Let he who is without sin...

Newsnight

I have not been impressed with much that the BBC or its flagship news progamme have done much last year. This one isn't shaping up much better.

This is their 16th day...'off'.

Happy New Year to any in the BBC back from the school hols.

Guess you might have missed it, but guess what, over the last few weeks there's been a war on! How 'sparkly' is that!

Never mind, I've managed to catch up thanks to such as BBC Breakfast News, while all the rest of you are having a well deserved rest.

Thing is, I'm not too sure that those on the Xmas shift are really doing the subject justice. Or the ratings. And I think they know that too, so we're treated to heavyweights in this arena such as Annie Lennox and Alexei Sayle to tell us what to think... though in the case of the latter mainly, and oh-so originally, about President Bush's mental capacities, it seems.

Beyond the motivations behind who is 'selected' to be 'interviewed', the competencies of the kiddies doing the 'interviewing' also really need to be addressed if the BBC do insist on trying to dealing with issues of more heft than skateboarding turtles whilst the more qualified guys are hitting the slopes.

If, on such a serious issue, we are to be treated to the unrestrained opinions of a 'comedian'/activist (and 'singer', though that caption may have been left over from the previous highly relevant contributor) it might have been interesting to discover Mr. Sayle's thoughts on the (less than Hamas supporting) responses from many Middle Eastern political leaders who are a tad closer to the conflict than an Islington soiree.

I was just watching a programme about V2s. As these rained down in and around London, I wonder if the first thought of the population was 'Hmn, I wonder why they are so angry with us?' or 'Let's get a Typhoon squadron over there pronto (to inflict a measured, proportionate BBC mindset-pleasing response. Not)!'.

Equally, if someone was so moved to stand outside his home lobbing bricks through the windows, would his first move be to check their motivations or ask the police to stop them?

I guess we'll never know. At least, not via the national broadcast 'news' service currently in operation.

£3.5B not enough? Maybe Mr. Moore has a point.

Gaurdian - Unwelcome guests

Last night I had this 'Snowmail' from Ch4:

We shall be talking live to the Israeli deputy ambassador and also to one of the protest speakers today, the singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. We were rather hoping Ms Lennox would debate live with the Israeli official but, we understand, she’d prefer not to.

Which brings me to a wider point. It’s almost routine in this business for politicians and others to come on the programme, but only on the basis that they will not actually engage with any protagonist from the other point of view. We in the media rarely, if ever, mention that we’ve agreed to it.

It’s only a personal thing, but I reckon if people come on the programme only on the basis that they will not debate live with the other side, I think you, the viewers should know. I think we should tell you. Instead of which we rather cover up for people who want to come out and make their point but won’t take on the other side.

Our programme editor tonight says he felt happy having both Ms Lennox and the ambassador even if they are not engaging with each other because I’ll be able to challenge both. But is he right?

It doesn't seem to go much into the actual qualifications of Ms. Lennox to debate anything of this nature with much authority, and hence the prominence her views seem to be given, but there seems to be some journalistic unease and/or integrity at work. I wonder if this unwillingness to defend statements was made clear when broadcast or left with a minority read email?

I don't seem to recall any such thing associated with all her 'outings' elsewhere, such as the BBC.

Maybe they were just happy at a ready supply of proxies to spout the corporate line.

Hard to see this as objective, mind.

As to the programme editor's 'happiness', well, D'uh. An ambassador vs. a pop star... ratings heaven. Who cares about serving the actual issues, or the public, sensibly?

Love the notion that some of our news media 'stars' will be able to 'challenge' equally, and effectively, on an individual basis. Mind you, well moderated live debate is also long gone. You either get the moderator's personal views mixed in on one side or other, or they are so poorly informed that outright lies can be be spouted with impunity.