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| Benito Mussolini and Gary Lineker striking poses |
From a Church Times tweet about another BBC casualty: "The BBC Singers is one of the leading advocates of choral music in the world, and their budget probably equals one sport presenter’s salary. The BBC corporate spin on it is beyond belief."
Sympathisers can sign a petition to stop the planned closure of the BBC Singers here.
The BBC previously announced that some of their News channel’s most famous faces, including Jane Hill, Ben Brown and Martine Croxall, were to be axed before the launch of a channel that combines international and domestic news.
For those of us who find the BBC's obsession with soccer completely disproportionate, some trimming of the seemingly endless number or presenters, commentators and reporters is long overdue.
The commentator John Motson unwittingly summed up the problem in a quote from a tribute following his death. When the BBC apologised for a delay in presenting the News because coverage of a soccer game had overrun, Motson retorted, soccer is the news!
For too many he was right.
To be honest AB, Lineker's observations ref comment, language and tone used by the Home Secretary ref 1939 Germany was probably fair. Contention is whether he should have expressed his views on his Twitter or whatever account. In that, he most certainly did cross the Corporation's line but no worse than scores of leading Westminster politicians of all parties who do similar on range of issues. Some get caught out, some don't. But Lineker's cross-armed pose has no similarity with Mussolini ... he just happens to be crossing his arms. The greater comparison in jaw-out, Alpha-male ranting would be Mussolini and Donald Trump.
ReplyDeletePersonally, it doesn't bother me. I was able to watch a wonderful Welsh rugby win over Italy with commentators, pundits, strategists etc. on ITV this afternoon without disruption or any reference whatsoever to the girlie-game of soccer!!
Ad Clerum
What's going to be more interesting (and depressing) in development of this non-story is how many of our bishops will tonight be burning the midnight oil scripting their pulpit sermons on Saint Lineker and their attacks on the Establishment, the Home Secretary, the BBC etc. and then in weeks to come scratch their heads again wondering why Religious Broadcast programmes have lost their popularity with listeners and tv viewers and more pews empty.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine on what Gospel reading they'll base their pulpit nonsenses, but rest assured they'll find one. Bishops are adept at demonstrating that they're generally out of touch.
Lead on this subject no doubt will be the plonker +Andrew John who a few years ago drove a charabagne convoy with his Bob-the-Builder pretend Lifeboatman to Sangatte, near Calais banner-waving his support for the hoardes determined to cross over to UK mainly for our social-services, handouts and benefits. He quite ignored the fact that the then Bishop of Dover and others on the Kent/East Anglia coast were begging to the closure of the 'refugee' Jungle campsite as was the Bishop of Pas-des-Calais and their voices, rather than the Bishop of Bangor, won the day. By this time of course, he'd reaped the ££ donations of his gullible parishes and parishioners to throw at a 'lost cause'. His donations of tents and clothes etc. was added to the bonfire by the French Gendarmerie who closed the site on humanatarian grounds. Apology?? From ++Andrew??? How ridiculous to even think of such thing. But bets are he'll 'pontificate' on the Lineker in some form or another and if he doesn't preach it, then use his website to promote it. Goose and gander.
Old Bill.
No doubt many of us who have relatives who endured persecution in the Third Reich resent the trivilisation of their experience by comparing their flight from Germany to that of present economic migrants. It would also be interested to know what level of scholarship informed the initial comparison.
ReplyDeleteWell, I shall say that Gary has a refugee staying with him ( he doesn't shout that from the rooftops), and has supported refugee charities for many years. He made the comments on his PERSONAL twitter account and that's something that the BBC has defended on times when Tory politicians have made distasteful remarks on their PERSONAL accounts. How many refugees have the Welsh Plankers invited into their rather nice houses?
DeleteMy father spent a while in Dachau c.1937 for having participated in student politics, and (with my mother) came to Britain in 1938. I do not resent Lineker's comment but welcome it.
DeleteMy wife and her family were Jewish and got out of Germany in Aug 1939. However my father-in-law stayed behind and was murdered, even though he in WWI had been awarded the Iron Cross 1st class, by the einsatzgruppen in a ditch near Kovno in 1941. They were not economic migrants, they were fleeing for their lives.
DeleteNot illegal economic migrants turning up with the latest smart mobile phones but no passports either!
Delete@Merthyr Organist
Deletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-64967941
Is Lineker hosting any of those found claiming falsely to be football players?
MOTD reduced to 20 minutes duration.
ReplyDelete99.9% of women in the land will rejoice and there is indeed a God.
The BBC gets it all wrong again in making a big issue out of GL's Twitter comments. GL is insignificant other than on MOTD and his comments carry no weight. They are just as wrong in affording - at our expense - his fee of 1m per annum. Why does the BBC find it necessary to dish out large salaries to nonentities? Former R2 DJ Chris Evans 3m per annum.
ReplyDeleteLW
Agreed on all points.
Deletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64936917
DeleteShame he wasn't taken off air permanently, saving the licence fee payers £1.4 million at a single stroke.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64944416
ReplyDeleteInteresting new development in the US abortion debate.
GL has made comments outside of his working hours and using personal equipment. Regardless of what he has said, he has not used any equipment or avenue supplied by his "employer"
ReplyDeleteAnother comparison and the funniest news this week.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64976104
"SNP says its membership has fallen to 72,000"
Losing members almost as fast as the Cult in Wales.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65000606
DeleteIf only the "Chief Executive" of Cult in Wales would resign so quickly.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64984878
ReplyDeleteRacist, sexist and homophobic?
Well I never!
Could this be known as putting one's Foot in it?
ReplyDeletehttp://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/1284/reader/reader.html?social#!preferred/0/package/1284/pub/1284/page/32/article/NaN
🤣 🤣 🤣
The role of Dick the Dean doesn't get a dishonourable mention today but the investigation by Dominic Grieve KC continues.
The Met continues to cover itself in glory.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65005957
Officers accused of sexual misconduct working as normal.
Deep and widespread failings in the Met.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65019879
The report merely confirms what so many have known and suffered for decades.