BBC viewers vent their anger at 'anti-US' bias of Iraq coverage

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...ixnewstop.html


BBC viewers vent their anger at 'anti-US' bias of Iraq coverage
By David Bamber and Chris Hastings
(Filed: 23/02/2003)


The BBC has received an unprecedented number of complaints at the alleged anti-war and anti-American tone of its coverage of the Iraqi crisis.

More than 400 viewers have rung the corporation in the past few weeks to complain that it has shown overwhelming bias. It is one of the largest reactions from viewers ever recorded.

One programme to attract opprobrium was the screening of a debate on Newsnight two weeks ago in which Tony Blair was savaged by an overwhelmingly anti-war audience. A Panorama programme on the crisis three weeks ago, which featured very few speakers in favour of military action, also provoked a hostile reaction.

Viewers have complained that BBC interviews with "ordinary Iraqis" in Baghdad routinely fail to point out that they risk death if they criticise Saddam Hussein. Many others have been incensed by BBC journalists seeming to add personal comment to their reports that is openly opposed to American policy and a possible war.

Some viewers were angered about a piece by Angus Roxburgh, the BBC's Brussels correspondent, on the BBC website on February 12, which was headlined: "Europe's new gang resists US 'bullying' ". He wrote: "President Bush's attitude has reminded Russians of the bad old days when American presidents branded Russia the axis of evil."

Viewers also complained because he misquoted President Ronald Reagan, who actually said that the Soviet Union was an "evil empire".

There were also complaints about a Radio Five programme on January 25 in which David Loyn, the BBC world affairs correspondent, said it would be better if "America was engaged in the rest of the world, rather than frankly wanting to bomb it".

This is not the first time the BBC has been accused of being anti-American or against allied action in overseas conflicts. Two days after the September 11 tragedy, Phil Lader, then the US ambassador to the UK, was almost reduced to tears by a hostile public audience on Newsnight.

A BBC spokesman said: "The BBC always tries to be impartial, and on the specific point of the Newsnight debate with Tony Blair, this was always intended to be him answering anti-war members of the public. Downing Street was fully aware of it beforehand."