Monday May 28, 2012

BBC slammed for refusing to air Gaza appeal

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  • 0

    TheQuestion

    The BBC is justified in its attemtps to remain impartial and its actions should be commended. I have never seen a commercial on BBC for any side of an ongoing or recent conflict and it does my heart good to know that it will remain as such.

    The news exists to inform, not to sway opinion one way or another. That is the main reason I can't stand CNN and Fox for their unsubtle bias to one side or another. BBC is one of the few great news companies with a shred of objectivity left.

  • 0

    Molenir

    I'm very surprised by this. That the BBC would actually refuse to air the Hamas propaganda piece rather surprises me. Especially considering the slant of their coverage during the war.

  • 0

    some14some

    Bad Broadcasting Courier rightly criticized by its own people.

  • 0

    sydenham

    if it were an israeli show they refused to broadcast, would there be the same outcry?

  • 0

    wuzzademcrat

    I think the virulently anti-Israel, anti-Jewish sentiment among large portions of London's nearly 1 million Mohammedans, often indicative of a wider and more ominous antipathy, has the British government very worried.

    Tens of thousands protested on some days during the recent police action Israel was forced to take in response to thousands of Hamas rockets fired at their schools and homes. The rioters in London attacked police and other completely gratuitous targets.

    Expat Iranians will often tell you that The BBC World played no small part in Khomeini's rise to power. Iran, of course, is Hamas' financier and even brings Hamas 'soldiers' to Iran for training.

    Irony or "blowback"?

  • 0

    likeitis

    That the BBC would actually refuse to air the Hamas propaganda piece rather surprises me.

    Red Cross, Oxfam, and Save the Children. I don't think these organizations are above criticism. But producing Hamas propaganda? Your desperation is showing.

  • 0

    bojalal

    It is a charity fund raising appeal for humanitarian purpose and it has nothing to do with Hamas.

  • 0

    likeitis

    if it were an israeli show they refused to broadcast, would there be the same outcry?

    I wonder how that would go?:

    Israelis in Sderot and Ashkelon desperately need your help. They suffer from supped up hobby rocket attacks almost daily. They only have enough money to build rocket shelters for people, but not their cars and toys. This is Ishmael Herzl. He is 10 years old:

    "I was swimming in my neighbor's heated indoor pool when the rocket hit near my house. It ruined my new bicycle. But worse than that it damaged my father's BMW. Dad said fixing his BMW would cost so much, that he could not replace my bike for a whole month! I finally got my bike, but after a month of so little exercise, I got so chubby that mommy reduced my cookie rations to one a day from two. We need more rocket shelters, not only for dad's BMW, but my bike too."

    Please help Ishmael. Send your donation to...

    No, I don't think there would be an outcry. I think some idiots would actually send money.

  • 0

    TettoeAung

    The BBC, trying to justify its refusal to air Gaza appeal on impartiality sounds more like the military regime in Burma blocking international aid into the country after Cyclone Nargis. To me, the decision makers of that corporation must have lost either their common sense or their humanity.

  • 0

    adaydream

    It's just another example of the Israeli influence and the continued trampling of Gaza and the Palestinian people. < :-)

  • 0

    bobbafett

    likeitis,

    do you have any contact details for Ishmael? I want to help him.

  • 0

    sydenham

    likeitis, you don't think there would be an outcry against the BBC refusing to air an Israeli charity appeal?

    Hmm, so you're saying anti-Jewish sentiment runs high in England. Well, with all the fanatical Muslims I keep reading about that live in England, I guess I'm not surprised.

  • 0

    bobbafett

    If you ask any Muslim in the world their political views, no matter which country they were bought up in, you will get generalizations and metaphors in their answers, that points directly to an extreme point of view. You will get the same response from Jews, Christians, Hindus etc. Most of the people on this earth are brainwashed in certain ways. Its basic anthropology.

  • 0

    rajakumar

    Still 1,481,000 palestinian for BBC to help. The BBC do lots of coverage in favour of palestinians. I think this gaza appeal is just a minor ommission, on part of BBC.

  • 0

    SuperLib

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticismofthe_BBC

    Criticism of the BBC

    Looks like someone slipped in a reference to this story already. You'll notice it because it's the only specific reference to the BBC being biased against the Palestinians. All of the other examples are about the BBC being biased against the US and Israel.

    And of course, there's always the Balen report: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TheBalenReport.

    But it's nice to see so much attention for BBC's alleged bias against Palestinians.

  • 0

    SuperLib

    it could not be sure humanitarian aid would reach the needy in the chaotic territory.

