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News

Judge bans BBC from showing docu-drama about riots

73 replies

Empusa · 17/07/2012 19:42

Article

"The BBC has pulled a film about the experiences of rioters during last summer's disturbances just hours before it was due to be broadcast after a ruling from a judge. The film, due to be broadcast on BBC2 at 9pm on Monday, was a dramatisation based on the testimony of interviews conducted for the Guardian and London School of Economics research into the disorder.

The programme, part of a two-part series, features actors who play anonymous rioters speaking about their experiences of the riots last August. The BBC said in a statement: "A court order has been made that has prevented the BBC from broadcasting the programme The Riots: In their own Words tonight. We will put it out at a later date.""

"The ruling from a judge prevented the docu-drama, which had been due to be broadcast on BBC2 at 9pm on Monday, from being broadcast "by any media until further order"."

"For legal reasons, the Guardian cannot name the judge who made the ruling, the court in which he is sitting or the case he is presiding over. However, it is understood that lawyers for the BBC strongly object to his ruling, the nature of which is believed to be highly unusual."

Wonder what on earth is in this docu-drama that has meant it's been banned?! Seems unusual to not be releasing any information on why it's been banned.

OP posts:
NicholasTeakozy · 18/07/2012 21:45

adeucalione currency devaluation will lead to inflation. Also, Quatitative easing devalues savings and pensions, and in the way it's being done, handing made up money to the banks, only invites the banks to pay their debts off cheaply as opposed to lending it. If QE was put in everybody' bank account then it might encourage spending.

Flatpack the BBC seem to tow the Tory line, specially on benefits. I remember how they trampled all over Sue Marsh to allow Maria Miller to look good. Even though she's an odious lying piece of work, just like her boss, the twins Iain and Duncan Smith.

carernotasaint · 18/07/2012 21:50

the BBC seem to tow the Tory line especially on benefits........ yes as Nicholas has just said and my other examples of this upthread.

adeucalione · 18/07/2012 22:09

Nicholas -

Currency devaluation will not lead to inflation if there is spare capacity in the economy and consumer spending is low, which is certainly the case right now.

I think inflation was down at 2.4% for June actually.

I agree that QE artificially devalues pensions and savings as it keeps interest rates low, but this benefits home owners, small businesses etc.

I haven't got anything worth saying about the docu-drama but important to get facts straight I think.

EightiesChick · 18/07/2012 22:11

flatpackhamster Re the left-wing BBC - that's not what the Glasgow Media Group's research showed in the 1970s; in fact, quite the reverse, that the BBC was actually slightly more favourable to the voice of authority, employers over strikers etc. Are you saying that the BBC has become dramatically more left wing in the years since the 70s (in contrast to British society as a whole if so), and if so, what empirical research has confirmed that?

flatpackhamster · 18/07/2012 22:20

ttosca*

I'm not so sure about middle-class or left-wing - probably more 'progressive' than left-wing, but there is plenty of right-wing and conservative views expressed as well.

What is 'progressive'? I think that, like 'fairness' and 'social justice', it is an ephemeral term which means nothing beyond what you want it to mean this week.

There are conservative views expressed at the BBC. But there are no socially conservative views. Now in your view the direct imposition of Guardian values on the population may be a good thing, or it may not, but it is still the imposition of a set of values.

If you want to complain about things like climate change and homosexuality, it indicates to me that you're just out of step with the 21st Century. You do agree with women's suffrage, right?

Haha, very good. Clearly if I'm pointing out that the BBC has a clear bias in favour of a particular viewpoint, I'm a cragged old misogynist, because it's easier to demonise me than to accept that the BBC has a clear bias.

Since you've picked out those two examples, I'm making the point that the BBC's line is "homosexuality is great and normal", which is at odds with the teaching of the Christian and Muslim and Jewish faiths, although it is a central tenet of left-wing 'faith'. The majority of the country still identify themselves with one of those religions. And the BBC's line is "climate change is all definitely caused by humans", which remains a point of scientific debate although the 'green' movement deny any scientific doubt.

Now I'm unclear why that makes me a woman-hater. I'm an atheist, but I recognise that other people have different views to me, even if I think they're wrong.

My problem here is that the BBC has a clear bias, and that people deny that it has. Admitting that there's a bias doesn't mean condemning it.

flatpackhamster · 18/07/2012 22:20

NicholasTeakozy

Flatpack the BBC seem to tow the Tory line, specially on benefits. I remember how they trampled all over Sue Marsh to allow Maria Miller to look good. Even though she's an odious lying piece of work, just like her boss, the twins Iain and Duncan Smith.

