tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post5295615056926317796..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: The Flow of Crap: Day 3: BBC's Alternate Universe (UPDATE 1)Michael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-47253435287742863892008-03-14T23:26:00.000+08:002008-03-14T23:26:00.000+08:00"there was no brawl."Oh, but there was, in a manne..."there was no brawl."<BR/><BR/>Oh, but there was, in a manner of speaking. There was an unfriendly scuffle or two, which most media will interpret as a "brawl" because brawls sell papers. This is spin. I don't like it, but it is not going away. <BR/><BR/>The thing that really agitates me is the comment about the arrests and the MPs. There is no way to say that this is correct. No way to even spin it as such. The BBC goofed big time, as I assume many news agencies do with a lot of issues. The writers ARE human and they are rarely really experts.<BR/><BR/>On a separate note, have you recently seen ANY news agency (AFP, AP, BBC, Reuters, Xinhua or any other) publish a correction? I sometimes wonder what their policy is. I also wonder if the old tradition of offering corrections when you royally goof is only maintained to this day when the corrections are demanded by wealthy or powerful sponsors. <BR/><BR/>I have lost a lot of respect for news agencies since I have come to Asia because of things like this. It has really opened my eyes to the fact that journalists everywhere are sometimes or usually in the dark and also that they are proud. Too proud. Yeah, I trust the BBC more than Xinhua because I know the BBC writers are not being muzzled, but I only trust them slightly more.<BR/><BR/>The "free media" can do no wrong I guess (Xinhua exempted of course. They are just always right ;), right?).Tommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552370490869601403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-24936248613292059342008-03-14T19:33:00.000+08:002008-03-14T19:33:00.000+08:00brawl between MPs, that is.Michaelbrawl between MPs, that is.<BR/><BR/>MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-1226413277758496512008-03-14T19:26:00.000+08:002008-03-14T19:26:00.000+08:00Thanks Thomas. It's been a day and i know several ...Thanks Thomas. It's been a day and i know several of us have complained. And yet it is still there. I provided them with the links to both the China Post and the Taipei Times on both sides of the political aisle to show that there was no brawl. <BR/><BR/>MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-87226057652145664942008-03-14T19:07:00.000+08:002008-03-14T19:07:00.000+08:00I rarely reply to articles, although I should more...I rarely reply to articles, although I should more. This one I definitely did reply to though. It is just unforgivable. <BR/><BR/>The thing is, regardless of where the bias of the writer is, he or she should at least get his or her facts straight. Saying that MPs on both sides were arrested in an MP brawl is simply wrong. Bias doesn't explain it. As I told them, "Taiwan's legislature gets enough negative press as it is. It doesn't need the BBC to be fabricating more negative press about it."Tommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552370490869601403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-28485772830239611042008-03-14T12:43:00.000+08:002008-03-14T12:43:00.000+08:00Michael,Earlier in the day, I noticed and complain...Michael,<BR/><BR/>Earlier in the day, I noticed and complained about the same article, but I used this form:<BR/>http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/make_complaint_step1n.shtml<BR/><BR/>It says that one is for complaints, with the subject most complained about being published. So, thought you may want to know this one too.<BR/><BR/>I agree with you...it is sad that this is, once again, what people will see of Taiwan. It is bad enough that when I watch "World's Craziest/Most Outrageous Videos", there is always a segment on when one KMT support tries to hang her flag next to a DPP supporter's and, well, stuff ensues. We need some positive news in the international media, and there is so much of it, I have trouble understanding why it can never see the light of day!coreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014867312619338988noreply@blogger.com