[Media-watch] FW: Bombing of Iraq

Mark Priestley m.r.priestley at stir.ac.uk
Mon Mar 3 16:47:41 GMT 2003



<FONT 
color=#0000ff>I was irritated by the overt bias that was apparent in the 
handling of the interview panels in Jordan and Nw York last night on Panorama. 
There was a strong contrast in my view between Gavin Esler and Nisha 
Pilai.
<SPAN 
class=606122816-03032003> 
<SPAN 
class=606122816-03032003>Please write to Panorama to point this out. 

<SPAN 
class=606122816-03032003>Editor Mike Robinson - try <A 
href="mailto:mike.robinson at bbc.co.uk">mike.robinson at bbc.co.uk and <FONT 
color=#000000>panorama at bbc.co.uk 

<SPAN 
class=606122816-03032003> 
<SPAN 
class=606122816-03032003>Mark
<SPAN 
class=606122816-03032003> 


I 
enjoyed the Panorama debate last night despite the fact that I found the debate 
intensely frustrating at times. This programme is an interesting concept. 
It is interesting to see the bigotry and ignorance of many Americans<SPAN 
class=443253716-03032003>, but also heartening to see that some are well 
informed despite the propaganda that emanates daily from their government and 
media. I was also impressed with the high 
quality of argument from the Jordanian panel. 
But I have one <SPAN 
class=443253716-03032003>major gripe with 
the programme's handling of the debate: <SPAN 
class=443253716-03032003>Nisha Pilai  was mild<SPAN 
class=443253716-03032003>, even ineffective in her engagement with 
the Americans. The panel in New York was 
ill-informed and peddled inaccuracies throughout the debate. In contrast 
Gavin Esler seemed extremely biased against his 
panel, arguing strongly against his 
audience, taking their comments out of context and at one point cutting off 
someone in mid sentence. In this latter case the Jordanian was talking about the 
poor foreign policy and humanitarian record of the USA (e.g in Nicaragua) - 
surely this is relevant. 

W<SPAN 
class=443253716-03032003>hy does the BBC allow this to happen? An uncharitable 
observer may well draw the conclusion that the Panorama was seeking to put the 
case for war. According to Richard Sambrook, 'it is absolutely the BBC's 
role to be the objective and calm voice, reporting what we know to be fact and 
exploring the various viewpoints involved. This has never been more important 
than in our coverage of Iraq'(private correspondence, January 10th 2003). 
This did not seem to be the case last night on Panorama.
I would welcome 
your comments.<SPAN 
class=443253716-03032003>

Y<SPAN 
class=443253716-03032003>ours 
sincerely<FONT 
face="Comic Sans MS">  --------
Mark Priestley 
Lecturer in Education <FONT 
face="Comic Sans MS">Institute of Education <FONT 
face="Comic Sans MS">University of Stirling <FONT 
face="Comic Sans MS">Stirling FK9 4LA Tel. 
+44 (0) 1786 466272 Fax +44 (0) 1786 
467633 <FONT 
face="Comic Sans MS">           
Email 
m.r.priestley at stir.ac.uk 
Website <FONT 
face="Bookman Old Style" color=#0000ff><A 
href="http://www.stir.ac.uk/departments/humansciences/education" 
target=_blank>http://www.stir.ac.uk/departments/humansciences/education 

 




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