Conning the World
>> MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2010
After blanket one-sided coverage of the flotilla fiasco, Tim Franks hangs on to his job long enough to criticise Israel’s drop-in-the ocean attempt at redressing the balance. The song ‘We Con the World’ has already been banned by Youtube, so he needn’t have gone to the trouble of reporting it, and anything else said in Israel’s defence, as though it came from ‘Israel’s massive P.R. machine’ or some such.
In the light of the worldwide condemnation of Israel and international calls to lift the blockade, I’d have thought making a fuss about the only voice of protest against Israel’s delegitimisation, done with humour, was, what’s the word I’m looking for? Oh Yes, disproportionate.
SELECTIVE REPORTING...
>> SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 2010
In it's zeal to create the impression that the world and his wife wants the naval blockade of Gaza lifted, the BBC gushes that "The blockade on the Gaza Strip "must be broken", the head of the Arab League Amr Moussa has said." Odd then how they are less than effusive about sharing the news that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has told Obama that the naval blockademust be retained, lest it bolster Hamas. I guess not all news is equal...
QUEEN BASHING..
Nicky Campbell is on holidays (Spending more time with his ego?) so his "Big Question" TV programme is presented by Kay Adams. She led a discussion entitled "Does the Queen deserve a pay rise" (last one being 20 years ago, but the BBC doesn't do detail when it suits them). Adams suggested that the Queen might try cycling and open up her Palaces. Her Caledonian hatred of the Monarchy oozes through. This was a pro-Republican agenda dressed up as a topical "debate". The audience, as ever, was composed of swivel-eyed Royal haters.
IF WE COULD TALK TO THE TALIBAN...
>> SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 2010
A BBC meme is that it is always good to talk to terrorists. It doesn't matter where they are and it doesn't matter what they have done - the narrative is that "talk-talk" is the progressive way forward for all enlightened people. On Today this morning, I was stunned to listen a BBC contributor in the form of Conservative MP Adam Holloway declare that "we need to bring as much of the hard core Taliban" into the government of Afghanistan. These would be the same "hard core" Taliban that have just hanged a SEVEN yr old boy. I can see that Mr Holloway will be a regular contributor to the BBC in the time ahead.
It’s Not About You; it’s about me!
Before launching into his valedictory piece on FOOC, Tim Franks confided that he disapproves of solipsistic journalism, which he helpfully defined for us as the narcissistic ramblings of the ‘me me me’ variety, but he asked us to excuse his indulgence, just this once.
Announcing his resignation as BBC Jerusalem correspondent, he blamed his difficulties on being both a Jew and a journalist. He said he gets accusations of bias from all directions, which he interprets as a testament to his impartiality and objectivity.
When opining negatively about Israel it’s de rigueur to make a declaration of special interest by announcing you’re speaking ‘AsaJew.” This trump card is slapped onto the table as though it bestows special powers of credibility upon the blistering criticism of Israel you’re about to deliver.
It’s ‘AsaJews’ that get the mention and the attention. They’re saying “my background qualifies me to criticise Jews and Israel; by virtue of being a Jew myself I can speak against Israel” It has overtones of: “I’m guilty.” ‘I represent wrongdoers.’ This unearned trump card is useful only to Israel’s detractors.
The truth is AsaJews don’t always know more than others. They might even know far less. Obviously, being ‘a Jew’ covers a vast spectrum of ideological ground. It could imply an allegiance to Israel, or exactly the opposite. A number of Jews dissociate themselves from Israel and Judaism altogether, but whatever type of AsaJew you are, you are neither automatically knowledgeable, nor necessarily incapable of objectivity.
In other words, this declaration of special interest really shouldn’t be of any special interest whatsoever.
But it’s not only that. How often do you hear someone declare, ‘speaking as an antisemite?’ Never. How often do you hear a reporter add a qualifying, ‘AsaMuslim?’ Rarely. Yet the BBC uses Palestinian journalists, stringers and fixers all the time; how often is their partisanship noted or brought in as a disclaimer? It doesn’t need to be really, because ‘we are all Hamas now.’ That is to say, reporting negatively about Israel is the mean standard, the consensus. It’s the position from where we all start. In these turbulent times the legitimacy of the Jewish state itself is being called into question.
Jeremy Bowen has taken advantage of his Charles Wheeler award to indulge in some solipsism of his own.
He told guests at the award ceremony in London last night:
"The BBC Trust accused me, wrongly in my view, of some inaccuracies in my reporting,"
"They did that because of a rather nasty campaign group in the United States and some highly politically-motivated individuals in this country who were in fact the enemies of impartiality, but they got their thoughts through."It’s the Jewish Lobby, don’t you know.
"I think we need to realise that proper news coverage is as important as ever,"he said.
"Charles Wheeler knew that telling the truth, which journalism is supposed to be about, that can put a few people’s noses out of joint…He could have said “I speak AsanAntisemite.” But he didn’t need to. He just said “I’m impartial; trust me.”
"If that means that at the BBC we offend a few people and we receive a few nasty letter and some rude articles in some of the newspapers, then I think that is absolutely fine. I think it's good, why not?”
BLOODY BBC...
For decades, Irish republicans have been assiduously cultivating the myth that bad and evil British soldiers deliberately murdered 13 "peace activists" in Londonderry back in 1972. The "Bloody Sunday" inquiry Number Two conclusions Number Two come out early next week and the BBC are doing their best to keep the narrative going by repeating their "Bloody Sunday" play (Part Two today). Expect to hear the BBC get stuck into the British Army with relish next week even as they sanitise IRA Commander Martin McGuinness and his fellow republican terrorists who used the crowds on that day to cover themselves even as they endeavoured to kill British soldiers. Wonder when the BBC will commission a play "Bloody Friday" and the alleged role of IRA monsters like Gerry Adams in ordering the murder of so many innocents on that day? Just remember, it's NOT a good day at the BBC if they cannot undermine our Armed Forces.
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