Apology, resignation from BBC

UPI - Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 2:05:13 PM EST

LONDON, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Errors in a provocative report on Iraqi weapons by Britain's dominant broadcaster has prompted an apology and a resignation from the global network.

BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies announced Wednesday he would resign in the wake of an independent panel's evaluation of certain BBC stories. Those stories, by reporter Andrew Gilligan, claimed Tony Blair's government had hyped Saddam Hussein's weapons threat, the BBC reported Wednesday.

The panel was created last year after the suicide of a respected weapons expert caught between the BBC's defense of Gilligan's work and Blair's government.

The panel, headed by Lord Hutton, released its report Wednesday, and it was highly critical of the BBC.

The Hutton report found Gilligan's claim Downing Street had "sexed up" its dossier on Iraq's weapons was "unfounded."

Gilligan had cited an unnamed government source in making that claim. David Kelly was later named as that source and publicly admitted being Gilligan's source. But -- crucially -- Kelly also said Gilligan had twisted his views to make the Blair government look cynical, manipulative and war-mongering. Kelly killed himself after his name was leaked.

Besides Davies' resignation, the BBC's director general publicly apologized for Gilligan's work.

--

Copyright 2004 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

NO way!!! You have to be kidding me, a print/news for sale company doing something like this. The DEMS are far reaching buggers I guess. I never had such a laugh as watching the debate on TV yesterday. Barnum & Baily would of been proud their forum of entertainment being used.

There seems to be a good shake-up at some of these big left-wing newspapers with the BBC revelations and New York Times publisher Howell Raines resignation.

Now what's needed is a nice scandal at the LA Times & SF Cronicle!

So much for Hutton being a man of integrity. Alaister Campbell gets away with murder (not quite literally) and Blair demands an apology from his accusers.

Georgie,

The right wing has taken control of the BBC.

You know what I wonder? Where are our appologies from Bitterfly (oh yeah 86d) and his miscreant friends who threw this in our faces not long ago.

That's the left's tactic, throw out something/anything, then when it is logicly explained, don't respond/admit, but throw out something equally infantile and off subject.

Wage on, I'm taking the weekend off. SuperBowl Sunday- Go Pats!!!!

SoCal

That's the left's tactic, throw out something/anything, then when it is logicly explained, don't respond/admit, but throw out something equally infantile and off subject.

Truer words have never been spoken!

The big problem Blair has was his enthusiasm for war in Iraq. I got to be suspicious of any one that is that enthusiastic about war.

When the spokesman for the department of defence was asked where they were getting their information about WMD from, The answer given was that we can't tell you because we would endanger the lives of spies placed in Iraq.

So my question is (now that they are no longer in danger) where are these so called spies. Or was that another lie ?

Come on now Georgie Porgy answer me this.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Love Joe Strawberry

The big problem Blair has was his enthusiasm for war in Iraq. I got to be suspicious of any one that is that enthusiastic about war.

When the spokesman for the department of defence was asked where they were getting their information about WMD from, The answer given was that we can't tell you because we would endanger the lives of spies placed in Iraq.

So my question is (now that they are no longer in danger) where are these so called spies. Or was that another lie ?

Come on now Georgie Porgy answer me this.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Love Joe Strawberry

Watch plachon.

This is how we do away with politically correct lies:

Yes there were spys.

Saddam lied to his own people, so they thought he had WMDs, and reported such.

Quite simple really.

"The truth will set you free", says Georgie-Porgie.

If it's true, I'm afraid that Fox News viewers are in for the rest of their lives.

Fox News, Fair and Balanced, no PC bullsh1t!

http://www.foxnews.com

So much for Hutton being a man of integrity. Alaister Campbell gets away with murder (not quite literally) and Blair demands an apology from his accusers.

I don't agree. That BBC report was shameful. It's one thing to embellish copy - all reporters have done that at one time - it's another to know that in giving your copy an anti-government tilt, your bosses will quietly applaud.

The BBC ''culture'' sounds craven. I am pleased the chairman has quit. The journalist who wrote the copy should also go.

I recall seeing his London home on TV. Like some of the journalists from a certain

English-language daily in Bangkok, he earns far too much money to know what it is like to be an ordinary worker.

He reported not for ordinary listeners but for a political elite.

Fox News, Fair and Balanced, no PC bullsh1t!

http://www.foxnews.com

Any share in the company ?

Or is your full name Georgie-Porgie Murdoch ?

For fair and balanced news, let me recommend you:

www.informationclearinghouse.info

www.truthout.org

www.antiwar.com

www.thesmirkingchimp.com

www.atimes.com

www.thecrisispapers.org

www.commondreams.org

Besides of my daily CNN-injection I do look into one or all of the following.

Listed only the English-language services. More interesting when you go into the Italian, French and Spanish news. Watch out to whom they give credit, to avoid just getting the common news from wire-services in translation.

Fox was fine, but failed during the Iraq-war and got a reputation of being on-sided, pro-US.

BBC must take carefully until the present problems are solved.

Best thing, make up your own mind!

http://www.reuters.com/ Reuters

http://www.ap.org/ Associated Press

http://abcnews.go.com/ USA

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ UK

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/home/main100.shtml USA

http://www.nzz.ch/english/ Switzerland

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/ (Netherlands)

http://web.israelinsider.com/ Israel

http://www.gamla.org.il/english/index.htm Israel

http://www.scmp.com/ Hong Kong

http://www.russiajournal.com/news/ Russia

www.informationclearinghouse.info

www.truthout.org

www.antiwar.com

www.thesmirkingchimp.com

www.atimes.com

www.thecrisispapers.org

www.commondreams.org

For complete losers and wackos!

Recommended by Georgie-Porgie "O'Reilly" :

http://www.foxnews.com

The Spin Stops Here!

For fair and balanced news, let me recommend you:

www.informationclearinghouse.info

www.truthout.org

www.antiwar.com

www.thesmirkingchimp.com

www.atimes.com

www.thecrisispapers.org

www.commondreams.org

Yellow Journalism to the MAX!

One example: How can a rag called Anti-War.com purport to be "Fair & Balanced???

It's sad the John Birch Society newsletter can't be readily found anymore...

Boon Mee

How can a pro-war Fox News be fair and balanced ? I'm also wondering.