I think if they were now to show it, the BBC should schedule it well away from any news programme. I think that, in this context, Channel 4 and Five are maybe not regarded as 'news providers' (as their news comes from ITN and Sky), which maybe leaves their network impartiality intact?
It's difficult for Sky News - they are a news channel. And the BBC is obviously seen as an important news broadcaster. Therefore I think it would have to be accommodated in the schedule well away from a news bulletin, which really only leaves 9pm as a time to show it?
What a pathetic country we are becoming. Protest this, complain that. The BBC should NOT broadcast this appeal, it is caused by War and politics and is not a natural disaster. ITV, 4 and Five are broadcasting it, so what is the problem???? Good on the BBC and Sky, and I hope they don't bow to pressure from MP's and the archbishop of Canterbury - like they have any valid opinions at all!!
Here Here! A paragraph of sense and sanity.
What annoys me is that people all over the country (including me) are facing daunting poverty through job loss and all these saddos who complain the BBC not broadcasting an appeal that WOULD NOT do any good anyway are missing work just to put their point across. The Gaza strip is controlled by Hamas and Hamas are supported by its people. Hamas throw bombs on Israel (which is hated and despised in Gaza) and Israel retaliate. (And vice versa). Where is the natural disaster? Helping send money to the area will only make Hamas richer and enhance their weaponry so it will begin all over again.
Well done BBC and Sky.
What a pathetic country we are becoming. Protest this, complain that. The BBC should NOT broadcast this appeal, it is caused by War and politics and is not a natural disaster. ITV, 4 and Five are broadcasting it, so what is the problem???? Good on the BBC and Sky, and I hope they don't bow to pressure from MP's and the archbishop of Canterbury - like they have any valid opinions at all!!
Here Here! A paragraph of sense and sanity.
What annoys me is that people all over the country (including me) are facing daunting poverty through job loss and all these saddos who complain the BBC not broadcasting an appeal that WOULD NOT do any good anyway are missing work just to put their point across. The Gaza strip is controlled by Hamas and Hamas are supported by its people. Hamas throw bombs on Israel (which is hated and despised in Gaza) and Israel retaliate. (And vice versa). Where is the natural disaster? Helping send money to the area will only make Hamas richer and enhance their weaponry so it will begin all over again.
Well done BBC and Sky.
Bóllöcks. There is a difference between relative and abject poverty. And the bottom line is that people are in desperate need, and regardless of whether it was a war or a natural disaster,
people need help
.
Arguing that because the suffering was caused by a war, not a natural event, is incredibly arrogant and totally appalling.
There are people in desperate needs all over the world though.
Admittedly not seen much Gaza coverage over the last week (though It appears to have been forgotten somewhat since the Inauguration), but I think a problem here is as foreign journalists have largely been kept out, the images haven't really been seen in the news, and hence there is little knowledge amongst the public about what's really happening, and indeed what any donation would go too.
Really pisses me off actually that more people seem to be up in arms about the BBC not showing the appeal than about the situation in the first place.
What a pathetic country we are becoming. Protest this, complain that. The BBC should NOT broadcast this appeal, it is caused by War and politics and is not a natural disaster. ITV, 4 and Five are broadcasting it, so what is the problem???? Good on the BBC and Sky, and I hope they don't bow to pressure from MP's and the archbishop of Canterbury - like they have any valid opinions at all!!
Here Here! A paragraph of sense and sanity.
What annoys me is that people all over the country (including me) are facing daunting poverty through job loss and all these saddos who complain the BBC not broadcasting an appeal that WOULD NOT do any good anyway are missing work just to put their point across. The Gaza strip is controlled by Hamas and Hamas are supported by its people. Hamas throw bombs on Israel (which is hated and despised in Gaza) and Israel retaliate. (And vice versa). Where is the natural disaster? Helping send money to the area will only make Hamas richer and enhance their weaponry so it will begin all over again.
Well done BBC and Sky.
Bóllöcks. There is a difference between relative and abject poverty. And the bottom line is that people are in desperate need, and regardless of whether it was a war or a natural disaster,
people need help
.
Arguing that because the suffering was caused by a war, not a natural event, is incredibly arrogant and totally appalling.
I'm sorry, but like Brekkie said - people need help everywhere. The people of Zimbabwe are in a very desperate situation indeed but i don't see anyone rushing out an humanitarian appeal for them.
I REALLY don't see why there is such an outcry! There are more channels in this country than just the BBC and Sky - 3 of which ran the appeal last night! if people want to donate frickin' money then they will do - regardless of which channel an appeal is shown on or not. The fact that it is all over the press - including newspapers can only surely boost the campaign, not hinder it. i love the fact that actors are now planning to boycott the BBC until they show the campaign - go look for work elsewhere!
