Newsnight

[David Johnson]

Has the world gone mad?

A year ago, Newsnight had a story about a paedophile.

1. A woman accused Jimmy Savile of a sexual assault.
2. She had no proof.
3. The BBC decided to pull the story and not broadcast it.

When ITV produced a programme a year later with a range of similar stories, Newsnight and the BBC got hammered by all and sundry. Inquiries were set up. Questions were asked in parliament etc etc. Tories had a field day slagging off the BBC - why was the story pulled etc etc.

A year later, Newsnight had a story about a paedophile.

1. A bloke, Steve Messham accused a "senior Tory politician from the Thatcher era" of a sexual assault.
2. He had no proof.
3. The BBC decided to run the story.
4. Despite Messham not having any proof, the coalition announced an inquiry into the 3 year long inquiry that looked at Messham's and others' evidence in 1996-99.

When it turned out that Messham had got completely the wrong bloke in the accusations he had been making, Newsnight got hammered again for doing the opposite of what they did with the Savile story.

This has the air of the Salem witch hunt with politicians and the media running around like headless chickens without using their brains first.

[Arginald Valleywater]

The once mighy BBC is in a right old mess....though they haven't reduced themselves to cheap stunts like Schofield.

[Gentleman]

After reading he alleged names and some history it was damn scary stuff so the idea of a retraction from the alleged victim isn't surprising.

[David Johnson]

Messham had to give a retraction because he had obviously been making allegations which he has now admitted are not true.

The actions around this by the media and politicians seem to be typical of the feverish, headless chicken atmosphere.

Messham makes some claims and as a result of those claims a couple of inquiries are announced by the coalition and he appears on TV, meets senior politicians in Wales to discuss matters etc.

No-one seems to have stopped first, eiher politicians or Newsnight, and said "is there any truth in this claim".

Apparently a number of journalists have looked at Messham's story over the years and come to the conclusion that there is no truth in it and didn't run with the story. One or two of them were on the phone to the BBC immediately after the Newsnight story was broadcast, saying that they knew this story to be untrue etc etc.

You have to question the evidence of someone who has allegedly been stating this story for over a decade about "a senior Tory politician from the THatcher era) without once bothering to get a picture of the person they are accusing of such vile crimes to double check they have the right person.

[David Johnson]

Ok, I will give you 10 secs. of serious time.

1. Are you a moderator here? No. So you do not decide who posts here.
2. Look up what the O/T means. Off topic so anyone can post what they like.
3. I can't think of anybody more stupid and moronic than you, taking the time to keep track of the number of posts someone makes and then bothering to actually post about it.

Jeez, how pathetic are you, my little troll? However much you disagree with me and you obviously do from your "Pay tax, make others happy, especially in the 3rd World" crap, at least my posts have some fucking content.

10 secs over. Troll on, moron!

[max_tranmere]

What we have been seeing recently is a new and quite ridiculous thing. I can barely think of any claim made by a TV documentary (ITV programme on Savile) that has got this much coverage in both the print media and on TV. Also other networks seem to want to bash the BBC all the time. Sky News were doing it last night.

[David Johnson]

I hope you have got your trainspotters manual handy. Here are some entries for you to get excited over. What a kind individual I am to help you out?

1. OEJ 9898 posts. And every one a cracker!

2. Sam Slater 10511 posts. And every one brilliant!

3. Last but not least, Steve56. 13483 posts. What a star. BGAFD Forumite of the Millenium!

There you go, 2nfro, my pure kindness to you, should result in at least 50 I Spy points, if nothing else.

And this my little troll, is the last post I waste on your good self.

[spider]

This ?let?s kick the BBC? is a real worry.

I have had the misfortune to have to watch Sky News over the last week or so at the gym. The TV I normally watch / listen to through ear phones is broken and that usually broadcast BBC 1.

I reckon a good 80%+ of the news on Sky was US centric.

Over the last week or so I watched news on Superstorm Sandy, the US elections and yesterday it was all about how they had had a bit of snow in New York in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy ? as if I could give a f**k.

If they get there way on the BBC all we are going to be left with is getting our news from Sky, where I can learn all about what?s happening in the US, or ITV where I?ll be getting my ?news? from Phil and Holly.

What P & H did to David Cameron on This Morning the other morning to him was the lowest example of dumbed down journalism I have ever seen.

I?m no fan of DC but I thought he handled it really well.

Trawling the internet and presenting a list of names to the PM to comment on is a bit like coming along and saying ?I heard down the pub that Mr X is a peado. What are you going to do about it??

That?s all internet forums are. A twenty-first century version of what the bloke down the pub says. Is Phil that thick he doesn?t realise that?

You can really tell Phil and Holly started off on Children?s TV.

And that?s where they need to go back too. Over-promoted or what?

Holly, you?ve got lovely tits but don?t worry yourself about anything too complicated.

It will be a sad day if we lose the BBC.