Damazar expressed scepticism and disagreement that the BBC was attempting to undermine peace campaigners and anti-war sentiment in the country. In response to overwhelming criticism with harsh examples of poor unsubstantiated reporting in favour of government. He stated: "We do a good job occasionally we make mistakes. We disagree that is all I can say about it."

Damazar’s comments come in the light of the latest BBC memo issued by his superior Richard Sandbrook who says: "We may sometimes be nobbled by anti-war campaigners … even extremists".
Further evidence of this was revealed by an audience member describing a situation where two independent journalists met with BBC’s Penny Rout on footage of the Fairford Demo. She stated the intention was to secure footage showing "anti-capitalist infiltration in the peace movement".

This was denied by Damazar who failed to offer an explanation or further discussion on the matter.

Several comments made by the broad range of individuals who attended the discussion on BBC coverage about the war are mentioned below:

AL JAZEERA – There has been a direct conflict of reporting with opposing stations. Paul Adams of the BBC claimed that 8,000 Iraqi soldiers had been captured but at the same time Al Jazeera was interviewing the commander of the 8,000 strong-unit that had obviously not been captured.

MISINFORMATION – A mid east correspondent who had returned from Pakistan and Afghanistan claimed that people in these two countries one a military dictatorship, the other occupied were better informed about world opinion and facts about this war then people in this country.
POWs – MATT FREI of the BBC claimed the showing of POWs was against the Geneva Convention but failed to mention US failure to grant the same status to individuals including one Briton held in Guantanamo Bay without trial or rights.

IRAQI OFFICIALS – On the first day of the war, the BBC led with the story that Deputy PM Tarek Aziz had been killed or fled. This was soon undermined after he appeared well and in his post on Al Jazeera TV. The BBC has since undermined the Iraqi Ambassador to the UK by constantly interrupting and not allowing him to answer questions on Newsnight.

MEDIA – The importance of media propaganda has been highlighted by MOD officials but also evident from the fact that modern day warfare US tactics require the shelling of TV stations in conflict countries.

MISLEADING – BBC unsubstantiated claims of a BASRA uprising was given the lead on the 10’o clock news without any corroboration or independent reports outside the army. This story was clearly false and has since resulted in further scepticism of the public broadcaster.

IMAGES – Images shown on the BBC seem to concentrate on artillery, fireworks (ie bombs), night vision and calm streets but avoids showing destruction, civilian deaths and injuries. It took the GUARDIAN, the INDEPENDENT to highlight civilian deaths and casualties due to the heavy bombing onslaught from US and UK military in Basra.

TALKS – Discussions held by Mark Urban were heavily criticised for having little or no local knowledge or input with heavy army tactical led information.

LANGUAGE – BBC has long since been known to use loaded words undermining political ideologies not acceptable to state governments. In reports about Argentina’s now mass poor it described rioting and looting in direct contradiction to BBC WORLD SERVICE which highlighted that poor starving people were stealing food – very different to the use of words rioting and looting.
NOW words like neutralise or being used instead of killing

IRAQI PEOPLE – Contrary to claims that civilians were not able to talk about their government and the invasion openly. An independent Spanish reporter said it had been incredibly easy to get a report from an Iraqi woman on both of these subjects. Neither of the Iraqi subjects comments were favourable either to the regime or the invasion but she talked openly.

BUSH AND BLAIR – The heavy biased coverage given to two world leaders, one not having the support of his own electorate and neither having any international consenus for what is now an illegitimate act by two aggressing countries.

RIGHT TO REPLY

MARK DAMAZAR : "We do a good job and occasionally we make mistakes. We disagree that is all I can say about it".
Apart from a bizarre anecdote about red and blue bus – no factual comments were made about any of the precise criticisms made by people in the audience.
Commented on the importance of balance, objectivity and fairness without mentioning how the BBC was to achieve any of this.

Denied a centralised news agenda led by a pro-economic framework, government or Alistair Mitchell. Used the fact that in his experience Newsnight had never been given a lead.

ANDREW MURRAY MWAW (MEDIA WORKERS AGAINST THE WAR)

Stated BBC still had less of an impact than Rupert Murdoch’s print and broadcast empire. Stated government has a script about an illegitimate war which has no international or domestic support but the BBC should be minded to be a public service broadcaster.
But Murray referred to the latest memo from Richard Sandbrook mentioned at above and how it could undermine independent coverage by sending out the wrong message.