Blundering Culture Sec. Miller warned by Patten

PizzatheactionPizzatheaction Posts: 20,157
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Current gaffe-prone Culture Secretary Maria Miller has been warned by BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten not to be seen to "question the independence of the BBC", after wading in to the Savile row with a letter to Patten last night.

In her second major blunder in the space of nine days (after last week misreading a speech in the Commons, and not realising and correcting her mistake until it was pointed out to her [ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19948782 ]), Miller angered the BBC Trust.

Possibly to the dismay of many in her party, who might not want the abuse rumours about a deceased Tory politician (rumours all over Digital Spy forums), making their way into the mainstream media.

Today, a seemingly more subdued Miller said, ''What is important is that the inquiries ... looking at these allegations are able to continue to do so''
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  • TheEngineerTheEngineer Posts: 7,785
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    A perfect example of the problem facing the BBC. There are rumours about pretty much anyone with a media profile (especially in the days of the internet).

    I was told the other day (by a former BBC staffer) that several well known and "respectable" people that appear on TV regularly are known to have "wandering hands" to the extent that members of staff of the opposite sex are not supposed to be left alone with them.

    Trouble is, that could be a rumour spread by someone that heard a rumour and could be completely false!
  • penelopesimpsonpenelopesimpson Posts: 14,907
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    Current gaffe-prone Culture Secretary Maria Miller has been warned by BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten not to be seen to "question the independence of the BBC", after wading in to the Savile row with a letter to Patten last night.

    In her second major blunder in the space of nine days (after last week misreading a speech in the Commons, and not realising and correcting her mistake until it was pointed out to her [ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19948782 ]), Miller angered the BBC Trust.

    Possibly to the dismay of many in her party, who might not want the abuse rumours about a deceased Tory politician (rumours all over Digital Spy forums), making their way into the mainstream media.

    Today, a seemingly more subdued Miller said, ''What is important is that the inquiries ... looking at these allegations are able to continue to do so''

    Given that Patten approved the appointment of the lacklustre and seemingly incompetent Director General, perhaps Lord Chris should be watching his own back.
  • spiney2spiney2 Posts: 27,058
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    its all political. john birt was appointed to "destroy" the bbc ........ and thats been the name of the game ever since ....... the savile scandal (as nasty as it is) is just one tiny part of the bbc destruction campaign ........
  • GeorgeSGeorgeS Posts: 20,039
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    Current gaffe-prone Culture Secretary Maria Miller has been warned by BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten not to be seen to "question the independence of the BBC", after wading in to the Savile row with a letter to Patten last night.

    In her second major blunder in the space of nine days (after last week misreading a speech in the Commons, and not realising and correcting her mistake until it was pointed out to her [ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19948782 ]), Miller angered the BBC Trust.

    Possibly to the dismay of many in her party, who might not want the abuse rumours about a deceased Tory politician (rumours all over Digital Spy forums), making their way into the mainstream media.

    Today, a seemingly more subdued Miller said, ''What is important is that the inquiries ... looking at these allegations are able to continue to do so''

    Its just the BBC trying to create an imaginary political row to take the heat of them. Basic news management diversionary tactic. And when you control most of the UK media you can run it on all your platforms as gospel.

    Ben Page has also be rolled out to spin too on how the public love the BBC so much that they will forgive anything they do.
  • spiney2spiney2 Posts: 27,058
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    politicians absolutely hate and despise the bbc with rabid fervour. because it still espouses reithian values despite all sorts of "internal market reforms". these are antithetical to thatcherism, the uk orthodox state religion .....
  • solenoidsolenoid Posts: 15,495
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    It didn't take long for the paranoid conspiracy theories about "Destroying the BBC" to begin.
    :rolleyes:
  • mikwmikw Posts: 48,715
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    solenoid wrote: »
    It didn't take long for the paranoid conspiracy theories about "Destroying the BBC" to begin.
    :rolleyes:

    It's no "theory" that the government and commercial media barons hate the BBC - and they're not exactly covert at it either.
  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
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    Current gaffe-prone Culture Secretary Maria Miller has been warned by BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten not to be seen to "question the independence of the BBC", after wading in to the Savile row with a letter to Patten last night.

