BBC boss admits 'daily' mistakes in Iraq (Too pro-coalition!?)

The UK Guardian ^ | Mar 28 02 | Jason Deans

[veronica]

A senior BBC News executive today admitted that the reporting of allied military claims in Iraq that later prove false, such as heralding the fall of Umm Qasr at least nine times, had "left the public feeling less well-informed than it should be".

Mark Damazer, the deputy director of BBC News, also admitted the BBC had been making mistakes "on a daily basis" during the first week of the Iraq conflict, but denied there was any deliberate bias towards either the pro or anti-war camps.

"I don't deny for a moment that the accumulation of things that have happened in the first week, such as the false claims about the fall of Umm Qasr and the surrender of the Iraqi 51st division, have left the public feeling they are not as well informed as they should be," Mr Damazer said.

"But it's perfectly proper for us to say 'a British defence source has said there's an uprising in Basra' and not report it as gospel truth. We attribute wherever possible to a source. The secret is attribution, qualification and scepticism," he added.

Mr Damazer said allegations by the anti-war lobby that the BBC had become "shackled" by the government and military were "profoundly ill-judged and unfair".

"Although it's unquestionably true that we make mistakes, and on a daily basis, we don't only make them in [a pro-war] direction," he added, speaking last night at a meeting of Media Workers Against the War.

Mr Damazer admitted one of the areas where the BBC had made mistakes was in its use of language, but that it was seeking to put this right.

"If we have used the word 'liberate' in our own journalism, as in 'such and such a place had been liberated by allied forces', that's a mistake," he said.

"That is the wrong language to use without evidence of Iraqi people feeling as though they have been liberated," Mr Damazer added.

He said it was also "not good" to open a news bulletin by announcing that the death of two soldiers was the "worst possible news for the armed forces".

Mr Damazer added that although the death of two soldiers was obviously the "worst possible news for their families", far worse things could happen on the battlefield with far greater loss of life, for which language such as "the worst possible news for the armed forces" would be more appropriate.

[veronica]

Orwellian.

[Mystix]

oh bull pucky, grow some balls!!

[veronica]

FYI.

[Laurie S]

Lazy reporting if you ask me! They should not be reporting the fall of these cities without confirmation. They got it wrong 9 times in a row. Who's running the show over there? Sheesh.

[SolutionsOnly]

The BBC is best tuned out - they will never be able to overcome - yet alone even recognize - their anti-American bias

[veronica]

What is disturbing is that they find the term "liberate" not to their taste. Reminds me of the way Reuters uses "freedom fighter" instead of "terrorist."

[Grampa Dave]

THIS JUST IN: "Americans who only watch BBC or ABCNNBCBS and only read the Compost, NY Slimes, Reuters or AP, are at risk for developing depression, shingles, and other DSM V symptoms and signs.

Rx : FREE REPUBLIC 1x q6h or prn" Rx : FREE REPUBLIC 1x q6h or prn"

[Mo1]

Mark Damazer, the deputy director of BBC News, also admitted the BBC had been making mistakes "on a daily basis" during the first week of the Iraq conflict, but denied there was any deliberate bias towards either the pro or anti-war camps.

What a load of BS

[DianaN]

Intenational Coalition to end war and racism: founded by Ramsey Clark; barf; puke; I can only wish someone would put a hole between his eyes. I wonder if he realizes he is affecting the entire future of our children and grandchildren; they say this war is about "power" and "oil" and, in a way, I think it's true. I mean who will dominate-Saudi Arabia and it's Wahabist Islamism or the US and it's allies cry for freedom? Gosh, you would think the answer is clear, but alas, they do not. All they think of is the color of their skin, how much they hate Republicans; how "Bush the worst evil terrorist in the world"; they live in a world where good becomes evil and evil is called good and Satan laughs and says, "In the world, I reign".
Diana

[Grampa Dave]

At first Clark was bought and paid for by the Communists.

Now he is the front man for the Opecker Thugs like Saddam and the murdering mullahs of Iran. Like Carter he is funded by the Saudi Wahabi Extremist Islamofacists.

It is amazing how many guys whose name ends in C are stone cold traitors: Clark, Clintoon, Hildebeast Clintoon, Carter, Wesley Clark the Perfumed Prince General and ?.