You do? I don't remember that. Do you have a link to that so I might watch it?

And it's toe the line.

GoldMedalTeakozy · 18/07/2012 22:23

Adeu, which part of our economy has spare capacity? And which part of devaluation = higher cost of imports is difficult to understand?

Provide proof that QE is helping the average person and I'll go away. Honest. :)

carernotasaint · 18/07/2012 22:24

Sue Marsh actually joined mumsnet a while ago Im happy to pm her if you want!

carernotasaint · 18/07/2012 22:30

Done!

adeucalione · 18/07/2012 22:32

Eighties chick - Dennis Sewell's investigation 'A Question of Bias' found that the BBC did demonstrate a left wing bias, and he's worked in BBC News for 22 years (and his report, from 2012,is a lot more recent than the Glasgow Media Group's research from the 70s).

GoldMedalTeakozy · 18/07/2012 22:33

Dear me Flipflop. It can be either toe, as in stand behind a line, or tow, as in pull in one direction (not a boyband). . Watch Grayling lie aided and abetted by Emily Maitliss. See how Sue gets cut off every time. It made me stabby. Specially the lies that she wasn't allowed to contradict.

adeucalione · 18/07/2012 22:41

GoldMedal -

obviously just about every single sector of the economy has spare capacity as we are in recession.

devaluation = higher cost of imports isn't at all difficult to understand, but that is not at all the same as saying devaluation=inflation for reasons I've already outlined but you could always google if you don't believe me.

I'm not going to defend QE, but someone up thread asserted that QE has resulted in inflation and it hasn't, and it won't, so they were wrong.

EightiesOlympicGolds · 18/07/2012 22:58

adeucalione I'm aware that the GMG research is old - I said that myself! Very few researchers though have been prepared to undertake a similarly comprehensive analysis in a specific period. Have now downloaded Dennis Sewell's report so I will read with interest.

MrJudgeyPants · 18/07/2012 23:33

Even Mark Thompson, the current Director General of the BBC, admitted a left-wing bias - for you to argue otherwise just shows obstinacy on your part!

The BBC is more reflective of the Guardian mindset than, for example, the Telegraph's, not just in its editorial policy, but across the board with most of its output. I also think it avoids debating big issues within our society - issues such as EU membership, immigration and Muslim extremism.

More worryingly, I've noticed a trend towards rewriting of our history. Paxman's hatchet job on the Empire was cringe worthy and was littered with made up facts and opinions that had no basis in reality. That the BBC can abuse its dominant position in this way is disgraceful - the fact that I am taxed to pay for the bloody thing just makes things worse.

Nancy66 · 19/07/2012 10:08

The Gvmt are very worried that the one year anniversary will spark repeat rioting (on a much smaller scale.)

I know newspapers have been asked to play down the anniversary (and have all refused.) I guess the BBC ban is because they are a public service provider and the home office grants their licence.

flatpackhamster · 19/07/2012 11:35

GoldMedalTeakozy

Dear me Flipflop. It can be either toe, as in stand behind a line, or tow, as in pull in one direction (not a boyband).

No it can't.

Can you not use Google?. Watch Grayling lie aided and abetted by Emily Maitliss. See how Sue gets cut off every time. It made me stabby. Specially the lies that she wasn't allowed to contradict.

Either provide the link or stop bleating. You have a point to prove, so cite your source.

ttosca · 19/07/2012 11:36

flatpack-

I'm not so sure about middle-class or left-wing - probably more 'progressive' than left-wing, but there is plenty of right-wing and conservative views expressed as well.

What is 'progressive'? I think that, like 'fairness' and 'social justice', it is an ephemeral term which means nothing beyond what you want it to mean this week.

It's usually conservatives who have a problem with the term 'progressive'. Most other people use it quite happily. It's usually taken to mean promoting fairness, a just society, democracy and accountability, and the promotion of the well-being of everybody in society, not just the privileged few.

No, I don't think it's such a blank and meaningless term that anyone can use it to mean anything. Conservatives don't call their ideas progressives for two reasons:

a) They normally seek to conserve the status quo

b) They are normally OK with wealth and power inequality.

There are conservative views expressed at the BBC. But there are no socially conservative views. Now in your view the direct imposition of Guardian values on the population may be a good thing, or it may not, but it is still the imposition of a set of values.

