Censorship is alive and well at the BBC
By Natasha & Bruce
Good Grief! Aunty is at it again.
This time for editing out the word … wait for it ….“PALESTINE”… at 03:00 during rapper Mic Righteous’ performance of Charlie Sloth’s Hip-Hop M1x, a programme on BBC Radio 1Xtra.
Many visitors to this site have suggested “THAT’S BANNED” is heard at 03:10.
This was the BBC’s response:
“Charlie Sloth’s Hip-Hop M1x is predominantly a music based programme and decisions as to which tracks and artists get featured are based on artistic merit.”
“All BBC programmes have a responsibility to be impartial when dealing with controversial subjects however, and an edit was made in this instance to ensure that impartiality was not compromised.”
As one BBC licence payer commented:
“Isn’t it obnoxiously obvious that the BBC became partial when they banned the word PALESTINE? I could draw a comparison with a certain Apartheid state, but won’t.”
THE BBC “IMPARTIAL?”
Many people are still reeling from the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Gaza Appeal fiasco where the BBC refused to telecast an appeal from the DEC citing their “commitment to impartiality” while over 1,400 Palestinian men, women and children were killed by the Israeli Occupation Army and large parts of Gaza was laid waste during Operation Cast Lead.
That was the last straw for some who said they no longer will pay their BBC licence fee. Many declared that they were going to donate it – currently £145.50 a year - straight to the DEC.
And then there was the BBC’s Death in the Med Panorama programme about the Mavi Marmara that sailed beyond the seas … and we all had to stomach aunties offering, even though we knew it was going to make us sick.
And now this.
Oh Really!
You can contact the BBC by clicking this link which will take you to their feedback page. Please complain regarding this latest outrage.
Here’s a link to a selection of comments on Charlie Sloth’s Hip Hop M1x home page.
Outrageous.
Absolutely disgraceful but not at all surprised by the BBC’s shameless bias by now. Banning the Gaza appeal was the moment they hit the gutter. They are only interested in the highly talented Lowkey and Mic Righteous because of how popular they have become, and would otherwise happily go on ignoring them. The last thing they are comfortable with is giving air time to socially conscious, political artists who have something to say for themselves.
But just to point out, the words you hear at 3.10 are not ‘that’s banned’ or anything to do with the BBC, that’s part of the track, (a famous clip of Muhammed Ali if I’m not mistaken). These soundbites can be heard throughout Mic Righteous’s performance.
Thanks Bella for your comments.
We’ve had so much much feedback regarding what exactly is heard at 03:10, that it would be difficult to post every single comment. However, in the interests of fairness, we’ve amended the wording in the article and whatever those words are, we’ll let each and every person decide for themselves.
Thanks for bringing this to the publics attention. I still think it’s wworth hitting the BBC witwith a new round of complaints which you can do here https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/
They might not respond again but they’ll damn well know how we feel!
Respect to lowkey for publicising this via Twitter.
FREE PALESTINE!
The BBC claims to be impartial (whether it is or isn’t is up for debate) and so I understand why they would censor the word ‘Palestine’ here. I don’t think it matters too much because what the rapper wanted to say is still communicated to the audience clearly (you’d have to be thick to not work it out). It’s not like the BBC have put a super-injunction on the Israel/Palestine situation. A little perspective.
Also, 03:10 sounds like a radio sound often used in rap music played on the radio (I’m thinking Tim Westwood) coupled with the fact that it’s a robotic American voice means I conclude what’s being said is “That’s bad!” (meaning that’s good!)
Response I got from the BBC:
“BBC Radio 1Xtra and the BBC as a whole is impartial, and in this instance felt that the performance represented a political viewpoint for which a balancing programme (or representation of the opposing view) would be required in order that the Free Palestine message was not given undue prominence.
“Therefore, to leave the song unedited would have compromised impartiality. The same decision would have been taken had an anti-Palestinian sentiment been aired in a similar situation.”
I complained yesterday and got these weasel words back very quickly. I never got a response to my complaint about Death in the Med.
Tuesday, 10 May, 2011 17:37:37
Complaint Response -
From: “bbc_complaints_website@bbc.co.uk” Add to Contacts
To: xxxxxxx
——————————————————————————–
Thank you for your comments.
We got in contact with the BBC Radio 1 Xtra team about the decision to edit the song ‘Fire in the Booth’ by Mic Righteous and they’ve responded as follows:
“BBC Radio 1Xtra and the BBC as a whole is impartial, and in this instance felt that the performance represented a political viewpoint for which a balancing programme (or representation of the opposing view) would be required in order that the Free Palestine message was not given undue prominence.
“Therefore, to leave the song unedited would have compromised impartiality. The same decision would have been taken had an anti-Palestinian sentiment been aired in a similar situation.”
Thanks again for contacting us.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints
Kind Regards
BBC Audience Services
Thanks for the feedback Mary and Josh.
Sounds like the BBC is sending out their usual standard one-size-fits-all type of reply.
Call me an optimist, but if enough people contact the BBC and complain, then they’ll have to act on the publicity this is generating.
Thanks to all who’ve contacted the BBC to complain about this slap in the face to the Palestinian people.
I have a feeling this isn’t over yet.
I’m sure they could have a disclaimer along the lines of, “The political bent of the Artists we promote are not representitive of the BBC as a whole”… or something like that!
That makes sense and is also a very good idea Leeroy.
BBC take note!