'Angry' Ark Royal crew switch off BBC (British Navy To BBC: Sod Off, You Brit-Haters!!!)

Ananova ^ | April 8, 2003

[Timesink]

'Angry' Ark Royal crew switch off BBC

The BBC has been axed from the nation's flagship naval vessel following claims of pro-Iraqi bias.

The Navy says it has switched off News 24 aboard HMS Ark Royal after complaints by the crew.

It is one of a handful of task force ships which receives live TV direct from Britain.

Rolling news plus two entertainment channels are beamed into the warship.

A BBC correspondent has been on board but the crew say they have no gripe with his reports.

However they were annoyed by the comments of presenters and commentators reporting on the carrier's Sea King tragedy a fortnight ago.

The BBC suggested poor levels of maintenance played a hand in the deaths of seven fliers.

Sailors also believe the news organisation places more faith in Iraqi reports than information coming from British or Allied sources.

One senior rating said: "The BBC always takes the Iraqis' side. It reports what they say as gospel but when it comes to us it questions and doubts everything the British and Americans are reporting. A lot of people on board are very unhappy."

Ark has replaced the BBC with rival broadcaster Sky News.

Story filed: 10:25 Tuesday 8th April 2003

[Uncle Miltie]

Publicly subsidized leftism is trumped again by free market conservatism.

De-fund National Liberal Radio!

[Frank_Discussion]

It seems the media is experiencing a bout of "domino theory" fever.

[demlosers]

It reports what they say as gospel but when it comes to us it questions and doubts everything the British and Americans are reporting. A lot of people on board are very unhappy."

A sure sign of bias. Who runs the BBC?

[Timesink]

A sure sign of bias. Who runs the BBC?

The government. Well, the government pays for it. It's left to its own devices, though, so basically functions like a giant, overbloaded NPR. All the government's cash and none of the responsibilities.

[Dergie]

It's about time the Brits woke up to BBC's bias. It's not news. It's a political rag -- and a left wing rag at that. The worst part is, it's funded by Brits.

I say get the BBC out of America too, and let them take their sister, NPR, with them when they go.

[Textide]

Anyone have the viewership comparison between SkyNews and BBC 24?

[jae471]

Ark has replaced the BBC with rival broadcaster Sky News.

Fox (Sky) News wins again.

[Timesink]

Sky is getting more than twice as many viewers as BBC News 24.

[Reagan is King]

Hah! Great news. I hope this gets lots of play in Britain.

[DeuceTraveler]

"It seems the media is experiencing a bout of "domino theory" fever."

We're rolling back socialism. Maybe this will return conservatism in Britain.

[Consort]

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Yes, looking at Britian is like looking into the future of a Liberal America. An omni powerful NPR, socialized medicine, and never ending union strikes.

Where's the balot initiative to privatize National People's Radio?

I never thought about how Wheat is murder. I'd like to get a shirt for that.

[Wright is right!]

"The government. Well, the government pays for it. It's left to its own devices, though, so basically functions like a giant, overbloaded NPR."

It's like a publicly-funded radio/TV version of The Guardian, Manchester's hard-left paper. The only redeeming feature of The Guardian is that its writers CAN write. It's what they write ABOUT that we disagree so much about.

Michael

[Russ]

Last evening BBC News on TV reported that the British troops, upon entering Basra, were greeted with a "tepid"
response by the people. It showed film of unenthusiastic crowds watching them enter. Over on Fox it showed large numbers of citizens waving, shouting and hugging the British troops. Fox reported the entry as a celebration of liberation.

[widowithfoursons]

The reason the sailors have no complaints about the BBC correspondent on the HMS Ark Royal is because he is "embedded", and knows he could lose his a** without these guys' protection. Hope he learns this valuable lesson, and continues his support of the troops when he gets off the ship.

[Yankee]

Ark has replaced the BBC with rival broadcaster Sky News.

Where they'll be enjoying the carping, whining criticism of David Chater and his propagandist compatriots.

The British forces and Tony Blair have been loyal, and heroic allies, and have been tasked with some of the nastiest jobs in theater. They have performed brilliantly, and without complaint.

By contrast, the British press in general is infested with the biggest collection of assholes to ever put pen to paper or hold a microphone in front of a camera.

Their questions at briefings are totally hostile toward the Coalition, and betray their extreme left-wing, anti-war bias.

Their field reporters regurgitate Iraqi propaganda unquestioningly, even as they openly admit that their access to facts on the ground is extremely limited. They also hype any skirmish as a major battle, and consistantly portray the Iraqis as a credible fighting force, instead of the rag-tag roving gangs that our field forces and embedded reporters tell us they are.

Whether it's the BBC, Sky or ITN, I've yet to see one report that I consider "straight reporting". Every last one of them is tinged with defeatism, criticism and open hostility towards the Coalition forces.

[moyden2000]

Every liberal is a liar.

[Textide]

Thanks for the article. Good to see CNN is even failing overseas. Wonder if FoxNews is broadcast in the same markets as SkyNews, since they're both Murdoch-owned.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Every liberal is a liar.

That is a necessary condition for liberalism. Does that make them so bad? (grin) Well, it does make them dangerous to themselves and to society.