BBC'S SELECTIVE SENSITIVITY


Observers have long recognized BBC as one of the worst violators of media objectivity when covering Arab-Israeli and Jewish-Muslim issues. This latest example of BBC corporate policy adds to that mountain of evidence:


Robert Kilroy-Silk
On Jan. 9, BBC took Robert Kilroy-Silk's morning program off the air after Kilroy-Silk made offensive statements against Arabs in a newspaper article. The BBC action followed a complaint from the Muslim Council of Britain.

While one can understand the offense taken by the Muslim community to Kilroy-Silk's views, HonestReporting is startled by the quick action of the BBC in this affair, in light of the years of BBC tolerance of vicious anti-Israel statements by its on-air personalities ¯ in particular, poet and frequent BBC host Tom Paulin.

In April 2002, Paulin stated in an interview to the Egyptian weekly Al-Ahram that "Brooklyn-born" settlers in the occupied territories "should be shot dead." "I think they are Nazis, racists. I feel nothing but hatred for them," Paulin said, adding: "I never believed that Israel had the right to exist at all." Despite complaint from the Jewish community about these statements and Paulin's other comparisons of Israelis to Nazis, the BBC continued to allow Paulin to be a regular contributor to the BBC Newsnight Review arts program.


Tom Paulin
A British parliament member, quoted in the Telegraph, questions the BBC's double standard:

Andrew Dismore, the Labour MP, said he found it hard to understand why the BBC had moved against Mr Kilroy-Silk but had not taken any action against Mr Paulin. "I am not defending anything Mr Kilroy-Silk has said, but I was greatly upset by what Mr Paulin said, and I think the rules should apply to people equally," said Mr Dismore. "Mr Paulin said awful things about Israel and Jewish people. He should have been kept off BBC screens while his own comments were investigated. I was surprised that that did not happen. It smacks of double standards on the part of the BBC."

A number of American universities, including Harvard, cancelled planned readings by Paulin after his call to murder, but the BBC never sought to remove Paulin from Newsnight Review. BBC had only this to say: "[Paulin's] polemical, knockabout, style has ruffled feathers in the US, where the Jewish question is notoriously sensitive."

The 'Jewish question'? This is the language of official 1930's Germany, where the Jewish people were considered a 'question' to be 'solved'. And why does BBC consider sensitivity to these issues as 'notorious'?

BBC was the ignoble recipient of the 2001 Dishonest Reporting 'Award', and last year the government of Israel broke all official contact with BBC (after BBC broadcast the false accusation that Israel used nerve gas against Palestinians). And now, the parallel circumstances of Tom Paulin and Robert Kilroy-Silk demonstrate even further that a level of tolerance exists for Israel-bashers that BBC will simply not countenance elsewhere.

How ironic that the Muslim Council of Britain's complaint to the BBC was worded as follows: "We wonder whether you would consider it proper to give the same kind of prominence to a presenter who was so openly anti-black or anti-Jewish?"

In fact, with Tom Paulin, the BBC is doing just that.

--- BBC's Royal Charter Renewal ---

The British public, meanwhile, pays for BBC's irresponsible journalism: The BBC is largely funded by the 2.3 billion pounds ($3.9 billion US) it receives yearly from a mandatory 109 pound ($175) licensing fee levied upon every UK television owner. In return, BBC's Royal Charter demands "authoritative and impartial coverage of news and current affairs in the United Kingdom and throughout the world" ¯ a far cry from what BBC delivers.

It is high time that the BBC be forced to compete in the open marketplace like all other news agencies. In that scenario, the general public could demand journalistic integrity from the BBC front office, editors and reporters.

The time is right to act ¯ the BBC's Royal Charter and funding are presently under British governmental review. HonestReporting encourages subscribers to support the cancellation or non-renewal of the charter by writing to UK Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell: [email protected]

British citizens are further encouraged to support the petition drive to end the TV licensing fee that funds the BBC: just click here.

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can we do the same to FOX News and CNN.

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*** Sig will be edited -> see rule #5 regarding political/religious content
Theodore Herzl, founder of the World Zionist Organization: "Spirit the penniless population across the frontier by denying it employment... Both the process of expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried out discreetly and circumspectly."

quote:

Originally posted by Palestinian can we do the same to FOX News and CNN.

I don't really want to get into the whole pointless Israeli/Palestinian debate, but why is it that every time someone finds evidence of journalism with an anti-Israeli slant, you immediately bring up some completely unrelated (and often unsubstantiated) example of pro-Israeli slant?

I'm not denying that there is plenty of biased journalism on both sides, but why is it so hard to just accept that someone is guilty of an anti-Israeli bias without whining about the other people who have pro-Israeli bias? Do you have to get defensive every time this comes up?

