Biased BBC

2008-07-04T07:27:00.005Z

Just Asking...

Why is the article about accepting a role for Sharia in UK law given more prominence (with picture) on the BBC World News page than on the BBC UK page (where there is no picture, and it appears in the "other top stories" section. Oh, and the main story is something or other about a badger cull)?

Update: Great link here from George R for those who wish to explore further. Looks like one to bookmark.

2008-07-04T07:26:00.004Z

Only on Today ...

Written an amusing pamphlet comparing the United States government and its foreign policy choices with those facing the Corleone mafia clan from 1972 gangster classic The Godfather ?

"... the ageing Don, Vito Corleone - emblematic of a declining hegemony ..."
"... when he's shot at the fruit-stand this is in many ways a parallel to what happened to the United States on September the 11th ..."

Take 10 minutes of primetime breakfast listening.

You couldn't make it up.

2008-07-03T19:14:00.004Z

A BIASED BBC ANNOUNCEMENT.

It's not so long ago that I put up a post asking for your favourite/most infamous example of BBC bias. The response was excellent and prolific and inspired an idea that I now wish to share with you.

It is our intention to publish a book which details in glorious technicolour the BBC bias we talk about here on a daily basis. Provisionally entitled "The Little Book of BBC Bias" the aim is to take twelve killer topics and demonstrate in an authoritative, detailed and excoriating manner the bias the BBC exudes. YOU will have a role to play in this since many of the best observations of BBC bias come from your side of things rather than from your humble correspondent. I will detail shortly how you can do this - and we will organise around each key topic. The book will allow us to get the topic of BBC bias to a wider audience, raise the profile of Biased BBC, and further the entire debate.

We have been working in the background on the mechanics of this exciting project and there are two challenges we have to face. The first is cost, the second quality content. We want this to be a well presented and well written book with a definitive take on the BBC. The archives of this site, combined with your own detailed referenced suggestions, and a sprinkle of some of my own thoughts, will deliver the content. The cost is the other issue! To complete the project - which we have costed - we need to raise 5k. I will shortly publish a PAYPAL contribution button for you to use on this site if you wish. I will also provide details as to how cheques for the project can be sent. I hope you think this is an evolution worth supporting since it will bring the best of this site into the published form and open up a new front on the BBC. I hope you are enthused by this project and look forward to your thoughts to follow. We ARE going to do this - hope you can be part of the team in nailing BBC bias in ALL it's awful detail! I look forward to the BBC reviewing our book.

2008-07-03T16:41:00.005Z

The fightback continues... against Boris

The BBC is leading the way in blunting the Conservatives' revival with this special coverage of... well, what exactly about Ray Lewis? Headlined "Mayor's aide in sex claims enquiry" it's never clear what the sex claims are in fact. The article is filled with something else on the financial side apparently pursued by the oh-so-upright Church of England back in the 90's. It's basically a mess of conflation. The usual suspects, the rat pack of journos, can be heard on the BBC's televised clip from Deputy Mayor Ray's press conference- Jon Snow et al getting very snooty indeed. Boris is getting a going-over and the BBC is desperate to be in the vanguard.

I didn't notice this level of zeal, or even any interest at all, in the case against Lee Jasper.

2008-07-02T21:25:00.003Z

ARISE SIR KEITH? Did you pick up on the BBC's coverage of Labour MP Keith Vaz having received a letter from Geoff Hoon assuring him he would be "appropriately rewarded" for his efforts to help secure the Government victory on the recent 42 day detention. Perish the thought of sleaze, dismiss the idea of corruption. This is all "light-hearted" and "a joke" apparently and the BBC faithfully retail this. If it was a Conservative, do you think the same jokey lines would be let pass?

2008-07-02T21:17:00.003Z

THAT DAVIS HATE FIGURE. Don't know if you saw the BBC report on the 10 0'Clock news on the by-election caused by David Davis resigning on the 42 day detention charge issue. It was a complete stitch-up with the BBC reporter determined to convey the impression that the whole thing is a bit mad, eccentric and not of real interest to the local voters. Even when David Cameron turned up to support David Davis today, the BBC were there to suggest disharmony between the two men. I don't know what Davis thought of this just broadcast coverage but it felt to me like a polished knife being stuck into his campaign to highlight the assault on our liberty led by Zanulabour and apologised for by the miserable BBC.

2008-07-02T13:31:00.003Z

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS. Pleased to say that June saw the B-BBC site record the highest number of comments for the past year! Contrary to the whinging of some Beeboids here, this site is on the up and traffic grows. The fact that the odd troll (Indeed some very odd trolls) have to be banished from time to time does us no harm whatsoever and has not lessened the quality or depth of debate. I have a BIG announcement to make to you all concerning the development of Biased BBC and hope to share this in a few days. Thanks again for your support - much appreciated!

