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Shaken BBC prepares to defend its reputation
Financial Times ^ | July 20 2003 | Tim Burt, Media Editor in London

Posted on 07/20/2003 2:11:43 PM PDT by demlosers

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To: OldFriend
#154 "Kelly is not blameless here"- I agree. An important question must and should be raised at many levels, affecting a nations security. That is that ,if a government makes it absolutely clear, that they must have loyalty, are they entitled?.

If various people take it unto themselves to decide that they are morally superior, to their government,where does it end?. The same thing goes for the military- if a volunteer force. Can anything work, if individuals mouth off as soldiers?. Kelly should have had the guts to quit. Could have quaffed a cold ale in a decent pub somewhere- then sought solace with his wife.

161 posted on 07/20/2003 8:47:45 PM PDT by Peter Libra
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To: Peter Libra
To self. Clarification :Those who are employed by government and who as a condition of employment in sensitive positions are required to be either close mouthed or loyal- as opposed to the average citizen of course
162 posted on 07/20/2003 8:54:18 PM PDT by Peter Libra
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To: Peter Libra
"Can anything work, if individuals mouth off as soldiers?. Kelly should have had the guts to quit. Could have quaffed a cold ale in a decent pub somewhere- then sought solace with his wife."

Or perhaps he was simply misquoted. That's what he told Parliament's official inquiry.

You know, if the BBC thought the he would forever remain an anonymous source, they could, if they were morally void, claim that he said any number of things.

It's not certainly not without precedent for a newspaper reporter to fabricate quotes, as Jayson Blair and Walter Duranty demonstrated with such abandon...

163 posted on 07/20/2003 9:18:11 PM PDT by Southack (Media bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: maestro
Thanks for the heads up!
164 posted on 07/20/2003 9:34:05 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Jonah Hex
I believe Mr. Gilligan was last seen leaving on a three-hour tour. A three-hour tour....

I hope the jerk is marooned with Mrs. Howell

165 posted on 07/20/2003 9:49:48 PM PDT by Maynerd
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To: snooker
True, but they did a good job as a Clinton administration mouth piece.

Please don't use the words Clinton and mouthpiece in the same sentence. It's very Monica like.

166 posted on 07/20/2003 10:01:03 PM PDT by Maynerd
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To: Southack
#163 Your point taken and noted carefully. This is to the possible lack of ethics and professionalism of media. I am indebted to poster #114 Arasina. In it's content, is a link.Oral evidence of Dr David Kelly..... It certainly takes a dedicated Freeper to really keep on and follow the enquiry.

Yes, a new- or is it the 1960's style distortion for "truth" exists today. We may find out whether the BBC destroyed Dr Kelly. I will still stick to my original points though. He walked right into the lions den. This is to anyone who values their job. To the press, say nothing. Better safe than sorry.

167 posted on 07/20/2003 10:13:59 PM PDT by Peter Libra
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To: demlosers
fears that a broader shake-up could jeopardise its worldwide reputation and international expansion plans.

How do you jeopardize a sullied/leftist reputation?

168 posted on 07/20/2003 10:50:10 PM PDT by zip
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To: Dog
They ruined this man........the ba$tards.

One thing to remember, this clown was an anti war/peace at any price/peacenik type who didn't mind breaking the law to bash his government's support of the United States.

169 posted on 07/20/2003 11:04:42 PM PDT by zip
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To: demlosers
What is a BBC?
170 posted on 07/20/2003 11:07:26 PM PDT by ApesForEvolution ("The only way evil triumphs is if good men do nothing" E. Burke)
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To: Dog
Kelly was telling the truth.......Gilligan made the whole article up ....

But what do you is the reason for Kelly's suicide then?

171 posted on 07/21/2003 3:32:43 AM PDT by Int (Ever notice how the Freepers that have been here longest are the most 'moderate'?)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
The BBC (Govenors) already completed an investigation, which said the story should stand. (one of the govenors was a senior member of the government Intel commitee)

So how can they be on the ropes? (I think the government has not finished with the Spin). Everone knows (NOW) that the story of WMD was hyped around the world; London, Washington, Canbera and Madrid.

This guy could not tell the goverment comittee that he had told the BBC the truth, I think that's what he ment by dark forces in the backround. Now it looks like the BBC is lying.

I would not be suprised if they threatened to fire him, cut his pension and through his backside in jail if he told the "whole truth" at the government commitee.

This could make a proud, honest man do the worst, he must have been eating himself up inside, ready to boil. He wanted to tell the truth, but to do so would destroy his family, he would be in prison and his daughters and wife would have no pension, with packs of press at the door every day.

