While everyone is enduring yet another full day of BBC reporting negatively about the nasty cuts forced on the poorest by the Conservative-led Coalition, it's also necessary to check out the BBC's reporting on budget policy developments in the US. Barack Obama unveils US budget plans for 2012 Attacking Israel with malice aforethought is one of this country’s favourite pastimes. From grave political misrepresentation emanating from MPs and broadcasters, to gossip and urban myth perpetuated by press, television, journalists and chatterati. For example, a misdiagnosis of the PaliLeaks revelations is firmly embedded in public consciousness. Despite being filtered through sources with infamously anti-Israel agendas - the Guardian and Al-Jazeera - the consensus is that the Palestinian negotiators were weak, cravenly offering everything to the swaggering intransigent Israelis. This interpretation sabotages the PA, the peace process and damages Israel’s image even further, if that is conceivable. Without taking the trouble to ask themselves cui bono, who benefits, they adopt this theory and stick with it. Go Figga. Swallowing this interpretation has a prerequisite., which boils down to believing that Israel is simply wrong. Wrong to defend itself, wrong to be Jewish and wrong to be in Muslim Lands. Imagine, if you will, that Israel’s deputy foreign minister was a nice chap. Imagine that he applauded what the Egyptian people have been striving for. Imagine, as if your imagination was huge and boundless, that this man was Danny Ayalon, and you saw that he was good, and fair, and personable, and without a nasty foreign accent. Then suspend your disbelief, and with a gigantic effort imagine that John Humphrys didn’t interrupt this, this, this...silver-tongued trickster. This is getting too much. Snap! You’re back in the room. Here comes Jeremy Bowen. He couldn’t believe it either. “Of course you’re getting a partial view” he spluttered, because he hadn’t got a leg to stand on. Imagine! Jeremy Bowen accusing someone of having a partial view! Laugh? No, not really. Jeremy Bowen simply believes Israel is wrong. Wrong to defend itself, wrong to be Jewish and wrong to exist. From Michael Buerk's intro to the Moral Maze this week (via Bishop Hill): Reviewing a day's output (6.00am-10.00pm) of the BBC News Channel might perhaps give another perspective on the endemic problem of BBC bias. In the comments field below you will find a detailed run-through of the channel's coverage of one particular story on Monday of this week and how that compares to their treatment of a seemingly similar story on the following day. Then a number of other stories featured as part of Monday's rolling news coverage will be examined more briefly. Does it all add up to a damning indictment? A little bit more on the BBC promoting an exhibition of photographs by the German propagandist photographer with the chilling rictus grin and the “who, me?” shrug. I first heard it advertised on Radio 4’s night-time World Service programme on the arts, “The Strand.” I mentioned it in my previous post, and several commenters mentioned it again on yesterday’s Open Thread. See what Robin Shepherd has written, watch the video, and weep. In the month of January, there were 268 arbitrary arrests and detentionsof peaceful opponents of the Castro Regime in Cuba. Obama's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper today told the House Intelligence Committee that the Muslim Brotherhood is "largely secular". I don't think even the Brotherhood's cheerleaders at the BBC have gone so far as to say anything that stupid. It's causing waves in the American media and blogosphere, and yet the BBC's account of proceedings fails to mention it. UPDATE FEB 11. The administration has "clarified" Clapper's remarks. Nothing from the BBC.
BBC Economic Bias: Only The Left Has It Right
>> MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2011
US President Barack Obama has unveiled his 2012 budget, describing the proposal as a "down payment" on future cuts to the US budget deficit. The budget aims to cut $1.1tn (£690bn) from the US deficit over a decade. He said the US must live within its means and called for some reductions, but said "we can't sacrifice our future" with drastic cuts.
