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"BBC Management is almost in meltdown at the moment"
DailAblution ^ | 01/28/04 | Scott Burgess

Posted on 01/28/2004 8:31:20 AM PST by Pikamax

January 28, 2004 BBC Management "Almost in Meltdown" Lord Hutton's report into the death of Dr. David Kelly, released this afternoon, has almost completely vindicated Tony Blair and the government, at the same time severely criticising the BBC's reporting and governance.

This is a huge story. Most observers were expecting blame to be apportioned evenly, and the one-sided castigation of the Corporation has come as a big surprise.

The Guardian reports that:

"BBC chairman Gavyn Davies is said to be considering his position after Lord Hutton criticised the BBC in his long awaited report into the death of weapons expert David Kelly. The corporation has flatly denied rumours sweeping Westminster that he has resigned, but one senior insider said the mood at the BBC was 'very grim'." Expect resignations and rolling heads.

Here are some quotes, gathered this afternoon from the radio and the web. More to follow.

"In the end what it comes down to is a judgement by Lord Hutton - who he believes, whose motives he trusts most and in that, again and again, he comes down on the side of politicians and officials, who by and large he believes and whose story, whose narrative he accepts and he comes down against Andrew Gilligan, and journalism, I have to say generally, and against the BBC." BBC Political editor Andrew Marr

The BBC has been "drenched in disgrace and incompetence." Former Defence Minister Lord Gilbert - on The World at One, BBC Radio4

"A grim day for the BBC." BBC Radio 4 2pm News

"Completely unprecedented in the criticism of the BBC Governors' performance of their duty." BBC correspondent Richard Ayers - on BBC Five Live

"The [BBC] Management is almost in meltdown at the moment" Mark Mardell, BBC Chief Political Correspondent - on Radio 4

"Tony Blair couldn't have hoped for anything better." Mark Mardell

"There is no doubt the government has been cleared. Everyone from the prime minister down virtually is cleared of any misbehaviour." Correspondent Jane Peel

BBC Management is expected to reply soon. Stay tuned.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: bbc; davidkelly; gavyndavies; huttonreport; liberalmedia; uk
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To: JCB
you won't get banned...you are asking a legitimate question in a civil manner.

I think David Kay gave a really good answer on this today...it seems a lot of the info on WMD was based on reports from his underlings that they were spending their money on his pet weapons programs when they were actually pocketing the cash in some good old fashioned Arab graft...

We took them as seriously as Saddam did...they lied to both of us...
61 posted on 01/28/2004 12:34:27 PM PST by Keith (IT'S ABOUT THE JUDGES)
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To: Pikamax
"BBC Management is almost in meltdown at the moment"

==

Best news of the day.

It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of lying liberals, except if it would happen to CNN.
62 posted on 01/28/2004 1:10:05 PM PST by FairOpinion
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To: FairOpinion
It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of lying liberals, except if it would happen to CNN. - Agreed!
63 posted on 01/28/2004 1:22:03 PM PST by Free_at_last_-2001 (is clinton in jail yet?)
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To: JCB
I fear this report will simply be used to whitewash all the questions that still remain

You needn't worry. Plenty of opinion molders are worried about Iraq whitewashes.

Do a Google search and you'll see that it's quite popular lately to place the word "whitewash" near the word "Iraq."

Sept 2003, Britain: Another whitewash over Iraq

July, 2003: Parliamentary whitewash of Blair’s lies on Iraq falls flat

Aug, 2003 Journalists accuse US of "cynical whitewash" over report into Baghdad Hotel media killings

Aug, 2003 No whitewash on Whitehall

Dec, 2002 White House Whitewash

Dec, 2002, The Whitewash Commission

Jan, 2004Address coated with Teflon whitewash

Google says there are about 17900 results for "whitewash" and "iraq."

I know that it's likely that, in many of the google results, there is a more tenuous relationship between the terms "whitewash" and "Iraq."

64 posted on 01/28/2004 1:40:09 PM PST by syriacus (Ask Howard Dean if he wants the US to fund abortions as VT does.)
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To: Pikamax
Management meltdown -- But NPR/PBS wil continue buying it for millions of our tax dollars every year.
65 posted on 01/28/2004 1:44:06 PM PST by eleni121 (Preempt and Prevent)
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To: JCB
Where did the 45 minute claim come from

It might have come from al-Dabbagh, though maybe he is lying about his having been the liar who spoke with the British.

