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Post by Teddy Bear on Sept 4, 2005 16:33:45 GMT
Anyone who has been relying on the BBC to give them an accurate picture of what led up to the disaster in New Orleans will probably have a dim view of the president, whom in a way they've even accused of starting it . But is this view accurate or purposefully designed to create this impression? To see just how low the BBC have sunk, and find out what really went on in New Orleans, read the blog and comments at biased-bbc.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_biased-bbc_archive.html#112575288605563557
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Post by Teddy Bear on Sept 17, 2005 16:12:48 GMT
It seems the BBC grossly biased Anti-Bush reporting following the Katrina hurricane has not gone unnoticed by Blair. An article in the FT begins: Blair ‘shocked’ over BBC Katrina coverage By Joshua Chaffin and Aline van Duyn in New York Published: September 17 2005 00:38 | Last updated: September 17 2005 00:38 Tony Blair was shocked by the BBC's coverage of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of New Orleans, describing it as “full of hatred of America”, Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, revealed on Friday night.
Mr Murdoch, a long-time critic of the BBC who controls rival Sky News, said the prime minister had recounted his feelings in a private conversation earlier this week in New York. I remind readers who still haven't signed the Anti BBC Bias petition to be sent to Tony Blair to do so, and ask your friends and family to do the same. The more we get, the greater its impact.
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Post by Teddy Bear on Sept 17, 2005 17:06:11 GMT
Lest you think that Murdoch himself might only be exagerating, it is also Bill Clinton who has noted it. Full article from FT here. Murdoch tells of PM's shock at BBCBy Joshua Chaffin and Aline van Duyn in New York Published: September 17 2005 03:00 | Last updated: September 17 2005 03:00
Tony Blair was shocked by the BBC's coverage of Hurricane Katrina, describing it as "full of hatred of America", Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, said last night. Mr Murdoch, a long-time critic of the BBC who controls rival Sky News, said the prime minister recounted his feelings in a private conversation this week in New York.
Bill Clinton, the former US president, and Sir Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony Corporation, also criticised the tone of the BBC's coverage during a seminar on the media at the Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York.
Mr Murdoch said Mr Blair was in New Delhi when he turned on the BBC coverage of New Orleans: "He said it was just full of hatred of America and gloating at our troubles."
Mr Clinton said the corporation's coverage had been "stacked up" to criticise the federal government's slow response.
Sir Howard, a former head of CBS News, said he had been "nervous about the slight level of gloating" in the BBC coverage.
Mr Clinton invited Sir Howard and Mr Murdoch to discuss the media in a global economy as part of a three-day gathering.
Mr Murdoch referred to Mr Blair's remarks during a discussion of US foreign aid. The tycoon chuckled: "I probably shouldn't be telling you this" before recounting his conversation with Mr Blair.
The BBC in America was unavailable for comment.
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Post by Teddy Bear on Sept 19, 2005 22:13:12 GMT
The BBC response to this criticism was to get an ex employee of their, and an ex MP, Martin Bell, to support their reporting, and warn off Blair from making anything of it. At the Anti-TVL forum Ron Sinclair copied an article yesterday from the AOL news site which said the following: Tony Blair privately attacked the BBC's coverage of hurricane Katrina as anti-American, it has been claimed.
The Prime Minister's remarks, to global media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, threaten a new rift with the corporation following the David Kelly affair.
Mr Blair was said to have condemned the reporting as being "full of hatred for America'', according to Scotland on Sunday.
And the PM also accused the BBC of "gloating'' at the United States' misfortune, the paper reported.
The BBC said it had received no complaint from No 10 and stressed it was "committed solely to relaying the events fully, accurately and impartially''.
Former BBC correspondent and ex-MP Martin Bell warned Mr Blair that picking a fresh fight with the corporation would leave him a loser. (Highlight mine)
News International chief Mr Murdoch met the Premier while he was in New York for the United Nations summit on Thursday.
He related their conversation to a seminar hosted by former US President Bill Clinton, who also attacked the BBC's coverage, the following evening.
Mr Murdoch told the audience: "Tony Blair - perhaps I shouldn't repeat this conversation - told me yesterday that he was in Delhi last week and he turned on the BBC World Service to see what was happening in New Orleans.
