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Biased BBC

Friday, October 17, 2008 ed thomas # Toa Kitu Kidogo + Icon Management ( BBC PrObamaganda roundup) For those non-Swahilli speakers who visit this site (there must be at least a few), the first part of the title above means "give a little something"- and is a common expression in Kenya, used in particular when a policeman wants a little bribe. Well, I should imagine the inhabitants of Kisumu, West Kenya, could be using the expression once the One has won as is clearly the wont of the BBC. We're had the centenarian nun, voting messiah; now comes the airport request. Oh, and meanwhile, while the Obama-Kenya story is filed in Africa (as though the BBC normally concern themselves with regional African airport proposals), back in their "election coverage" we find out the effects a One victory would have ondancers in Harlem. The incessant drip, drip, drip of PrObamaganda continues with the BBCshowcasing the One to illustrate his (purportedly) self-deprecating humour, as he refuted suggestions that he was born in a manger by saying he was actually born on Krypton. It was excerpted from a slightly stilted, acceptably witty speech Obama gave to a charity dinner audience on Thursday, which McCain also addressed- only McCain actually got the lion's share of the laughs (he was frankly quite unleashed and hilarious- recommended viewing). Yet the BBC offered us a three minute segment of Obama's speech which loads automatically when the frontpage-featured link is clicked. McCain's very funny speech was freighted with uproarious stuff, yet is reduced by the BBC to two very short segments. In total, Obama gets 5 minutes plus direct frontpage access. McCain gets 2 minutes, split into two parts, hidden below the One's contribution. The ratio 5:2 with frontpage versus fourth-page treatment seems about right as a summary of the BBC's partiality for Obama over McCain. You can see the whole McCain speech here. Obama's is here. Comments: 25 (unread) - Biased BBC Home