More BBC Deceit!

"Operating under the mantle of press freedom, breaking the law was of little consequence to Bashir and the BBC."

Shock, horror — a BBC journalist lied and used forged documents! No one with any insights into the workings of the BBC should express surprise at the findings of Lord Dyson. In Hong Kong, we've long seen the BBC distorting the truth, most recently with its portrayal of the 2019/2020 civil unrest. 

By whitewashing the mob violence here while vilifying the forces of law and order, the BBC gave tacit support to criminals and put innocents in danger. Even today, the BBC is doing the same with its one-sided coverage of trouble in Paris that seeks to taint the French police.

Lord Dyson's report on the infamous 1995 Princess Diana/Bashir interview gives legal weight to a well-known truth; the BBC is intrinsically deceitful. That assessment applies to BBC news output and its opinion programmes. But don't worry, the wildlife documentaries are primarily believable because the BBC can't get Lions and Tigers to lie.

The Princess Diana saga is awful on two levels. First, underhand methods snared the interview; second, the BBC sought to cover up, deflect, and disparage anyone who dared to challenge them. That cloaking took a sustained effort over decades. 

In 1995, with the help of the BBC, reporter Martin Bashir forged documents to groom Princess Diana, coaxing her into giving him access. The interview triggered a series of events that led to her divorce, removal of royal protection and her eventual death at the hands of a drunk driver in Paris. 

And while we may quibble over the direct linkages, you can hardly deny the impact. At best, Bashir was unethical, and at worst, he's part of an evolution of events that led to her death. All the while, the BBC supported, applauded and encouraged him. 

Of course, Diana is not entirely innocent in this matter. As an adult, she made decisions. Although, given her evident 'spurned woman' status, she was vulnerable. Bashir exploited that. 

Operating under the mantle of press freedom, breaking the law was of little consequence to Bashir and the BBC. We hear the same here in the case of a journalist who lied to get information from the Transport Department. Convicted in the courts, she continues to argue her case. 
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Also, I've seen warrior cops adopt a similar attitude in pursuit of the bad guys, prepared to bend, or break the rules, to get a result. Any short-term positive outcomes come outweighed by the erosion of the law. Then when the truth emerges, the damage taints the whole organisation and society. 

In a lame defence of his actions, Bashir seeks to downplay the importance of the forged documents. That's the only hope he has. Unfortunately, I don't think it will wash in the court of public opinion. If I were Mr Bashir, I'd be looking to keep a low profile for the next two to three decades. 

As academic David Sedgwick identified in his seminal work on the BBC "The Fake News Factory", many journalists believe themselves above the law. They are willing to use unethical and illegal means to get results in their self-appointed status as guardians of all that is right and good. 

Sedgwick further holds that the BBC, captured by a minority of activists, seeks to mislead, unnerve, and inflame their audience. He makes a convincing case that takes in Brexit, the war in Syria and the BBC's portrayal of rape victims in the north of England, who suffered at the hands of Asian gangs. 

Meanwhile, these activist journalists continue to take public money to pursue their agendas without any proper oversight. In short, the British public is paying for an enterprise, which is starting to look criminal. 

There is no doubt that the terrible behaviour of one man – Martin Bashir - was responsible for much of this malignancy. Yet the role that BBC leaders played to obstruct investigations needs exposing. But, I can see that the 'rogue journalist' excuse getting rolled out to protect the rest of the corrupt edifice. Already, the defenders of the BBC caution against a feeding frenzy as they did after Savile and other nastiness. 

Then with Bashir gone, the BBC will revert to the norm, looking for the next story to fabricate. Unless something is done, we will have this conversation every couple of years. 

While demands for change are rising, the question remains can the BBC reform? History suggests not. Savile, Harris and many other terrible incidents tell us that this organisation doesn't learn. The culture is self-preservation above all else hidden behind a veneer of press freedom. 

In truth, I'm not sure how you bring about change, given that the BBC is a massive beast with its tentacles in many domains. There are parts of the organisation that do commendable public service work. These need keeping. 

Perhaps making the BBC a subscription service could have the desired impact instead of forcing people to pay. If BBC products are so much in demand, the public can subscribe. If not, then the Beeb will need to change or disappear. 

Lastly, I must applaud the Duke of Cambridge for his eloquent and heartfelt statement. In all this madness, he presented himself as steadfast, moderate in tone but deeply sincere. He's starting to look like a future King. Well done, Sir!