Thursday, November 13, 2008

Have our say, not yours...

The BBC pretends that its "have your say" feedback section on its news website allows the public (anywhere, not just the license payers) to post their comments on subjects carefully chosen and spun by BBC staff. As you would expect, the process ouses political correctness from every oleaginous pore.

Most discussions are "moderated" according to set of (pretty obvious) published rules; but this is not actually what goes on. However, most thinking people are insulted when the BBC calls what they do "moderation" - it's much more than that.

It's a combination of blatant censorship based on their own internal agendas (not published) and the BBC's tireless efforts at "social engineering".

The most potent weapon the "moderators" possess is simply to delay releasing postings. The posting is time stamped when it was originally submitted. So it does not go to the "top" of the list when released, but could appear some 50 or more screens deep in the discussion, and is thus effectively buried from view. The BBC knows very well how to manipulate reactions by burying those views that do not perfectly reflect their own way down in the noise.

Frankly, this is an effective way of burying dissent that would have be approved by Goebbles or any other totalitarian ministry of misinformation.

It's such a pity - the BBC used to be a truly great institution and organisation until about 15 years ago. What on earth happened? No wonder so much of the press now seems out to see the BBC emaciated and not just "reformed"; but with insulting hypocrisy at every level from functionary to top talent, the BBC has been the primary instigator of its own eventual demise.

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