Does anyone care about it? Is it in the public interest?
It just seems like a Daily Mail spaffathon to me.
Nope! But the news is pasted all over.
I think they are trying to pin blame on someone of her death.
My friend worship her ...
Nail.. head...
It's an just an excuse to give the BBC a kicking, something the Daily Mail, Express and the Murdoch Press etc never miss an oppurtunity to do because.. duh.. competitor.
Eroding the British public's stubbornly high trust in the Beeb is also very helpful for a Govt who'd very much like to privatise it into being another Netflix type service so that it can be bought up by Murdoch or another friendly billionaire.
So yeah, they're going to milk this for every drop.
100% smoke and mirrors.
Voyeuristic clickbait and it creates the perfect excuse for defunding / asset stripping before selling it all off to a Brexity, Borisist Billionaire. What's not to like?
It says all you need to know about British politics that we have a failed dishonest journalist who got sacked from the Times for making shit up for the front page, criticising the BBC's journalistic ethics, in order to undermine the BBC in 2021 over something that happened in 1995.
It seems a bank statement was mocked up to show they had £5m to pay for the interview before it was actually in the account. She got the lollie, where's the problem? Sadly, Steve Hewlett is no longer with us, so they're having a go at the beeb.
The bank statement is borderline an irrelevance, the real story is why (as already noted above) its being pushed so hard.
undermine the BBC in 2021 over something that happened in 1995.
Exactly. Looking into processes/people that were in place almost 20 years ago. Not something you would normally bother about for such a trivial matter is it.
If any laws were broken to obtain the interview then prosecute the people involved in that and carry on.
On the plus side, it's good to know that institutions and their Chief Execs can still be held accountable for things 25 years after the event. Not so great for witnesses or victims and their relatives of course to need to wait that long, but I'm encouraged that kicking a Covid enquiry out for a couple of years absolutely won't mean that it just gets quietly dropped.
I normally catch the radio 4 8am news slot on a Saturday morning - yesterday this was their lead story that they stuck with for 30 minutes, no exaggeration!
We all know Boris and members of his cabinet have committed far worse in the past 12 months that has been brushed under the carpet and gotten less airtime
Tabloids kicking the BBC for lying to get a nonstory and covering it up?
Government kicking the BBC for mistakes made 25 years ago?
The question to ask is what do they not want you to be talking about this weekend?
Does anyone care about it?
No
The BBC themselves also seem complicit in pushing the story and narrative. So when they are completely unwilling to do anything to fight back at even the smallest level, it shows how far their integrity has been eroded.
I don't see a path back for them, they are now an institution completely entwined into the fabric of the establishment, it is many years since they had even the slightest semblance of the mythical organisation that many dream of.
I don't think they are worth saving anymore, people still believe that they are neutral and/or independent so that gives them an undeserved gravity in many peoples minds, allowing them to push the same agenda as most of the rest of the media with minimal questioning.
And also lets not forget it was the corrupt Hutton enquiry that destroyed any thoughts os independence from the BBC. So lets not pretend it is all the tories, Labour (or at least new labour) proclaimed it dead, put the body in the coffin and put it in the grave, the tories are just piling the dirt on.
As Charlie is soon to become king, this is part of the plan to deflect the blame for Diana's demise away from his indiscretions. Make the whole family look like a victim.
I thought the blame for Diana's demise was not wearing a seat belt whilst in a car traveling at excessive speed?
It is a distraction and part of an agenda of cowing the BBC but it was still pretty shitty behaviour from Bashir and whoever else was involved.
Wasn't the fake bank statement making it look like others in the family had already taken money for their story/information to encourage her to open up? And Bashir's 'well we stayed friends after the interview so it's fine' is the most terrible justification.
Wasn’t the fake bank statement making it look like others in the family had already taken money for their story/information to encourage her to open up?