"And he said it was just full of hate for America and gloating about our troubles.''
Mr Clinton said that while BBC reports were factually accurate the corporation's coverage had been "stacked up'' to criticise President George Bush's handling of the catastrophe.
Mr Blair's remarks will do nothing to improve No 10's relations with the corporation which reached rock bottom at the height of the confrontation over David Kelly.
The Government weapons expert killed himself after being outed as the source for BBC claims that intelligence on Iraq was "sexed-up'' to win public backing for war.
Greg Dyke was forced to quit as Director General and Gavyn Davies as chairman in the wake of the Hutton report which acquitted the Government.
Martin Bell defended the corporation's coverage of Katrina as "exemplary'' and accused Mr Blair of currying favour with the media chief.
"Tony Blair was telling Murdoch what he wanted to hear because he needs Murdoch's support,'' he told Scotland on Sunday.
"If Tony Blair wants to take issue with the BBC's reporting he has a forum in which to do it.
"I thought the BBC's reporting was exemplary, especially the coverage from Matt Frei.
"Last time he picked a fight with the BBC it did him more damage than it did the corporation.''
The BBC said in a statement: "We have received no complaint from Downing Street, so it would be remiss of us to comment on what has been reported as a private conversation.
"However, it would appear opportune to underline the fact that the BBC's coverage of the Katrina devastation was committed solely to relaying the events fully, accurately and impartially, an approach we will continue to take with this and other stories.''
Downing Street declined to comment. It appears that the powers that be decided that this threatening attitude was not in their best interests after all as they have now removed the article - ;D
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Post by Teddy Bear on Sept 25, 2005 19:54:23 GMT
There are many from Biased BBC Blogspot who have unsuccessfully tried to post messages in the BBC 'Have Your Say' column complaining about the anti-Bush and US bias shown by the BBC reporters during their coverage of the Katrina disaster. Paul Reynolds, BBC News Online world affairs correspondent, frequented the B-BBC-B site throughout the coverage and noted our complaints at the time. So it is an outright lie for the BBC to claim what they have, as highlighted below. BBC and No 10 try to gloss over Murdoch indiscretion Owen Gibson and Michael White Monday September 19, 2005 The Guardian
The BBC and Downing Street were striving yesterday to avoid reopening old wounds after Rupert Murdoch said the prime minister had criticised the corporation's coverage of Hurricane Katrina as "full of hatred for America and gloating". Downing Street signalled embarrassment as well as irritation over the widespread publicity given to Tony Blair's remark to the media tycoon, while senior BBC executives tried to play down the impact of the comments, made in a telephone call to Mr Murdoch last week.
Speaking on Friday night at a seminar hosted by former US president Bill Clinton, Mr Murdoch said: "Tony Blair - perhaps I shouldn't repeat this conversation - told me yesterday that he was in Delhi last week and he turned on the BBC World Service to see what was happening in New Orleans. And he said it was just full of hate for America and gloating about our troubles." Mr Murdoch, who regards the BBC as elitist and commercially unfair, has often used his newspapers to attack the broadcaster. His son James, chief executive of BSkyB, again criticised the corporation on Friday at a television industry conference in Cambridge.
Senior BBC executives yesterday refused to comment on Mr Murdoch's speech, saying they had received no official complaint from No 10, but privately greeted it with anger and incredulity. Nevertheless, most were relaxed about its impact, given the outpouring of public support that followed the Hutton report. "It says more about Blair's relationship with Murdoch than it does his relationship with the BBC," one executive said.
The corporation said it had received no complaints about perceived anti-American flavour to its coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its impact on New Orleans, but eight calls of praise. "We have received no complaint from Downing Street, so it would be remiss of us to comment on what has been reported as a private conversation. However, it would appear opportune to underline the fact that the BBC's coverage of the Katrina disaster was committed solely to relaying the events fully, accurately and impartially - an approach we will continue to take with this and other stories," a spokesman said.
Last week, the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, told the Guardian that relations with the government were back to normal after the tumultuous row that led to the departure of chairman Gavyn Davies and director general Greg Dyke
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