Post by Teddy Bear on May 6, 2008 20:33:22 GMT
The following article in yesterday's Guardian tells that the BBC are now able to resume unvetted news in Pakistan. Which means for some time now the BBC has had to have their reports vetted by them before going to air.
Why wasn't this made public?
How many other regimes impose the same restrictions on the BBC which we don't know about? I've already commented on the fact that Saddam Hussein imposed similar restrictions, which was NEVER acknowledged by the BBC, although CNN admitted to it after Saddam was deposed.
Just so long as the BBC can spread their empire they don't care what they report, or whose arse they'll lick to do it, it just has to support the 'desired' despotic viewpoint.
Why wasn't this made public?
How many other regimes impose the same restrictions on the BBC which we don't know about? I've already commented on the fact that Saddam Hussein imposed similar restrictions, which was NEVER acknowledged by the BBC, although CNN admitted to it after Saddam was deposed.
Just so long as the BBC can spread their empire they don't care what they report, or whose arse they'll lick to do it, it just has to support the 'desired' despotic viewpoint.
BBC to resume unvetted news in Pakistan
The BBC World Service will today announce it has been cleared to resume news broadcasts in Pakistan on an unrestricted basis, ending a long-running dispute that saw it accused of compromising its editorial independence.
The BBC Trust is considering complaints from staff and union officials after it emerged the World Service agreed to the former Pakistani government vetting its news broadcasts. Under an agreement with a local FM service, BBC World Service executives agreed to allow the state regulator to listen to its BBC Urdu news bulletins 15 minutes before they were broadcast, prompting fears of censorship.
The National Union of Journalists raised its concerns with the World Service director, Nigel Chapman, as well as the BBC Trust and the director general, Mark Thompson. The BBC will argue the deal with Pakistani regulators gave them no additional control over its bulletins, other than the opportunity to preview them in full. Meanwhile, it has permission for unrestricted live news broadcasts from tomorrow, after six months off air.
Pakistan's information minister, Sherry Rehman, told the BBC that there were now no restrictions on news bulletins being broadcast on local channels.
"As far as I know, there should be no restrictions on the BBC that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority had imposed," she said. "I would encourage you to think that it is not just Pemra that I am talking about but the ministry of information as a facilitator as opposed to a regulator."
The two-year saga began as a result of negotiations between BBC Urdu and local Pakistani station Mast FM 103 in 2006 and 2007. The World Service agreed to transmit its bulletins to a secure website that could be monitored by Pemra.
According to letters between the BBC, Pemra and Mast FM 103 seen by the Guardian, its scripts and running order would also be posted to the website ahead of broadcast. The broadcasts began in June and were forced off air in November when a state of emergency was declared.
A World Service spokesman said the BBC had "always maintained its commitment to its editorial guidelines and impartiality. Pakistan is no different."
He stressed the bulletins could not have been altered.
"The bulletins are broadcast from the London control room straight to audiences in Pakistan," he said
The BBC World Service will today announce it has been cleared to resume news broadcasts in Pakistan on an unrestricted basis, ending a long-running dispute that saw it accused of compromising its editorial independence.
The BBC Trust is considering complaints from staff and union officials after it emerged the World Service agreed to the former Pakistani government vetting its news broadcasts. Under an agreement with a local FM service, BBC World Service executives agreed to allow the state regulator to listen to its BBC Urdu news bulletins 15 minutes before they were broadcast, prompting fears of censorship.
The National Union of Journalists raised its concerns with the World Service director, Nigel Chapman, as well as the BBC Trust and the director general, Mark Thompson. The BBC will argue the deal with Pakistani regulators gave them no additional control over its bulletins, other than the opportunity to preview them in full. Meanwhile, it has permission for unrestricted live news broadcasts from tomorrow, after six months off air.
Pakistan's information minister, Sherry Rehman, told the BBC that there were now no restrictions on news bulletins being broadcast on local channels.
"As far as I know, there should be no restrictions on the BBC that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority had imposed," she said. "I would encourage you to think that it is not just Pemra that I am talking about but the ministry of information as a facilitator as opposed to a regulator."
The two-year saga began as a result of negotiations between BBC Urdu and local Pakistani station Mast FM 103 in 2006 and 2007. The World Service agreed to transmit its bulletins to a secure website that could be monitored by Pemra.
According to letters between the BBC, Pemra and Mast FM 103 seen by the Guardian, its scripts and running order would also be posted to the website ahead of broadcast. The broadcasts began in June and were forced off air in November when a state of emergency was declared.
A World Service spokesman said the BBC had "always maintained its commitment to its editorial guidelines and impartiality. Pakistan is no different."
He stressed the bulletins could not have been altered.
"The bulletins are broadcast from the London control room straight to audiences in Pakistan," he said