blech:
posted on 2004/06/14 12:25
Ofcom does not accept that Fox News's claim that an appointment of a monitor to detect 'pro-Arab' bias is proof of an "anti-Americanism that was obsessive, irrational and dishonest" within the BBC
Similarly, we do not believe that a simple Internet search for the words "BBC" and "anti-American" is sufficient evidence to back-up such a statement. (An Internet search will only identify those sites which contain those words, it will not make any editorial judgement over how those words are used).
Fox News was therefore in breach of Sections 2.1 (respect for truth), 2.7 (opportunity to take part), and 3.5(b) (personal view programmes - opinions expressed must not rest upon false evidence) of the Programme Code.
[ 1 day, 0 hours later ]
[Tuesday lunchtime] The media Guardian picked up on this too.
There's an interesting section, though, suggesting that Ofcom is thinking of redrawing its impartiality clauses to exclude broadcasters not aimed at British viewers.
This would be good news for Fox, I suppose. It's also good news for al-Jazeera.
There's even a suggestion that this recasting would exclude even Sky News from the clause, meaning that if Murdoch wanted to push it in a more Fox-like direction, he could.
We hate you all. Yes, especially you. Sod off and DIE