The Lady Di interview

[ardcarp]

Anyone else fed up with the blanket news coverage of this? It seems a wonderful excuse for Boris's lot to dump on the BBC.
However, there was an encouraging interview with Pat Younge on Channel 4 News who attempted to ride to the BBC's defence, or at least to bring a moderate view to the whole thing:

https://www.channel4.com/news/weve-seen-worst-and-best-of-bbc-all-in-one-story-former-bbc-executive-pat-younge

[french frank]

It seems a wonderful excuse for Boris's lot to dump on the BBC.

Can't watch the Channel 4 prog without getting an official knock at the door but I did smile at the headline: "PM concerned after inquiry into BBC Diana deceit". PM also very pleased to have a big story breaking to take the news focus away from him.

[DracoM]

[pastoralguy]

So, let me get this straight. Prince Charles marries a young woman knowing his affections lie elsewhere. The marriage founders because of this and somehow it's the BBC's fault...?

Perhaps HRH Prince William should be angry with his father and the other woman. (Who can ever forget the toe curling 'whatever love is' comment?)

[Bryn]

So, let me get this straight. Prince Charles marries a young woman knowing his affections lie elsewhere. The marriage founders because of this and somehow it's the BBC's fault...?

Perhaps HRH Prince William should be angry with his father and the other woman. (Who can ever forget the toe curling 'whatever love is' comment?)

[muzzer]

There’s nothing new here, but I thought Fleet Street Fox in the Mirror was good. The worst part of it imho is the princes ganging up with the Govt against the Beeb, seemingly ignorant of it being the Murdoch press that has consistently been their enemy not the Beeb. They look, I’m afraid, as if they’ve long been harbouring a grudge, and it’s an ugly look. Johnson, sacked as a journo let’s not forget, true to his opportunist core, sees an open goal etc.

[LMcD]

The BBC is making it increasingly difficult for its supporters, of which I remain one despite everything, to defend it, especially when it devotes countless hours of airtime to discussion of itself.

[muzzer]

Agreed. The irony is that what it thinks is balance - being seen to criticise itself despite being the state broadcaster - is just seen as weakness in a society from which the reasonableness of the centre has been hollowed out and the PM lies daily. Auntie is self-harming and there seems to be nobody who can stop her.

[LHC]

Agreed. The irony is that what it thinks is balance - being seen to criticise itself despite being the state broadcaster - is just seen as weakness in a society from which the reasonableness of the centre has been hollowed out and the PM lies daily. Auntie is self-harming and there seems to be nobody who can stop her.

I think there are essentially two parts to the story which are being confused and conflated in a lot of the coverage. Bashir clearly misled the Spencer’s to get the interview, and undoubtedly fed her increasing paranoia. However, it is clear she was going to give an interview to someone, and she already distrusted the Royal family, so I don’t think he can really be blamed for subsequent events, as some are trying to do.

More disgraceful, however, is that when the BBC found out about his deceptions, they conducted an investigation the sole purpose of which appears to have been to cover up the truth and exonerate themselves and their scoop. It is this cover up perpetrated by Tony Hall and others which to my mind is far worse than Bashir’s original deceptions, and they are quite rightly being criticised for this.

Having said all that, the extent of self-flagellation currently being indulged in by the BBC on this story is excessive and unnecessary.

[Frances_iom]

...Auntie is self-harming and there seems to be nobody who can stop her.

It's a gift to BJ - he is now guaranteed an easy ride. The problem is that the marriage was guaranteed to fail from the start - complete incompatibility of the parties. As to Auntie - she is in old age and suffering from dementia - maybe euthanasia should be considered.

[antongould]

So, let me get this straight. Prince Charles marries a young woman knowing his affections lie elsewhere. The marriage founders because of this and somehow it's the BBC's fault...?

Perhaps HRH Prince William should be angry with his father and the other woman. (Who can ever forget the toe curling 'whatever love is' comment?)

Well said ......

[Andrew]

[QUOTE] More disgraceful, however, is that when the BBC found out about his deceptions, they conducted an investigation the sole purpose of which appears to have been to cover up the truth and exonerate themselves and their scoop. It is this cover up perpetrated by Tony Hall and others which to my mind is far worse than Bashir’s original deceptions, and they are quite rightly being criticised for this. [QUOTE]

This goes to the heart of the matter. Yes, the marriage between Diana & Charles was not a success (!) Yes, Diana felt ostracised by the Royal Family. Yes, Bashir picked up on this and used counterfeit bank statements shown to Lord Spencer to obtain the interview and Yes, the interview was a devastating one. BUT the BBC's attempt to cover up the whole affair is the worse part of all of this. Had the investigation been more wide-ranging Bashir would have been hauled over the coals & sacked and the matter would now be old news. As it is, almost a quarter of a century after the original broadcast it's all being aired again-too late!

[kernelbogey]

There’s nothing new here, but I thought Fleet Street Fox in the Mirror was good. The worst part of it imho is the princes ganging up with the Govt against the Beeb, seemingly ignorant of it being the Murdoch press that has consistently been their enemy not the Beeb. They look, I’m afraid, as if they’ve long been harbouring a grudge, and it’s an ugly look. Johnson, sacked as a journo let’s not forget, true to his opportunist core, sees an open goal etc.

This piece https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-bbc-scapegoat about the role of the press in Diana's troubles, I thought corrected the balance well.

[french frank]

This piece https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-bbc-scapegoat about the role of the press in Diana's troubles, I thought corrected the balance well.

Indeed (Hyde in sombre mood here). Even Bashir's 'deception' and 'lies' should be seen in the context of the standards of the media of the time (and since). Yes, one would like the BBC, as a public service broadcaster, to be better than that but a) it wasn't and b) it went on to try to hide the fact. And now it's self-flagellating to make up for it. That said, it appears to be impossible for it to avoid criticism from one quarter or another whatever it does.

[cloughie]

]It's a gift to BJ[/B] - he is now guaranteed an easy ride. The problem is that the marriage was guaranteed to fail from the start - complete incompatibility of the parties. As to Auntie - she is in old age and suffering from dementia - maybe euthanasia should be considered.

A rare thing BJ connecting to ‘moral high ground’ in his favour!