Friday, January 30, 2004
HERE'S A SOLUTION
Post-Hutton, the National Union of Journalists aims to defend the BBC's Andrew Gilligan. The Evening Standard reports:
Strike action in defence of Andrew Gilligan was today threatened by the National Union of Journalists.
Journalist Mr Gilligan will have the union's "complete support" if the BBC takes disciplinary action following Lord Hutton's report, said NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear. . .
. . ."The worst thing that could come out of the Hutton report would be for journalists to become timid in the face of government attempts to manipulate the news agenda."
Mr Dear added: "Whatever failings there were in just one of Andrew's reports - and he did no fewer than 19 on that first day alone - there has never been any doubt that his story was in the public interest."
And The Times had this yesterday:
Hundreds of BBC staff today staged walkouts in protest at the departure of Greg Dyke, their Director-General over the Kelly affair.
A small demonstration outside Broadcasting House in central London began shortly after 3pm, a little over an hour after Mr Dyke made his resignation public. The protest lasted about an hour in freezing temperatures. . .
. . .Richard Curtis, 35, an engineer at Radio 4, said: "My main concern is with the climbing down. The news gatherers will stop their task of questioning the Government and holding it to account."
Martin Montague, 31, a producer on digital radio station BBC7, added: "Greg should never have gone, he's done so much for the Corporation. I know that people in local radio think he walks on water because of all that he's put into that.
"As for the Hutton Report, the word whitewash comes to mind."
Harry Matharu, 42, who works in the BBC's technology department, said outside Broadcasting House: "I'm totally shocked and devastated, just like the majority of staff in the BBC. Greg has done more for the BBC than anyone else. He's approachable, caring and listens to staff at all levels. . .
. . .The National Union of Journalists supported the demonstrations as "spontaneous outbursts of anger" over Government "interference" in the BBC.
Jeremy Dear, the union's general secretary said that the corporation's management should have stood up to the Government. . .
If the National Union of Journalists want BBC journalists to be able to report whatever rubbish they see fit, that's fine. However, BBC journalists should not be paid out of my pocket, through the TV license tax.
I can read the Sun if I want to, or not. And I can read the Guardian if I want to, or not. And if enough people don't buy those papers because they are junk, the papers go out of business.
But I am compelled to pay Andrew Gilligan's salary. And the BBC can never go out of business, regardless of the level of its junk reporting. Wonderful work, if one can get it.
Actually, the idea of journalists going on strike is intriguing. Could we live without them? Hmmm?
But maybe there's a solution?
The BBC claims it has only society's best interests at heart, and wishes to stand up to evil government. Very commendable that. As Jefferson and so many others have noted, a free press is essential for a free society.
But that doesn't mean we should be taxed to support that press. Enough is enough. BBC News should be privatized. And just the news division. The rest of the viewing could be kept commercial free. But the newscasts would need sponsors, just as things now work on ITV and on SKY.
And the newly private, BBC news division would begin to learn what it is like to live in the real world -- especially what it is like to be responsible to real authority, like most other journalists. After all, most journalists don't have the same luxury as BBC journalists -- with the latter able to earn livings through what they demand remain essentially unaccountable, yet always taxpayer-supported, media. ¶ by Robert, Friday, January 30, 2004
Post-Hutton, the National Union of Journalists aims to defend the BBC's Andrew Gilligan. The Evening Standard reports:
Strike action in defence of Andrew Gilligan was today threatened by the National Union of Journalists.
Journalist Mr Gilligan will have the union's "complete support" if the BBC takes disciplinary action following Lord Hutton's report, said NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear. . .
. . ."The worst thing that could come out of the Hutton report would be for journalists to become timid in the face of government attempts to manipulate the news agenda."
Mr Dear added: "Whatever failings there were in just one of Andrew's reports - and he did no fewer than 19 on that first day alone - there has never been any doubt that his story was in the public interest."
And The Times had this yesterday:
Hundreds of BBC staff today staged walkouts in protest at the departure of Greg Dyke, their Director-General over the Kelly affair.
A small demonstration outside Broadcasting House in central London began shortly after 3pm, a little over an hour after Mr Dyke made his resignation public. The protest lasted about an hour in freezing temperatures. . .
. . .Richard Curtis, 35, an engineer at Radio 4, said: "My main concern is with the climbing down. The news gatherers will stop their task of questioning the Government and holding it to account."
Martin Montague, 31, a producer on digital radio station BBC7, added: "Greg should never have gone, he's done so much for the Corporation. I know that people in local radio think he walks on water because of all that he's put into that.
"As for the Hutton Report, the word whitewash comes to mind."
Harry Matharu, 42, who works in the BBC's technology department, said outside Broadcasting House: "I'm totally shocked and devastated, just like the majority of staff in the BBC. Greg has done more for the BBC than anyone else. He's approachable, caring and listens to staff at all levels. . .
. . .The National Union of Journalists supported the demonstrations as "spontaneous outbursts of anger" over Government "interference" in the BBC.
Jeremy Dear, the union's general secretary said that the corporation's management should have stood up to the Government. . .
If the National Union of Journalists want BBC journalists to be able to report whatever rubbish they see fit, that's fine. However, BBC journalists should not be paid out of my pocket, through the TV license tax.
I can read the Sun if I want to, or not. And I can read the Guardian if I want to, or not. And if enough people don't buy those papers because they are junk, the papers go out of business.
But I am compelled to pay Andrew Gilligan's salary. And the BBC can never go out of business, regardless of the level of its junk reporting. Wonderful work, if one can get it.
Actually, the idea of journalists going on strike is intriguing. Could we live without them? Hmmm?
But maybe there's a solution?
The BBC claims it has only society's best interests at heart, and wishes to stand up to evil government. Very commendable that. As Jefferson and so many others have noted, a free press is essential for a free society.
But that doesn't mean we should be taxed to support that press. Enough is enough. BBC News should be privatized. And just the news division. The rest of the viewing could be kept commercial free. But the newscasts would need sponsors, just as things now work on ITV and on SKY.
And the newly private, BBC news division would begin to learn what it is like to live in the real world -- especially what it is like to be responsible to real authority, like most other journalists. After all, most journalists don't have the same luxury as BBC journalists -- with the latter able to earn livings through what they demand remain essentially unaccountable, yet always taxpayer-supported, media. ¶ by Robert, Friday, January 30, 2004
