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| Britain | ||
| Dyke | ||
| 2004-01-30 | ||
| EFL of a BBC article on an issue near and dear to its heart. Rest assured they have an exclusive on this one. - Another unhappy person who has been made into roadkill by the voice of the customer announces, "beware the chilly wind that is a blowing" The departing BBC director general said the report into the death of Dr David Kelly had been read with "disbelief". Mr Dyke made it clear he did not accept all the report’s findings, and attacked Alastair Campbell as "ungracious". He admitted making mistakes in the way he responded to the government’s original complaints. But he said the concerns of whistleblowers in government and elsewhere had to be reported by the media. Whistleblowers are now on notice to beware of fabricating and dissembling. Mr Dyke told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "It is perfectly fair for you to draw the conclusion that I don’t accept all of the report. Our legal team were all very surprised by the nature of the report. I think it was Stewart Purvis, the former chief executive of ITN, who said... it is remarkable how he has given the benefit of judgement to virtually everyone in the government and no-one in the BBC." Mr Dyke suggested the implications for journalism coming from the report were a matter of grave concern for the media. "Lord Hutton does seem to suggest that it is not enough for a broadcaster or a newspaper... to simply report what a whistleblower says because they are an authoritative source. You have to demonstrate that it is true. That would change the law in this country." -Snip- you get the jist of his predictable response to criticism. Meanwhile ministers have stressed the importance of a BBC independent of government influence in the wake of Lord Hutton’s criticisms of the corporation.
As long as they don’t mischarecterize and fabricate that would be fine.
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| Posted by:Super Hose |
| #5 I thought that the headline was a warning to the BBC clowns that the dyke surrounding the their fantasyland was about to burst. |
| Posted by: B 2004-1-30 5:37:09 PM |
| #4 With that headline, I thought this post was about a lesbian tryst between Ellen DeGeneres and Lauren Hutton. |
| Posted by: Tibor 2004-1-30 5:28:13 PM |
| #3 "YOU HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT IT IS TRUE" That would seem to be a good motto for a news organization.Mr.Dyke appears to believe that truth and accurracy are not relevant,that the BBC is entitled to air anything it chooses,and that if it broadcasts misinformation,rumor,or outright lies,the BBC never has to correct itself. What has been fascinating to me has been how little coverage the BBC affair has received in mainstream US media and how much it has received in the blogosphere.The mainstream media reminds me of the US auto industry of late 70's-convinced it knew what its customers needed,derisive of any competition,ignoring quality concerns. |
| Posted by: Stephen 2004-1-30 4:57:16 PM |
| #2 Of what value is a "Culture Secretary"??? Why a culture secretary who looks forward to a cushy patronage |
| Posted by: john 2004-1-30 2:56:21 PM |
| #1 Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said: "A BBC that is nobody’s lapdog, that challenges government and raises debate - that is in all our interests." Two questions: 1. If the BBC is going to "challenge government", how would it end up being nobody's lapdog if the government turns out to be correct? Seems to me that the best course of action is to make determinations based on facts, instead of assuming, as it sounds above, that the government needs to be challenged constantly because it's always wrong. That puts the BBC squarely in the anti-government camp. 2. Of what value is a "Culture Secretary"??? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-1-30 2:24:39 PM |