BBC Journalists Hit Back at Hutton
January 30 2004
JOURNALISTS in the BBC’s London newsrooms have angrily rejected Lord Hutton’s criticisms of their journalism and the BBC Governors’ apology to the Prime Minister.
At a big meeting at the TV Centre today (Friday) the NUJ's BBC London branch -- representing hundreds of staff at BBC News -- voted to defend the BBC’s independence and support a nation-wide union protest planned for next week.
The resolution they passed unanimously read as follows:
“Dr Kelly's death was a tragic loss to his family, friends and profession. He was known and well respected by journalists at the BBC.
“Members of the NUJ at the BBC in London express dismay at the one-sided conclusions of the Hutton report. We stand by the right of the journalist, the programme and the Corporation to have broadcast the remarks of Dr Kelly.
“The NUJ rejects the suggestion of Lord Hutton that the BBC's editorial system is seriously flawed and urges the management to consult with the NUJ on any changes to its editorial procedures.
“The NUJ urges the news management team to join us in a robust defence of the BBC's journalistic independence.
“The NUJ regrets the resignation of Greg Dyke and distances itself from the unreserved apology issued by Lord Ryder.
“To mark our anger at the unfair and one-sided conclusions reached by Lord Hutton, members of the NUJ working in news and current affairs will hold a rally to assert our independence of Government. We will also lobby members of Parliament to demonstrate that we will not accept attempts to compromise the BBC's independence."
The journalists will hold a rally next Thursday, February 5, from 12 noon to 2pm, outside their offices – as will BBC staff in every centre throughout the UK. The protests are organised by the BBC unions, the NUJ, BECTU and Amicus.
NUJ branches throughout the BBC have been holding meetings and voting to support the protests. Members expressed outrage at the Hutton Report and the BBC Governors’ response. Yesterday there were walkouts in London, Cardiff, Derry and other centres.
NUJ's support for BBC staff in Hutton crisis
http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=664&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
Union threatens dispute if BBC fails to back Gilligan http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=662&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
Hutton Report a “threat to independent journalism” http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=663&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
The BBC’s story was true.
http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=660&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1dAndrew
Gilligan and the BBC: it was the right story http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=661&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
What the lawyers said
http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=659&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
National Union of Journalists http://www.nuj.org.uk
Please also see:
Never forget that they lie
Hutton's charitable vision of our rulers flies in the face of experience
Max Hastings, Saturday January 31, 2004
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1135709,00.html
BBC's Gilligan resigns after condemning the Hutton Inquiry and Blair government http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jan2004/gill-j31.shtml
BBC AT WAR
M'LORD HUTTON BLESSES BLAIR'S ATTACK ON BBC'S INVESTIGATION OF IRAQ WAR CLAIMS
By Greg Palast
http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=311&row=0
Spectacular One-Sidedness Of Hutton's Conclusions
The Hutton saga is a sideshow. The real issue is who will
pay the price for war and occupation
http://www.rense.com/general48/sideh.htm
Whitewash claims over Hutton report
http://www.itv.com/news/1386763.html
"The public must look to what is missing from the report"
Scott Ritter
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5607.htm
The very secret service
David Kelly referred obliquely to Operation Rockingham. What role did this mysterious cell play in justifying the Iraq war?
Michael Meacher
Friday November 21, 2003
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1089931,00.html
Dyke: Hutton 'wrong' and Campbell 'ungracious'
Claire Cozens
Friday January 30, 2004
http://media.guardian.co.uk/huttoninquiry/story/0,13812,1135108,00.html
Who Is Hutton?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284545.html
The Disgraceful Hutton Whitewash - A Set-Up From Day One
http://www.rense.com/general48/whw.htm
Hutton Inquiry: British media warns of a whitewash too far
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jan2004/hutt-j30.shtml
Britain: More questions on Dr Kelly's death as a confidante rejects suicide claim http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jan2004/kell-j30.shtml
DAVID KELLY, THE BAHA’I AND MASONS
By Jim Rarey
December 14, 2003
http://www.worldnewsstand.net/MediumRare/35.htm
Will the Hutton Report Tell Us How Dr. Kelly Died ? asks Rowena Thursby
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout4.php&id=1385&blz=1
What Hutton Is Really Saying
http://www.rense.com/general48/huttue.htm
The Awesome Destructive Power of the CPM
http://www.blackcommentator.com/75/75_cover_dean_media.html
Deferring democracy
http://middleeastreference.org.uk/llb040116.html
Gilding imperialism's friendly mask
By Stephen Gowans
http://www3.sympatico.ca/sr.gowans/guilding.html
January 30 2004
JOURNALISTS in the BBC’s London newsrooms have angrily rejected Lord Hutton’s criticisms of their journalism and the BBC Governors’ apology to the Prime Minister.
