The BBC apparently cut several anti-Trump jokes from the BAFTA coverage last night. But, try as they might to pander to the fascist in the White Hosue and his deluded friend in Downing Street, some comments got through. As Vogue has reported this morning (yes, it can be a useful news source, and some of its journalism is quite good):
Edward Berger's adaptation of Robert Harris's 2016 novel 'Conclave' won four of the 12 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Film, with the Conclave director making one of the most charged speeches on a night largely (and peculiarly) devoid of political sentiment (it's been reported that several Trump jokes were cut), saying:
“We live in a time of a crisis of democracy, and institutions usually used to bring us together are being used to pull us apart. Sometimes it's hard to keep the faith in that situation, but that's why we make movies, and that's why we made this movie…
To end with a quote from Leonard Cohen, ‘There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.'”
Conclave, which I have seen and recommend, is a decidedly anti-fascist film for our time, which happens to have a lot of great performances in it. It rightly won the best film award. I think Ralph Fiennes should have won Best Actor.
My point is, though, that this is not the time for BBC censorship of anti-fascist comments. This is the time for it to oppose fascism.
And this is the time to celebrate those who stand up to fascism, as Fiennes' character in the film realised it was his job to do.
We're in very dark times if this ceases to be possible.
Thanks for reading this post.
You can share this post on social media of your choice by clicking these icons:
There are links to this blog's glossary in the above post that explain technical terms used in it. Follow them for more explanations.
You can subscribe to this blog's daily email here.
And if you would like to support this blog you can, here:
Buy me a coffee!
The BBC probably believes that for every appeal to our understanding and humanity there should be a bit of hatespeech, to maintain balance.
I suspect so
Vogue had a War Correspondent – Lee Miller, hence the amazing pictures she took during WW2
It was said that she and her then lover, LIFE’s Dave Sherman would manage to turn up where it was all happening hours before everyone else.
The then British Vogue editor’s approach was that she wanted to report on things that would be of interest to women, not just fashion so its good to see the tradition carrying on.
On occassion they still do that
My £12 annual sub is worth having – because it’s part of the economics of walking about
I agree. But as with all establishment institutions, the BBC goes along with the zeitgeist, they point which ever way the wind is blowing.
They are, functionally, little different in action & mentality from the german civil servants who met @ Wannerzee in January 1942.
I wonder who it was who made the censorship decision? I wonder if there will be a leak.?
it is a moot question how far the staff share the opinions of the Board of Governors of the BBC. 100 BBC staff signed a letter over the coverage of Gaza.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bbc-israel-gaza-letter-tim-davie-bias-palestine-b2636737.html
I agree. Nor should the BBC censor pro-Fascist comments.
You turn your here regularly as a far-right troll. No doubt using the name Alf amuses you. It”s also why I usually delete you. But this comment needs a reply.
In principle, I agree with you. That’s why I want PR. It’s why I support the right of Farage to be heard, so long as it is no more than the Greens.
But, you ignore a little problem. The far-right promote hate. They intimidate. They abuse. They are racist, misogynist, and homophobic. They are intolerant of properly held views of others. And wouldn’t you agree we should never tolerate those things?
You are absolutely right, Richard, we should never tolerate this
“The far-right promote hate. They intimidate. They abuse. They are racist, misogynist, and homophobic. They are intolerant of properly held views of others.”
But, as you suggest, to censor such material allows it to continue unchallenged. Report what fascists say and do so that they may be reviled for the vile things they say and do.
Alf, I gave you a like cos I agree & I’m pleased to report on past evidence (e.g. Farage on .. Question Time etc) the BBC don’t censor right-whinge wing-nuts (I assume that you are not one) – same on the radio – a whole series of head-bangers spouting unchallenged nonsense with the BBC bending over backwards to accomodate those that are mentally challenged. One could even argue that the BBC facilitates fascist talking points.
The evidence suggests that the BBC don’t censor the fascists & thus your desire for no censorship has been satified – over many many years. What’s not to like? (well reasonable space for those that are able to offer a different take – for one thing).
Censorship is firmly established in the BBC and many other organisations.
The list of legitimate fairly expressed opinions that you won’t find on MSM, is growing fast, with regional variations esp in Scotland. I see it accelerating under a Labour government.
Censorship is well established on BTL “comments” in the Guardian, sometimes to the extent of not allowing ANY at all on some articles. I don’t bother trying any more.
It reminds me of my privacy campaigning days, getting repeatedly banned from BT forums for constantly wanting to discuss their illegal interception & surveillance activities, or more recently, their enormous repeated data breaches. Similarly, TalkTalk, and Virgin.
Try getting a pro-Palestine pov fairly aired on MSM nowadays- its virtually impossible.
All the outlets have their blind spots, and a long list of weasel-worded justifications to excuse them, usually incorporating variations on “we take freedom of speech and impartiality very seriously…” (so seriously that we have multiple underhand ways of preventing both).
With media comment and public protest more tightly restricted than ever, we are ALREADY well into authoritarianism. It’s in Starmer’s DNA, just look at how he’s been running the Labour Party.
Agree on all points. Gave up on the G’ years ago. Ditto Euractiv – the Brussels village news (well they stopped BTL claiming that their IT rabble found it too difficult).
Double Down news allows BTL & it is erm.. very robust. The Indy used to be fun – but not any more.
Lights are going out (paraphrasing the warmonger Grey)..
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk has no information at all about this protest during which its own Portland Place premises developed a pattern made from red paint this morning and some glass doors somehow disintegrated.
https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/police-bbc-portland-place-metropolitan-police-hamas-b1211666.html
Odd really. When a W country council building got sprayed last year in a similar way, they reported that.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-68741684
And this has happened at the BEEB before, Oct 2023.
Today’s BBC Portland Place Palestine Paint job is reported in other MSM outlets, but not the BBC.
it’s not visible to me on the BBC News page which doesn’t deem Palestine worthy of mention today. Maybe Mr Gibb hasn’t heard about it upstairs yet?
Of course as peaceful protests aren’t allowed near the BBC nowadays, you can see how people might be persuaded into more active protest.
But of course there’s no censorship.