It's really not an imposition. If by conservative views you mean bigoted views, then the BBC can't broadcast that because they're supposed to be owned by the public. Therefore, they're accountable to the public - all the public - including gay people, poor people, ethinic and other minorities.

If you want to complain about things like climate change and homosexuality, it indicates to me that you're just out of step with the 21st Century. You do agree with women's suffrage, right?

Haha, very good. Clearly if I'm pointing out that the BBC has a clear bias in favour of a particular viewpoint, I'm a cragged old misogynist, because it's easier to demonise me than to accept that the BBC has a clear bias.

See below..

Since you've picked out those two examples, I'm making the point that the BBC's line is "homosexuality is great and normal", which is at odds with the teaching of the Christian and Muslim and Jewish faiths, although it is a central tenet of left-wing 'faith'. The majority of the country still identify themselves with one of those religions. And the BBC's line is "climate change is all definitely caused by humans", which remains a point of scientific debate although the 'green' movement deny any scientific doubt.

And I was absolutely right. You are out of step with 21st Century opinion. The BBC doesn't promote 'homosexuality is great and normal', although it homosexuality is perfectly normal. It doesn't, however, treat homosexuality as abberant or something to be condemned. It doesn't do this because a) that would be ignorant and hateful and b) it is owned by the public, and therefore accountable to the public, who are comprised of 10% homosexuals (at least).

Climate change is also accepted by the vast majority of the scientific community to be man-made, in the same way that their is a consensus that species evolve through the process of evolution.

Faith of all kinds is represented on the BBC, including documentaries about different faiths, as well as historical documentaries, and even Sunday prayers.

The BBC won't promote Creationism as a science (rather than faith) because it has no scientific validity.

Now I'm unclear why that makes me a woman-hater. I'm an atheist, but I recognise that other people have different views to me, even if I think they're wrong.

Good for you. I joked about you being against women's suffrage because your beliefs appear outdated. It looks like I was justified.

In any case, you'll have no problem finding other views besides those with a 'progressive, metropolitan' bias either on the BBC, or the dozens of other channels on TV. If you want to go full reactionary, you can even watch Fox news and live in your own reality, completely devoid of facts.

My problem here is that the BBC has a clear bias, and that people deny that it has. Admitting that there's a bias doesn't mean condemning it.

It has bias in a way that it should: It represents and respects the views of the public, including minorities and people of different faiths. It also doesn't broadcast ideas as science which have no scientific validity.

GoldMedalTeakozy · 19/07/2012 12:21

Flatpack

The link I provided in my previous post works perfectly well. :)

flatpackhamster · 19/07/2012 12:31

ttosca

It has bias in a way that it should: It represents and respects the views of the public, including minorities and people of different faiths. It also doesn't broadcast ideas as science which have no scientific validity.

No, it has a bias in the way that you think that it should, because it reflects your values - left wing, authoritarian, and London-centric.

If you lived in Luton and were Muslim, you might well have problems with the BBC's view on homosexuality because the BBC's teaching doesn't reflect the teaching of the Koran. If you lived in rural Yorkshire, you might find the BBC's attitude to the countryside patronising and arrogant.

I have, at no point, stated that I have a problem with gays or homosexuality. But what you seem utterly incapable of doing is accepting that, outside your narrow metropolitan bubble, life is very different.

MrJudgeyPants · 19/07/2012 13:47

ttosca playing the devil's advocate here but if 10% of the population is homosexual and, therefore, we all have to accept programming which reflects that fact, what percentage of the population is bigoted - surely they should be represented too? Confused

Furthermore, if only 10% of the population believes X, shouldn't only 10% of the BBC's output reflect that?

What we seem to get 100% of the time (although if you can provide contrary examples I'm all ears) is a middle class, multicultural, London centric, pro-EU, statist, left-wing, pro-AGW, atheist bias which seems to appeal only to the metropolitan elite and runs scared of tackling anything which doesn't conform to this view. Mark Thompson even conceded as much.

Ryoko · 19/07/2012 17:43

BBC will all ways be pro government, last thing they want is reviews into their spending/commercial arm and the validity of the TV tax in this day and age.

MrJudgeyPants · 19/07/2012 23:40

Ryoko I agree. The sooner it moves over to a subscription system, which we can choose to opt out of, the better.

carernotasaint · 20/07/2012 00:25

Thirded. I agree too.

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