Balance in the media – BBC

[J Surman]

alanjjohnstone wrote:

As a blogger, i am in a quandery of how much coverage should be given to the contesting propaganda.

I think it's more about confronting the accuracy and honesty of whatever is broadcast, endeavouring to point out the interests of the broadcaster/publisher/owner/govt. in the background.Here's an interesting one re Facebook's censorship of Naomi Wolf posting in defence of Gaza after walking out of her synagogue in disagreement with those there:http://countercurrentnews.com/2014/08/facebook-censors-author-naomi-wolf-on-gaza/

[alanjjohnstone]

New York Times and biashttp://mondoweiss.net/2014/08/inhuman-protects-reality.html

[alanjjohnstone]

An article exposing the BBC's use of supposed independent commentators and experts, all with a secret agenda.http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/amena-saleem/bbc-trying-shore-support-israels-assault-gaza

[alanjjohnstone]

[alanjjohnstone]

We had extensive coverage of anti-semitic attacks on Jewish property since the Gaza war recommenced but i see no report on the BBC of Israeli settler mobs attacking Palestinian homes. Lies by omission.http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/05/374071/israeli-settlers-attack-palestinian-homes/ 

[alanjjohnstone]

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/08/deception-war-201485132519710207.htmlWorth a read. What he says about Israel's PR if true…leads to the next question…if it is so obvious to media workers, why do they get away with it from experienced news-people on the BBC etc. who you'd think have been trained how to spot and deconstruct such blatant propaganda…which then leads to the only conclusion…they want that bias dis-information to prevail. 

[alanjjohnstone]

A powerful essay by another of my favourite commentators on the world – John Pilger. A must read on media mis-representationshttp://www.countercurrents.org/pilger030814.htm

[alanjjohnstone]

Interesting article on the use of language during the Gaza warhttp://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/08/gaza-israel-language-modern-war-steven-poole

[J Surman]

and more on language from FAIR:the New York Times (8/6/14) reported this about Israeli opinion:In a survey for the newspaper Haaretz conducted Tuesday after the onset of the cease-fire, about half of the Israelis surveyed said that neither Israel nor Hamas had won. Nearly six out of 10 said the goals declared by the government of destroying the tunnels and dealing Hamas a harsh blow were only partly achieved.The same survey, according to Haaretz, also showed that the "Israeli public…overwhelmingly approves" of the goverment's performance.http://www.fair.org/blog/2014/08/08/do-palestinians-living-in-israel-count/The piece goes on to show the differences if/when Palestinians are includedin the polls.Getting the message across to a wider public about bias in the media is another story in intself!

[J Surman]

And this one – call it 'bias'? – but obviously playing to compliant recipients. http://www.fair.org/blog/2014/08/05/when-meet-the-press-meets-a-palestinian/

[alanjjohnstone]

Richard Seymour – Lenin's Tomb blog. Another article that makes interesting readinghttps://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/08/the-anti-zionism-of-fools/

[J Surman]

Here's William Blum's Anti-Empire Report:http://williamblum.org/aer/read/131On Cold War 2, the downed Malaysian airplane, Cuba, etc, etc and linked to US foreign policy, US media and unpublished letters to the press. Some say he rants, I find him entertaining and to the point.

[alanjjohnstone]

The good old BBC, the voice of the Establishment. Headlines – Humantarian Iraq air-drops. Ignored – the deployment of Tornado fighter aircraft…oh , sorry, it is mentioned near the end of the article, parroting the official line

Quote:

The RAF Tornado jets are set to take off from RAF Marham in Norfolk, and could carry out surveillance to assist delivery of aid supplies.

Nor as far as i can see reported the possibility of arms being sent to the Kurds by the UK as the Independent speculates or boots on the ground…http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28751958http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-crisis-britain-to-send-tornado-jets-to-iraq-as-cameron-considers-arming-kurdish-fighters-9663389.html

[alanjjohnstone]

Yet again the information that the UK will arm Kurds is buried in the text of the BBC article. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28783068Press tv banned, by European tv satellites stations, reported"The announcement came in a statement released by British Prime Minister David Cameron’s office on Tuesday. The statement did not give any further information regarding which states would provide the military supplies. In addition, a number of Chinook helicopters might be deployed to the volatile region. The statement was released after British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond headed a meeting of the emergency response committee, COBRA, and following a telephone conversation between Cameron and Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott."

[alanjjohnstone]

While the UK/BBC quite rightly criticised Syrian government obstacles to aid relief, they seem to appear to be following the see no evil , hear no evil, speak no evil of Ukraine's government's ban on aid supplies coming from Russia. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/13/375156/russia-aid-trucks-not-allowed-in-ukraine/ 

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