BBC criticised for impartiality

[Donut]

Dyke defends 'impartial' war reports by BBC
By Adam Sherwin, Media Reporter


GREG DYKE, the BBC Director-General, has provoked fury by saying that the corporation must not be patriotic when Britain is at war.

Mr Dyke said that BBC News “cannot afford to mix patriotism and journalism” when British Forces are in action.

Critics said that Mr Dyke’s explicit rejection of a patriotic role for the BBC, the first such statement of its kind, was an insult to the families of servicemen risking their lives in Iraq.

The Director-General was responding to criticism from Downing Street which complained after a Today programme reporter said that the level of fear in Baghdad after liberation was worse than under Saddam Hussein.

Speaking at a debate on war coverage at Goldsmiths College, University of London, Mr Dyke said: “If Iraq proved anything, it was that the BBC cannot afford to mix patriotism and journalism. This is happening in the United States and if it continues will undermine the credibility of the US electronic news media.

“We must ensure that we don’t become Americanised,” he added. “Personally, I was shocked while in the United States by how unquestioning the broadcast news media was during this war. Far from backing off when this country is at war — as some politicians would like — there’s no more important time to hold governments to account.”

Mr Dyke said it was an “absolute requirement” for the BBC to report dissenting views and insisted the corporation would not “cave in” to political pressure. Rejecting criticism from David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, that the BBC had given too much credence to Iraqi claims, Mr Dyke said: “We must never allow political influences to colour our reporting or cloud our judgment.”

John Greenway, the Conservative culture spokesman, said: “We all expect the BBC to report impartially on war, but the corporation also has a duty to demonstrate the same kind of support for our servicemen that the public and parliamentarians have shown.”

Parliament will reconsider the BBC’s position as a state broadcaster if it fails to reflect the views of licence fee payers, Mr Greenway added. He said: “The BBC is not doing itself any favours when MPs are asking questions about its accountability and whether the licence fee should be renewed.”

Before war began, the BBC issued guidelines to staff instructing that British Forces should not be called “our” troops and calling for scepticism of claims made by coalition spokesmen.

Mr Dyke praised an interview with Donald Rumsfeld conducted by David Dimbleby, who “shocked” the US Defence Secretary’s aides with his persistence. Mr Dyke said: “Politicians should not be concerned by tough questioning. If their decision to go to war is the right one they have nothing to fear from scrutiny.”

--------------------------
The BBC is respected throughout the world for it's impartiality. Long may it remain so.

[Donut]

This is the interview by David Dimbleby with Donald Rumsfeld on the BBC that so shocked Rumsfeld and his aides.

He really nails him

[Davros]

Impartial is the way news SHOULD be [img]smile.gif[/img] - long may they (the Beeb) live up to the noble ideals of reporting the simple facts.

PS : I nearly choked with laughter at Rummy's response to the Spanish PM quote [img]smile.gif[/img] .

[Rokenn]

Three cheers for the BBC. If only we had as reputable a news source here in the US. Thankfully I can get my daily dose on public radio [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Timber Loftis]

The US has some really good and reputable news sources. They are all just currently caught up in the wave of patriotism, and it should subside in time. I still trust the facts reported in the NY Times about as much as any source, but will admit The Economist rocks. Time also has some good coverage, and I think I posted a very honest assessment of Bush from Time. If you scroll down, it's my thread about "A Leader" or "The Power of ONe" or some such.

On TV, I do like the BBC best. But, online opens up the possibility of seeking all print sources, and there are some very good choices out there.

As a side note, my wife reads the Miami Herald often, and sees it as good reporting.

Okay, now I'm rambling.

[Ar-Cunin]

The BBC is very good - so good in fact that DR (Danish state television) sent BBCworld on it's own channel during the Iraq war (when they weren't sending themselves naturally) [img]smile.gif[/img]