[Big Bad Bob]

I presume that the BBC isn't going to be summoned to explain it's pro-saddam agenda throughout the war, bloody Red bastards.

[MichiganMan]

"So if we allow into Britain the kind of journalism represented by Fox, that would bring about a form of censorship ."

If we allow it?!? "Allowing" it is censorship? Good lord, this guy is an Orwell poster boy!

[mhking]

Posting entire story, as it is not covered by the WP/LAT exclusion:




The Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel, whose determinedly pro-US stance during the Iraq conflict brought it critical notoriety but commercial success, is being investigated by television regulators in Britain for alleged bias.

The independent television commission is looking into nine complaints from viewers about the US channel, which is broadcast in Britain on Rupert Murdoch's Sky Digital satellite service.

If the US network is found to have breached the strict "due impartiality" rules laid down by the commission, it could be forced off Sky's network in the UK.

There is a precedent: after a number of warnings in 1999 the commission revoked the licence of Med TV, a channel aimed at Kurdish viewers, for failing to conform to the impartiality rules.

However, it is thought the ITC is worried about taking on Mr Murdoch. Commission sources played down the significance of its inquiries into Fox, saying the complaints were being treated in the same way as any other.

Under European Union rules, any channel broadcasting in Britain must be licensed by a European regulator.

Fox's licence is granted by the ITC because London is the broadcaster's European base.

The Arabic satellite channel al-Jazeera, often accused of bias from the opposite perspective, is licensed by the French television regulator because its base is in Paris.

Julian Petley, the chairman of the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, called on the commission to act against Fox News.

"The commission has set a precedent by revoking Med TV's licence, so I don't see how it can't have Fox taken off [Sky] as well.

"I'm not in favour of censorship but Murdoch would like to do with British television news what he has done with newspapers, which is to force people to compete on his own terms.

"So if we allow into Britain the kind of journalism represented by Fox, that would bring about a form of censorship by narrowing the range of views and a coarsening of the level of debate."

Fox News may raise the hackles of liberal commentators but it is an undoubted commercial success, having overtaken CNN as the most popular news channel in the US.

In theory it must conform to the same impartiality rules as all news broadcasters licensed in Britain, including the BBC, ITV and Sky News.

Section 3 of the commission's programme code says it must ensure "due impartiality is preserved on the part of the person providing the service as respects matters of political or industrial controversy or relating to current public policy".

Impartiality is not required in every programme as long as a broadcaster can show impartiality "over time".

Complaints of alleged bias in an asylum discussion programme on Sky News, hosted by Sun columnist Richard Littlejohn, were rejected on this basis because another Sky programme redressed the balance.

Some senior media figures believe the rules for broadcasters other than the BBC and ITV should be relaxed.

Chris Shaw, the controller of news and current affairs at Channel Five, and Roger Mosey, the head of television news at the BBC, have suggested smaller broadcasters could have more freedom to air opinionated news programmes.

[Drango]

If the network is found to have breached the ITC's "due impartiality" rules, it could be forced out.

Any day now, someone will file a complaint against CNN and BBC. I'm sure both will be shut down immediately.

[Always Right]

"So if we allow into Britain the kind of journalism represented by Fox, that would bring about a form of censorship ."

I am getting dizzy from all this spin.

[metesky]

Julian Petley, chairman of the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, called on the ITC to act against Fox News: "I'm not in favour of censorship, but...

Say no more.

[E.G.C.]

So in other words, if you don't present liveral or progressive viewpoints as representing neutrality, you're in violation of the impartiality rules as enforced in Great Britian.

I've a feeling this nation is on it's way to the sewer with this kind of mentality
Regards.....

[Becki]

The independent television commission is investigating nine complaints by viewers of the channel..

1. CNN
2. BBC
3. ABC
4. CBS
5. NBC
6. Al Jazeera
7. La Monde
8. Peter Jennings
9. Dan Rather

Becki

[OPS4]

These people prefer the communist way, and like it.

Ops4 God Bless America!

[Timesink]

WARNING! WARNING!

[RockBassCreek]

I hope they count the numbers of spokespersons for each side on any argument. No one is better than Fox at putting advocates of opposite positions on to debate with each other. They get a full opportunity to present their views. But they have to do it with an advocate from the other side ready to counter their arguments.

[Publius6961]

Julian Petley, chairman of the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom...

Here is the problem.
Does anyone have a Communist/Muslim Maggot affiliation Directory?
I would love to find out more about this novel group.

[Timesink]

Fox hunting

We don't want biased news over here

Leader
Thursday May 8, 2003
The Guardian

The director general of the BBC, Greg Dyke, was not one of the moral minority who complained to the broadcasting regulator about the lack of impartiality by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News channel. But Mr Dyke's comments on "gung ho patriotism" and "narrow pro-American agendas" at the end of last month about the way the Iraqi conflict had been covered by US networks aptly sums up British objections to the raucous conservatism and unabashed jingoism of Fox, which can be received in Britain with a Sky satellite dish. Mr Murdoch's news network used Oliver North, a former US colonel and neo-conservative firebrand, as an embedded reporter in Iraq. The network referred to "our troops" and to anti-war protesters as the "great unwashed". When Baghdad fell, the news anchors addressed those who opposed the "liberation" with the words: "You were sickening then, you are sickening now."

This formula has worked in America, where Fox is the biggest news network. Ominously, there are signs Mr Murdoch would like to bring this revolution to Britain. The billionaire is reported to consider Sky's output as having a "liberal bias" and being a version of "BBC lite". Britain has a tradition of objectivity in broadcasting, which Mr Murdoch probably finds irksome.

Here "due impartiality" rules ensure the news is balanced and independent - otherwise a broadcaster can be taken off air. So if Sky produces a diatribe against asylum seekers, it must make space for the opposite view. British viewers have confidence in television news because it is delivered free of rants or bias. Minority broadcasters might be able to get the constraints relaxed in the future - but not Mr Murdoch. Sky could move from Britain to get round the law. Al Jazeera, based in Paris, is governed by French law. It would be a delicious irony if Mr Murdoch, a committed anti-European, moved to the continent so he could pollute sober fact with pointed opinion.

[eBelasco]

FOX News is unbiased and true, most of the time. BBC,CBC,ABC,NBC,CNN, Al Jazeera are communist/leftist/islamist anti-American propaganda outlets, ie, they are liberal media.

[The Old Hoosier]

Thank goodness we have a first amendment in this country, LOL!

[kevkrom]

"I'm not in favour of censorship, but..."

"Anything before 'but' is B.S." -- Jim Quinn

[Richard Kimball]

Bump

[Major Matt Mason]

The worldwide Left have their knickers in a wad over Fox, probably because Fox has destroyed the steely grip the Leftists had on broadcast news. No surprise that they're resorting to censorship to try to silence Fox.

[nutmeg]

FoxFan ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent FoxFan list.

[ladyinred]

I could scream! This is going to be one heck of a nasty campaign year from the lefties of the world.