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Wikipedia: the gift that keeps on giving…
It seems that even television is not safe from Wikipedia spotters. A Syrian blog points to some smooth script re-purposing over at Al Jazeera English on their series A Question of Arab Unity. ALJAZ“Nasser and his fellow officers assured Britain that it would respect British citizens and property in Egypt, limiting the possibility of intervention…
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Democracy and the BBC: more preached than practised
One of my favourite quotes on democracy (disowned by its originator alas), comes from British educator Derry Hannam: Learning about democracy and citizenship in school is a bit like reading holiday brochures in prison. Why do I trawl that quote up? Well, BBC Director-General Mark Thompson, in an interesting and wide-ranging speech addressing the trust…
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“Balance” in diplomacy: lessons for journalism
I am sorry to say I have never had much time for diplomats. Prejudice, you understand. Reading former British diplomat Carne Ross’s enjoyable and self-critical memoir – Independent Diplomat: Dispatches from an Unaccountable Elite – hasn’t exactly changed my mind. But as well as reminding UK tax-payers that they could save a lot of money…
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Two views on TV news