[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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