Thats how I understand it. I don't know where the 5M above comes from but I confess I'm also not interested enough to 'do my own research' (google)
It seems to be all part of the plan to rehab the royal family ahead of Queens demise I feel, and another kick at the BBC. Not condoning Bashir particularly but how Boris has the brass neck to be concerned at anybody being deceitful is beyond me!
I'm only interested enough to say on here I'm not particularly interested...
Prob being, I work/run a village shop in the Cotswolds, as a result I get drawn into conversation with customers about it regularly at the mo.
Personally I couldn't give a damn and just reply with "isn't all the media just as bad if not worse?” and point out the daily newspaper they've just bought. I've not had a customer disagree yet, every one walks out to read their daily hate.
Journalists talking to journalists about other journalists is something that journalists think is important and we need to know about.
The BBC are forced into giving this coverage unfortunately. If they reported it at the level that it should be aired, ie a minor filler in a slow news day, they'd be accused of a cover up.
The news organisations who want the BBC out of the way are pushing the agenda here. The actions of one person (Bashir) a long time ago have been called into question, along with the re-hiring of him.
So Murdoch, his empire, DM etc will accuse the entirity of the BBC and it's output as an anti right wing lefty fuelled agenda machine. I can't see the connections are relevant.
There is some importance to this but not to anywhere the extent it's being covered and you have to really work at it to get to the serious bit, point no 1, the rest is all fluff really.
1. The BBC did an appalling cover up investigation, this is the real story, and have now been found out.
2. Bashir was a lying git, but he was a journalist.
3. Diana was fully complicit in all this, she should have known better, I've no sympathy.
4. Diana's brother got conned, boo hoo, see above.
One news cycle at best.
It's an interesting one isn't it, the beeb are seen as a thorn in the government's side reporting their various recent indiscretions without the sort of favour the red tops and commercial broadcasting show. This is on the basis of the BBC having impartiality supposedly at their core, and TBH not much other domestic news other than a corrupt government bungling their way through a global health crisis...
Anyway the government have installed their man at the top of the organisation and now, surprisingly, various producers of news programs are taking an "independent and unbiased" editorial decision to focus lots of attention on a hugely late and somewhat irrelevant enquiry that has found against the corporation (a quarter of a century ago)...
No organisation is squeeky clean, and yes on occasion slippery ****s like Martin Bashir gain the autonomy in a big organisation to commit a bit of fraud and further their careers...
It is perhaps noteworthy that our current PM and his cabinet have misspent public funds with their chums, put business interests ahead of public health and expended a bit too much effort on flat décor all within the last year or so, but an enquiry into some dodgy behaviour by former employees at a broadcaster that they can't steer on message takes precedence...
This enquiries findings were A story this week but not THE story.
I dunno, isn't this the same journalist that caused the demise of Michael Jackson? Needs to be brought to justice IMO. Deprived the world of some great music for one thing. I know everyone loves the BBC on here, but surely we can't just have rogue journalists running around freely ruining lives.
I know everyone loves the BBC on here, but surely we can’t just have rogue journalists running around freely ruining lives
Exactly!
They really should be working for Murdoch, with on demand phone hacking support instead...
but I’m encouraged that kicking a Covid enquiry out for a couple of years absolutely won’t mean that it just gets quietly dropped.
Strewth, if that's the case I've some beans for sale, magic beans! Are you interested?
Can't help but think this "old news" is being kicked up to simply put pressure on the BBC ahead of upcoming reviews and to get them to turn even more of a blind eye to what Boris and his chums are doing and have done in government.
the beeb are seen as a thorn in the government’s side reporting their various recent indiscretions
If only they were.
I'm not convinced of the BBC impartiality at all. If you look back to the last two general elections Corbyn was almost demonised. When you are the de facto national broadcaster that's poor behaviour on a good day.
This current Diana thing is classic misdirection ....look over there it's an albatross!!
As said above, what are they hiding whilst this smoke & mirrors exercise dominates the news?
I know everyone loves the BBC on here, ...