It's like the papers here in Toronto, man... everybody knows that the Star is a left-wing paper, but when you say that to someone, they don't whine "yeah but the Post is a right-wing paper!" Yes, we know it's a right-wing paper, that doesn't justify the Star's left-wing bias. How about, rather than trying to fight biased reporting with even more biased reporting, someone tries to actually report objectively?

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see I don't exactly buy that the BBC is any more anti-Israeli biased than it is anti-Palestinian biased. And I didn't say that I didn't acknowledge it being anti-Israel biased, but if "Honest" Reporting wants to point fingers at BBC, then it should also point fingers at FOX and CNN; guess "Honest" Reporting is also BIASED. The BBC also needs to actually report the many Palestinians that were killed in the past month and the current seige of Nablus that left 15 killed this week and of all the Palestinians that were beaten up and handcuffed to trees and left alone last month at a checkpoint. And of the Palestinian that was bitten by an IDF dog all over his body and face. In reality, the BBC is also disgustingly anti-Palestinian biased since it has failed to report on these incidents.

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Theodore Herzl, founder of the World Zionist Organization: "Spirit the penniless population across the frontier by denying it employment... Both the process of expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried out discreetly and circumspectly."

This "honest" reporting thread is a joke...

Not only does it pick and choose exactly what they need to fufill thier agenda, they hold only once stance, a biased one where Israel is made to look innocent.

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quote:

Originally posted by Palestinian see I don't exactly buy that the BBC is any more anti-Israeli biased than it is anti-Palestinian biased. And I didn't say that I didn't acknowledge it being anti-Israel biased, but if "Honest" Reporting wants to point fingers at BBC, then it should also point fingers at FOX and CNN; guess "Honest" Reporting is also BIASED. The BBC also needs to actually report the many Palestinians that were killed in the past month and the current seige of Nablus that left 15 killed this week and of all the Palestinians that were beaten up and handcuffed to trees and left alone last month at a checkpoint. And of the Palestinian that was bitten by an IDF dog all over his body and face. In reality, the BBC is also disgustingly anti-Palestinian biased since it has failed to report on these incidents.

Again with the defensiveness...

Nobody is trying to say that the IDF are saints. I think it's unfair to say that the BBC is not reporting honestly because they don't report every single Palestinian death at the hands of the IDF; I'm quite certain that they don't report every Israeli death at the hands of Palestinian suicide bombers and other terrorists either. I would venture to say that the BBC may have better things to do than supply up-to-date statistics on exactly who is being killed in the middle east and when. It's a tiresome, drawn-out issue, and it really would not surprise me in the slightest if many media entities would prefer to just avoid it altogether, because it seems as though no matter what they report, they'll take flak from someone.

Ilan posted a very rational and valid criticism of the BBC and how they chose to censor a journalist with pro-Israeli bias but neglected to do the same with an anti-Israeli journalist. This issue is completely divorced from the particulars of which killings they do and do not report. We're talking about what appears to be favouritism on part of the BBC's entire management, which has the potential to be far worse than the slant of a single reporter.

Again, I don't think any of us are trying to imply that Israel is innocent, which is how you seem to be interpreting the situation. It's simply a well-deserved criticism of the BBC. If you have other articles and links which criticize CNN and Fox then you can feel free to post those too. Although I don't think it's necessary, since we already know that CNN and Fox are a joke - I think a lot of people expect the BBC to be a little more objective, which is where the significance of his article really lies.

I just think your retort at the article he posted was uncalled for. If you wanted to post examples of how the BBC was actually showing pro-Israeli bias as opposed to anti-Israeli bias, then that would have been fine, but there's no need to get emotional about it. If you have a rational rebuttal to his article then great, post it - but I don't think that posting slurs against CNN and Fox are really helping your side of the debate.

But I'll admit, I came into this thread a little late, so I'm not positive what kind of history you all have. All I could see was Ilan posting what appeared to be a fairly-written article and you trying to shoot it down with an angry retort. I'm sorry if I've managed to misinterpret the situation, I just think we're heading down the wrong path if our aim is to have an intelligent discussion.

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2009-06-18 - DJ Annoying @ People Need To Know Where I'll Be
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2048-06-66 - Spastic & Whocares ¶ Although I'm Actually Flattered
9999-45-81 - Tweaker Gimp ☼ I Probably Won't Even Go To This But I Have To Make Sure I Fill Up All The Available Space Here

I'm simply criticising "Honest" Reporting for having their own bias. I strongly disagree with your claim that it's unfair to say that the BBC is not reporting honestly because they don't report every single Palestinian death at the hands of the IDF. I'm not asking them to report every single death. But they don't even report large amounts of deaths that are happening now. Yesterday the BBC reported one Israeli settler's death. But the BBC failed to report 12 Palestinians who were killed in one week. My point is that I accuse the BBC of being increasingly more biased against Palestinians than it is against Israelis. It views Palestinian blood as less precious than Israeli blood. My other point is that "Honest" Reporting is also a biased joke. I find it disturbing that "Honest" Reporting doesn't criticise BBC for that.

