Sunday, July 6, 2003
I was in the car on Friday, July 4th. The radio was on a BBC program. In honor of the 4th, what was the BBC doing? Well, they were talking about the lofty ideals of the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution, yes, but that was only to frame their real subject...the 600 detainees at GTMO.
Yes, that's right, the BBC took the opportunity of the 4th to stage yet another permutation of "America on Trial." As if the other 364 days of the year weren't enough. Adding insult to injury, the guest who was defending the US position was on a barely-audible phone connection, while the one questioning the detentions was loud and clear with an in-studio sound.
Do I really need to point out that that made it two to one?
Whatever one may think of the detentions, could the BBC give it a frickin' rest just one day of the year? Barbara Amiel has a few ideas for reform.
Telegraph | Opinion | Disinfect the BBC before it poisons a new generation
The Government's ox was the BBC's coverage of the war in Iraq. The BBC was careful in its approach. It did not explicitly undermine our fighting soldiers - even while maintaining a steady anti-coalition campaign.
This approach was capped by its report of an uncorroborated, anonymous intelligence source who claimed the Prime Minister and Alastair Campbell lied to the nation concerning the reasons for war.
For the Tories, the ox was the coverage of the local elections last May. The Tories compiled a dossier on the short shrift the corporation gave them and claim to have wrung a verbal apology from director-general Greg Dyke.
My oxen are the BBC's relentless anti-Israel and anti-America biases. These two biases often meet, as in last Saturday's BBC Arabic Services programme analysing President George Bush's forthcoming visit to Africa.
Was it about peace or was it all part of his plan to militarily, economically and politically dominate the world? Arabic Services have never subjected the policy of any contemporary ruling Arab leader to such scrutiny.
Last week, the government of Israel decided it would refuse BBC interviews, impose visa restrictions on BBC personnel and generally make life difficult for BBC employees. I happen not to agree with this Israeli action, but I understand the impulse.[...]