Nope. I don't like or dislike BBC so long as they just report and not try to be clever like Channel 4.
Interesting conjunction of news stories -
First, the suppression of the Daniel Morgan murder investigation by Priti Vacant. Themes - dodgy PIs, bent coppers, Murdoch rags and the Tory party.
Second - criticism of the BBC over the Martin Bashir interview. Themes - dodgy PIs, bent coppers, Murdoch rags, Tory culture war.
If it walks like a duck …
All this Princess Diana stuff…
Is a very convenient way for all of those with a vested interest in seeing the end of an independent broadcaster.
Sure, what Bashir did was out of order, but it was 25 years ago and it pales into relative insignificance next to the practices of some other media outlets.
The question to ask is what do they not want you to be talking about this weekend?
...
As said above, what are they hiding whilst this smoke & mirrors exercise dominates the news?
Cummings is about to throw Boris under (ho ho) the bus.
I do hope so
Haven't paid much attention but ended up listening to a news report on a radio station - the journalist has admitted to falsifying stuff to get the interview - is that right? If so, why isn't more being done to bring them down? BBC did a terrible job at investigating the allegations many years ago - they should be taken down for that.
Hopefully this is all being done and it is the right thing to do, would be awful if this was all being done for alterior motives.
It suits too many people. The press hate the bbc so any excuse to kick it. The Windsor’s think it’s great as it deflect from their role in the process, specifically Charles’s adulterous behaviour. What’s not to like
Today it’s the turn of the Culture Secretary aka Minister for Telly. At least it’s in his portfolio to speak-up, unlike that nasty piece of work in yesterday’s news cycle who unsurprisingly was playing the criminal card.
Chancellor tomorrow?
It's right that the BBC is held to a higher ethical standard than the commercial media, most wouldn't even look into allegations of wrongdoing, let alone commission an inquiry and offer up a report as ammunition to critics.
It's blatant opportunism by the BBC's opponents whose own sharp practices and deceptions would make this pale into insignificance.
It’s blatant opportunism by the BBC’s opponents whose own sharp practices and deceptions would make this pale into insignificance.
That's what is really annoying me about this - not just the media, but given the government's record on lying and ignoring critical reports as well.
Of course, key people in this government are paid employees of the media opposed to the BBC, and you can read their track record of lying in the papers they have written for. They also avoided being interviewed by BBC journalists because they might actually challenge them out of professional duty (even those privately/personally wanting them to win and be in power).
I think the real genius of this isn't what it appears to be on the face of it.
Under the pretence of "defending Diana" the blatant undertext is an obvious attack on the BBC, but in reality that infers a false status on the BBC as a radical independent organisation, which couldn't be further from the truth. Most of the comments in this thread just confirms the success of this propaganda.
the BBC as a radical independent organisation
Who said that? People have contrasted the BBC to other media outlets that have an interest in undermining it, but no one has claimed they are either truly independent or radical, have they? There's inbuilt pressure (due to appointment powers being in the hands of ministers) to, over time, toe the government line, for sure. But even then they manage to hold government to account to a greater degree than most of the "press" (unless of course the media owners don't have the government they want). Having a legal basis for doing so (that also applies to Sky and Channel4 news) helps them to at least try to do this.
Most of the comments in this thread just confirms the success of this propaganda.
Its the really sad thing about the BBC. They have bent over backwards to please the tories but dont seem to have accepted that its never going to be enough.
People have contrasted the BBC to other media outlets that have an interest in undermining it, but no one has claimed they are either truly independent or radical
Being a less radical but more trusted propogandist makes them more dangerous.
Through these attacks the BBC is pictured in peoples minds as being a thorn in the governments side. They want to be seen to be attacking the BBC, because that increases the BBC's credibility and allows their narrative to be transmitted through the BBC with less public questioning.
