BBC DOCUMENTARY
14 05 2007I have spoken to a few BBC journos over the years. In fact, I think one of them is copying me because there has been more than one instance where I have written something and then the next day there has been something on the beeb - then again it is a big organisation so who knows. Maybe I should adapt a John Stewart quote and say their new strapline should be “BBC news, you heard it here 12th.”
Anyway, most of them still passionately believe in the BBC and the quality of its reporting. This is a plainly ridiculous thing to believe if you watch the 6 o clock news.
At the time of Hutton etc the BBC was effectively kneecapped by the British Government. I have been unable to find the exact source of the quote but from memory someone in the BBC said something along the lines of “investigative reporting at the BBC is not dead but investigative reporting into the British government is dead.” Again, that is not an exact quote but I am sure that was roughly what was said.
Despite that, the BBC still does produce some good documentaries from time to time. The science and nature programmes are usually very good.
Tonight panorama will show a documentary about scientology. The BBC reporter in question alleges that he has been harassed by followers of the church (or people paid by them) in the course of his investigations.
Should be an interesting one. BBC 1, tonight at 8.30.
for all its faults, I will take the BBC over CNN anyday.
CNN is dreadful. no arguments from me there but they are nearly all dreadful
although they all occasioanlly, very occasionally, have their moments
Having watched the “exploding tomato” documentary the other evening, I was little disapointed that he didnt ‘loose the rag’ long before hand and more to the point that he didnt ’stick the head in him’. Strange behaviour from a group that ‘have nothing to hide’. At 30 minutes this did fall way short, it would have made more interesting viewing as a 60 minute format.
Did u see the documentary by Hardeep Singh Kohli on channel 4 last year ? Very interesting indeed. Made with the ‘unoffical church’in Russia and lucky u, heres the link to the goodle video archive of that very show.
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=1786568759674213741
(No idea if links work on here or not?)
thanks.
i thought he was very patient too.