    In her second major blunder in the space of nine days
    It is NOT a blunder for her to remind Patton that he has to do his job.....and be SEEN to be doing it!
    Given that Patten approved the appointment of the lacklustre and seemingly incompetent Director General, perhaps Lord Chris should be watching his own back.
    Exactly!
  • oulandyoulandy Posts: 18,242
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    Shouldn't the thread title be Blundering Patten? He appointed a blunderer to the post of DG. And he blundered into the Savile scandal, rushing into putting out an ill-judged statement that shows how inept he is. It is the Blundering B
    Corporation on his watch. I look forward to the resignation of the chief Blunderer and his hapless DG.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    spiney2 wrote: »
    politicians absolutely hate and despise the bbc with rabid fervour. because it still espouses reithian values despite all sorts of "internal market reforms". these are antithetical to thatcherism, the uk orthodox state religion .....

    .....but they love to get their fair share of time on The Today Programme, The BBC News channel, Panorama, PM, The Andrew Marr Show, The Politics Show, Question Time and even........Newsnight! :)
    ,
  • zz9zz9 Posts: 10,767
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    GeorgeS wrote: »
    Its just the BBC trying to create an imaginary political row to take the heat of them. Basic news management diversionary tactic. And when you control most of the UK media you can run it on all your platforms as gospel.

    Ben Page has also be rolled out to spin too on how the public love the BBC so much that they will forgive anything they do.

    WTF? :confused:

    They don't even control the terrestrial transmitters, or the Sky platform, or the EPG. Financially they are dwarfed by Sky who can out spend the BBC on anything they want because the have a couple of billion pounds more income each year, and who are partnered with the worlds biggest newspaper publisher that dominates the UK newspaper market with The Sun and The Times.

    BBC do not "control" the news media. They don't have any newspapers and the only reason BBC News channel is so popular is because most people choose to watch it over Sky News. ITN, CNN etc.
  • ShaunWShaunW Posts: 2,356
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    Current gaffe-prone Culture Secretary Maria Miller has been warned by BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten not to be seen to "question the independence of the BBC", after wading in to the Savile row with a letter to Patten last night.

    In her second major blunder in the space of nine days (after last week misreading a speech in the Commons, and not realising and correcting her mistake until it was pointed out to her [ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19948782 ]), Miller angered the BBC Trust.

    Possibly to the dismay of many in her party, who might not want the abuse rumours about a deceased Tory politician (rumours all over Digital Spy forums), making their way into the mainstream media.

    Today, a seemingly more subdued Miller said, ''What is important is that the inquiries ... looking at these allegations are able to continue to do so''

    Is this the Tory that was revealed in the mainstream media in the 90s ?
  • PizzatheactionPizzatheaction Posts: 20,157
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    ShaunW wrote: »
    Is this the Tory that was revealed in the mainstream media in the 90s ?
    We'll find out soon.
  • ShaunWShaunW Posts: 2,356
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    The one the Pizza Guy (Watson) mentioned in PMQ after he read about it in the Murdoch press at the weekend, who got the story from a Tory's autobiography ?
  • PizzatheactionPizzatheaction Posts: 20,157
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    ShaunW wrote: »
    The one the Pizza Guy (Watson) mentioned in PMQ after he read about it in the Murdoch press at the weekend, who got the story from a Tory's autobiography ?
    No. I didn't find out about that until about 90 minutes ago.
  • StrakerStraker Posts: 79,567
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    oulandy wrote: »
    Shouldn't the thread title be Blundering Patten? He appointed a blunderer to the post of DG. And he blundered into the Savile scandal, rushing into putting out an ill-judged statement that shows how inept he is. It is the Blundering B
    Corporation on his watch. I look forward to the resignation of the chief Blunderer and his hapless DG.


    Quite. Patten happy to parrott Rippon’s pack of lies blog about why he dropped the NN piece is left with egg on his face when they had to retract much of it so now, like an embarassed schoolboy, he comes out with some bluster and bravado to try and look like he knows what he’s doing.

    First instinct of the apparatchiks at the BBC is always to circle the wagons and cover their arses. The truth is always the first casualty when that happens

    I am inordinately pleased to see that weasel Mark Thompson feeling Savile’s clawlike talons reaching across the Atlantic to ensnare him in this mess. Questions to answer Mark, questions to answer......
  • ShaunWShaunW Posts: 2,356
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    No. I didn't find out about that until about 90 minutes ago.
    I'm intrigued, if its not the one mentioned in this...
    http://www.nickdavies.net/1998/04/01/the-sheer-scale-of-child-sexual-abuse-in-britain/

    I'm looking forward to the revelation of another politicians legacy being tarnished.

