The whole thing blew up because of the Daily Mail. For many years no one had worried or even questioned BBC World presenters not wearing poppies. Indeed for many years presenters on the overnight service on News 24 didn't wear them because it was a joint bulletin. It was only after all the fuss that they changed the guidelines to the ones noggin mentioned.
not it was become someone got confused and asked a guest to remove his - that was the problem.
Well it was all part of that - but blown up by Daily Mail.
The whole thing blew up because of the Daily Mail. For many years no one had worried or even questioned BBC World presenters not wearing poppies. Indeed for many years presenters on the overnight service on News 24 didn't wear them because it was a joint bulletin. It was only after all the fuss that they changed the guidelines to the ones noggin mentioned.
not it was become someone got confused and asked a guest to remove his - that was the problem.
Well it was all part of that - but blown up by Daily Mail.
Oh really? World wont let presenters wear poppies because they're afraid that "coloured folk" will be confused?
That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. If you cant demonstrate your nation's culture on a state-sponsored television network (and dont bother telling me that World is partially private...BBC News as an organization is drinking for the Exchequer's teat), what sort of politically correct nonsense is next?
I don't think it is political correctness but a concern that viewers who are in non commonwealth countries might not understand the significance of the poppy.
I know Sky gets many e mails every year from allover the world from people asking about the significance of the "little red flower" as one correspondent put it.
Well why couldnt BBC World, as a worldwide representative of Britain, answer people's queries about the symbolism of the Poppy?
Suggesting that poppies should be banned is equivalent to refusing to acknowledge Christmas because some people somewhere might not understand it (or want to see it).
Or, even more absurdly, it's like refusing to mention Leeds because some foreigners might not know where that is in relation to London.
I get the sense that the lowest common denominator is the BBC's new goal, because the BBC is afraid of making anyone feel stupid or coming across as too highbrow (or too British, or too imperialistic, or too anything). And if this is the case the BBC will soon be ruined. Little things like this matter.
Oh really? World wont let presenters wear poppies because they're afraid that "coloured folk" will be confused?
That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. If you cant demonstrate your nation's culture on a state-sponsored television network (and dont bother telling me that World is partially private...BBC News as an organization is drinking for the Exchequer's teat), what sort of politically correct nonsense is next?
I don't think it is political correctness but a concern that viewers who are in non commonwealth countries might not understand the significance of the poppy.
I know Sky gets many e mails every year from allover the world from people asking about the significance of the "little red flower" as one correspondent put it.
Well why couldnt BBC World, as a worldwide representative of Britain, answer people's queries about the symbolism of the Poppy?
Suggesting that poppies should be banned is equivalent to refusing to acknowledge Christmas because some people somewhere might not understand it (or want to see it).
Or, even more absurdly, it's like refusing to mention Leeds because some foreigners might not know where that is in relation to London.
I get the sense that the lowest common denominator is the BBC's new goal, because the BBC is afraid of making anyone feel stupid or coming across as too highbrow (or too British, or too imperialistic, or too anything). And if this is the case the BBC will soon be ruined. Little things like this matter.
These are my personal views. You can argue the poppy one way or the other but how far would you take it. There are symbols used all round the world - do you suggest that BBC World mark all of these as they are a global broadcaster. As for Christmas World don't have a Christmas tree for the same reason - some people don't celebrate it. I think it's right (and it's only a personal view) for BBC World to remain neutral. It's different for domestic broadcasts although having said that I certainly think that this year I haven't seen as many people as usual wearing poppies in the street and wonder if a younger generation would notice one way or the other?
Hi I live in Hungary, so I would like to ask that what is a poppy, by the way? I watch BBC World often, and I have noticed the poppies (I didn't even know their name) when I saw reports about current British politics. After reading your posts, it sounds to be something very British, but I have no idea about their significance. Could someone explain it to me? Thx in advance.
After the first world war ended on 11 November 1918, it was reported that red poppies grew in the battlefields. Poppies are worn around this time of year as a symbol of remeberance for the British who died in that war, and other hostilities since.
To get the poppy (made of paper and plastic) you make a donation to the poppy appeal; the money supports ex-servicemen and women.
Hi I live in Hungary, so I would like to ask that what is a poppy, by the way? I watch BBC World often, and I have noticed the poppies (I didn't even know their name) when I saw reports about current British politics. After reading your posts, it sounds to be something very British, but I have no idea about their significance. Could someone explain it to me? Thx in advance.
Poppys are a symbol of respect. Its to show your respect for the war dead. November 11th is rememberence day in Britain (and i think the entire commonwealth). Services are held everywhere as a mark of respect to those who died for their country during World Wars and other wars. The closest Sunday to the 11th is always rememberence Sunday (this Sunday for instance).
Following the end of the Great War (World War I), fields of wild red poppies grew in the areas which previously witnessed some horrific scenes of trench warefare. In Britain particularly, but also in the Commonwealth and some other European countries, the Poppy became a symbol of Remembrance. In Britain, small plastic and card poppies are sold by The British Legion in aid of the chairty "The Haig Fund" in the run up to the Act of Remembrance on Remembrance Sunday.
If you are able to receive BBC Prime, you can see the "Festival of Remembrance" from the Royal Albert Hall at 1000cet on Sunday, this programme often expains more about the poppy and its significance.
"The Centotaph", centre for the national service of remembrance starts at 1130cet on BBC Prime Sunday, with the core commemorative event also carried by BBC World from 1200cet .
These are my personal views. You can argue the poppy one way or the other but how far would you take it. There are symbols used all round the world - do you suggest that BBC World mark all of these as they are a global broadcaster. As for Christmas World don't have a Christmas tree for the same reason - some people don't celebrate it. I think it's right (and it's only a personal view) for BBC World to remain neutral. It's different for domestic broadcasts although having said that I certainly think that this year I haven't seen as many people as usual wearing poppies in the street and wonder if a younger generation would notice one way or the other?
It's one thing to be non-offensive to other cultures and it's quite another to suppress your own culture.
You've said yourself that not as many young people wear poppies or bother to care about past tragedies ... maybe if we weren't so indifferent towards things like poppies this wouldn't be the case.
On the other hand, the decline in poppy wearing might be a symptom, not a cause. But you'd think the BBC would have the wherewithall to avoid demonstrating the symptom of the disease.
I can (just about) understand the thinking behind not wearing poppies on BBC World, but I thought all domestic programmes had to have presenters and guests wearing them. Imagine my surprise then when I watched the Daily Politics with Andrew Neil (on Thursday I think) and noticed that some of the guests were not wearing poppies. Is this allowed under BBC policy?
Surely it should be the decision of the presenter or guest whether to wear a poppy or not... believe it or not there are some people who don't believe in what the poppy stands for and won't wear them deliberately, and there is a significant number of people who simply don't care for the cause so don't bother.
Just because people are on TV, they shouldn't be made to wear a poppy because their boss says so - neither should they be made to take them off as seems to be the case on BBC World.
I live in Hungary, so I would like to ask that what is a poppy, by the way? I watch BBC World often, and I have noticed the poppies (I didn't even know their name) when I saw reports about current British politics. After reading your posts, it sounds to be something very British, but I have no idea about their significance. Could someone explain it to me? Thx in advance.