2008-07-02T12:48:00.003Z

BULLDOZING REALITY. I see that the BBC are reporting on the latest instance of Palestinian savagery - this time a Palestinian has driven a bulldozer into a bus and several cars in Jerusalem, killing four people before being shot dead, Israeli police say. Dozens of people were hurt, at least seven critically, in the incident on Jaffa Road, in the city centre. The BBC leaves it to the Jerusalem police to describe this as - and I quote- "a terrorist incident." Naturally Al Been cannot bring itself to utter such a judgemental term when referring to the actions of a member of the world's most oppressed people. The BBC also is quick to report that Hamas was not to blame. Indeed the BBC helpfully adds that "Attacks by Palestinian militants in Jerusalem have been a rare occurrence, with none of their trademark suicide bombings since September 2004. " Mmm - militants, interesting choice of word for scum who strap on an explosives pack and enter a wedding feast or a disco or a pizzeria. I guess this must have been the act of just one poor Palestinian, deranged by Israeli brutality perhaps, eh? I express my sympathies to those people murdered by this evil Palestinian and my contempt for the BBC for failing to use the t is for terrorist word once again.

2008-07-01T14:32:00.001Z

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.

2008-07-01T14:17:00.005Z

Mr Mote's Objection

Independent MEP Ashley Mote has written to the President of the European Investment Bank questioning that organisation's issuing of soft loans to the BBC. He claims this has led the BBC to breach their charter and gives a few examples. Read the whole thing, but here is Mr Mote's selection:

1. Listeners were invited to nominate the one piece of legislation they would most like to be repealed. The European Communities Act 1972, which took the UK in to what was then the European Community, was far ahead of all other nominations. The result of the poll was never broadcast.

2. The BBC’s director general Mark Thompson admitted to the Daily Mail a lack of objective coverage and “serious flaws” in BBC coverage of EU matters. Nothing noticeable has since been done to improve the situation.

3. The BBC Trust tells me in writing it has nothing to do with the EU, later publishes an annual report entitled “Forging the Union” directly contradicting the fact, and has only last month been quoted on the BBC itself as “representing licence-payers”! Opaque, if not downright deceitful.

4. Within days of the first EIB loan the BBC’s then Economics Editor broadcast a series of interviews and news items from around the EU about the prospects for the euro. Balanced and objective they were not. They were so embarrassingly deferential that any news editor worthy of the name would have binned them without a second thought.

5. During the signing of the Nice Treaty, within the hearing of many potential interviewees from the UK, the BBC producer on site instructed his crew not to record or report the significant demonstrations against the treaty going on all around them. Opposition was quite literally whitewashed from the screens of British viewers, whose money funds the EU and your bank in the first place.

6. Jonathon Chapman, described at the time as a senior BBC World News Reporter, told the Malta Press Club in March 2004 that “The BBC’s job is to reflect the European perspective…and make the news less sceptical. That is why the BBC has such a large bureau in Brussels”.

On the other hand, I would just add one of my favourite little lyrics:

“You cannot hope to bribe or twist, Thank God! the British journalist But, seeing what the man will do unbribed, there's no occasion to”

2008-06-30T21:51:00.004Z

MORE OIL FOR BLOOD. The news that Iraq plans to significantly increase it's oil production in the next year or so is being hailed by the BBC this evening as conclusive evidence that THIS is what motivated the US invasion. If only! The BBC are real truthers on this - incapable or unwilling of understanding that removing the Saddamite thugocracy was virtuous in itself! It is such an insult to all those brave servicemen and women - US and UK - who have made the ultimate sacrifice trying to give Iraqis a shot at democracy to put it all down to a lust for cheap oil. But since when did the BBC care about our military....

2008-06-30T21:40:00.003Z

60 YEARS, MORE SPENDING- MORE NANNYISM. Did you see that the BBC's specially commissioned poll to mark 60 years of the NHS has come up with the ...ahem.... "surprising" revelation that the majority of people here in the UK want to see more State interference and greater State spending in the health service? You have to admire the BBC's brassneck - using this anniversary to push for more Statism and enhanced taxation all to be poured down the gaping maw of the Stalinist NHS. Not much of a mention of the thousands that DIE each year in this vast filthy monolith. Like the BBC, the NHS is politically driven, overstaffed with bureaucrats removed from reality, and in need of demolition.

2008-06-30T10:39:00.004Z

Knockabout liberalism

The liberal assumptions that govern the BBC's output can be seen in the following two articles here and here.

In the first Robert Piggot begins his article on Anglicans and their splits:

"Word has got about that traditionalist Anglicans have something against gay people - and that is what is driving the Communion towards disintegration.

Of course some of them might not like homosexual people, but, as they never tire of pointing out, that is not what this historic rift is about."