Iraqi who gave MI6 45-minute claim says it was untrue,David Leigh and Richard Norton-Taylor, Tuesday January 27.

66 posted on 01/28/2004 2:02:23 PM PST by syriacus (Ask Howard Dean if he wants the US to fund abortions as VT does.)
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To: Grampa Dave; BOBTHENAILER; MeekOneGOP; autoresponder
The BBC has been "drenched in disgrace and incompetence".

Okay, the BB is Baghdad Bob, so the C is that word you can't say.

67 posted on 01/28/2004 8:17:29 PM PST by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: PhilDragoo
Okay, the BB is Baghdad Bob, so the C is that word you can't say.


roflmfao
68 posted on 01/28/2004 9:00:59 PM PST by BOBTHENAILER (One by one, in small groups or in whole armies, we don't care how we do, but we're gonna getcha)
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To: Pikamax
Imagine that - a news agency apologizing to the political leadership of a country! That IS a miracle!
69 posted on 01/28/2004 9:08:12 PM PST by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace (Alec <a href = "http://www.alecbaldwin.com/" title="Miserable Failure">"Miserable Failure"</a>)
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To: PhilDragoo
C you in the morning!:)
70 posted on 01/28/2004 11:46:04 PM PST by Grampa Dave (GW is driving every rat in America into a deeper insanity, 24/7/365!)
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To: Pikamax
Completely unprecedented in the criticism of the BBC Governors' performance...

This is exactly the core of the problem - those mandarins were absolutely untouchable by any criticism, and that's how once highly respected British Broadcasting Corporation was transformed into British Bullshit Centre.

Not only the beloved Chairman Gavyn "Mao" Davies should resign, but also the crowd of Lefty propagandists pretending to be stalwarts of independent journalism.

71 posted on 01/29/2004 12:10:21 AM PST by Neophyte (Nazists, Communists, Islamists... what the heck is the difference?)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
BBC political editor Andrew Marr's reaction to the report was: "In the end what it comes down to is a judgement by Lord Hutton - who he believes, whose motives he trusts most and in that, again and again, he comes down on the side of politicians and officials."

What a shilly-shally louse this guy is! The first reaction, when they don't like the result, is to sling dirt on the person in charge... They are real Leninists, aren't they?

72 posted on 01/29/2004 12:23:38 AM PST by Neophyte (Nazists, Communists, Islamists... what the heck is the difference?)
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To: JCB
Namely, where are the WMD?

The Japanese have recently discovered a storage of mustard gas munitions dated at the days of WWII. Mind you, it's the country which was for years under American occupation, which was thoroughly searched by the occupying power and by the Japanese themselves exactly for such things... and yet.

So WMD can be or can be not found. Or be found years later... This doesn't change the simple truth that Saddam Hussein should be gone. There was a UN resolution to this end, if you wish.

73 posted on 01/29/2004 12:34:46 AM PST by Neophyte (Nazists, Communists, Islamists... what the heck is the difference?)
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To: NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
a news agency apologizing to the political leadership

Yes, it IS a miracle, but don't celebrate yet: they apologise conditionally!!!

74 posted on 01/29/2004 12:39:02 AM PST by Neophyte (Nazists, Communists, Islamists... what the heck is the difference?)
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To: Prodigal Son
Thanks for the link. Above article says they are in denial over the Davies resignation, but the BBC DOES acknowledge it:

BBC governors hold crisis talks


Gavyn Davies
Davies questioned some of Hutton's findings
BBC governors are holding a crisis meeting on Thursday after Lord Hutton's damning verdict led the corporation's chairman to quit.

Gavyn Davies resigned after the most serious claims in Andrew Gilligan's BBC's reports were branded "unfounded".

But he questioned some of the retired law lord's findings on the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly.

Lord Hutton cleared the government of "sexing up" its Iraq weapons dossier with unreliable intelligence.

And he criticised "defective" BBC editorial controls over defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan's broadcasts on the Today programme.

Click here for entire article

75 posted on 01/29/2004 2:36:41 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (Check out this HILARIOUS story !! haha!: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1060580/posts)
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To: PhilDragoo
haha !

76 posted on 01/29/2004 2:43:28 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (Check out this HILARIOUS story !! haha!: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1060580/posts)
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