It's partly a dead cat, partly an attempt to undermine the BBC generally. There is a huge amount of hypocrisy being displayed by the (non-BBC) media and others. William's statement was bizarre, portraying his mother as a mentally unstable woman with no agency of her own and conveniently ignoring his father's part in the whole saga. He has really joined 'The Firm' and is defending the indefensible - unlike his brother. It's worth remembering that Diana herself was very pleased to have given that interview and never showed any signs of regret.
But basically, it was 25 years ago, involved someone who is now dead and a number of people no longer in post at the BBC, and there are so many far more important things to be worrying about right now, so WGAS?
There's probably something in there about holding the BBC to account or something that people should care about in principle. In practice though I can't really see why anyone should care now (although that applied at the time too) - seems more about making the BBC look bad than anything else.
But basically, it was 25 years ago, involved someone who is now dead and a number of people no longer in post at the BBC, and there are so many far more important things to be worrying about right now, so WGAS?
+1
The Tories are jumping on the bandwagon as they want to turn the BBC into a soviet style propaganda machine.
I'm genuinely confused by people thinking the BBC is already a government propaganda machine.
You ain't seen nothing yet.
Yeah, Martin Bashir should definitely not have hacked that dead schoolgirl's phone.
Oh ...
Wait ....
It’s worth remembering that Diana herself was very pleased to have given that interview and never showed any signs of regret.
I think the Public and certain bits of the print media have a really bizarre relationship with Royalty. On the one hand they are overly protective of the people in it and the institution as a whole, whilst simultaneously being utterly fascinated and beholden to stories of the terrible family disfunction at it's heart. Despite the faux outrage and horrific editorials the Paper owners know full well that their business model would be most likely finished if the royals ever did just disappear.
I think half the outrage aimed at the BEEB is the slightly sickening thought that they're worried that the BBC will be better at the god-awful coverage than they are...But the BBC are sometimes their own worst enemy, had they dealt with this properly in the 90's it wouldn't be used as a stick to beat them with now.
Yeah, Martin Bashir should definitely not have hacked that dead schoolgirl’s phone.Oh …
Wait ….
Not aimed at you DRJ, but For pity's sake. There are a set of people, let's call them the left and the liberal middle, in this country who are still reeling over the fact that the Government and its media supporters have the moral compass of a ****ing roulette wheel.
These people still expect the best to come out of those who voted for this Government once they see the Government for what it is, that they will see the light, that their moral compass will re-set itself. Its is foolish to think this way.
It doesn't matter to the people who matter whether Johnson did this or that, they know what he is, it doesn't matter whether the press did this or that, and the list goes on, the people who matter only care about eroding the trust the BBC has with the public. They aren't going to destroy it...yet, its far too useful in the culture war and a very useful dead cat.
You ain’t seen nothing yet.
I fear you are right.
Being a less radical but more trusted propogandist makes them more dangerous.
Rightio. Sounds like they are dammed either way with that approach.
Sounds like they are dammed either way with that approach.
The organisation you want died many years ago, if it ever existed at all. All I am saying is that people need to stop believing in a mythical authoritative and trustworthy beast, and just accept what it is, part of the same machine as all the rest of the media and institutions that make up a rather dishonest and corrupt system.
I can only echo what others have said.
Do I care about a 25 year old story about "Princess Di"? No.
Is what Martin Bashir did the worst thing a journalist has ever done to get a story? Oh god no, It wouldn't make the top 100 list if the truth was known.
I personally don't think the interview would have gone any other way if they hadn't used the false statements to get it, frankly the way things were going back then, I'm sure the interview would have happened one way or another.
I do wonder why, 25 years later they were suddenly able to gain a full public enquiry into something the Police have said has no chance of ever becoming a criminal case.
Who does it serve? Well, the Royals are able to divert some attention from that whole Harry and Megan thing, "oh here, see Diana was coerced into saying mean things about us".
The Government get another big story to bury others, like Boris missing Cobra meetings to write a book, the other Media outlets get another dig at the BBC etc.