h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I just read this on The Guardian's website:

"The 10 o'clock bulletin gave us a good example. A voiceover by the BBC's political editor, Nick Robinson, (about 12 mins in) told us: "Beneath the anger, ministers fear, lies straightforward xenophobia." Cut to woolly-hatted worker telling BBC reporter: "These Portugese and Eyeties – we can't work alongside of them." There we are: northern white bloke refusing to work with foreigners. Case closed.

Except, watch Paul Mason's report on Newsnight, featuring the same interview (about 4:30 in):


These Portugese and eyeties – we can't work alongside of them: we're segregated from them. They're coming in in full companies."

I read it here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/03/race-bbc

I was disgusted. They got caught out twisting someone's words here. How often does it slip by unnoticed? Is the BBC trying to respond to the Daily Mail's campaigning against them by employing the Daily Mail's own despicable tactics?

I trust this post won't be yikesed: the quotes (and words therein) are from two BBC news reports, there's a link to the original Guardian article and the BBC is, apparently, happy to twist its interviews in this manner.

"I was disgusted. They got caught out twisting someone's words here. How often does it slip by unnoticed? Is the BBC trying to respond to the Daily Mail's campaigning against them by employing the Daily Mail's own despicable tactics?"

Journalists are notorious for this kind of thing, and the BBC is no exception (although that fact that the quote was shown in context on *another BBC programme* is worth taking into account - this is a problem with individual journalists not the corporation).

Generally, if you hear a "damning" quote in the media (or in a newspaper or even in a book) then I always recommend trying to find out the context. Removing things from context to make a person seem like they're saying something they're not is an old hack's trick and remarkably widespread and persistant.

Having said that, the opening paragraph on that article is classic Melanie Phillips-style hyperbole:

"Why is the BBC obsessed with making working-class people seem racist?"

Yes, Mr Reidy, this *proves* they are *obsessed*!

I rarely pay much attention to vox pops, and confess I wouldn't have known about this incident if it hadn't reported in the paper. They ain't worth the airspace they fill.

It's highly irresponsible to be using such tricks with issues as delicate as this.

Yeah, the article's not terribly objective, but he does go on to justify himself a little.

It's dirty tricks like this that helped to put me off doing my journalism degree

Terrible

So who is it deciding what should be news? the same people that decide what is good taste-Woss n Bwand etc...?

I rarely wtch tv, its sh*te! I would rather read it in paper or here. Thanks Bro

I think what is worth noting is that Newsnight, despite repeated budget cuts is still struggling nobly on. Channel 4 blows BBC1 news output out of the water in terms of competence.

Hear hear! I much prefer Channel 4 news; hell, I prefer Five News to the BBC

Newsnight now has legendary status in this house though for the week they discussed the jokes on Mock the Week - Kirsty Wark sitting there quoting "I'm so old my is haunted" with such a deadpan face had me on the floor

That was kinda funny.

I can't watch ITV news. It's like they watched Chris Morris' satire and I took notes thinking that was how to make a real new programme. I keep thinking of the Dead Ringers (?) sketch too where they take the piss out of the Standing News and thirdly it's just utter cack.

Maybe Kirsty never meant it as a Joke

"theres a moouse loouse abooout this hoouse": Said Ms Kirsty Walk - it is believed to be a joke, but the censores are treating it seriously until further notice.

Fill in ! Fill in!


knock knock!?

O K - i'll prettend you said " who's there "----

.......hold it.....did i tell you about how i fell off my bike nearly at the start of the week.................