Shaken BBC prepares to defend its reputation

Financial Times ^ | July 20 2003 | Tim Burt, Media Editor in London

[unspun]

BTW, I'm surprised there is no mention of something here:

Any contributors, of lyrics celebrating the BBC, to the tune of Gilligan's Island?

[Mike Darancette]

Mr Kelly was not a member of the intelligence services.

It doesn't matter who Mr. Kelly was the BBC probably misquoted him and on purpose.

[johnfl61]

They should mean Bush Bashing Corporation such as CNN means Clintoon News Network.

[piasa]

Kelly had no business discussing what he was with Gilligan.

No kidding...

Seems like a few inspectors liked the attention, though.

I wonder if Kelly told the reporter that he was a "senior intelligence official," or if Gilligan made that part up?

It sounds from that that Gilligan already had his agenda and was using Kelly to get quotes to support his own ideas:

Kelly : "...I do realise that in the conversation that I had there was reinforcement of some of the ideas he has put forward."

[sultan88]

"...lyrics celebrating the BBC, to the tune of Gilligan's Island?"

Great idea! CB88, this one would be up your alley.

[Mike Darancette]

He lied to parliament about being the source.

Kelly admitted talking to the BBC but told Parliament that he supported Blair and did not say that the Documents were "sexed up". Therefore Kelly reasoned he could not have been the main source. And panel agreed with Kelly and cleared him.

What Kelly and the panel didn't reckon with is that the BBC lied about what their source said.

[unspun]

Hours before he died, Kelly told of 'dark actors playing games'

I don't suppose he was referring to viewing the newly released "Bad Boys II?"

[cyncooper]

So what's your theory on the suicidal impulse of the "honorable" Dr. Kelly?

[cyncooper]

And since you highlight the "dark actors" quote, might I note that here Kelly had been supposedly misquoted by media and he writes that line----to a journalist!

[unspun]

And since you highlight the "dark actors" quote, might I note that here Kelly had been supposedly misquoted by media and he writes that line----to a journalist!

That's what I was wondering about....

[Southack]

"Mr Kelly told members of Parliament that from his contacts with Mr Gilligan "I do not see how he could make the authoritative statement that he was making from the comments that I made". Mr Gilligan is now on "gardening leave". One official said: "He will not be broadcasting for the moment"."

Ah yes, finally. Buried DEEP down into this story, the Financial Times finally lets us see the meat of this issue...in that the BBC's "quoting" of their anonymous source was apparently not accurate.

Who woulda thunk it...

[Mike Darancette]

So what's your theory on the suicidal impulse of the "honorable" Dr. Kelly?

The BBC threatened to expose and ruin Kelly if Kelly did not support BBC alligations of "sexed up" documents. Kelly had already testified that he had not implicated the government in lying so his position was impossible.

We shall see.

[dr_who_2]

Oddly enough, www.bbc.co.uk doesn't work.

[OldFriend]

Kelly is not blameless here. He had an unauthorized meeting with the BBC. He wanted to discredit Blair on the war. The email he sent before his death went to someone at the NEW YORK TIMES..........

[Victoria Delsoul]

Mr Kelly told members of Parliament that from his contacts with Mr Gilligan "I do not see how he could make the authoritative statement that he was making from the comments that I made".

Hmmm, yet the BBC knowing about this information didn't have a problem suggesting that Tony Blair had lied for the purpose of taking his country to war. Ay caramba!

[Drango]

The BBC has put itself above the Government that subsidizes it!

NPR/PBS doesn't speak for America or the people that involuntarily subsidizes them. Their focus and agenda are overwhelmingly the liberal views of the Democratic party...

[cyncooper]

He had an unauthorized meeting with the BBC.

I agree with you. Just wanted to add it was several unauthorized meetings with Gilligan, and he admitted to one with the woman, though he said it was after some general meeting and he spoke with her, the questioning entailed other dates that might come to light when investigation looks at the documentation they are compiling.

[Peter Libra]

Your query on whether the deceased scientist had signed the official secrets act noted. I was lost in time in my old records, searching for my copy- I have it somewhere. To clarify though, as a minor civil servant, I was in communications. The ordinary civil servant, even much higher up, but not in that branch, did not have to go through this procedure.

I think the equivalent of my branch is now in Menwith, Yorkshire, an American based surveillance centre. (No secret though).

I did some reading of the link and may have missed something. I wonder if Dr Kelly slipped through the cracks? Even today, I would not dare say beans about my humble contribution in the cold war. Ten years durance vile? no fear. LOL.

[brydic1]

It is just so apparent that government funded media outlets whether it is Pravda, Radio Moscow or NPR, PBS, or BBC exist basically to destroy freedom, free enterprise and any vestige of truth that gets in the way.

[snooker]

<<< ... For example, NPR cannot be considered a Bush administration mouthpiece by any stretch of the imagination. >>>

True, but they did a good job as a Clinton administration mouth piece.