Comments on: BBC and the Beast http://thethirdestate.net/2009/10/bbc-and-the-beast/ What Is The Third Estate? Everything. What Has It Been Until Now In The Political Order? Nothing. What Does It Want To Be? Something. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:19:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Salman Shaheen http://thethirdestate.net/2009/10/bbc-and-the-beast/comment-page-1/#comment-4828 Salman Shaheen Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:41:05 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=2604#comment-4828 Very true. Whilst it's always useful to know your enemy, I agree, Question Time isn't going to tell us anything we don't already know. The BNP are evil and Nick Griffin's a prick. Very true. Whilst it’s always useful to know your enemy, I agree, Question Time isn’t going to tell us anything we don’t already know. The BNP are evil and Nick Griffin’s a prick.

]]> By: Richard Lyle http://thethirdestate.net/2009/10/bbc-and-the-beast/comment-page-1/#comment-4826 Richard Lyle Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:31:20 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=2604#comment-4826 Hi Salman. I'm not pretending the BNP doesn't exist. I just don't want to have his face or voice in my house. It's the same reason I destroyed the BNP election material as soon as it came through my door during the European Parliamentary elections earlier in the year. I would more willingly challenge him and his views outside my home. I just don't think that repeatedly yelling "wanker!" at the television screen - which is probably what I'd do - is a valid or useful form of political protest. Hi Salman. I’m not pretending the BNP doesn’t exist. I just don’t want to have his face or voice in my house. It’s the same reason I destroyed the BNP election material as soon as it came through my door during the European Parliamentary elections earlier in the year. I would more willingly challenge him and his views outside my home. I just don’t think that repeatedly yelling “wanker!” at the television screen – which is probably what I’d do – is a valid or useful form of political protest.

]]> By: Salman Shaheen http://thethirdestate.net/2009/10/bbc-and-the-beast/comment-page-1/#comment-4824 Salman Shaheen Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:24:54 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=2604#comment-4824 Anthony, I wasn't trying to belittle your article, I think it's very interesting and an important read. I just find conflation of the expenses scandal with the willingness to air Griffin's poison a little bit too much of a leap for me to take with you. Anthony, I wasn’t trying to belittle your article, I think it’s very interesting and an important read. I just find conflation of the expenses scandal with the willingness to air Griffin’s poison a little bit too much of a leap for me to take with you.

]]> By: Anthony Barnett http://thethirdestate.net/2009/10/bbc-and-the-beast/comment-page-1/#comment-4822 Anthony Barnett Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:08:41 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=2604#comment-4822 Thanks! I try to show as carefully as I had time for that there is a very strong BBC culture and sense of its larger interest which is not at all the same as a conspiracy. Though note, this passage at the end of an article in last Sunday's Sunday Times http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article6879552.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2 THE BBC has refused to answer 1,200 requests under the Freedom of Information Act about its workings — despite the fact that its journalists are among the act’s biggest beneficiaries, writes Chris Hastings. Since the act was introduced in 2005, the BBC has refused to answer questions on subjects such as presenters’ pay, the cost of programmes and the cost of accommodation at the Beijing Olympics. It has answered only 18 of 33 requests submitted by The Sunday Times during the past year. The corporation has spent more than £500,000 of licence-payers’ money in court cases which blocked two questions earlier this month — on presenters’ salaries and the BBC’s coverage of the Middle East. The total amount spent resisting such requests runs into millions. The BBC uses a specific exemption clause in the act to try to withhold other, wider information. It is now preparing to become more intransigent, by capitalising on its recent legal victories. Last week, the information commissioner contacted several newspapers and members of the public asking them to consider withdrawing complaints against the BBC in the light of the ruling. Thanks! I try to show as carefully as I had time for that there is a very strong BBC culture and sense of its larger interest which is not at all the same as a conspiracy. Though note, this passage at the end of an article in last Sunday’s Sunday Times
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article6879552.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2

THE BBC has refused to answer 1,200 requests under the Freedom of Information Act about its workings — despite the fact that its journalists are among the act’s biggest beneficiaries, writes Chris Hastings.

Since the act was introduced in 2005, the BBC has refused to answer questions on subjects such as presenters’ pay, the cost of programmes and the cost of accommodation at the Beijing Olympics. It has answered only 18 of 33 requests submitted by The Sunday Times during the past year.

The corporation has spent more than £500,000 of licence-payers’ money in court cases which blocked two questions earlier this month — on presenters’ salaries and the BBC’s coverage of the Middle East.

The total amount spent resisting such requests runs into millions. The BBC uses a specific exemption clause in the act to try to withhold other, wider information.

It is now preparing to become more intransigent, by capitalising on its recent legal victories.

Last week, the information commissioner contacted several newspapers and members of the public asking them to consider withdrawing complaints against the BBC in the light of the ruling.

]]> By: Salman Shaheen http://thethirdestate.net/2009/10/bbc-and-the-beast/comment-page-1/#comment-4821 Salman Shaheen Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:07:00 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=2604#comment-4821 I can't remember the last time I heard anyone say anything remotely interesting on Question Time, the programme is so sanitised and controlled and the speakers generally tow the party line. Griffin will say what he always does, which essentially is little more than the man in the pub going: "I'm not racist, but..." Unfortunately these opinions do exist and they need to be challenged. I think Question Time is a poor format to do that, but that doesn't mean we can afford to stick our heads in the sand and hope these nasty little people go away. I can’t remember the last time I heard anyone say anything remotely interesting on Question Time, the programme is so sanitised and controlled and the speakers generally tow the party line. Griffin will say what he always does, which essentially is little more than the man in the pub going: “I’m not racist, but…” Unfortunately these opinions do exist and they need to be challenged. I think Question Time is a poor format to do that, but that doesn’t mean we can afford to stick our heads in the sand and hope these nasty little people go away.

]]> By: Richard Lyle http://thethirdestate.net/2009/10/bbc-and-the-beast/comment-page-1/#comment-4820 Richard Lyle Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:55:46 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=2604#comment-4820 I'm fed up thinking about the BNP. I don't want to hear from them, or about them, or their supporters or if I'm being really honest, from their opponents either. They're not all that British in their attitudes, they have no real claim to being a National party and even the Party element in their title lacks a certain something. Balloons and whistles, probably. In spite of my wishing it so, the buggers won't just go away. Nick Griffin is getting his slot on Question Time where I hope he'll be given the treatment he deserves: I hope he'll be ignored. I won't be watching, not because I don't care about resisting him and his odious beliefs but because it's unlikely that he has anything to say which is even remotely interesting. I’m fed up thinking about the BNP. I don’t want to hear from them, or about them, or their supporters or if I’m being really honest, from their opponents either. They’re not all that British in their attitudes, they have no real claim to being a National party and even the Party element in their title lacks a certain something. Balloons and whistles, probably.

In spite of my wishing it so, the buggers won’t just go away. Nick Griffin is getting his slot on Question Time where I hope he’ll be given the treatment he deserves: I hope he’ll be ignored. I won’t be watching, not because I don’t care about resisting him and his odious beliefs but because it’s unlikely that he has anything to say which is even remotely interesting.

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