At a big meeting at the TV Centre today (Friday) the NUJ's BBC London branch -- representing hundreds of staff at BBC News -- voted to defend the BBC’s independence and support a nation-wide union protest planned for next week.
The resolution they passed unanimously read as follows:
“Dr Kelly's death was a tragic loss to his family, friends and profession. He was known and well respected by journalists at the BBC.
“Members of the NUJ at the BBC in London express dismay at the one-sided conclusions of the Hutton report. We stand by the right of the journalist, the programme and the Corporation to have broadcast the remarks of Dr Kelly.
“The NUJ rejects the suggestion of Lord Hutton that the BBC's editorial system is seriously flawed and urges the management to consult with the NUJ on any changes to its editorial procedures.
“The NUJ urges the news management team to join us in a robust defence of the BBC's journalistic independence.
“The NUJ regrets the resignation of Greg Dyke and distances itself from the unreserved apology issued by Lord Ryder.
“To mark our anger at the unfair and one-sided conclusions reached by Lord Hutton, members of the NUJ working in news and current affairs will hold a rally to assert our independence of Government. We will also lobby members of Parliament to demonstrate that we will not accept attempts to compromise the BBC's independence."
The journalists will hold a rally next Thursday, February 5, from 12 noon to 2pm, outside their offices – as will BBC staff in every centre throughout the UK. The protests are organised by the BBC unions, the NUJ, BECTU and Amicus.
NUJ branches throughout the BBC have been holding meetings and voting to support the protests. Members expressed outrage at the Hutton Report and the BBC Governors’ response. Yesterday there were walkouts in London, Cardiff, Derry and other centres.
NUJ's support for BBC staff in Hutton crisis
http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=664&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
Union threatens dispute if BBC fails to back Gilligan http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=662&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
Hutton Report a “threat to independent journalism” http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=663&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
The BBC’s story was true.
http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=660&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1dAndrew
Gilligan and the BBC: it was the right story http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=661&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
What the lawyers said
http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=659&PHPSESSID=5c4547f95a346951ef6e16421d86dc1d
National Union of Journalists http://www.nuj.org.uk
Please also see:
Never forget that they lie
Hutton's charitable vision of our rulers flies in the face of experience
Max Hastings, Saturday January 31, 2004
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1135709,00.html
BBC's Gilligan resigns after condemning the Hutton Inquiry and Blair government http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jan2004/gill-j31.shtml
BBC AT WAR
M'LORD HUTTON BLESSES BLAIR'S ATTACK ON BBC'S INVESTIGATION OF IRAQ WAR CLAIMS
By Greg Palast
http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=311&row=0
Spectacular One-Sidedness Of Hutton's Conclusions
The Hutton saga is a sideshow. The real issue is who will
pay the price for war and occupation
http://www.rense.com/general48/sideh.htm
Whitewash claims over Hutton report
http://www.itv.com/news/1386763.html
"The public must look to what is missing from the report"
Scott Ritter
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5607.htm
The very secret service
David Kelly referred obliquely to Operation Rockingham. What role did this mysterious cell play in justifying the Iraq war?
Michael Meacher
Friday November 21, 2003
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1089931,00.html
Dyke: Hutton 'wrong' and Campbell 'ungracious'
Claire Cozens
Friday January 30, 2004
http://media.guardian.co.uk/huttoninquiry/story/0,13812,1135108,00.html
Who Is Hutton?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284545.html
The Disgraceful Hutton Whitewash - A Set-Up From Day One
http://www.rense.com/general48/whw.htm
Hutton Inquiry: British media warns of a whitewash too far
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jan2004/hutt-j30.shtml
Britain: More questions on Dr Kelly's death as a confidante rejects suicide claim http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jan2004/kell-j30.shtml
DAVID KELLY, THE BAHA’I AND MASONS
By Jim Rarey
December 14, 2003
http://www.worldnewsstand.net/MediumRare/35.htm
Will the Hutton Report Tell Us How Dr. Kelly Died ? asks Rowena Thursby
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout4.php&id=1385&blz=1
What Hutton Is Really Saying
http://www.rense.com/general48/huttue.htm
The Awesome Destructive Power of the CPM
http://www.blackcommentator.com/75/75_cover_dean_media.html
Deferring democracy
http://middleeastreference.org.uk/llb040116.html
Gilding imperialism's friendly mask
By Stephen Gowans
http://www3.sympatico.ca/sr.gowans/guilding.html