ASIA Disaster - Coverage & Discussion

Actually, just a bit of credit to CNN.

If you can avert your eyes from the graphic (see previous page) perhaps by covering it with a tissue, in true Maggie Thatcher/BA tail-fin style... anyway, they've just had an excellent report about how the ''Arab world'' is reacting to the disaster, and the Arab media in particular.

al-Jazeera, al-Arabiya, et al, according to the report, have sent their reporters ''mainly to Muslim areas of the affected countries, and ignored non-Muslim areas''.

Why?

Sorry, but are non-Muslims not just as deserving of attention as Muslims? It's also surprising, given that the report also mentioned how many people in Arab states are calling on their governments to give more aid than at present to all of the impacted areas.

George is live in Sri Lanka for the Six with Sophie in London...

Interestingly the ITV News Channel has just carried a full package from Swedish television news with an English translation.

Of course it is not unusual for them to carry reports from channels in other English-speaking countries, but I haven't seen a translated package like that before (as opposed to just using pictures from a foreign channel).

How Come the poll doesn't include ITV1 after all it does include BBC1? Personally i have found the best source for info on this is the bulletins as there are just too many developments to keep up with on the news channels. Watching the specials, and the bulletins has giving be a much better overview than the news channels have.

Yeah sorry about that, can't see a way of ammeding it now.

I am suprised Mark Austin hasn't anchored tonight's Evening News from the disaster area, you would've thought he would have popped up tonight. Did they only send him to present the Special?

A great SIX tonight, Alagiah's piece was a very moving and personal account. I wonder if he'll do the TEN or if Huw is out there as well?

Sophie said at the end of tonights SIX that for the TEN Fiona would be in London and George in Sri Lanka.

No sign of Mr Edwards?

Yeah, and according to Sophie, Dermot will present the News Special tomorrow, not Huw.

Can anyone explain why the BBC have not extended their news coverage for the world's biggest disaster in decades?

When the Queen Mother died and 911 happened all programmes were rescheduled and a rolling news bulletin substituted.

For the Asian Earthqauke the BBC barely prolonged news programmes by a few minutes in an already curtailed Christmastime schedule.

Was everyone on holiday? I thought journalists liked a good story...

Just spotted this - though I can't say that I have heard this myself.

BBC Newswatch is on this topic this week
If you've got any key examples to put over (ie on poor BBC coverage) let me know and I'll pass it on to the team involved
I may be attending this recording, if I can get the time off work

Maybe you should ask why they only considered it worth of a 5 minute extra bulletin on Boxing Day.

I bet if it had hit the American coast, they would have rolled for days.