The White House policy sounds suspiciously like the Labour line. It's not a coincidence, as both Labour and the White House are guided by the same economic principles. Notice how the BBC treats The Obamessiah's position. After the requisite criticisms from Republicans - which sound suspiciously like the Tory statements, only without the luxury of the "we inherited this mess" card - we get more of the Labour line....sorry....White House line that we "can't sacrifice our future in the process". Does that sound familiar? It should. The BBC sub-editor who put this together subtly sets you up to interpret the subsequent statement from the President with this: Although Mr Obama is empowered to propose a budget, it is up to the US Congress to enact it into law and then to distribute the funds. Mr Obama's budget is seen as an opening bid in a long process of negotiation with House and Senate leaders of both parties, and analysts say Republicans will press for deeper cuts.
"Analysts" say? The Republicans themselves have only been shouting it from the rooftops since Nov. 3. Why bother attributing the notion to anonymous analysts? Also notice how the BBC makes sure to include that the negotiations will be with the leaders of both parties. Then we get some Gordon Brown language in a summary of one of the President's points: At a school in Baltimore on Monday morning, Mr Obama called for future investment in education, transportation infrastructure and high speed internet, "so that every American is equipped to compete with any worker anywhere in the world".
"Spending" is softened and sexed up into "investment". You've all heard that one before, and will continue to hear it next time Ed Balls is in front of a BBC microphone. Then the BBC quotes the President's own words about exactly the same thing. "While it is absolutely essential to live within our means - and while we are absolutely committed to working with Democrats and Republicans to find further savings and to look at a whole range of budget issues - we can't sacrifice our future in the process," he said. "We have a responsibility to invest in those areas that will have the biggest impact in our future."
So when the BBC writes that His "budget is seen as an opening bid...", it's clear that this is in fact the White House's talking point. In other words, the people who actually see it this way are the President and Katty Kay's personal friend, the new White House Spokesman. And the BBC dutifully toes the line. He says He's going to work with "both parties", just like the sub-editor set framed it above. Another White House talking point turned into BBC reporting. Being Partial
MICHAEL BUERK AGAIN
>> SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2011
"not long ago, to question multiculturalism... risked being branded racist and pushed into the loathesome corner with paedophiles and climate change deniers"
Is Buerk really comparing climate change "deniers" with paedophiles, or is this observation from Saul Jacka in the comments at Bishop Hill closer to the mark?With respect, isn't Michael Buerk something of a controversialist? In other words, isn't he quite capable of implying what he doesn't mean to have a dig at some of his bien-pensant BBC colleagues? On past form, he is certainly capable of taking such a line
UPDATE: Cranmer:Michael Buerk is not himself equating anthropogenic climate change deniers and those who question the doctrine and policy of state multiculturalism with paedophiles: he is lampooning those of his BBC colleagues who do so habitually.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
>> FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2011
Twisted BBC Priorities: Cuba Edition
>> THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011
At least 268 arbitrary haltings of pacific opponents happened during the past month of January, revealed a report disclosed in Havana by the Cuban Commission of Human rights and Reconciliación Nacional (CCDHRN). All the prisoners were released after some hours or of several days, but four of them were committed in prisons of high security, delaying their judicial hearing; another four have faced the same situation from December of 2010. (translation mine)
But wait - there's more: The report emphasizes that the CDHRN was able to document in January at least 62 incidents that constituted abuses of human rights on the part of repressive agents of the government. The document also emphasizes that “the political repression was particularly intense in the city of Santa Clara where at least 61 arrests happened, from only the 26 to the 28 of January, some of them with plenty of violence on the part of the police agents”.
The BBC simply isn't interested. So what do they see fit to report? Cuba welcomes new internet cable link with Venezuela Cuba has welcomed the arrival of an undersea fibre-optic cable linking it to Venezuela as a blow to the US economic embargo. The cable will transform communications in Cuba, which has among the slowest internet speeds in the world.
Apparently it's all funded by the BBC's darling, Hugo Chavez. Celebrate! Human rights? Who cares about a few cracked skulls and detentions when a few well-connected (sorry) Cuban elites will be able to make cheaper international phone calls? Don't be such a bore, eh? Awesome priorities, BBC.MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD "LARGELY SECULAR"
Monday, 14 February 2011
Posts
