TR
There is a word for this sort of alarmist news story - most jounalists are taught how to do this. This sort of thing usually comes out as a distraction to something else that is happening. How about a facist draconian bill in the commons to imprison ANYONE that P.C. plod thinks is looking at him in a funny way, or another facist bill to force everyone into having a so called I.D. card and providing enough information in one place so some hacker can impersonate you.
Did SARS kill everyone off? No.
Hopefully chickens & ducks will see the news and run for cover - they seem to have replaced terrorists and child molesters as public enemy number one.
Did SARS kill everyone off? No.
Hopefully chickens & ducks will see the news and run for cover - they seem to have replaced terrorists and child molesters as public enemy number one.
WI
VERY WELL SAID!!!!! I notice that the threat has been described today as "Unlikely to occurr this winter, and that the epicentre will more than likely be in Eastern asia and that any future outbreak in the UK (only possible IF a mutation occurrs into a human strain) COULD kill UP TO 50,000 people. Notice how the words COULD and UP TO have now been included. Also note that the suggestion of it NOT happening this winter may indicate that the threat has somewhat lifted.
TROGGLES posted:
There is a word for this sort of alarmist news story - most jounalists are taught how to do this. This sort of thing usually comes out as a distraction to something else that is happening. How about a facist draconian bill in the commons to imprison ANYONE that P.C. plod thinks is looking at him in a funny way, or another facist bill to force everyone into having a so called I.D. card and providing enough information in one place so some hacker can impersonate you.
Did SARS kill everyone off? No.
Hopefully chickens & ducks will see the news and run for cover - they seem to have replaced terrorists and child molesters as public enemy number one.
Did SARS kill everyone off? No.
Hopefully chickens & ducks will see the news and run for cover - they seem to have replaced terrorists and child molesters as public enemy number one.
VERY WELL SAID!!!!! I notice that the threat has been described today as "Unlikely to occurr this winter, and that the epicentre will more than likely be in Eastern asia and that any future outbreak in the UK (only possible IF a mutation occurrs into a human strain) COULD kill UP TO 50,000 people. Notice how the words COULD and UP TO have now been included. Also note that the suggestion of it NOT happening this winter may indicate that the threat has somewhat lifted.
TR
I know our collegues at the 24 hour news stations have to fill the screens with something but I am beginning to wonder if we are entering a chicken & egg (no pun intended) situation with this sort of story. News happens so it is reported. News channels need news so they go looking for something.
In February we were supposed to be having a nationwide draught this year (& last come to think of it) with hose pipe restrictions. What happened there? We were supposed to have a dangerous heatwave this summer, when was that then. 'A' levels are improving every year. So they must be easier. Then theres climate change if you can't think of anything else.
Self perpetuating news.
In February we were supposed to be having a nationwide draught this year (& last come to think of it) with hose pipe restrictions. What happened there? We were supposed to have a dangerous heatwave this summer, when was that then. 'A' levels are improving every year. So they must be easier. Then theres climate change if you can't think of anything else.
Self perpetuating news.
JO
Well fair enough, but don't rule the possibility out completely. Maybe the news organisations are going a little OTT but there will be an outbreak somewhere in the world, even if it isn't in the UK. If it isn't here, I will certainly be interested in what happens and where.
TROGGLES posted:
I know our collegues at the 24 hour news stations have to fill the screens with something but I am beginning to wonder if we are entering a chicken & egg (no pun intended) situation with this sort of story. News happens so it is reported. News channels need news so they go looking for something.
In February we were supposed to be having a nationwide draught this year (& last come to think of it) with hose pipe restrictions. What happened there? We were supposed to have a dangerous heatwave this summer, when was that then. 'A' levels are improving every year. So they must be easier. Then theres climate change if you can't think of anything else.
Self perpetuating news.
In February we were supposed to be having a nationwide draught this year (& last come to think of it) with hose pipe restrictions. What happened there? We were supposed to have a dangerous heatwave this summer, when was that then. 'A' levels are improving every year. So they must be easier. Then theres climate change if you can't think of anything else.
Self perpetuating news.
Well fair enough, but don't rule the possibility out completely. Maybe the news organisations are going a little OTT but there will be an outbreak somewhere in the world, even if it isn't in the UK. If it isn't here, I will certainly be interested in what happens and where.