    Because in my mind they all P in the same pot.

    :D
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    ShaunW wrote: »
    The one the Pizza Guy (Watson) mentioned in PMQ after he read about it in the Murdoch press at the weekend, who got the story from a Tory's autobiography ?


    This is the Tom Watson question:
    Mr Watson said an evidence file collected by the police to convict paedophile Peter Righton in 1992 "contains clear intelligence of a widespread paedophile ring".

    "One of its members boasts of his links to a senior aide of a former prime minister, who says he could smuggle indecent images of children from abroad," he said.

    "The leads were not followed up, but if the files still exist, I want to ensure that the Metropolitan Police secure the evidence, re-examine it and investigate clear intelligence suggesting a powerful paedophile network linked to Parliament and No 10."

    David Cameron said it was a "very difficult and complex case" and he was "not entirely sure" which former prime minister Mr Watson was referring to.

    But he agreed to look at the case "very carefully and see what the government can do" to give Mr Watson the assurances he wanted.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20070093

    Is this part of that bigger picture I wonder?
  • C14EC14E Posts: 32,165
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    Possibly to the dismay of many in her party, who might not want the abuse rumours about a deceased Tory politician (rumours all over Digital Spy forums), making their way into the mainstream media.

    Tom Watson has already tried that particular deflection tactic today has he not? Not sure why he has only just brought it up?
  • PizzatheactionPizzatheaction Posts: 20,157
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    C14E wrote: »
    Not sure why he has only just brought it up?
    He found out at the weekend, apparently. :)

    http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/2012/10/a-little-more-background-on-todays-pmqs

    EDIT: This is a new one on me, though. I was thinking of the other name which has been all over DS Forums for weeks.
  • zz9zz9 Posts: 10,767
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    ShaunW wrote: »
    I'm intrigued, if its not the one mentioned in this...
    http://www.nickdavies.net/1998/04/01/the-sheer-scale-of-child-sexual-abuse-in-britain/

    I'm looking forward to the revelation of another politicians legacy being tarnished.

    Because in my mind they all P in the same pot.

    :D

    That is a depressing read.
  • GeorgeSGeorgeS Posts: 20,039
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    zz9 wrote: »
    the only reason BBC News channel is so popular is because most people choose to watch it over Sky News. ITN, CNN etc.

    BBC use their unfair funding advantage to drive out commercial competition in news delivery on tv radio & online. Since they have shares of 50%+ in tv and radio news, that to me is dominance in the provision of news. And when they use that power to promote themselves (every single day) or kill bad news stories (NewsNight) that threat is not just an abstract but very real.
  • GeorgeSGeorgeS Posts: 20,039
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    C14E wrote: »
    Tom Watson has already tried that particular deflection tactic today has he not? Not sure why he has only just brought it up?

    Wasnt Watson friends with Damien McBride who spent his time making up false smears of opposition MP's?
  • mikwmikw Posts: 48,715
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    GeorgeS wrote: »
    BBC use their unfair funding advantage to drive out commercial competition in news delivery on tv radio & online. Since they have shares of 50%+ in tv and radio news, that to me is dominance in the provision of news. And when they use that power to promote themselves (every single day) or kill bad news stories (NewsNight) that threat is not just an abstract but very real.

    They really don't, but that is commercial radio's excuse to axe expensive journalists.

    And they are a lot less likely to "Kill" stories for selfish reasons than commercial media is.

    I've lost count of the amount of times i've been ordered to "Kill" stories i was going to report on because the story involves an advertiser.
  • zz9zz9 Posts: 10,767
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    GeorgeS wrote: »
    BBC use their unfair funding advantage to drive out commercial competition in news delivery on tv radio & online. Since they have shares of 50%+ in tv and radio news, that to me is dominance in the provision of news. And when they use that power to promote themselves (every single day) or kill bad news stories (NewsNight) that threat is not just an abstract but very real.

    Just how can they "drown out" Sky News, ITN, CNN etc? :confused:

    On my EPG they are alongside each other and I can freely pick whichever one I choose to watch. How does their funding force me to pick BBC News?

    Sky have far more money than the BBC, and that's not including their sister company News Int with its newspapers (which frequently cross-promote Sky channels)
    Sky can out spend the BBC in any area they choose. Maybe you haven't noticed all the sports rights they have... :rolleyes:

    The only reason BBC have such good viewing figures is because viewers choose to watch them.
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