The world’s biggest news broadcaster is in chaos. The BBC’s director general and CEO of news have resigned following an exposé showing the network doctored Trump’s infamous Jan. 6, 2021 speech before the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. By sticking together quotes that were nearly an hour apart, the network created a false impression of what he said.
But as you’ll hear in the new episode of They Stand Corrected (wherever you listen), some groups pointing to this as proof of BBC bias are creating a different problem of their own. They’re cutting off a key section, giving you a false positive impression of what Trump said.
And this story is just the tip of the iceberg of a far wider journalistic catastrophe.
Inside the BBC’s offenses
The investigation that revealed the Trump clip malpractice also brought new evidence to light on the BBC’s coverage of the Middle East.
Pushing Hamas lies: The report shows the BBC unquestionably pushed Hamas lies all over the world and knowingly prioritized them over facts.
Whitewashing hatred: The BBC repeatedly aired alleged eyewitnesses who had publicly called for Jews to be burned “as Hitler did” and referred to them as “devils” and “less than human.”
The sex slave story: A Yazidi girl was taken as a sex slave at age 10. She was rescued from her captor’s abusive family in Gaza by a joint effort of Israel, the United States and Jordan. When the BBC covered it in Arabic, they devoted a massive section to a Hamas statement calling her a liar — the same news agency that rarely even gives Israel a full sentence to knock down Hamas lies.
Even on their way out, the BBC executives refused to face reality. You’ll hear why.
Get a welcome break from doom scrolling! 8,000+ volunteer HEROES of all backgrounds respond to 2,000+ medical calls every day in Israel. If you sign up for free to learn about United Hatzalah, you’ll help support They Stand Corrected.🦸
Also in this episode: election coverage failures
The episode doesn’t stop with the BBC. I also fact check the media’s approach to the recent elections:
Exit polls are a mess: Did the GOP lose Latino support? Learn why major news outlets shouldn’t be using notoriously unreliable exit polls to draw big conclusions just yet.
The single storyline trap: The media instinctively searches for one simple, overarching “lesson” from an election. Reality is more complex.
Ignoring basic civics: The media has failed to address the fact that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is promising things he does not have the power to deliver.
Plus, Hasan Piker, the media’s favorite streamer, pushes his anti-democratic, pro-Russia messaging — and even that doesn’t bring a halt to the fawning profiles.
Listen now to Episode 82: BBC Trump Fiasco:
Supporters: Share thoughts, questions, and more in the comments or by messaging me.
JL
P.S. Hello Atlanta! Be there Wed. Nov. 19 at 7:30 pm.:
