You’ve seen the disgusting but all-too-predictable front cover of the Daily Record. BBC Reporting Scotland, RS, also predictably, have joined the pile-on, though in a subtler form. Last night’s broadcast was, contrary to their charter of course, partial and uninformative.
Even if we ignore, for the moment, the fact that RS should really just be saying nothing at all about a live case, for fear of inappropriate influence on any potential judge or jury, the report itself requires comment, having been broadcast.
First, we heard: ‘The Russian broadcaster RT is being criticised for continuing to broadcast and promote the Alex Salmond show’. As it turns out, we discover that only one named member of the Scottish Conservatives, list MSP Annie Wells, can actually be found to evidence this criticism. No other named source is offered. Ofcom, we hear later, are not interested in commenting. So, already this looks like an inadequate evidence base for telling a story and so clearly just an excuse to keep up the pressure on Alex Salmond with any old RS report.
Second, we hear that unnamed Conservative and Labour sources think RT’s actions are ‘inappropriate’ in the light of the charges of ‘sexual offences’. That’s the ‘sexual offences’ reminder in but no explanation of what they mean by ‘inappropriate’.
Third, we’re informed that Salmond’s involvement with RT was always ‘controversial’. That’s left unexplained and the opportunity to be impartial and informative missed. Why did Salmond accept the RT invitation? Was it because no Scottish broadcaster would give him a platform to make his arguments? To accept an invitation from another broadcaster operating legally in the UK was legitimate surely in a democracy, for a prominent political figure? What was he to do? Just accept that his voice is deemed, by unelected media practitioners, ‘inappropriate’ in this debate? RT have given Salmond complete editorial control. Would BBC?
Fourth, still no balance, and we get Annie Wells telling us that Salmond should reflect on whether it was the ‘right thing to do’ to go on RT in the first place. She was neither asked to explain what she meant nor to justify why many Tory politicians do appear on RT.
Fifth, we hear again that unnamed Scottish Labour sources, when asked by RS, also thought RT’s actions didn’t seem to be ‘appropriate.’
Finally, Ofcom, presumably after being badgered by RS, tell us they think it ‘not appropriate to intervene.’ Well, this seems important doesn’t it? Why do you think they think it ‘not appropriate to intervene?’ Is it because there’s a live court case going on and any responsible, impartial journalist would do the obvious thing, to avoid contaminating any witnesses or judges with reporting which perhaps demonises the accused?
So, inappropriate in the first place and then entirely devoid of the balance and impartiality claimed.
Talking-up Scotland 
So this is what ‘asymmetric warfare’ looks like.
They see themselves as being in the front line so “shoot first and ask questions later” appears to be the order of the day.
If justice is a casualty – unfortunate, but so what?
C’est la guerre, c’est la guerre………
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Asymmetric indeed. Wings, Indyref2, me and the others all part-time workers with no admin support. But, but, far more footsoldiers and webwarrios if that’s not too patronising a term?
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I would guess BBC Scotland has a number of Political Commissar’s embedded into all their operations, especially news and political shows (the few that are left). To make sure only the “British” truth is broadcast and no inappropriate pro-indy persons are allowed a platform.
We got a glimpse when Salmond was banned from the BBC air waves; not allowed to comment on a sports item while Cameron was given the BBC red carpet to do exactly the same thing.
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The heads of all the units will be from that unionist elite
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I think you are right. It is opportunistically using they allegations about Alex Salmond as a hook to hang on an old trope about ‘the Russian Bear’ and things like the Skripal affair. By linking Mr Salmond to this they can imply a traitorous aspect to independence.
The Labour comment was fairly anodyne and, I suspect was appended merely to use it to imply there was wider concern and not Tory opportunism.
It was the BBC assisting NATIONALIST (British) propaganda.
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I wonder if someone more knowledgeable than myself could clarify. By chance I was watching a clip of an interview RT had with George Galloway on Youtube in which he accused the BBC of being a State mouthpiece partly funded by the Gov via the F.Office ( via Conflict, Stability and Security Fund), CSSF which has been criticised for its clandestine funding of secret campaigns. I suspect the SNP may be target in this but no proof. Anyone can clarify for me?.
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News to me but doubt it would be necessary given that the media elites interlock so seamlessly with the political, civil service, corporate and military elites – from prep school to postgraduate.
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Jings, BBC “Scotland” are a lucky bunch, all these doughheid Tories to interview – Fraser, Wells, Car-law, and that’s just at Holyrood. There are bunches of “house” Scots at Westminster eager to blindly demean themselves.
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I no longer have a television since my wife left (she took it with my blessing btw) so I was finally able to contact TV Licensing and cancel the license for this property. I wonder if it is entirely coincidental that it is only since then that I have been receiving spam about the TV License threatening all sorts. Except the return address is numerical in Japan. ALWAYS check the return address. I suspect TV licensing might have been hacked and that is ongoing.
Either that or it is now the case that so many people no longer pay the license fee that spam about it has become viable. Absent the BBC releasing the figures this might be the best evidence we can get. I’m a Biologist and it makes sense from an ecological perspective. When a species becomes vulnerable to something then something else will evolve to take advantage of it as it is an open ecological niche. Non payers thus constitute a niche which can be attacked and for it to be worthwhile there must be enough of them.
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Reporting Scotland – the Controversial British state broadcaster controlled from London complaining about Russian TV when they are acting like the old Soviet Union propaganda TV. You couldn’t make it up.
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