Re:Al Jazeera English: The Most Hated Name in News
by jamii on Friday April 30, 2010 @08:36AM
(#1307967)
> Ask yourself this: do you like the BBC because it supports things you already believe?
Whilst I appreciate that this is a useful exercise to consider, if he was watching the BBC solely to affirm his own beliefs he would hardly be watching Al Jazeera as well.
> ... many people here actively distrust it, and resent paying the tax that supports it.
I don't know anyone that feels that way. Most of the people I've talked to on the subject have said that they trust the BBC more than any of the newspapers. Even in other countries, especially in the USA, I've met people who prefer to watch BBC World rather than their own news channels.
It far from perfect of course but my general impression has been thats its one of the most trusted news sources for most people.
Re:Al Jazeera English: The Most Hated Name in News
by gaius on Friday April 30, 2010 @09:32AM
(#1308085)
if he was watching the BBC solely to affirm his own beliefs he would hardly be watching Al Jazeera as well
Al Jazeera was founded by ex-BBC staff. They've a lot in common.
Re:Al Jazeera English: The Most Hated Name in News
by hnhg on Friday April 30, 2010 @06:17AM
(#1307714)
It depends on what part of the BBC you're talking about. Radio 4's (and BBC World radio's) interviews with politicans on the Today programme in the lead up to the election have been excellent, with the interviewers really challenging the politicians on their issues. True objectivity is never going to be possible, but good preparation and technique are where some parts of the BBC excel. However,I don't watch televised BBC because it's a different beast entirely, and more like its commercial partners.
Ask yourself this: do you like the BBC because it supports things you already believe? This is an interesting exercise to do. Do you believe that what you believe is "truth" and therefore an organization that agrees must be impartial?
All independent funding means for the BBC is that they don't have to cater to an audience per se - it doesn't mean that they don't cater to the opinions of their own staff. A staff that is recruited mainly in one city, London, mainly through ads in one newspaper, The Guardian. It is not politically nor demographically representative of the British public, and many people here actively distrust it, and resent paying the tax that supports it.