On this week's Newswatch, the programme which discusses viewers' comments on 大象传媒 TV News, home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford answered criticisms that the coverage of an offensive e-mail circulated among police officers had become a story about racism rather than decency. You can watch the programme here.
On Feedback, Radio 4's programme for listener views, Jonathan Dimbleby, the chairman of Any Questions? was asked about claims that he was extending his role into that of interviewer. You can hear that programme here.
- Harriet Oliver
- 4 Dec 06, 10:45 AM
"Some opinions are simply wrong and should not be given airtime".
That's what one of our listeners said when we asked on Friday if the 大象传媒 should allow people with minority, radical and sometimes offensive views on air. The 大象传媒's head of TV news Peter Horrocks was with us to defend his calls (which you can read in full here) for the 大象传媒 to take more risks with guests and represent as many different opinions as possible. Interviews with the Taliban and the BNP were examples he gave of things we should hear on air.
My personal view is that he is right, as long as presenters are very well briefed and in a position to conduct a robust interview. There is no excuse for giving such people an easy ride. But ban them altogether? Surely the answer is to challenge them and, in the case of a phone-in programme like ours, give the public the opportunity to challenge them too.
One listener said giving people like the Taliban a platform might help them recruit extremists. But in a multimedia world where such views are widely available in an unchallenged form, isn't it better to test those views on the 大象传媒 rather than pretending they are not there?
But I do have sympathy with another listener who complained that if we have Islamic extremists on air then we give the impression that minority groups are more radical than they actually are. Of course it's not all about race, which brings me back to the first listener who thinks some opinions are simply wrong. She was actually talking about interviewing paedophiles. Would I put a paedophile on my programme? Well we have heard from reformed paedophiles before. But someone seeking to justify their behaviour? Perhaps not, but I'm nervous about ruling anything or anybody out.
Harriet Oliver is an assistant editor at 大象传媒 Radio Five Live
The Guardian: "The 大象传媒 may be forced to go through with its Salford move by the government, even if the corporation does not get the licence fee deal it has asked for." ()
The Times: Columnist Helen Rumbelow comments on how an end to Radio 4's "monopoly" may soon be near. ()
