The Media Coach 27th February 2015

Life is tough; Eventex; My Oscar winner; Sesame Street; Natalie Bennett; Four ways to ruin a speech; On the phone to the studio; Don’t rush to sell; An interview with Frank Furness; Music from Mick Terry

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The Media Coach 20th February 2015

Oscar time; An Apple disappointment; King and Escort; Barack Obama is what?; Dealing with Nerves; The Overtaking Rule; Picture this; An interview with Jeremy Lee; Music from Mick Wilson

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The Media Coach 13th February 2015

Brian Williams; The Visibility Summit; Jon Stewart; Pink Van Woman; Last-minute changes; Wave the flag; Why Social Media works for small businesses; An interview with Dan Poynter; Music from Mick Terry

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George Galloway in the Lions' Den - did the BBC get it wrong?

George Galloway was a guest on BBC Question Time last night. The programme was recorded in Finchley, North London, former stamping ground of Margaret Thatcher, and is the constituency with the largest Jewish population. Mr Galloway was clearly not destined to have an easy ride.

As it turned out, much of the programme consisted of audience members shouting at Mr Galloway, and his responses often being drowned out by further interruptions. David Dimbleby called for order on several occasions, and finally managed to quiet the crowd when he called for individual comments, though he managed to select two who opposed Mr Galloway, and one in favour.

I've worked with Mr Galloway on radio phone-ins (I took the photo attached to this piece), and though I don't know him well or agree with all his views, I believe he has a perfect right to express them. That's what freedom of speech is about.

The question that caused the row was about the unprecedented rise in anti-Semitic attacks in the UK. It was: “Why is antisemitism rising in the UK and does a certain member of the panel bear some responsibility?”. 

In response, Mr Galloway said: "Antisemitism is a foul form of racism that in the 1930s led to the Holocaust. If I had been born then I would have been the first in the line in the recruitment office to fight fascism. Everything that has been said here with melancholy about the shadow cast by the rise in Antisemitism could be said many fold about the Islamophobia and fear of Muslims in Britain and attacks on Muslim property. Why can’t we all oppose Antisemitism and Islamophobia? Why not oppose the attacks not only on kosher, but halal?”. That sounds a fair response to me, but audience members kept up their barracking.
 
I believe the BBC made an error in setting up the show as it did, and the events were inevitable. Question Time is about comments on major news stories, and one of the most prominent, the Government takeover of Rotherham Council after a child abuse enquiry, wasn't even mentioned. Even Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary had an easy ride, after trying to argue that "flat cash" funding for schools was "Not a cut, since the money stays the same". She clearly hasn't heard of the concept of inflation.

No-one wants to watch a boring debate. However, setting up a situation where one panellist is subjected to abuse by a hostile audience is a shameful editorial act. I'm a huge supporter of the BBC when they get it right. This time they got it wrong.

Picture Credit : Alan Stevens

The Media Coach 6th February 2015

The power of propaganda; Last chance to win; Like a Girl; Brian wan’t there; How to be Original; The first time you meet a reporter; Novak Djokovic’s social media; An interview with Joe Vitale; Music from Ainsley Diaz Stevens

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