In characteristically blunt fashion, Mr Dyke said he was surprised at the
"committed political position" of Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel, and
"shocked" to discover that the biggest radio group in the US was using its
stations to organise pro-war rallies.
He urged the government to think carefully about its proposals to liberalise
media ownership laws in Britain. "We must ensure that we don't become
Americanised," he said in a speech at Goldsmith's College in London
yesterday.
Mr Dyke directed much of his ammunition against the global media giant Clear
Channel, which owns 1,225 radio stations in the US, many of which took a
staunchly pro-war line.
"We are genuinely shocked when we discover that the largest radio group in
the United States was using its airwaves to organise pro-war rallies," said
Mr Dyke, who is also the BBC's editor-in-chief. "We are even more shocked to
discover that the same group wants to become a big radio player in the UK."
In the communications bill currently going through the House of Lords, the
government plans to deregulate ownership laws, allowing foreign companies
like Clear Channel to own commercial radio licences in Britain.
Clear Channel is known for syndicating much of its output between its
stations, and concerns have been raised about the threat to diversity.
Mr Dyke warned that deregulation also raised questions about impartiality:
since the September 11 attacks, a gap had opened up between the definitions
of impartiality on either side of the Atlantic.
"Maybe it was always like this and the requirements of impartiality in the
UK were always different to those in the USA, but that's not how I remember
it," he said. "Personally, I was shocked while in the United States by how
unquestioning the broadcast news media was during this war."
He criticised Fox News for its pro-Bush stance, which has helped it overtake
CNN as the most popular news network in the US.
"Commercial pressures may tempt others to follow the Fox News formula of
gung-ho patriotism, but for the BBC this would be a terrible mistake. If,
over time, we lost the trust of our audiences, there is no point in the
BBC," said Mr Dyke.
He speculated that the patriotism of the US networks had been driven by the
fragmentation of the US media.
"Many of the large television news organisations in the States are no longer
profitable or confident of their future. The effect of this fragmentation is
to make government - the White House and the Pentagon - all-powerful, with
no news operation strong enough or brave enough to stand up against it.
Mr Dyke rejected accusations that the BBC, which has spent between £7m and
£8m on the war, had been soft on Saddam Hussein, insisting the corporation's
commitment to "independence and impartiality" was "absolute." He said it was
"absurd" to suggest journalists in Baghdad were "Saddam's stooges", and
singled out correspondents Andrew Gilligan, Rageh Omaar and John Simpson for
having brought home the "reality" of war.
"Governments have as much right as anyone else to put pressure on the BBC,"
he said. "It's only a problem if the BBC caves in."
Matt Wells, media correspondent
Friday April 25, 2003
The Guardian
> He criticised Fox News for its pro-Bush stance, which has helped it
> overtake CNN as the most popular news network in the US.
>
First, let me say that I am a regular viewer of CNN. I started watching CNN
for most of my news during the first Gulf War when Bernard Shaw was hiding
under a desk during some of the initial bombing. <g>
During the past month, I have tried to give equal viewing time to FOX News
and MSNBC. (I don't get BBC or CBC on my cable so I cannot comment on
them.) The blatant bipartisanship of both FOX and MSNBC is very hard to
take, IMO. The news anchors on both networks regularly make faces and use
sarcasm in reporting, cracking jokes and generally making fun of the French,
Germans, Iraqi leadership, and Democrats in the US. IMO, this is extremely
unprofessional of them. Most of their interviewers are rude and will shout
down the people them have asked on the show to give what could be classified
as an opposing opinion.
While it is true that CNN chose not to broadcast a lot of the blood and guts
photos during the war (the ones referred to by Kelpie, Eva, and Annette,
among others) I do feel that their reporting was as unbiased as it could be.
It's also true that none of the US news channels seemed to be anti-war in
their sentiments and reporting slant. None were "questioning" about the
war. All of them, CNN included did display a certain patriotism throughout
the war, but I think that is to be expected. The time to question this war
was before it happened, and I believe CNN did a great deal of that in the
first quarter of the year. During the war itself was not the time to be
bad-mouthing US troops, most of whom are very young and only following
orders.
