http://www.newsunspun.org Aims to challenge the viewpoints and question the motives behind mainstream media in the UK en-us Mon, 18 Jun 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/images/nu_thumbnail.jpg http://www.newsunspun.org http://www.newsunspun.org/article/uk-media-helps-pave-road-to-war-on-syria In their seeming urgency to present a case for war, BBC reporters have neglected factual accuracy of reported events. Scepticism towards the unsupported claims of Western governments, insistence upon proof, is also lacking. We are presented with a simplified narrative, of 'good versus evil', in which the possibility of misconduct on both sides of the conflict is considered improbable. Wed, 8 May 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/eotn/irans-nuclear-weapons-programme-mentioned-again-with-no-evidence In their story about Glencore's trading with Iranian state-owned company Iralco, The Guardian mention a 'Nuclear Weapons Programme' in the headline for the story. In addition to this, another unfounded claim of weapons being developed is present in the mention of Obama putting 'pressure on Tehran to end its atomic weapons programme.' Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/could-prove-useful-to-israel-media-support-for-western-arms-deals Depending on who is selling and buying weapons, the media report arms transactions either in what might be considered to be the correct way (i.e. raising awareness of the dangers of such arms), or in a benign way. As we might expect, the former method of reporting is used when 'enemies' are involved, while the latter is reserved for western allies. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/dont-mention-the-occupation-bbc-newsnight-on-palestinian-application-for-nonstate-observer-status This analysis looks at the BBC Newsnight report on the Palestinian application to the UN for non-state observer status and look at some of the background to current events. The Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) method is used. One important aspect of the report is focussed on - the way in which the voices of different participants have been integrated in order to construct a particular argument. Wed, 3 Apr 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/a-case-study-of-bbc-newsnight-reporting-of-israelpalestine 'Why is this lying bastard lying to me?' is a remark about interviewing politicians commonly attributed to Newsnight's Jeremy Paxman (actually originally made by Louis Heren of The Times). For those of us who watch Newsnight and its like the question we need to ask is not only 'why', but also 'how' these lying bastards are lying to us. You may well get the feeling that what you are watching is skewed, but given the speed of TV reports it can be difficult to recognise exactly just how we are being manipulated. Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/reporting-on-syria-how-the-media-designates-a-role-for-the-uk As confused reports come out about European desires to arm the Syrian opposition groups involved in the civil war there, the debate in the news is framed within certain limits, along the lines of: 'we' are probably right to arm the rebels, as long as we arm the right groups and they don't fall into the wrong hands. Among the rhetoric urging the dangers of not arming the rebels is the suggestion from David Cameron that 'inaction could encourage jihadi groups'. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/eotn/obamas-threat-to-iran-reported-as-responsible-diplomacy Barack Obama's New Year message to the leaders and people of Iran for Nowruz was little more than obvious blackmail and threats. At the BBC and the Guardian, however, it has been hailed as the US President's offer of a 'practical solution' to a country that Obama has repeatedly threatened will military attack over the last two years. Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/the-bbcs-bogeyman-narrative-on-hugo-chavez The BBC maintained a strong a record of misleading reporting throughout the presidency of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who died on Tuesday, following a two year battle with cancer. Yet today's article by Jon Kelly, 'Hugo Chavez and the era of anti-American bogeymen', takes a particularly spiteful slant on the issue of what is presented as 'Anti-Americanism' in Chavez's stance toward US foreign policy. Thu, 7 Mar 2013 11:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/eotn/bbc-misinforms-about-venezuelas-2002-opposition-coup In their 'look back' at the life of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the BBC have been quick to rewrite the events of the 2002 coup. James Robbins summarised: "In 2002 the whole country was embroiled in a general strike in a general strike and Chavez was briefly pushed from office. But just two days later, after his supporters, mainly the poor, took to the streets, President Chavez was back in the palace." Tue, 5 Mar 2013 23:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/the-representation-of-torture-in-the-war-on-terror In the mainstream media, we are presented with 'a "war on terror" conducted by a "civilized" West against a less civilized "other"'. There are obvious flaws with this narrative. For example, even the barest of bones of the 'civilized' West's historical record demolishes its proclaimed values and objectives. Aa nation cannot claim to act to promote democracy and human rights whilst it kidnaps citizens the world over, places them in secret detention and tortures them, in order to attain such objectives... Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/acquiescence-and-sycophancy-as-david-cameron-tours-north-africa On issues such as foreign policy, upon which the main political parties are more or less in agreement, we find much of the media in a position of consensus with official policy. News reports on David Cameron's tour around North Africa last week reflect such a position, although perhaps somewhat heightened, verging on the sycophantic. Mon, 4 Feb 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/legitimising-violence-in-reporting-on-international-conflict The media's portrayal of international conflict often implicitly expresses judgement on the justness or otherwise of the use of force. This is evident in the differing approaches taken towards the reporting of acts of war, in which the issue of violence is portrayed by turn as legitimate or criminal, depending on the perpetrator. Mon, 4 Feb 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/factchecking-rory-carroll-on-venezuela Rory Carroll (former Guardian Latin America correspondent) has written in the New Statesman depicting an ailing 'autocrat' leaving behind a 'disparate ruling coalition' and a 'warping economy'. This article is an analysis of Carroll's contribution, 'An Elected Autocrat', in which we have considered the premises behind a selection of his arguments and conducted some basic fact-checking, highlighting many inaccuracies in Carroll's analysis. Mon, 28 Jan 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/logical-fallacies-the-financial-times-on-syria-and-uranium-stockpiles On 8 January the Financial Times published an article by James Blitz, entitled 'Fears raised over Syria uranium stockpile'. The claims of Blitz's sources rest on the argument that, because we lack proof that something is false, it must be true (an ad ignorantiam argument)... Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/uk-reporting-on-venezuela-continues-to-be-clouded-by-partiality As Hugo Chavez receives further cancer treatment in Cuba, this time seemingly with much higher stakes than before, the UK media has again shown where its interests lie when it comes to reporting on left-wing Latin American governments. It is for example worthwhile to seriously question whether journalists would take the same attitude if reporting on a similar situation in another country. Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/whitewashing-an-assault-bbc-coverage-of-the-israelgaza-ceasefire At the start of what the BBC now calls the 'flare-up' of violence in Gaza, the news focussed heavily on Israel's right to defend itself. Rarely would a state get such an easy run from the media after killing so many civilians, many of whom were children. Yet again, there has been a systemic failure at the BBC to critically question anything beyond the limits defined by UK foreign policy. Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/eotn/telegraphs-dan-hodges-says-bbc-news-didnt-mention-hamas-rocket-attacks-they-did Dan Hodges has written of a pro-Palestine bias at the BBC, citing the 8:00 news on Radio 4 on 19th November. He claims that "in the 08.00 bulletin the BBC chose not to report the Hamas attacks at all. Not one word". Quite simply put, Hodges is incorrect in this claim, and has either ignored or not heard the whole report, as a quick listen to the news report indicates. Mon, 19 Nov 2012 09:00:00 GMT http://www.newsunspun.org/article/siding-with-the-powerful-uk-media-coverage-of-the-assault-on-gaza The BBC News, and particularly the reports from Diplomatic Correspondent Jonathan Marcus, on the ongoing Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip has presented the violence as little more than a defensive policy manoeuvre by Israel, whose government, in Marcus's view, 'clearly wants' another ceasefire.... Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:00:00 GMT