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Opening question from Gavin Esler on today's Dateline: London: "First of all, why is he (Barack Obama) in so much trouble, because people outside the United States don't quite get this, I think?"
Well if all they'd been listening to (over the last couple of years) is the BBC, it would be hardly surprising they don't 'get it'. The Beeb's coverage of Barack Obama has been almost completely favourable, at times nearing adulation.
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There's an excellent take on the BBC's inability to 'quite get it' from DB on the Biased BBC website, prompted by an article by John Lloyd: http://biased-bbc.blogspot.com/2010/01/john-lloyd-on-bbc-obama-bias.html. DB links to this excellent article by Brian Micklethwait, which was provoked by an Obama love-in on Kirsty Wark's new Review programme: http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2010/01/bbc_thoughts_an.html. Brian points out, along the way, the sheer lack of competence in Kirsty's interviewing technique (something I've noted here before): "My third impression was that the chairing of this discussion was incompetent to the point of being ridiculous. Kirsty Wark should be giving a real talking-to. She was far too keen on joining in the discussion with her own opinions, instead of ensuring that all the other people present refrained from all talking at once." 'Far too keen on joining in the discussion with her own opinions' reminds me of Gavin Esler himself, though he is a far more competent interviewer than Kirsty Wark.
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The bbc are against religion or "do not do religion" as a recently interviewed PR person said for Blair.
ReplyDeleteYet there is a new religion in the bbc - the return to idolatry induced by Obama.
Unfortunately Americans see through the rhetoric which is why in spite of the plethora of bbc hacks in USA calling him a saviour, he is now seen as part of their problem, and not yet part of the solution.
Craid I would recommend listening to the Nick Robinson chairmanship on radio 4 last night in the so-called discussion on the fate of the bbc if the TV tax was removed.
They even had a team of Birt (who spoke some sense) and Mellor (who was full of self praise, and a huge reminder of one of Thatcher's worst choice in minister - intelligent but lacking wisdom) - par for the course now.
Thanks, I'll give it a listen. I listened to the last series of this programme, but have missed this series so far.
ReplyDeleteAnon
ReplyDeleteAgree up to a point, except the BBC do religion so long as it is Islam !