brown has taken the well know Trumanism and inverted it “The Buck never stops here” and the BBC plays along with this ludicrous charade. Can you imagine the difference in tenacity and tone from the BBC had we a Conservative Prime Minister presiding over such a sleaze culture?

Thank you

LESSONS IN PROPAGANDA

BBC can always be relied upon to give the appropriately entitled NUT conference favourable coverage. The Keffiyeh adorned hordes that turn up for this annual circus are now complaining that the government plan to extend “free” nursery care are actually reducing the care children get. How? Well, it seems that some teachers work loads are being increased as a consequence of this policy. Oh dear – that would never do, would it? Perhaps another strike looms – with attendant favourable Beeb coverage?