Gaza - Is the BBC fabricating reports?

Two recent events seem to indicate that the BBC may be fabricating stories about events that reporters haven't actually witnessed.

On the 24th of June the BBC reported and my screen shots show, that no protesters showed up at Edinburgh Airport to protest about alleged secret CIA flights. The BBC made this flat statement of fact. "Demonstrators at Edinburgh and Prestwick failed to materialise." The BBC didn't attribute that statement to the police, protesters or airport officials. As a result, readers are left with the impression that the BBC actually had a reporter on scene.

The next day the BBC stealth edited, as opposed to a correction, the report which now says: "Demonstrators said that 30 people staged a protest at Edinburgh Airport".

Did the BBC actually have someone at Edinburgh Airport or did they just fabricate that part of the story? If the BBC didn't have anyone at Edinburgh, why state no protesters materialised when they didn't know that was the case? If the BBC relied on others for their information at the airport why didn't they report that? The BBC had no trouble stealth editing the report and attributing the exact opposite report from the demonstrators themselves.

At first glance one might shrug and put it down to sloppy BBC reporting. Given the BBC's abysmal track record it would be easy to let it pass for that. But then I noticed a similar report mentioned by a commenter at Biased BBC. The BBC report in question can be found here. Don't worry, I've got a screen grab I'll post incase the BBC stealth edit it to cover their tracks. As you read the report bear in mind that the BBC reporter, Martin Patience, reports as if he is at the scene. In fact, his report is headed this way: By Martin Patience BBC News, Beit Lahiya

Here is what the report says in para one:

Ali Khatar, 71, opened his front door for the first time in two days to find his kitchen wall completely destroyed and the engine of his minibus sheared off by an Israeli tank.

But in para 5 we are told:

"We were like prisoners. The children were living in fear," says Mr Khatar, standing beside his front door, which is now lying on the side of the road.

Was Martin there? Maybe he was. Perhaps the door was on its hinges when Martin first spoke to the man and as the interview progressed he took the door off and threw it into the street.

In the case of Edinburgh Airport, perhaps there were no demonstrators there during the BBC's visit and they showed up later as the demonstrators claim.

In the past many wouldn't have given a second thought about the BBC's credibility - the BBC reported it so it must be true. The David Kay affair ended that fairy tale. Far from learning from the experience, the BBC's reporting has become increasingly suspect.

Sadly, as a result, many people now approach the BBC's output with suspicion and distrust. Taken on their own, these two reports are not proof the BBC is fabricating reports, but added to fabricated reports in the past they indicate people are justified in their distrust of the BBC.

Here's a screen grab of the latest report.


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