One of the e-mails he sent to a colleague just before he killed himself asking; why had the MOD (Ministry of Defence)leaked his name. He did not ask why had the BBC lied in the story or changed the story, no the e-mail blamed the MOD for the pressure.

I do not know if any of you can find any of the back issues of Drudge or Anti war etc. for the headlining newpaper stories that said "they"(the British Government)would find the mole where ever he was, and he would feel the full wait of the government.

Well they found him and he certainly felt the full wait of the government.

In Iraq, if anyone had done what Mr Kelly had done under Saddam, they would have been shot, however in England the Government (with the help of the tabloids)just pressures you until you break.

And we are trying to export our democracy to Iraq !!!

God help us All.

172 posted on 07/21/2003 3:47:47 AM PDT by John_11_25
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To: Dog
Kelly was telling the truth.......Gilligan made the whole article up ....I'll bet anything..

I doubt it, the BBC is not some tabloid, like the Sun or the Daily Mirror.

I think Mr Kelly was pressured to tell the commitee what the govenment wanted Mr Kelly to tell them, with the threat of Prison, no pension etc. etc.

They shamed the man into submisson.

The whole point is, who is stronger the government of the BBC, the government actually thinks it can tell the media what to discuss and what not to discuss.

Which is a sad state of affairs and cannot be allowed to happen. We critize it when it happens else where in the world and we should critizise it now, Loudly.

173 posted on 07/21/2003 3:57:52 AM PDT by John_11_25
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To: Dog
Kelly was telling the truth.......Gilligan made the whole article up ....I'll bet anything..

I doubt it, the BBC is not some tabloid, like the Sun or the Daily Mirror.

I think Mr Kelly was pressured to tell the commitee what the govenment wanted Mr Kelly to tell them, with the threat of Prison, no pension etc. etc.

They shamed the man into submisson.

The whole point is, who is stronger the government of the BBC, the government actually thinks it can tell the media what to discuss and what not to discuss.

Which is a sad state of affairs and cannot be allowed to happen. We critize it when it happens else where in the world and we should critizise it now, Loudly.

174 posted on 07/21/2003 3:58:11 AM PDT by John_11_25
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To: Dog
A man died because a BBC reporter was pushing his agenda. ......amazing.

Or maybe it was the Rasputin PR man, Tony Blair and Jack Staw that were not men enough to stand up and say they errored.

Why ?

Because they would lose their high paying, high profile jobs and would have to go back to working in mudane jobs.

They are not independantly rich like a lot of your conservative politicians in the UK or the US government.

Be careful about you conclusions as the UK government is still spinning.......

175 posted on 07/21/2003 4:05:08 AM PDT by John_11_25
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To: All
The BBC 'sexed up' it's story....Kelly was not a 'senior intelligence official' as the BBC claimed their "anonymous source" was.
176 posted on 07/21/2003 4:05:29 AM PDT by HennepinPrisoner
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To: HennepinPrisoner
it's=its
177 posted on 07/21/2003 4:05:46 AM PDT by HennepinPrisoner
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To: John_11_25
If the BBC was an independent press, payed for by voluntary customers, I'd agree with you, but it isn't. We are obliged in the UK to buy its drivel, or face a £1000 fine!! The BBC is an elitist Socialist breeding ground, and I welcome any attempts to reform/cripple/destroy it.
178 posted on 07/21/2003 4:15:35 AM PDT by pau1f0rd
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To: JZoback
It's pretty obvious the BBC got caught pushing an agenda to smear Tony Blair and our President.

Is it me or was that tough to glean from this article? On the other hand, I had no trouble deciphering the fact that a senior correspondent working for Sky News was let go for fabricating a story.

179 posted on 07/21/2003 4:27:46 AM PDT by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
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To: Dog
I am assuming that there is more to this story than meets the eye. I did a quick internet search on Gilligan and found that he has been reporting from the Middle East for years--certainly time enough to have a LOT of contacts. He also has a reputation for going after the government and making lots of accusations. Could he be their Scott Ritter? I also do not buy this Dr. Kelly is such a gentle man who is so shy and unaccustomed to grilling. My husband, also a gentle and shy man just a fews years younger than Kelly, has been toughened by his many years as a college professor. If England is anything at all like the US, the collegiate atmosphere is as rough-and-tumble a political place as any I've known. Gentle and shy, yes, I can believe that. But naive and not used to politics? I doubt it.
180 posted on 07/21/2003 6:28:48 AM PDT by twigs
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