Compare and contrast
Yesterday's Times reported on BBC censorship of a party political broadcast by a small Christian political party standing in tomorrow's London elections.
The BBC is facing a High Court challenge over its decision to censor aThe BBC demanded a number of changes to the broadcast:
party political broadcast in the run-up to Thursday’s local elections.
A Christian party has begun legal action after the corporation insisted
on changes to a short film in which the party voiced opposition to the building
of Europe’s biggest mosque next to the site of the 2012 Olympics.
The Christian Choice election broadcast would have described Tablighi Jamaat asNo doubt, the BBC would say they are only being sensitive to a minority religious group. But contrast this sensitivity with the BBC's treatment of another minority religious group, in this case the Catholic organisation Opus Dei: The Spectator has the full story.
“a separatist Islamic group” before welcoming that some “moderate Muslims” were opposed to the mosque complex.
The BBC refused to accept “separatist” — the corporation asked for “controversial” instead — and barred the use of “moderate Muslims” because the phrase implied that Tablighi Jamaat was less than moderate.
2 comments:
It's a shame that the BBC can't see how counterproductive this kind of censorship is. By refusing to allow legitimate parties to discuss important issues openly and responsibly they are simply giving BNP a foothold. Do we really want far-right events to be the forums where this type of issue is discussed? How dare the BBC, paid for by the British public, refuse to allow the British public to discuss the issues that concern it.
I want to say "I can't believe it!", but unfortunately I do believe it of the BBC, and can't stand it. Just one of the reasons we don't have a television.
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