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*** Sig will be edited -> see rule #5 regarding political/religious content
Theodore Herzl, founder of the World Zionist Organization: "Spirit the penniless population across the frontier by denying it employment... Both the process of expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried out discreetly and circumspectly."

First and foremost, great posts DigiNut. Very clearly written, for those who aren't so clearly seeing the problem (...or so they make it seem).

quote:

Originally posted by Palestinian The BBC also needs to actually report the many Palestinians that were killed in the past month and the current seige of Nablus that left 15 killed this week and of all the Palestinians that were beaten up and handcuffed to trees and left alone last month at a checkpoint. And of the Palestinian that was bitten by an IDF dog all over his body and face. In reality, the BBC is also disgustingly anti-Palestinian biased since it has failed to report on these incidents.

Sources to some of these entertaining fallacies would be helpful to you right about now!

quote:

Originally posted by Cyrus King This "honest" reporting thread is a joke... Not only does it pick and choose exactly what they need to fufill thier agenda, they hold only once stance, a biased one where Israel is made to look innocent.

Exactly it's point! It was created to expose an extreme upsurge of anti-Israel sentiment in the mainstream media! It's dangerous and I’m extremely happy to see people standing up to this powerful wave of plain and simple hatred! As has been pointed out to you in the past - on numerous occasions I might add... they are not hiding their agenda from anyone. Their own website clearly states their objectives in raising awareness to such issues currently tainting the mainstream media as the ones I have posted throughout this thread.
*CLICK HERE* I'll make it easy for you to get to the link this time... I’d hate to see you recycle those same baseless arguments...again! *CLICK HERE*

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I very well know about that section, ive read up on it. However, if one wants to criticize bias, they shouldnt take a side, becuase then they are BEING bias.

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"This place isn't big enough for me to blow it up."
-MARCO V

quote:

Originally posted by Cyrus King I very well know about that section, ive read up on it. However, if one wants to criticize bias, they shouldnt take a side, becuase then they are BEING bias.

You're right, if the site wanted to gain more credibility, it would be a good idea for them to show examples of pro-Israeli bias as well.

Nevertheless, this does not make the site's articles any less valid. And there seem to be plenty of sites designed to show the apparent pro-Israeli bias anyway (we need look no further than Al Jazeera).

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2009-02-21 - DJ Attention @ I'm So Popular
2009-06-18 - DJ Annoying @ People Need To Know Where I'll Be
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AFTER GLORIFYING HOMICIDE BOMBER, SWEDEN SHOULD TAKE LEAD TO MAKE SUICIDE BOMBING A 'CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY'

Join the Simon Wiesenthal Center's protest to Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson over an art exhibition sponsored by the Swedish government that glorifies a Palestinian homicide bomber and to demand it takes a lead to make suicide bombing a 'crime against humanity'.


"Snow White and the Madness of Truth" which is displayed at Stockholm's Museum of National Antiquities, features a sailboat on a pool of red water with a photo of the smiling female suicide bomber, Hanada Jaradat, who murdered 22 Israeli Jews and Arabs in an October 4th attack on a restaurant in Haifa, Israel.

Israel has demanded that Sweden dismantle the inflammatory exhibition after the Swedish government gave assurances, in advance, that the Middle East conflict would not be included in the exhibition. The inclusion of this exhibit is a clear violation on what was agreed upon. While artists have the right of freedom of expression, they should be challenged when they try to depict terror and mayhem as a virtue. The artwork was designed by Israeli-born Dror Feiler and his Swedish wife Gunilla Skoeld Feiler.

The exhibition is linked to next week's January 26 - 28 "Preventing Genocide" conference in Stockholm hosted by the Swedish government in which 60 countries are scheduled to participate, including Israel.



Swedish P.M. Goran Persson
The government of Sweden has championed the exhibit under the rubric of artistic freedom even though it glorifies suicide bombings. But what is Sweden prepared to do for the real victims of terror? No nation has yet had the courage to officially come forward to declare suicide bombing a 'crime against humanity'. We believe that now is precisely the right time for Sweden to show leadership and responsibility in combating international terrorism by joining the Center's campaign to declare any suicide bombing against any nation, a 'crime against humanity'. Such a move, unlike the display at the Stockholm Museum, would delegitimize terrorists rather than glorify them.


Click here to send your protest directly to Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson...

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We don’t thrive on military acts. We do them because we have to, and thank God we are efficient.