I'm sorry, but like Brekkie said - people need help everywhere. The people of Zimbabwe are in a very desperate situation indeed but i don't see anyone rushing out an humanitarian appeal for them.
That's because Mugabe has banned all foreign aid agencies from working in the country.
I think this is a VERY complex argument - and I can absolutely see merit in both sides of the arguments.
1. Yes - there are lots of civilians in Gaza who are suffering, and the DEC have judged that their members can operate effectively on the ground alleviating this. (I don't think you can sensibly argue that the appeal will help fund Hamas)
2. Yes - the BBC and Sky in particular are global news organisations (ITV, C4 and Five aren't - so have far less to worry about in this regard) and broadcasting an appeal to assist one side in a current and ongoing conflict could be very easily perceived as supporting one side over another. Whether we believe this or not - it could be interpreted this way by many overseas who are not considering the entire situation. The BBC and Sky believe they have to ensure their impartiality is unquestionable.
I think that there may have been a middle ground that could have been reached - such as a non-standalone film - but I'm still not sure.
What I do hope is that all the surrounding publicity (I notice that BBC News are not blurring the phone numbers when they run clips of the appeal) still raises a decent amount of money to alleviate suffering on the ground in Gaza.
I find little merit in the arguments that because other regions are suffering we shouldn't assist specific regions - that is almost like saying because we can't do everything we should do nothing...
Some regions are impossible to operate effective aid efforts in currently...
Question - do the press, so outraged at the BBC once again, usually run print versions of the DEC campaigns? I can't say I've ever seen them do much more than put the details at the bottom of a column hidden away somewhere in the paper.
Question - do the press, so outraged at the BBC once again, usually run print versions of the DEC campaigns? I can't say I've ever seen them do much more than put the details at the bottom of a column hidden away somewhere in the paper.
Rather ironically the appeal has got far more coverage by the BBC and Sky refusing to show it than it would have got if they had shown it.
The one good thing about the press being outraged at the BBC about this is that it forces their 'outrage with Ross' to be pushed further back. I also wonder whether some government ministers have been focusing on this to divert attention from the House of Lords 'scandal'.
What a pathetic country we are becoming. Protest this, complain that. The BBC should NOT broadcast this appeal, it is caused by War and politics and is not a natural disaster. ITV, 4 and Five are broadcasting it, so what is the problem???? Good on the BBC and Sky, and I hope they don't bow to pressure from MP's and the archbishop of Canterbury - like they have any valid opinions at all!!
Here Here! A paragraph of sense and sanity.
What annoys me is that people all over the country (including me) are facing daunting poverty through job loss and all these saddos who complain the BBC not broadcasting an appeal that WOULD NOT do any good anyway are missing work just to put their point across. The Gaza strip is controlled by Hamas and Hamas are supported by its people. Hamas throw bombs on Israel (which is hated and despised in Gaza) and Israel retaliate. (And vice versa). Where is the natural disaster? Helping send money to the area will only make Hamas richer and enhance their weaponry so it will begin all over again.
Well done BBC and Sky.
Bóllöcks. There is a difference between relative and abject poverty. And the bottom line is that people are in desperate need, and regardless of whether it was a war or a natural disaster,
people need help
.
Arguing that because the suffering was caused by a war, not a natural event, is incredibly arrogant and totally appalling.
I'm sorry, but like Brekkie said - people need help everywhere. The people of Zimbabwe are in a very desperate situation indeed but i don't see anyone rushing out an humanitarian appeal for them.
I REALLY don't see why there is such an outcry! There are more channels in this country than just the BBC and Sky - 3 of which ran the appeal last night! if people want to donate frickin' money then they will do - regardless of which channel an appeal is shown on or not. The fact that it is all over the press - including newspapers can only surely boost the campaign, not hinder it.
i love the fact that actors are now planning to boycott the BBC until they show the campaign - go look for work elsewhere!
Yes I noticed that in the press as well, I do wonder how much these celebrities have donated themselves?
Also there were people who burned their licence fees in protest, which is all well & good but when their licence fee renewal comes up again & they don't pay it they get fined £1000, is it really worth it? What about those with Sky subscriptions? Have they torn up their contracts & thrown their Sky Boxes & Dishes in the bin, doubt it somehow.
Why do we get to this stage over here, it seems that people protest for the sake of protesting over here.
The problem is that the current status of the area is such a political hot potato that the BBC gets stick whether they show it or not.
Question - do the press, so outraged at the BBC once again, usually run print versions of the DEC campaigns? I can't say I've ever seen them do much more than put the details at the bottom of a column hidden away somewhere in the paper.
It is because ALL channels refused to broadcast the appeal initially that DEC obtained co-operation from newspapers to run full page appeals. It was this that then brought to attention the fact that it was not getting a TV airing - which caused the controversy from which ITV, C4 and Five then stepped back from and agreed to broadcast it.
