I'm just on a wee little mission to get folk to complain to the BBC today if possible about them editing a quote on the 10 oclock news last night from a linsey striker to make it look like he was being xenophobic, when the full quote aired on Newsnight showed what he was saying in a totally different light.
This seems to be part of an establishment led campaign to smeer the strikers as racists / xenophobes, drive a wefge between them and left/liberal supporters, and force them into the hands of the BNP. At present the BNP are being chased off from the picket lines, so let's not let the BBC get away with this crap, and show those on the picket that they do have support from the left.
For those who missed it, please take 30 seconds to look at the 2 versions of the interview on this link
Email complaints to...
newsonline.complaints@bbc.co.uk
03700 100 222
When you call, it’s the normal “press 1 for…” and then you’re through.
I think it’s 3 for complaints.
Helen Boaden, Director of BBC news
Email:
helenboaden.complaints@bbc.co.uk
Peter Horrocks, Head of BBC TV News
Email:
peter.horrocks@bbc.co.uk
Richard Sambrook, Director of the World Service and Global News
Email:
richard.sambrook@bbc.co.uk
or via the online complaints section of the website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complaints_stage1.shtml
also could be worth anyone with media or political contacts giving them a heads up on this...
here's a copy of the email I sent earlier
***
To whom it may concern,
I'd like to register a serious complaint about the editing of an interview with one of the strikers at the lindsey oil refinery on the BBC news at 10 last night, where the interview was edited deliberately to make the interviewee appear racist by removing a qualifying section of his interview. the full version of the interview was later broadcast on newsnight, and gives and entirely different meaning to what the interviewee was saying.
This is appalling editorial bias, and in my opinion should be a sackable offence for whoever edited the piece. I hope and expect that the BBC will offer a full apology and retraction on tonights news at 10.
The 2 quotes are as follows:-
BBC News at 10
Reporter... "beneath the anger ministers fear lies straightforward xenophobia"
Striker... "These portugese and Ities, we can't work alongside of them"
BBC Newsnight
Same Striker... "These portugese and Ities, we can't work alongside of them, they're segregated, and coming in in full companies"
the 2 different versions can be viewed at the following link
As you can see the 2 different versions of the interview give 2 very different impressions of the strikers viewpoint, the edited version seeming to be highly xenophobic, and the full version being simply a description of the fact that the local workers are being segregated from the foreign workers and not allowed the opportunity to work alongside them. This is a gross slur against the striking workers, a slur that must be corrected at the earliest possible opportunity.
I trust that you will offer a full appology and retraction today otherwise there will be hundreds of complaints being filed with the press complaints commission tomorrow.
Sincerely,
me
***
another point worth making is that the time difference between the 2 clips is 4 seconds vs 7 seconds, so there can be no excuse of it being edited for time saving reasons.
The relevant sections of the press complaints Commission code of practice are...
1 Accuracy
i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures.
ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion once recognised must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and - where appropriate - an apology published.
Please forward this message, and spend a couple of minutes firing off a complaint... (or D lock yourself to the BBC entrance if you feel the urge
)
Cheers,
fs
****
ps, here's a couple more examples of emails that others have written for those needing inspiration
***
Dear Mr Bailey,
I would be grateful if you could watch the following clip:
The first clip in which Nick Robinson is the presenter selectively edits the quote to make the striker appear racist. Unfortunately for Mr Robinson, the full clip appeared on Newsnight some half-an-hour later.
The BBC - or at least, Mr Robinson - is responsible for inflaming the situation by using carefully edited quotes to make the strikers appear to be racist.
Needless to say, I have forwarded this clip to all my contacts elsewhere in the media.
***
Dear Ms Boaden
I'm writing to complain about what I consider a serious and deliberate incidence of misleading editing on BBC News at Ten. I watched the main news and took at face value an interview with a striker which was introduced with the words: "Beneath the anger ministers fear lies straightforward xenophobia." The striker was then heard to say: "These Portuguese and Ities; we can't work alongside of them."
Ostensibly a pretty damning quote. However, when I turned over to watch Newsnight, I heard the full quote: "These Portuguese and Ities; we can't work alongside of them - they're segregated, and coming in in full companies."
This last section puts a completely different slant on the quote, showing the striker meant only that there were organisational reasons he didn't work alongside the migrant workforce. The only conclusion I can draw is that the News at Ten version was deliberately edited to make the striker appear racist, to fit with the narrative the reporter had prepared. I find this a shocking breach of trust and attempt to mislead. The BBC has in recent weeks much trumpeted its impartiality, but this is evidence of distortion and bias of the most blatant type.
The very least the BBC should do is give the same prominence to a retraction and apology, and ensure that standards are in place that no repeat of this type of practise can happen.
Yours
