Talk is all it is until there is ink dry on a contract. In my view, we should be building our own here and not importing from the US or anywhere else - just as we should be building our own buses, trains and so on too.
On that I am not sure I agree. BBC didn't really apologise - if you read it, it is about as half-hearted as you can get. There is a big part of me thinks it is high time they were handed their backside on a platter as they've been getting away with massaging the truth (at best) for many years. Think back to mid-90's and what Bashir did to Diana for a start. If the BBC are willing to pull that sort of stunt with some of the most famous people in the world, what will they do with mere mortals?
I've not read the apology, but I think a Billion is just stupid, 10 quid and a packet of peanuts is about all the licence payer can afford.
Lawsuits are always big money in the US and therein lies the whole crux of the thing really... bad enough that they lie and deceive almost by default, but when that extends to playing a game where the rules are set by other countries, it pays to know what the risks are. If nothing else comes out of this, I hope the organisation has the shakeup of a lifetime and whoever takes over waves the P45 pad around liberally to try and steer the thing back in the right direction.
It's an interesting situation with Trump and the BBC. From what I understand, the programme was never shown in America. Notwithstanding that, for libel law in this country Trump's lawyers were out of time (by a couple of weeks I think) so it can't be brought to court in this country. It would be in time if it was in America but as Trump and a lot of his right wing cronies are always going on about free speech and they seem to say what they like about people whom they don't like, I wonder whether it would hold up anyway. Also I have no idea whether a public corporation in this country can be taken to court over there! It is part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport but is self governing under Royal Charter. I don't think you can extradite a public corporation but not sure.
@pete Yes, America wanted to supply the reactors in N Wales but the contract went to RR instead. Let's hope it was the right decision but the US currently has no better track record than we do concerning infrastructure. @redstar I agree with you that all news outlets need to report factual information to the best of their ability. However, you know as well as I do that a great deal of information is withheld from the general population for a number of reasons - national security is often quoted but protection of "big names" is never given as a reason. The Epstein saga is a case in point. What's the problem there ? And why have some of those involved in the Capitol violence been pardoned ? Why are the US media outlets not being sued ? Surely some of them are biased, guilty of "editing" to some degree or another. There has been plenty of global negative reaction to Mr. Trump ever since his first presidential term and his popularity hasn't exactly increased since then. We all need to question what is going on and Americans are no different.
Then keep with the facts they have for the news, not edit out stuff and AI things there for whatever agenda the news reporter has. The Epstein Saga, keep in mind the last 4 years the Democrats had the files and chose not to do anything with them. Why? LOL Presently there is some voting going on to open them or not open them. Perhaps the Democrats chose not to open them because lots of Democrat names would be mentioned. Frankly, I could care less of Trumps "global" popularity. And I think most Americans would say the same. For the voting in USA, he got the Popular vote and millions of Americans to vote him in, that is all that matters. Again, his global negative was and is affected by FAKE news, such as ------(as it has now been proven) BBC. Lots of fake news out there "globally" indoctrinates folks.
I think we should remember that we aren't on a level playing field in terms of the need for integrity in journalism. The bbc has a mandate to be non biased but other news outlets don't. Newspapers and other media stations are more opinion based and they regularly express biased views and half truths. I'm not defending the bbc but you have to realise their, normal, wiggle room in reporting is much smaller than anyone else. The biggest problem with their continued bad practice is that they legitimise people using bias as a defence for things that are reported, even if they are completely factual.
I agree, but from a slightly different angle - indeed, they are uniquely funded so are not on a level playing field, however most sane folks would accept that some people are going to be biased in one way or another - that is human nature.... to lie and deceive to push an agenda that suits that bias, however, is unforgiveable, especially as it is a million miles from being a one off. The BBC get away with checking their own homework with Ofcom being 'for the others' - but worse still, they've got the bare-faced cheek to have a "ministry of truth" where they see fit to check others homework too. The writing was on the wall from the start with that one as the woman in charge fabricated her CV to get the job! (sounds familiar given the shenanigans from our Labour MP's) The real bugbear that I and many others have is that the BBC have sickened me so much that I don't use their services, barring maybe a news search that hits on their website occasionally (and I could very easily live without that), yet I am forced to pay for it regardless with a threat of custodial sentence if I don't play along. I am less than enamoured at having to pay for nonces and liars who consistently get away with murder. Dare to do 25mph in your car and you are guaranteed a fine, yet broadcast what can only be called lies (possibly propaganda) or have staff that fiddle with kiddies... and hey, that is OK? Nah, sorry, not in my name it isn't.
But Liz Truss had the Daily Mail firmly behind her so she must have been a good 'un @ViewAhead. Makes you wonder how any canals and railways ever managed to be built doesn't it @pete, let alone all those steam engines that powered the industrial revolution.
Things were different then, ruled half the world, which we are now condemned for and expected to pay back for. Now we just fiddle around trying to please and appease everyone.
