Quote:
Originally Posted by Pierre
A state broadcaster that dances to the tune of the government is a dangerous thing.
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Yes.
I take Jon’s point about the BBC’s particular responsibility as the state broadcaster not to cause people to behave dangerously however I don’t accept it can be right for them to do this by suddenly withholding information they have previously routinely reported as it has been released. It gives the impression that the information is somehow unavailable (and yes I know it’s available elsewhere, but the point is, they have previously released the information straight away… So they create the impression that the information is now not available, and people perhaps will not go and look for it elsewhere).
If they can fulfil their obligations, whether statutory or moral, by rigourous reporting and analysis, then all well and good. But when they start doing it (or rather attempting to do it) by withholding information… For me, they have crossed a line.