Saturday, November 26, 2005

“I saw a sign that said ‘Drink Canada Dry’ so I did.”

Biased BBC notes that wall to wall coverage for George Best (who is still dead) has pre-empted weather reports. How charming.

More to the point why does the BBC think that somewhere, out there, on a perfectly regular 24 hour pattern, that there is only one “big story” that they can flog? Or they just plain lazy?

Yesterday, “World (ooh la la) ‘ave Your Say” interviewed a guy from Al-Jazeera about the mythical memo that the mirror cocked up reported (what they called) were it’s ”supposed contents”. Also interviewed was some British blogger who insisted that the memo must really exist, because the White House dismissed the story, and because no. 10 was enraged enough by the fabrication that they want to bring on legal proceedings. And while we’re talking around the matter and pretending that the 4th estate is legitimate ruling entity, by the way, have you stopped beating you wife?

BBC’s “World (that word is just SO global) Have Your Say” refused to venture into this territory: what if the whole stinking thing was ginned-up? Hasn’t anyone seen this memo? If the Mirror (a rather trashy tabloid) has a source, why are they anonymous and why wont they explain or elaborate of the affair?

Since reality is too much to bear and reporting an uncorroborated rumor is more appealing, why not then, like an alcoholic who can’t control themselves, skip the more pedestrian reports of backchecked facts in favor of just what it is you WANT to do? It’s called emotional adolescence. It’s characterized by an inability or a struggle with self-restrain. The very same thing that did in Best. Freud would have a field day with the beeb.

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