Look, I hate to complain unnecessarily. Generally, the birth of a new human, is a great thing (actually, with the population over 7 billion, that's not so true anymore), and the birth of this little spud seems to have made a lot of people very happy, that's fair enough. I don't mind it happening, just so long as it's avoidable. At present, it isn't.
The BBC has taken the hysteria of the tax-paid absurdities of the Royal Wedding and the Coronation Anniversary and seemingly doubled it. Yesterday's entire news was over half devoted to it, showing a sycophancy and forelock tugging I would have thought became extinct sometime around the early 20th century. A friend commented that the shoddy production values, lack of analysis and worship (I use that word in its correct sense) of this baby wouldn't have been out of place in North Korea. Huw Edwards smilingly acknowledged that this was 'not real news.' He's right. Even if you are an adamant fan of the royal family, you would have to admit that the birth drove bigger, more important stories from the front pages. The BBC News channel is worse, showing constant trivial chatter, giving airtime instead of a guillotine to an endless parade of self-proclaimed sycophantic experts. This is all combined with a complete lack of interpretation or acknowledgement of other views.
The BBC has a remit to all of us to give impartial, serious, unbiased analysis. It has failed to do so so far. There have been no interviews with the opposing views by Republican groups. None either with groups that claim that a true democracy is one where any person can become anything they want, or that the royal family are an archaic, feudal institution who take vast amounts of tax payers money. No opposing views at all, just worship of a child who happens to have been born to his particular parents. It makes a mockery of journalistic integrity, of democracy, and of the notion of equality making bloodlines unimportant. To top it all off, it is presented in the most fawning, saccharine and shameless way imaginable. I almost feel sorry for the little guy, because if it keeps up like this, his every waking moment will be met by cameras and braying morons in union jack hats. I say almost, until I remember the anachronistic, yet absurd, privilege he and his siblings will enjoy.
No matter how you feel, you can't help but acknowledge that a mass hysteria has taken over: I didn't expect the BBC to underplay its hand here, but it has gone too far.
I for one am not happy, and I want that to be reflected here.
Yours, Pascal.
The BBC has taken the hysteria of the tax-paid absurdities of the Royal Wedding and the Coronation Anniversary and seemingly doubled it. Yesterday's entire news was over half devoted to it, showing a sycophancy and forelock tugging I would have thought became extinct sometime around the early 20th century. A friend commented that the shoddy production values, lack of analysis and worship (I use that word in its correct sense) of this baby wouldn't have been out of place in North Korea. Huw Edwards smilingly acknowledged that this was 'not real news.' He's right. Even if you are an adamant fan of the royal family, you would have to admit that the birth drove bigger, more important stories from the front pages. The BBC News channel is worse, showing constant trivial chatter, giving airtime instead of a guillotine to an endless parade of self-proclaimed sycophantic experts. This is all combined with a complete lack of interpretation or acknowledgement of other views.
The BBC has a remit to all of us to give impartial, serious, unbiased analysis. It has failed to do so so far. There have been no interviews with the opposing views by Republican groups. None either with groups that claim that a true democracy is one where any person can become anything they want, or that the royal family are an archaic, feudal institution who take vast amounts of tax payers money. No opposing views at all, just worship of a child who happens to have been born to his particular parents. It makes a mockery of journalistic integrity, of democracy, and of the notion of equality making bloodlines unimportant. To top it all off, it is presented in the most fawning, saccharine and shameless way imaginable. I almost feel sorry for the little guy, because if it keeps up like this, his every waking moment will be met by cameras and braying morons in union jack hats. I say almost, until I remember the anachronistic, yet absurd, privilege he and his siblings will enjoy.
No matter how you feel, you can't help but acknowledge that a mass hysteria has taken over: I didn't expect the BBC to underplay its hand here, but it has gone too far.
I for one am not happy, and I want that to be reflected here.
Yours, Pascal.
No comments:
Post a Comment