BBC
-
Media Lens: Propping Up Propaganda IRAQ, CLIMATE AND THE CORPORATE MEDIA’S FEAR OF THE PUBLIC
October 22, 2008 Since starting Media Lens in 2001, we have learned that corporate journalists are very often ill-equipped, or disinclined, to debate vital issues with members of the public. In 2004, the esteemed Lancet medical journal published a study showing that 98,000 Iraqis had most likely died following the US-led invasion. John Rentoul, chief Continue reading
-
Iqbal Tamimi – Would you trust the BBC?
Are you seeking employment with BBC? Look in the mirror carefully and ask yourself two very important questions, am I white enough? And am I passive enough and there is no record of me on the internet being ‘media or human rights troublesome’? If the answer is NO but you still insist on trying your Continue reading
-
The end of (capitalist) history? By William Bowles
In a world of over-the-top production, with the world’s markets glutted with a never-stream of products, most of which sit unsold in shops and warehouses around the planet, a return to the ‘good old days’ of the Robber Barons was the only option left. Continue reading
-
Media Lens Alert: “Not Very Interesting” – Haiti, New Orleans And Media Hypocrisy
MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media September 16, 2008 On September 1, the press began warning that “the storm of the century” was about to hit New Orleans as Hurricane Gustav “bore down nearly three years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city”. (‘It’s the storm of the Continue reading
-
“Liquid Bomb” Plot: Trumping up the charges By Dr. Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
Whilst the government is gloating at having secured convictions of sorts, the fact is that its whole story of a plot on account of which every traveller in Europe had to surrender drinks at airport check-ins and carry toiletries in a clear plastic bag has been exposed as fiction. Continue reading
-
How’d they do that? By William Bowles
The global crisis of capitalism is ‘explained’ as being the “credit crunch” and all the fault of bad loans made by banks and mortgage lenders, but is this really the truth or are we being misled by a complicit corporate/state media? Continue reading
-
War, war, war or jaw, jaw, jaw? By William Bowles
It’s amazing isn’t it how the media, given the appropriate cues from the state, so readily slips into a warring state of mind. I’m talking of course about Iran. Continue reading
-
MEDIA LENS ALERT: SELLING THE FIREBALL – GEORGE BUSH AND IRAN June 25, 2008
MEDIA ALERT: SELLING THE FIREBALL – GEORGE BUSH AND IRAN June 25, 2008 MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media When George Bush arrived in Britain last week as part of his “farewell tour”, the real reasons for the visit were buried well out of sight. The tour was not, as Continue reading
-
Media Lens: Covering Israel-Palestine – The BBC’s Double Standards
22 April, 2008 — MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media An Exchange With The BBC’s Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen The media reported last week that at least 22 people, including five Palestinian children, had been killed during Israeli ‘incursions’ into Gaza. The Israeli military ‘operation’ were ‘sparked’ by a Continue reading
-
Media Lens: EXTRA ZERO An Exchange With The Independent’s John Rentoul
9 April, 2008 — MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media In the wake of the July 7, 2005 London bombings, the Independent’s John Rentoul commented: “A Muslim friend of mine in the East End of London says that the sense of victimisation and injustice goes so deep among his fellow Continue reading
-
MEDIA LENS ALERT: ‘WITH TOTAL DESTRUCTION’ – THE FAILURE OF JOURNALISM IN IRAQ
<strong class=’StrictlyAutoTagBold’>MEDIA <strong class=’StrictlyAutoTagBold’>LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media On March 22, an Economist magazine editorial described the recent violence in Tibet as a “colonial uprisingâ€, a “revolt†against foreign occupation. This was accurate, as was the implication that China has no legitimate claims over Tibet. (‘A colonial uprising – Tibet,’ Continue reading
-
MEDIA LENS ALERT: ISRAELI DEATHS MATTER MORE March 11, 2008
MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media The horrific shooting of eight young people at a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem last Thursday was followed by saturation media coverage. International statesmen lined up with condemnations of the attack and condolences for the victims and their families. Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced: “This Continue reading
-
MEDIA LENS ALERT: Israel’s Illegal Assault On The Gaza ‘Prison’
MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media March 3, 2008 Attacking The Prisoners Israel has drawn international criticism for its latest series of onslaughts against the ‘prison’ of Gaza, the crowded home to 1.4 million Palestinians. Since last Wednesday (February 27), 112 Palestinians have died under Israeli air attacks and ‘incursions’ Continue reading
-
Palestine: Collectively Punished by Israel and Collectively Punished by the media By William Bowles
22 January 2008 “No general penalty, pecuniary or otherwise, shall be inflicted upon the population on account of the acts of individuals for which they cannot be regarded as jointly and severally responsible.” — Laws and Customs of War on Land (Hague IV); October 18, 1907, Article 50″ Continue reading
-
Media Lens: David Aaronovitch – A Different Kind of Compassion
MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media January 10, 2008 — Media Lens If “The wages of sin is death”, the returns must seem altogether less bleak to Tony Blair. In November, Blair was reported to have received £237,000 for a 20-minute speech before an audience of Chinese entrepreneurs. While his Continue reading
-
The BBC back-peddles big time or how to completely rewrite history before the ink’s even dried By William Bowles
29 October 2007 Question: When is a Plan not a Plan? Answer: When the Plan is not a Plan, Plan The BBC is currently flighting a programme in two parts entitled ‘No Plan, No Peace – the Inside Story of Iraq’s Descent into Chaos’ (28 and 29 October on BBC1). Way back and many times Continue reading
-
Media Lens: ‘Red Herring’ – Al Gore, The Climate Sceptics And The BBC
On October 10, the BBC’s Ten O-Clock News led with the story that a High Court Judge had found nine ‘errors’ in Al Gore’s climate film, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, which the UK government has been sending to schools around the country. As a result, by way of ‘balance’, the government will now be required to… Continue reading
-
Media Lens: I, (Fascist) Robot – The BBC’s Gavin Esler Lets Rip
MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media September 26, 2007 MEDIA ALERT: I, (FASCIST) ROBOT – THE BBC’S GAVIN ESLER LETS RIP In response to our September 18 alert, ‘The Media Ignore Credible Poll Revealing 1.2 Million Violent Deaths In Iraq,’ BBC Newsnight presenter Gavin Esler sent one Media Lens reader Continue reading
-
Global Cashastrophe By William Bowles
17 September 2007 Question: How many classical economists does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Answer: As many as it takes to screw up an economy Never mind global warming, I’ve realised that it’s better to own nothing than owe everything. Apparently those who have (had) their cash in Northern Rock (around £2 billion Continue reading
The New Dark Age 