    Why not just run a disclaimer saying that your donation might end up in the hands of Hamas and used to kill Israelis?

  • 0

    sailwind

    likeitis

    You can help at this link.

    Thanks

    http://www.myisraelcharity.org/projects.php?p=60

  • 0

    Madverts

    "Why not just run a disclaimer saying that your donation might end up in the hands of Hamas and used to kill Israelis?"

    Heh...

    But let's not let that get in the way of the ridiculus shrieking from both sides of the conflict.

    If the BBC don't want to show it they shouldn't - it's their decision. This is as crazy as that Londi bus driver that recently refused to drive a bus that had an atheist advert on it and went home. In a sensible world he'd have been dismissed, but demented PCness in the UK had the management find him another bus to drive.

    The BBC should stick to it's original position.

  • 0

    sailwind

    Likeitis

    What life is like under those daily 'hobby rockets'.

    http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=_xJ50cZmiHU

  • 0

    Madverts

    Bah, sail - life 'aint to great in Gaza either. I fail to see how people can take a side in this conflict.

  • 0

    bobbafett

    madverts,

    You right. I used to be pro Israel but am now just anti the whole problem. How can anyone pick a side.

  • 0

    sailwind

    Bah madverts.....HAMAS uses terrorism to try to achieve their goals. Until they renounce terrorism it's pretty darn simple to choose a side here.

    It's that simple.

  • 0

    Madverts

    And Israel uses temporary terrorism to protect itself from terrorism by bombing terrorists hiding behind civillians who voted for terrorists.

    Like I said - I can't see how anyone intelligent can support either faction.

    Moderator: Stay on topic please. The subject is the BBC.

  • 0

    sailwind

    A little clarity for you on this.

    And Israel uses temporary terrorism to protect itself from terrorism by bombing terrorists hiding behind civillians who voted for terrorists.

    I take it you mean temporary terrorism as in a declared military action.

    So in other words......And Israel uses military action to protect itself from terrorism by bombing terrorists hiding behind civillians who voted for terrorists.

    What country doesn't?

    Moderator: Back on topic please. The subject is the BBC.

  • 0

    AlfGarnett

    Come on BBC have some sympathy for all the dead and homeless is Gaza.

    Cor blimey, if them other stations show the appeal, you is going to look biased to Israel, laying you open to favouring a terrorist stste.

    ITV is better than BBC anyway, BBC is too liberal.

    As we write there are big demonstartions against BBC's decision, so i reckon they is gonna change their minds like.

  • 0

    SezWho2

    SuperLib,

    Maybe its for the same reason that politicians don't announce that your tax dollars may be used to kill Palestinians.

  • 0

    rajakumar

    BBC used to be the best news media in the past,the came along competitions via ted turner's CNN(cable news network) which made news even better via Time warner group. Time warner is also in US movie hollywood business and music business . Time warner is in music via Warner music and in movies via WB movies. Time warner also operates global satellite movie channels HBO/Cinemax and Time magazine.

    BBC is very different in presentation,where they do not like the USA's hollywood infuence and high commercial media style of USA.

    Since Nov 2006, that is for last 2 years, al jazeera english(Doha) news has also been providing news ,not provided by CNN/BBC.

    Al jazeera is run by a palestinian refugee Wadah Khanfar who migrated from Tulkarm,West bank,palestine. Example of a palestinian making it big in global media.

    During recent Dec 2008 war with hamas,they al jazeera provided best coverage of the news via advantage of their arabic staff in their news media group.

    Al jazeera is airing this Gaza appeal,good for them. Seeing from angle of media titans. Global news media has different factions Ted turner time warner empire, Al jazeera arabic palestine-qatar media empire and British empire BBC news.

    Rupert murdoch from Australia is also big in global news media. Rupert murdoch has global influence via Fox news,20th century fox,news papers and other media channels like Star movies satellite Channel.

    Murdoch news media is more pro neo-conservatives type style in media,Ted turner is more southern democrat style in news media and not pro-GOP.

    Al jazeera is very pro-arab and pro-palestine in style of news media influence.

    While BBC was the best news media from 1930s to 1980. CNN started in 1980s and changed global news via their style from 1980s.

    Ted turner says Rupert Murdoch has much influence on pro-British Labour party policies BBC. Guess it up to people round the globe,to choose their news media factions and their view points.

    Of cause all these news media groups try to believe that their media is impartial in the news media and in global influence messages/views.