So, in an ironic sort of way, he concedes that there may be more to the Anglican conservatve position than pure bigotry- as they "never tire of saying".

Matt Frei meanwhile is one of those whose inability to overcome his innate prejudices is almost comically obvious. America, he says while reporting the mourning for Tim Russert "likes a good yarn and here they still appreciate good journalists as master story tellers."

This fondness for a good yarn (as opposed to the more adult and rigorous reality that Frei deals in) sets them apart from the rest of the world who are more firmly "weary of "the media"". All well and good, but did Frei ever ask himself just how it is that the only major media networks that have a modicum of independence are all Western? People in China, in Africa, in South America haven't really had the time to become weary of the media. Having some to speak of might be a novelty in some cases.

2008-06-30T07:21:00.003Z

WAITROSE AND MUGABE. Oh no - not ANOTHER post on the BBC's coverage of Mugabe! Yes, 'fraid so. You see until I tuned in to the BBC this morning, I did not fully appreciate that the way for the Zimbabwean tyrant to be toppled from power is to force Waitrose from trading with some small family fishing and agricultural enterprises in Zimbabwe. Peter Hain, that model of financial propriety, was on Today this morning to explain that corporate Britain should be banned from having any trading links with Zimbabwe, regardless of the misery this would have on those denied the chance to export their produce. The BBC interviewer did not demur from Hain's line of thinking, so absolving African nations from their responsibility to isolate the tyrant and instead putting corporate Britain in the frame.

2008-06-29T23:17:00.002Z

KEN HEARTS GORDON. Touching to read this report from the BBC in which Red Ken Livingstone praises Mr Broon, absolving him of any blame for his defeat at the hands of Boris Johnson. It really is a gushing little tribute to Brown from the odious Livingstone - all part of Operation Save Gordon which is now a central part of the daily BBC agenda at the moment. I laughed at the last line in this report where Livingstone shrills about Brown "there will be a record of delivery." Quite right - Brown will deliver a Conservative government in 2010 and all this pathetic shilling from the State Broadcaster will do NOTHING to change that.

2008-06-28T17:28:00.003Z

SHADOW BOXING. Is it just me or do you also detect that the BBC has been spinning madly wildly and deeply for Mr Brown in regard to his serial mutterings over Mugabe in Zimbabwe? Not a day goes by without some new headline on the BBC expressing the Great Leader's "outrage" at just about everything the thug Mugabe is doing. Now don't get me wrong, I would like to see Mugabe meet his maker right now -( in whatever way would facilitate such a meeting) - but I suspect there is a cynical hand at play here and even as Labour disintegrates in front of our eyes Brown gets fawning coverage on this issue from the BBC, He makes lot of noise about Zimbabwe whilst actually doing NOTHING of any substance. Why does the BBC not query why Labour has sat back over the past decade of Mugabe's violence against his own people and done nothing? I suppose when it was just white farmers and their workers being ethnically cleansed and murdered there was little need for the BBC to stir from mute complacency?

2008-06-28T17:16:00.003Z

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST. Poor Wendy Alexander - her only crime was to act "in good faith"! Reading this article on the BBC one could be forgiven for thinking that Wendy had simply followed bad advice and was the victim of SNP intrigue! It's fascinating to consider how the BBC treat Alexander's financial incompetency and compare that how they treat a nine year old examination into Caroline Spelman's financial affairs. It must break BBC hearts to have "Bring it On" Wendy forced to walk the plank due to her own crass stupidity and arrogance and I reckon that you can expect the BBC to now seek Spelman's head as revenge.

2008-06-27T16:04:00.000Z

2008-06-27T15:42:00.002Z

OFF WITH HER HEAD. It's my view that the BBC despises the Royal Family and never misses the chance to put the boot in. Take this headline "Royals 'cost the taxpayer £40m' . The report faithfully reports the pro-Republican mantra that the Her Majesty should be paid a salary and the Monarchy treated as if it were just another branch of government. Check out the headings given to each section within this item - more subtle propagandising against our Royal Family. Whilst I accept the imperfections of Monarchy, I sure as hell think it provides better value for the people of this country than the bloated BBC monolith which costs us £££billions.

2008-06-27T12:29:00.003Z

QUESTION TIME WATCH. Did you see QT last night? Wasn't it a delight to have a cross-dresser in the shape of Grayson Perry on the panel - perhaps the only man/woman in Britain who wants to pay "10%" more tax if we believe what he says? I presume this was a blow for gender equality in the minds of those who put together this show? QT is increasingly a freak-show and should be viewed on that basis. This kind of dross dumbs down political debate - maybe that is the intent? And wasn 't Mr Dimbleby gentle on the financial expenses -challenged Ms Yvette Cooper?

