The Kintyre Forum

Are they right or wrong to refuse to broadcast?Al Jazeera English are showing it on Sky.

The BBC is a state run Broadcaster, and as such , it's claims to be "neutral" are debateable.

If it's acceptable to broadcast live concerts in the 80s campaigning for, and then celebrating the release of, Nelson Mandela .... then, surely, broadcasting another humanitarian fundraiser (even if it's a man made disaster) can transcend neutrality ?

They should broadcast this appeal immediately. No question in my mind.

Remember, this appeal is on behalf of the British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, and Save the Children. These organisations are well know for their valuable humitarian work.

Certainly makes one wonder how influential or otherwise - Jewish People are within the BBC and Sky.
Impartiality may be high on the ethos of both organisations - however screening an appeal to try and alleviate human suffering reduces - that fine liberal principle to one of secondary importance.

LANDROVER ROGER wrote:Are they right or wrong to refuse to broadcast?Al Jazeera English are showing it on Sky.

Nope, Al Jazeera are showing it on Al Jazeera, only Sky can show it on Sky and they have decided not to.

Seems like a storm in a teacup if you ask me. The BBC's refusal to broadcast the appeal has probably increased awareness of it by 10x more than if it had actually broadcast the appeal in the first place

Why do people need to be told by a broadcaster that they need to donate to charity? Surely anyone who has been watching the news, picked up a newspaper or listened to the radio for the last month will have seen the carnage that's been going on in Gaza? I'm sure if people really felt compelled to donate then they would have done so by now, or are we in such a sorry state that we have to wait on the 'guilt messaging' to be delivered directly to our living rooms before we do anything about it.

Quite simple really, if you want to donate, donate. If you don't, then don't. Please don't rely on the BBC showing you pictures of injured, starving and homeless Palestinian children before you decide whether or not to contribute.

Personally I don't think there's any blame to be laid at the BBC's door. They have refused to broadcast others in the past for areas involved in conflict, and I don't remember there being such a hoo-ha then? but maybe I'm wrong.

I'm sure if there were to be other 'neutral' appeals broadcast for places suffering the most hardship then Afghanistan and Iraq may figure quite far up the list? But perhaps that would make particularly uncomfortable viewing for us?

Seems they where quite happy televising the smoke plumes. This is a disaster appeal - their impartiality isn't compromised by broadcasting. It's not about the blame game - it's about the suffering of innocent people caught up in a war. After all they didn't hesitate to show the conditions and sufferings in the pow camps in the Yugoslav wars - or for that matter the concentration camps of the Fascists.

ionnsaigh wrote:After all they didn't hesitate to show the conditions and sufferings in the pow camps in the Yugoslav wars - or for that matter the concentration camps of the Fascists.

As far as I'm aware that wasn't a disaster appeal, that was the news

Sheik Yir Erse wrote:

ionnsaigh wrote:After all they didn't hesitate to show the conditions and sufferings in the pow camps in the Yugoslav wars - or for that matter the concentration camps of the Fascists.

As far as I'm aware that wasn't a disaster appeal, that was the news

That's a fair point, however the news item emphasised the condition of those poor undernourished individuals.
The appeal itself is news.

I wonder how much ordinary individuals give to appeals like this, a fiver..a tenner?

I actually think the BBC have been very clever here and I do believe it is by design. The appeal has had far more coverage than it ever would have had if the BBC had just shown it.

That may be the case Tosh, however on the other hand, I think it would be fare to say that a considerable body of people - hate the idea of Palestine, and the Palestinians. The siege of Gaza, the case in point. This group of people would share the BBC and Sky's views, not to screen the appeal.

ionnsaigh wrote:That may be the case Tosh, however on the other hand, I think it would be fare to say that a considerable body of people - hate the idea of Palestine, and the Palestinians. The siege of Gaza, the case in point. This group of people would share the BBC and Sky's views, not to screen the appeal.

That BBC are normally accused of being pro-Palestinian are they not?

All the more reason then - to screen the bloody thing.

History wrote:I wonder how much ordinary individuals give to appeals like this, a fiver..a tenner?

Make sure it's in legal tender