  • 0

    SuperLib

    Sez, you're bias is showing again. In the past you took very careful steps to try to hide it from the casual observer....but recently you don't seem to be putting in the same effort. What's up?

  • 0

    Roger2

    Atleast there is media freedom in UK unlike US.

  • 0

    Luddite

    Oh Alf Garnett, I don't think you've seen British TV in a long while. ITV is on a sharp downward spiral and has been for a long time. Their news bulletins have been thinly disguised editorials for years.

    The BBC is impartial. It is also independent of the government, which all governments have hated, and has been the whipping boy of the right wing media for a long, long time. The BBC will be damned if they do and damned if they don't. It's not the first time they have refused to broadcast an appeal (the last was for the Lebanon a couple of years back). Don't remeber any fuss then. The broadcasting rules on these appeals say there has to be a consensus between all broadcasters. Up until yesterday there was a consensus not to broadcast, but the other TV companies have broke away, probably a good opportunity to join in the BBC bashing that has been going on in the past year. There seems to be a lot of uninformed opinion and deliberate avoidance of facts going on in this debate.

  • 0

    Luddite

    Would you like to enlighten us wuzzademocrat, or just continue to make random comments with nothing to back them up?

  • 0

    wuzzademcrat

    "Would you like to enlighten us wuzzademocrat"

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-411846/We-biased-admit-stars-BBC-News.html

    "Yes, we are biased on religion and politics, admit BBC executives"

    [...]

    "Senior figures admitted that the BBC is guilty of promoting Left-wing views and an anti-Christian sentiment. They also said that as an organisation it was disproportionately over-represented by gays and ethnic minorities. It was also suggested that the Beeb is guilty of political correctness, the overt promotion of multiculturalism and of being anti-American and against the countryside."

    thisislondon.co.uk 22.10.06

    "BBC executives admitted the corporation is dominated by homosexuals and people from ethnic minorities," said Simon Walters of the Mail, and "deliberately promotes multiculturalism, is anti-American, anti-countryside and more sensitive to the feelings of Muslims than Christians."

    http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/bbc-admits-anti-american-bias/

  • 0

    Luddite

    The websites you refer to are not 'neutral'. They also have an agenda. Why don't you just quote the Daily Mail.

  • 0

    JackBerstein

    The BBC has given free air time to previous appeals by the Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella for groups including the Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children. The appeals have raised millions of pounds for victims of war and natural disaster in Congo, Myanmar and elsewhere.

    But they refuse to help the victims of Gaza and, two years ago, Lebanon. Gee, I wonder why. Northlondon, seems to be onto something.

  • 0

    SuperLib

    Go to wikipedia and do a search for "Criticism of the BBC." When you post the link into Japan Today's message box it's turning part of the link into code.

    My personal favorite: In October 2006 Chief Radio Correspondent for BBC News since 2001 and Washington correspondent Justin Webb said that the BBC is so biased against America that deputy director general Mark Byford had secretly agreed to help him to "correct" it in his reports, and that the BBC treated America with scorn and derision and gave it "no moral weight"

    When you're done with that do a search for "The Balen Report," or just go here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-444074/BBC-pays-200-000-cover-report-anti-Israel-bias.html.

    "The BBC has been accused of "shameful hypocrisy" over its decision to spend £200,000 blocking a freedom of information request about its reporting in the Middle East.

    The corporation, which has itself made extensive use of FOI requests in its journalism, is refusing to release papers about an internal inquiry into whether its reporting has been biased towards Palestine.

    BBC chiefs have been accused of wasting thousands of pounds of licence fee payers money trying to cover-up the findings of the so called Balen Report into its journalism in the region, despite the fact that the corporation is funded by the British public."

  • 0

    Roger2

    My personal BBC favorite was when BBC Reported collapse of WTC Building 7 too early

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mxFRigYD3s

  • 0

    Luddite

    Many posters here seem to be labouring under the mistaken assumption that the BBC made this decision due to government pressure. The British government has CRITICISED the BBC for not showing the appeal and is urging them to so.

    Fuuny all the 'evidence' posted against the BBC is via the Daily Mail, a paper that regards the BBC as the enemy

    Like I said, uninformed opinion and avoidance of the facts on this story.

  • 0

    bishamonten

    The BBC is funded by the British tax payer via a licensing system so they do not in fact have any right to broadcast any kind of advert that they believe their fee paying viewers would not support. Given that we are now only part way through a truce between the Israelis & Hamas (the Palestinians) broadcasting this appeal would be taking sides. This is an ongoing war with a few days holiday in the middle. If the fighting starts again, & where Hamas are concerned that is very likely, then this appeal would be seen by the not so bright British public as having supported (overtly for a change) the Palestinians.

