July 16, 2004
REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN THEY JUST SHOT US
TV code calls for 'bias' warnings (Tom Leonard, The Telegraph, July 15th, 2004)
Foreign news channels such as Rupert Murdoch's Fox News may be made to carry on-screen "health warnings" under proposed new guidelines published yesterday covering accuracy and impartiality on television.The broadcasting regulator Ofcom is to ask broadcasters and viewers for their opinion on the idea, which it said was a response to complaints about coverage of the Iraq war.
The requirement would compel foreign news channels to carry labelling to alert viewers that their content was originally intended for viewers in other countries. The foreign broadcasters would still have to comply with Ofcom's rules on accuracy and impartiality.
Ofcom's proposed guidelines would also allow channels greater freedom to transmit polemical programmes, with presenters expressing strong views on controversial issues. Again, these would have to be clearly labelled to viewers.[...]
Fox News was notorious for taking a gung-ho, unashamedly partisan approach to the Iraq war with presenters talking about "good guys" and "bad guys". Last month, it was censured by Ofcom over complaints about anti-BBC bias. Ofcom also plans to give young viewers greater protection from scenes of sex and violence on television but programmes for adults will be less tightly regulated. [...]
An Ofcom spokesman said: "The draft code is designed to reflect the realities of today's television and radio environment, setting out consistent principles with the flexibility appropriate to an era of digital multi-channel broadcasting."
Oh, well, if you put it that way, I guess that’s ok then.
An odd remark, coming from someone who advocates local suppression of free speech.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at July 16, 2004 8:06 PMWhat's Ofcom? Is it related to Comintern?
Posted by: pj at July 16, 2004 9:06 PMFOX should put the warning on every single show. One way to disable an alarm is to just leave it on.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at July 16, 2004 9:15 PMOne FOX analyst (John Gibson) has already been marked by the BBC or some such organization as being divisive. He and O'Reilly had a good laugh about it on The Factor.
OfCom is probably Office of Communication.
Posted by: jim hamlen at July 16, 2004 10:51 PMOprah ran afoul of Swedish or Norweigan laws while talking about the war.
I think the show might have gotten fined.
Posted by: Sandy P at July 17, 2004 12:25 AMTake the poll from polling point which is at the link.
And if you do, there's a box for a comment at the end.
I forgot to tell them about the current study showing the American media far left and Fox center right.
They should know about it. Please point it out to them if you decide to take it.
Odd, taking a poll on American newscasters via a British paper.
Posted by: Sandy P at July 17, 2004 12:33 AMOfCom is a division of IngSoc, I believe.
Posted by: Karl at July 17, 2004 3:15 AMOh, you're going to love this, from OfCom's own site:
Harm and offence: ... Ofcom will be able to place greater emphasis on the context of a programme when considering matters of alleged harm or offence. Factors to be considered would include audience expectation, the type of programme, the channel upon which it is broadcast...
So presumably the fact that something is on FOX could earn it a blanket warning. Then, how about this for an exemption for the British Bloviation Corporation:
The Code, once finalised, will apply to all commercial television and radio services. ... Matters concerning due impartiality and due accuracy in BBC programmes are regulated by the BBC Board of Governors.
Oh, brave new world...
interesting ideas
Posted by: Adam Smith (Hotel Vall Ski Manager) at August 3, 2004 3:58 PM