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Post by Teddy Bear on Mar 14, 2007 17:39:18 GMT
Outrage over claims the BBC is scaling down its coverage of Falkands anniversary
By PAUL REVOIR - More by this author »
Falkands veterans reacted with anger to claims that the BBC is scaling down its coverage of events to mark the 25th anniversary of the conflict.
The move follows a disagreement with the Ministry of Defence over the cost of sending a BBC team and its equipment to the islands.
Pictures were due to be shared with other broadcasters on a pooled basis. The plan is now said to be for a much smaller BBC team, which will record the events for less ambitious coverage, to travel to the South Atlantic.
Les Heyhoe, a spokesman for the Falklands Veterans Foundation, said: "This is very disappointing news. There is intense interest in this important anniversary from throughout the world.
"I am getting literally thousands of emails from people from all walks of life wanting more information about the programme of events and wanting to support it."
The BBC and the Ministry of Defence could not agree how to pay for a massive cargo aircraft needed to transport the television equipment to the Falklands.
A spokesman for the MoD said: "It doesn't look likely the original plan for coverage will go ahead. It is clearly a disappointment. We want maximum coverage but there is not a bottomless pit. We are about a quarter of a million pounds apart on covering the cost.
"It was an ambitious plan. The problem is the heavy duty gear which the BBC wanted to send to the Falklands obviously needs heavy duty gear to transport it there.
"The BBC needed special equipment because of the weather conditions in the Falklands.
"We planned to hire an Antonov cargo aircraft for the purpose but the cost runs into six figures. We managed to get the costs down but we are still £250,000 apart.
"We understand there will still be coverage but probably not on the scale originally planned."
The BBC denied it was scaling down its coverage and said it was still in discussions with the MoD. It said it would be covering live events at Port Stanley and San Carlos in the Falklands in June.
There would also be live coverage of commemorations at the Falklands Islands Memorial Chapel at Pangbourne College in Berkshire and at Horseguards Parade
A BBC spokesman said: "The BBC will be providing viewers live coverage of commemoration services on BBC One, and other channels, of this highly significant event.
"Clearly we are still in discussions with other broadcasters and the MOD on the details of how we best provide coverage. It's an event we have been planning for over a year and we are not scaling back nor dumping our live coverage."
The claims by the MOD that the BBC is not prepared to pay the £250,000 needed for the original plan has raised eyebrows in light of how much the corporation spends flying its executives around the world.
In January, it was accused of wasting more than £50,000 of licence fee payers money after sending 37 journalists to cover an economic summit at the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
In November, the corporation was also criticised for sending 24 news executives to a conference in Istanbul at a cost of about £15,000.
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