2008-06-26T22:59:00.003Z

PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999. Following on from Nick Robinson's onslaught against the Conservative Party tonight, (see previous post) I now see that the offensive against Caroline Spelman led by the BBC continues. It alleges that some (un-named) Tory MPs are calling for Pparty chairman Caroline Spelman to be sacked, after further evidence emerged about her payments to her nanny. Mrs Spelman's secretary complained in 1999 that the Meriden MP was using Parliamentary allowances in this way, BBC Two's Newsnight has learned. Well, it MUST be true then. Hey, look like we're gonna party like it's 1999 again - with the BBC remorselessly pursuing Spelman for her decade old alleged sins whilst the likes of Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper, not to mention the blessed Wendy Alexander, get a sympathetic hearing for their totally understandable financial accounting misunderstandings.

2008-06-26T21:23:00.004Z

CAMERON AHEAD IN POLLS - RED ALERT! I wonder if any B-BBC readers happened to catch an amazing hatchet-job on the Conservative Party carried out by Nick Robinson on the 10 0'Clock News? The background to Robinson's "analysis" was tomorrows excellent poll showing for Cameron's party and Robinson instantly brought up references to "Tory Sleaze" with Spelman once more being used to undermine Cameron. Robinson intoned that Conservative poll ratings would most likely fall (wishful thinking Nick?) and threw in some images of the 1970's as Thatcher fought to bring the Unions under control. I thought this was an amazing instance of bias and wonder if anyone else has comment on it? It seems that the BBC are determined to try and undermine Cameron and give whatever aid they can to the busted flush Brown.

[UPDATE BY NATALIE SOLENT: Actually it seems Brown is ahead in the polls. Brown is at 46%, Cameron at 28%. This may surprise some of you, so here is a picture from BBC News to prove it. Hat tip: Moonbat Nibbler.]

2008-06-26T20:00:00.003Z

HARMLESS ROCKETS. I see that Palestinian terrorists are continuing to fire rockets into Israel, one week into the much vaunted "truce." I was intrigued to read this BBC report which states that the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade said they fired the rocket, which fell harmlessly, to retaliate for alleged Israeli violations of the truce. Subtle, eh? OK so the Palis did FIRE a rocket or two but they were harmless and anyway those pesky Jews had violated the "truce" so retaliation was only to be expected, right? Why is the BBC so relentlessly pro-Palestinian no matter how blatant the savagery from Al Aqsa and Hamas? Notice the way in which the BBC gives Hamas claims priority in this story.

2008-06-26T19:30:00.004Z

IN THE WINDMILLS OF THEIR MIND. The BBC is always enthusiastic to put across ONE side of the environmental debate. If you check out this latest news item concerning the announcement by UK PM Gordon Brown that thousands of new wind turbines could be built across the UK over the coming decade as part of a £100bn plan to boost renewable energy you only get to read one side of the issue. Brown warns that this surge in wind power would not come from "business as usual" and he called for a national debate on achieving the UK's target of 15% renewable energy by 2020. But where is the debate folks? The article provides us with several sources all trying to outdo each other as to just how great windpower will be but there is NO balance of this kind for example..

Professor David J C MacKay of the Cambridge University Physics Department has some fascinating conclusions on renewables. "MacKay offers maps and figures indicating the staggering scale of the engineering. Britain would be literally covered with — and girdled by — massive wind farms, tidal barriers and wave barrages, and every sizeable body of water in the land would rise and fall to the strange new tides of the national grid. We would have literally rebuilt the British Isles as a single mighty renewable generator, pouring concrete and erecting steel on a scale so far matched only by human habitation — industrialising the land and sea in a way that would make intensive agribusiness look like a wildlife refuge. And still we’d be importing power." How about the BBC does what their master Brown asks and gives us a debate - not a one-sided litany?

2008-06-26T07:15:00.004Z

THE WAR ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR. Social engineering is very much at the heart of Labour policy and the State Broadcaster always falls in line with this as can be seen from this outrageous report into controlling how private enterprise can operate under the guise of "Age Discrimination." Note how a report which starts off talking about the need to outlaw all forms of age discrimination ends up advocating the requirement to hire women and ethnic minorities ahead of white men. Also note the witch-hunt proposed against the private sector via targeted "investigations" by the independent Equalities and Human Rights Commission. The idea that an employer might seek to reward an employee solely on the basis of merit is alien to the Government and the BBC seems to sell the same line. Indeed the idea is floated that private firms are threatened with loss of public sector contracts UNLESS they have the right ethnic minority mix (whatever that means?) it sails by without a murmur of comment by the State Broadcaster. What could be more natural than forcing diversity at all costs even at a time when every business in the land is trying to control costs? The danger for our society is that we have a left of centre Government hell-bent to socially engineer and a State Broadcaster which acts as its propaganda arm.