    Every one will have noted from Alf & northlondon’s posts (among others) that there is still a strong anti-Jewish feeling in Britain. Support for Israel in near non-existent as can be seen by the ease with which a demonstration of thousands can be brought about. The British government will bend over backwards to keep the muslin population happy, very probably because they fear them & what they can do. Big bangs on tube trains for example.

    Impartiality at the BBC? Not a chance, it supports the Palestinians 100%. Maybe airing this appeal was just a little too overt even for the BBC.

  • 0

    Luddite

    I've never read so much paranoia and racist misinformation in a long time. How many of you are in the UK?

  • 0

    Roger2

    The BBC is an instrument of Zionist propaganda. In addition to defending Israel’s terrorism and the illegal occupation of Palestinian land, the BBC is an active complicit in Zionism war crimes throughout the Middle East.

    However due to it´s strong pressure from the people in UK BBC are now reconcidering their stane. This is a good example of people power and direct democracy.

    http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/01/2009125185514535196.html

  • 0

    SezWho2

    SuperLib,

    On the contrary, I though you were showing your bias. That was what was up.

    The notion that relief funds for the Palestinians might find their way into providing arms that kill Israelis pales in comparison to the fact that arms and munitions for the Israelis have killed Palestinians. Your comment was biased and more than a little snarky.

  • 0

    Luddite

    And now Roger2 spouts more paranoia and made up facts. 'Strong pressure from the people'? I don't think so. A few rabble rousers invading the BBC in Glasgow is not representative of the British people.

  • 0

    SuperLib

    Sez I think your new level of propaganda is wonderful and refreshing. I'm curious as to how high it will go in the future. You have a lot of newbies on Japan Today to impress. Good luck. ;)

  • 0

    Luddite

    So apart from me, no one who has posted here is actually in the UK. And has more than a couple of biased websites for information. Why I avoid other ex-pats.

  • 0

    wuzzademcrat

    Luddite has writeen:

    "So apart from me, no one who has posted here is actually in the UK. And has more than a couple of biased websites for information. Why I avoid other ex-pats."

  • 0

    wuzzademcrat

    "The websites you refer to are not 'neutral'. They also have an agenda."

    The websites I linked to had direct quotes from BBC execs.

    If you are right they are wrong.

    Does Britain have libel laws?

    If it does, and the BBC has so many defenders, wouldn't those quotes have been retracted and the sites and newspapers I linked to have been prosecuted for their crimes?

    Or maybe Britain has no libel laws - in which case how could anyone trust any of its news organizations?

  • 0

    sabiwabi

    But they refuse to help the victims of Gaza and, two years ago, Lebanon. Gee, I wonder why.

    Hmmm, what could it possibly be?

    Given that we are now only part way through a truce between the Israelis & Hamas (the Palestinians) broadcasting this appeal would be taking sides. This is an ongoing war with a few days holiday in the middle.

    This is not a war. This is Israel slaughtering its prisoners for simply wanting freedom. Big difference!

    Impartiality at the BBC? Not a chance, it supports the Palestinians 100%. Maybe airing this appeal was just a little too overt even for the BBC.

    I find the BCC a little less biased than CNN or FOX, but all three are clearly much more pro-Israel than pro-Palestine. There is so much information they are ignoring, information that would help people understand this conflict for what it truly is, where the Palestinians are the victims.

  • 0

    Soochi

    The BBC is an instrument of Zionist propaganda. In addition to defending Israel’s terrorism and the illegal occupation of Palestinian land, the BBC is an active complicit in Zionism war crimes throughout the Middle East.

    The Beeb gets accused of quite the opposite on a far more regular basis. The balanced criticism suggests a degree of impartiality at least.

    And to the poster shouting libel - try googling the words "Hearsay" or "Statements of Opinion". They teach it lesson one, day one at The Daily Mail school of journalism.

  • 0

    Luddite

    wuzzademcrat - Britain has very liberal libel laws. Are you suggesting a public organization sues for libel? Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.

    FYI - Sky has also said it would not broadcast the appeal. Where are the posts slagging off Sky? So, in the UK that's two broadcasters who won't screen the appeal against the three that said they will (but haven't done so yet, I wonder why?).

  • 0

    wuzzademcrat

    Luddite has asked: "Are you suggesting a public organization sues for libel? Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous."