I find it amazing that FOX News is so blatantly conservative and Republican
in it's stance when the FOX network has been in the forefront for many years
in airing TV series that are singled out by conservative Christians and
staunch Republicans as being anti-family, pro-sex, anti-Christian and just
generally indicative of the moral decay in today's society. Programs like
Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Married With Children, That 70s Show,
Beverly Hills 90210, Ally McBeal, The Simpsons, etc., glorify many things
that the traditional "church" is very much against. Things like witchcraft,
sorcery, magic, pre-marital and extra-marital sex, portraying the father
figure in the home as an idiot, casual drug use, cursing....these are a
mainstay in the FOX-TV comedy series lineup. I'm certainly not saying that
*I* think that way, only that most conservatives find those sorts of things
very offensive. I just find that extremely curious.
Jeanie
http://www.newamericancentury.org/
"The Project for the New American Century is a non-profit educational
organization dedicated to a few fundamental propositions:
that American leadership is good both for America and for the world;
that such leadership requires military strength, diplomatic energy
and commitment to moral principle; and that too few political leaders
today are making the case for global leadership."
Members have included Rumsfeld, Perl, Cheney, and other names you
might recognize. They've been advocating 'democratizing' the Middle
East for years.
Not this American leadership who believes the effects of global warming only
affects the rest of the world..
>
> that such leadership requires military strength, diplomatic energy
> and commitment to moral principle; and that too few political leaders
> today are making the case for global leadership."
The last political leader that made the case for Global Leadership was
Hitler.
>
> Members have included Rumsfeld, Perl, Cheney, and other names you
> might recognize. They've been advocating 'democratizing' the Middle
> East for years.
But the main point these people seem to overlook is the Middle East is not
theirs to democratize..
Ellis
> http://www.newamericancentury.org/
God damned! That's awful fucking scary!
How do I get off of this chicken shit planet?
Cybe R. Wizard
--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L
kelpie
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"Ethel" <ethel...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:xr_qa.2695$Iy.21...@news-text.cableinet.net...
>
Or maybe quality counts double?
Kelpie
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3eadde4d$1...@news.greennet.net...
I'll try again!
Kelpie
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:5Rira.1284$t22...@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:jSira.1285$t22...@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...
Kelpie , whose holiday is now less than 6 weeks time
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ec7...@news.greennet.net...
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:a5Rxa.7697$Mu3.1...@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...
Kelpie
(Not quite so tetchy tonight)
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ecc...@news.greennet.net...
Kelpie
(Now talking to myself!)
I reckon you had a good day,,seeing as you weren't so tetchy!!
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:peUya.10058$Mu3.1...@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...
There's *nothing* wrong with talking to yourself,,, the problems
start, when you don't know what you're talking about :)))
Midnyt
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"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:ufUya.10060$Mu3.1...@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...
Okay who snitched on me????
Anamanda
Kelpie
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ecc...@news.greennet.net...
Kelpie
Just like wot I am doing?
Kelpie
"Tricia" <Tri...@home.vic.au> wrote in message
news:Ux5za.1452$iv4....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> kelpie wrote:
> :: Plenty to do, but the will I do it all, or mess around on the PC?
>
> mess around on the PC far more fun :)
>
> --
> Tricia
> 23109810
>
>
Midnyt
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"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:op5za.9909$sJ4....@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:lo5za.9908$sJ4....@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...
Kelpie
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ecd3c4d$1...@news.greennet.net...
Have you got your holidays planned yet?
Kelpie
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ecd...@news.greennet.net...
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:QMaza.10220$sJ4....@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:JPaza.10223$sJ4....@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...
There's a old story about 2 old timers. One says...
"Well, we have decided not to go to New York this year."
The other says: Did you go to New York last year?
"No" says the 1st old timer,, "last year we didn't go to Paris".
steve
Midnyt
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"Steve L Ferris" <am...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message
news:bajheh$l4r$1...@freenet9.carleton.ca...
Who're you trying to kid??? You're as hooked on this infernal machine as
the rest of us :-p
--
Buff -
"Wheelchair Users have the best Seat in the House."
buffm...@dodo.com.au
http://www.angelfire.com/folk/buff
Kelpie
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ecd...@news.greennet.net...
Kelpie
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ecd...@news.greennet.net...
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:2nxza.11426$Mu3.2...@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...
True,, not far from Dover,, 'bout 20 miles.
Midnyt
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"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:upxza.11428$Mu3.2...@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...
Kelpie
(with no photos scanned yet)
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ece...@news.greennet.net...
Kelpie
"Midnyt" <mid...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:3ece...@news.greennet.net...
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:TCtAa.13117$Mu3.2...@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...
Midnyt
--={R@M}=--
"kelpie" <kel...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:sFtAa.13118$Mu3.2...@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net...