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May 08, 2003
Thursday
 
 
The BBC says it the ways they see it
Perry de Havilland (London)  UK affairs

And if you read through this Programme Complaints: appeals to the Governors (pdf file: go to page 8 for the best bits), you can find exactly how they do see it. I love this little gem:

  • [E]ven if the two men were involved in terrorist acts, it did not follow that the BBC should necessarily have referred to them as "terrorists" rather than "militants" [...]

Read that again... slowly. And again. Once more. Okay?

Now substitute the words 'rape' and 'rapists' for 'terrorist acts' and 'terrorists', and then replace 'militants' with 'sexually forceful'. Read the whole document to get the context of the actual remarks, but do you see where I am going with this?

I would care a whole lot less if these 'gentlemen' were not being funded with my appropriated money.

Comments

But...but...the Guardian says...

Here "due impartiality" rules ensure the news is balanced and independent - otherwise a broadcaster can be taken off air. So if Sky produces a diatribe against asylum seekers, it must make space for the opposite view. British viewers have confidence in television news because it is delivered free of rants or bias.

Posted by S. Weasel at May 8, 2003 06:41 PM

It's trivial to cease funding the BBC. Stop watching broadcast TV. Watch movies and videos instead.


Posted by Julian Morrison at May 8, 2003 07:43 PM

Unless you rip the the tuners out of your TV or video (or recordable DVD ;-) ) you'll still be forced to pay the TV tax. And even if you did butcher your TV they'd try to extract a radio licence instead.


Posted by mark holland at May 8, 2003 08:54 PM

three words:

beyond.fucking.belief


Posted by Sneeky at May 9, 2003 02:18 AM

....


Bizarre.....


Posted by Johan at May 9, 2003 09:27 AM

I also saw a news story on Fox News here in the states that Fox News has had complaints lodged against it concerning bias reporting during the Iraqi war. It seems that they want Fox News banned in the U.K. And they may well get their wish. Brits sorely need a first admendment. What's next the net?


Posted by driven to drink at May 9, 2003 09:30 AM

Mark: Not so. You only need to purchase a TV license if you use a TV for the purpose of viewing broadcast television. You're perfectly entitled to use a TV for watching DVDs.

See here for more details:
http://www.tvlicensing.biz/info_on_tvlicensing/index.htm


Posted by Rob at May 9, 2003 04:43 PM

That's worth knowing Rob, thanks


Posted by mark holland at May 12, 2003 04:38 PM