    No, I wasn't suggesting the BBC sue for libel. But as I said in my post above, the sites I linked to contain direct quotes from high-ranking BBC nancy boys, admitting to a number of biases in reporting and apparently in hiring as well. Try and refute their quotes. Meanwhile, here is more corroboration of BBC bias:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1554749/BBC-report-finds-bias-within-corporation.html

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/bbc-fights-to-suppress-internal-report-into-allegations-of-bias-against-israel-442150.html

  • 0

    bishamonten

    Luddite at 08:34 AM JST - 26th January “So apart from me, no one who has posted here is actually in the UK. And has more than a couple of biased websites for information. Why I avoid other ex-pats.”

    Until this morning I was. Agree about the ex-pats. I always have doubts about why they are ex-pats.

    wuzzademcrat at 12:47 PM JST - 26th January

    “- in which case how could anyone trust any of its news organizations?”

    Who ever told you that you could?

    The Daily Mail is fighting an ongoing war with the BBC because that is what it’s readers like, it helps sell that paper. Daily Mail readers dislike what the BBC broadcasts, its too liberal for them & they don’t want their licence fees being used for programmes they don’t want to watch. Most are old enough to remember the dreadful old Alf Garrnet type sit coms that still believe in “EMPIRE” & in some odd way they blame the BBC for the loss of “EMPIRE”. Quote anything from that paper & you are quoting the far right of British thinking.

  • 0

    zurcronium

    Self censorship to cover the war crimes of Israel. Happens all over the world.

  • 0

    bishamonten

    zurcronium at 09:18 PM JST - 26th January

    "Self censorship to cover the war crimes of Israel. Happens all over the world."

    If it has been censored how do you know? Or are we only to believe what we want to believe? Sounds about right for the posters here.

    The BBC cannot be trusted, because they are anti-Israeli, NOT pro-Israeli.

  • 0

    Luddite

    wuzzademcrat - are you going to retract your homophobic comment or not?

  • 0

    Madverts

    Luddite,

    When people are resorting to twittering about "nancy boys at the BBC" you know they aren't to be taken seriously.

    Heh, I see it's blind to the fact that Murdoch's minions are not decided on airing the appeal.

  • 0

    Madverts

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7850407.stm

    Sky, Murdoch's British antenna, aren't going to show it either. I wonder how the right-wing Americans here ranting about the beeb being pro-palestinian will handle that one.

  • 0

    Luddite

    Why let facts get in the way of a good rant.

  • 0

    likeitis

    This is Israel slaughtering its prisoners for simply wanting freedom. Big difference!

    More like punishment for throwing a food tray and somehow killing one guard. The punishment was terrible food, no more potato chips (but some prisoners smuggled some in) and death for 13 inmates. Even in a normal penal system the punishment is, to use mild terms, totally unacceptable. But throw in the fact that the prisoners are almost all wrongfully jailed and the guards locked them up just to steal their property and suddenly you have moved into the realm of utterly detestable and ugly as sin. The only way to side with the guards is to either be on the dole from them or be completely willfully ignorant.

    But you cannot side with the prisoners completely either, because after 40 years or more of being locked up, they have lost a lot of their humanity and ability to live normally in society. I can only assure you they will not regain those things by staying locked up.

  • 0

    nandakandamanda

    This whole thing is silly. It's like the left arm attacking the left leg.

    Everyone should just go home and take a deep breath and try to discover neutrality inside themselves. Then maybe they can find the best way to stop the cycle of violence, and help patch up the present misery in Gaza at the same time. I hope Israel will also feel free to contribute plenty of money to help in the reconstruction. Hamas also bears much of the blame, and they should be asking Iran for bulldozers and cranes instead of more arms.

  • 0

    wuzzademcrat

    I reckon the British government is now too spooked to allow the BBC to show its usual outright anti-Israel bias after the recent war in Gaza "caused" the supposed intifada "to go global" (actually, the riots were limited to European cities). And they are worried, rightly so, about the shocking rise in violent crimes against Jews in Britain and on the continent.

  • 0

    SezWho2

    SuperLib,

    Propaganda, if it is propaganda, should be very easy to identify and dispel with fact. You don't seem to make that effort. You seem to prefer to ignore what I say and simply label me as a propagandist or as a Hamas-supporter or a pro-terrorist. That is argumentum ad hominem pure and simple. If that works for you, OK.

    You can continue to return snideness to sincerity. If you're having fun with that, I guess that's OK, too. However, if you don't like what I say and if you have no counter to it, why not just be silent instead of mounting a snarky argument against the person who makes it?

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