Is Google Burying The Truth?
In this blog, I do occasionally criticise individuals, but my comments are always fair and based on fact, unless it is something like fair comment on a design. As a supporter of the Libel Reform Campaign, and as someone who lived with a barrister for forty years, who did her first pupillage in Libel Chambers, I hope I know the difference between libel and fair comment.
But I am worried by the story of Robert Peston and his reporting of the banking troubles of the last decade, where Google has been asked to remove a story from their searches, he wrote in 2007. It’s all reported here on the BBC web site.
This morning the story is on the front page of The Times, and their report names the individual, who asked to be forgotten.
But they are also saying Google’s action might have backfired, as the story of the forgetting has been retweeted and commented on hundreds of times.
The story has been picked up by numerous newspapers including this story in the Mirror.
Fighting Talk In The BBC Radio Theatre
I took some pictures of the programme inside the theatre.
They aren’t the best, but they give a flavour of the programme. The panel was Justin Moorhouse, Dougie Anderson, Henning Wehn and Mina Rzouki. The podcast is here.
To The BBC For Fighting Talk
I had got tickets to go to the BBC Radio Theatre to see the broadcast of Fighting Talk.
I took these pictures as I walked up to the BBC in Portland Place.
It does appear to me, that the architect has made a good job putting a modern building behind the iconic All Souls church and beside the well-recognised BBC Broadcasting House.
ITV And The BBC Disagree Over Fred’s Penalty
ITV’s commentators and experts thought that the penalty awarded to Brazil last night was correct. The BBC’s pundits were adamant Fred dived.
The Times this morning is saying that Fred was guilty. Type “Fred penalty” into Google News and most newspapers the world-over think it was a dive!
Brazil were lucky, as other decisions of the referee didn’t stand up to video scrutiny.
Let’s hope that the rest of the referees have been to Specsavers!
BBC Breakfast’s Pointless Move To Manchester
It may be a day of a minor political tremor, but today is illustrating how pointless it was to move BBC Breakfast and probably many other programs to Manchester.
All of the major politicians are of course in Westminster, so Bill Turnbull is in London with Louise Minchin sitting almost by herself in the North, with a few lightweight guests. It is showing, it is a bad recipe for a good programme.
The sooner the BBC does the right thing and moves BBC Breakfast back to London the better.
The Most Disastrous Television Channel Launch In History
In four days time on the 20th April, it will be the fiftieth anniversary of the attempted launch of BBC2.
I remember it well. My family thought we’d give it a go, but then a power cut in West London changed everything.
The whole incident is reported here. Here’s the first paragraph.
Fifty years ago this weekend, BBC Two went on the air for the first time. Or rather, it was supposed to go on the air. In fact, a massive power cut wiped out the entire launch schedule and led to one of the most disastrous nights in broadcasting history.
It was supposed to be a spectacular opening night for BBC Two. In the end, it was a spectacular shambles.
When the history of television is written a hundred years from now, this night will have a strong chance to be the worst start to any channel ever.
However, the bad start probably gave the channel an awful lot of publicity.
You should remember that in the nineteen-sixties power cuts were a much more common occurence than they are now. The electrical network just wasn’t as good as it is today.
Countryfile Is Showing The Gormley Statues
Just watching Countryfile and it’s showing the Gormley statues on Crosby Beach.
My Letter In The Times Yesterday
I had a letter in The Times yesterday about BBC Radio, under the headline of Let’s Hear It
Amid the debates about the BBC’s licence fee some are questioning the value of the BBC’s radio stations …
Sir, Four years ago I was in hospital in Hong Kong after a serious stroke. Luckily, I had a laptop with me and I was able to listen to BBC radio
online.
BBC radio aided my recovery and certainly allowed me to keep my sanity. Those who would like to see the abolition of BBC radio should try six weeks in a hospital where the television and most of the staff are all in a foreign tongue.
I might add, that I now think that most patients in hospital should be allowed a computer or smart phone to fix their mind. Subject of course to it not conflicting with their treatment.
BBC3 To Go On-Line Only
According to this report, BBC3 is to go in-line only! So what?
I haven’t watched BBC3 much, but I do like BBC4. In fact much of my watching of television these days seems to be on the iPlayer. Especially, as my new television has the iPlayer built in.
Incidentally, I’ve just read this weeks schedules for BBC3 and there’s nothing there I suspect I’ll watch!
The Anonymous Widower 