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The Bbc Continues To Find Its Achingly Right-On Credentials Have Tied It Up In Knots ...
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The BBC clearly cannot make up its mind whether or not to support one of its presenters in calling out The President for being a racist, or to stand on its imagined 'journalistic neutrality' and deny the evidence in front of it - that the President is a die-hard racist, as well as a misogynist and a bully.
It does seem that the organisation has managed to slip down between the cracks and simultaneously vanish up its own self-righteous fundament - not an easy task even in these hysterically PC times.
Isn't it time someone decided what the BBC's position actually is, so one of its seven-figure salaried suits can tell the people who pay his or her wages can advise us?
The BBC clearly cannot make up its mind whether or not to support one of its presenters in calling out The President for being a racist, or to stand on its imagined 'journalistic neutrality' and deny the evidence in front of it - that the President is a die-hard racist, as well as a misogynist and a bully.
It does seem that the organisation has managed to slip down between the cracks and simultaneously vanish up its own self-righteous fundament - not an easy task even in these hysterically PC times.
Isn't it time someone decided what the BBC's position actually is, so one of its seven-figure salaried suits can tell the people who pay his or her wages can advise us?
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One might think it's all a bit of a storm in a teacup. But one can understand a media company needing to show itself unbiased and simply reporting the news rather than opinion. And there were complaints.
The trouble is that all, or at least most, news sources fail that ideal. One can tolerate an Editor's View column, and ignore it even, but the reality is that perceived bias goes further than that, and each gains a reputation for espousing a particular set of views. Indeed even a perfect example of unbiased news reporting would likely attract criticism from all sides as bias is inferred.
With that in mind I'd have thought a simple warning that, that was too near the edge, and to be more careful in future, should've sufficed. If the BBC wanted more, small print in the closing credits could say that the views of the presenters don't necessarily reflect the views of the BBC.
The trouble is that all, or at least most, news sources fail that ideal. One can tolerate an Editor's View column, and ignore it even, but the reality is that perceived bias goes further than that, and each gains a reputation for espousing a particular set of views. Indeed even a perfect example of unbiased news reporting would likely attract criticism from all sides as bias is inferred.
With that in mind I'd have thought a simple warning that, that was too near the edge, and to be more careful in future, should've sufficed. If the BBC wanted more, small print in the closing credits could say that the views of the presenters don't necessarily reflect the views of the BBC.
/// They said the incident had led to discussions among some BAME journalists that they are used as “window dressing” by the corporation’s news bosses, despite the BBC having one of the most diverse workforces in British media. ///
It would appear that the BBC's diversity actions are now classed as 'window dressing' is there nothing that will please these minority groups?
Perhaps using President's Trumps so called racism suggestion, may I also suggest that if they are not happy with the BBC's approach over this, then perhaps they should find another employer to work for.
It would appear that the BBC's diversity actions are now classed as 'window dressing' is there nothing that will please these minority groups?
Perhaps using President's Trumps so called racism suggestion, may I also suggest that if they are not happy with the BBC's approach over this, then perhaps they should find another employer to work for.
I wonder who complained ...
Anyway, here is how the exchange went:
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Walker: It's the president. That was the most telling quote for me last night. I can't remember who said it, but she said, 'I've been told to go home many times to go back to where I've come from many times in my life, but never by the man sitting in the Oval Office'.
Munchetty: Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism. Now I'm not accusing anyone of anything here but you know what certain phrases mean.
Walker: Do you hear that quite regularly?
Munchetty: Yes. Not regularly, but I've been told it.
Walker: You're sitting here not giving an opinion, but how do you feel as someone when you've been told that before, and when you hear that from him?
Munchetty: Furious. Absolutely furious. And I imagine a lot of people in this country will be feeling absolutely furious that a man in that position feels it's OK to skirt the lines with using language like that.
Walker: Do you feel his use of that then legitimises other people to use this…
Munchetty: Yes. Yes.
Walker: As our guest was saying there, it feels like a thought-out strategy to strengthen his position.
Munchetty: And it is not enough to do it just to get attention. He's in a responsible position. Anyway I'm not here to give my opinion.
----------------------------------------------------
And AFAICT the BBC was fine with all of that except the last bit, where it went to her opinion on the President rather than on racism:
And it is not enough to do it just to get attention. He's in a responsible position.
Anyway, here is how the exchange went:
----------------------------------------------------
Walker: It's the president. That was the most telling quote for me last night. I can't remember who said it, but she said, 'I've been told to go home many times to go back to where I've come from many times in my life, but never by the man sitting in the Oval Office'.
Munchetty: Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism. Now I'm not accusing anyone of anything here but you know what certain phrases mean.
Walker: Do you hear that quite regularly?
Munchetty: Yes. Not regularly, but I've been told it.
Walker: You're sitting here not giving an opinion, but how do you feel as someone when you've been told that before, and when you hear that from him?
Munchetty: Furious. Absolutely furious. And I imagine a lot of people in this country will be feeling absolutely furious that a man in that position feels it's OK to skirt the lines with using language like that.
Walker: Do you feel his use of that then legitimises other people to use this…
Munchetty: Yes. Yes.
Walker: As our guest was saying there, it feels like a thought-out strategy to strengthen his position.
Munchetty: And it is not enough to do it just to get attention. He's in a responsible position. Anyway I'm not here to give my opinion.
----------------------------------------------------
And AFAICT the BBC was fine with all of that except the last bit, where it went to her opinion on the President rather than on racism:
And it is not enough to do it just to get attention. He's in a responsible position.
It seems, from a quick Google, he said, “Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done.” That's not quite telling them to go back, but asking why they don't. It was clearly going to lead to trouble though. People interpret what they want things to be rather than what they are (you just need to note the controversy over Johnson responding to daft criticism and attempted control, to see that); but in this case one wonders if it wasn't said deliberately to cause controversy, given the obvious result.
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