AP
BBC correspondents have been going out of their way not to alarm people. News 24 has done several "Have Your Say" items, answering people's questions, and trying to dispel the myths. We've also been running loads of clips of experts saying how difficult it is to catch bird flu in its current form. Then the chief medical officer goes on TV this morning and says a pandemic is inevitable, and will probably kill at least fifty thousand people. Makes you wonder who's to blame for people thinking the worst.
WI
The Poll is a little funny!!!! To be honest, it won't be rolling news watching people die "live on air". Life will continue as normal as possible and the Bird Flu crises will make top news story of the day initially. I can rember a massive strike in the seventies where corpses were indignantly laid out in warehouses due to a national strike. This brought the country to a complete standstill and by todays standards was a massive story. However it never warranted extended news.
to be honest Jonathan, I think you are assuming that the country will stop. That we will be in a Stephen King scenario where people fall down in the streets dying. It wont be like that. On average, EVERY year, between 12 and 20 thousand people die of normal flu. an estimated 30,000 extra people are expected to die, although the Government will have available 14.2 million vaccines by the time the pandemic reaches us....IF it does. Of course the news stations will cope. They will report it as news as they do everything else. The country will not come to a complete standstill.
I think Jonathan, you should not worry about the news channels. A pandemic will last roughly four months, weakening each week. after week three, when the pandemic will be at its peak, the news channels will probably even relegate the story to mid news bulletin, especially if other big news stories develop.
to be honest Jonathan, I think you are assuming that the country will stop. That we will be in a Stephen King scenario where people fall down in the streets dying. It wont be like that. On average, EVERY year, between 12 and 20 thousand people die of normal flu. an estimated 30,000 extra people are expected to die, although the Government will have available 14.2 million vaccines by the time the pandemic reaches us....IF it does. Of course the news stations will cope. They will report it as news as they do everything else. The country will not come to a complete standstill.
I think Jonathan, you should not worry about the news channels. A pandemic will last roughly four months, weakening each week. after week three, when the pandemic will be at its peak, the news channels will probably even relegate the story to mid news bulletin, especially if other big news stories develop.
MO
I voted 'no' just to add to the general alarmism! 
What a stupid thread. It's people like those who start threads like these who cause all these stupid food alarms. Jonathan - I bet you were queueing with all the other brainless morons when 'they' said there'd be a petrol shortage the other week, when you didn't even know who 'they' were.
Will news channels cope? If you mean not being sucked into the hype, then maybe not. If you mean will they be able to provide a news service, of course they will! This is Great Britain! Broadcasting House was hit by a bomb in the Second World War while a news bulletin was on air, and several were killed, but apart from a muffled thud in the background and a slight pause, there was no sign of this on air!
What a stupid thread. It's people like those who start threads like these who cause all these stupid food alarms. Jonathan - I bet you were queueing with all the other brainless morons when 'they' said there'd be a petrol shortage the other week, when you didn't even know who 'they' were.
Will news channels cope? If you mean not being sucked into the hype, then maybe not. If you mean will they be able to provide a news service, of course they will! This is Great Britain! Broadcasting House was hit by a bomb in the Second World War while a news bulletin was on air, and several were killed, but apart from a muffled thud in the background and a slight pause, there was no sign of this on air!
Perhaps we need to shut the nationwide window!
WI
Yes it has. Emphasis though on BIRD flu. it is inevitable that, at this time of year, bird flu spreads further. it still has to be given the chance to mutate and after two years since it was discovered, it has not yet even attempted to.
It is fantastic that Governments are preparing for it in case of an outbreak, but in light of Sundays announcement on the Sunday AM programme, it has been virtually ruled out that a mutation will occurr this winter.
Antz posted:
Although this has nothing to do with TV pres, I thought it was worth the mention. Bird Flu has been found in Greece.
Yes it has. Emphasis though on BIRD flu. it is inevitable that, at this time of year, bird flu spreads further. it still has to be given the chance to mutate and after two years since it was discovered, it has not yet even attempted to.
It is fantastic that Governments are preparing for it in case of an outbreak, but in light of Sundays announcement on the Sunday AM programme, it has been virtually ruled out that a mutation will occurr this winter.