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The BBC and the public's right to know - a case study

Robert Henderson | 05.09.2005 10:45

The BBC (and the rest of the British media) has witheld the news of the attempted suicide of Blair's daughter in April 2004 from the public. I have in person twice brought the censorship to Michael Grade's attention.


The BBC and the public's right to know - a case study

Robert Henderson

The British media claims it is committed to informing the public. The
reality is that it frequently colludes with politicians to suppress
stories. A classic example is the attempted suicide of Blair's daughter
Kathryn in April 2004. Every single newspaper and broadcaster
(including the BBC) has refused to use the story.

The BBC as a public service broadcaster has a special obligation to put
anything of political interest before the public. Consequently, I have
twice confronted its chairman Michael Grade with the failure of the BBC
to run the story.

The first occasion was at the Viewers and Listeners Spring Conference
in April 2005. Grade claimed not to know the story, but refused to
discuss the matter. Later I wrote to him asking him to justify his
failure to make the story public. Grade did not reply but I received a
letter from the BBC's Head of communications Tina Stowell which ran
"The question you raised at the VLV Seminar on 25 April relating
to the Prime Minister's daughter is not one which the BBC Chairman
will respond to in public or via correspondence."

The second occasion was at the Governors "AGM" at Television Centre on
19 July 2005. After the programme, The Governors rashly mingled with
the audience. I managed to corner Grade for about five minutes and ask
him in front of plenty of witnesses why he had censored the story of
the Blair daughter's attempted suicide, especially after I had raised
the matter with him in April 2005 at the Voice of the Viewer and
Listeners Spring Conference. He tried to make a joke of it, but before
he escaped I asked him the following question: Do you believe the story
is true? He refused to answer. 'nuff said.

At the same meeting I lobbied four other Governors: Deborah Bull,
Merfyn Jones, Fabian Monds, Ranjit Sondhi and Angela Sarkis. Without
exception they all seemed painfully startled by the news. I got a
promise from each to look into the matter if I sent them the full
details. I wrote to them and the other Governors on 20 July 2005. None
have replied. Instead, I again received a letter from Tina Stowell
(22 July 2005). This ran "Thank you for your letter to the Board of
Governors. The BBC's position remains the same as in my previous
letter." I then submitted a formal complaint through the governors'
website of 28 July 2005. No reply has been received after a month.

During the BBC R5 morning phone in programme of 3 May hosted by
Victoria Derbyshire), I managed to bring up the attempted suicide of
Kathryn Blair. I was cut off almost immediately.

After the R5 episode I wrote to Feedback, the programme which
supposedly deals with listeners concerns with the BBC, asking them to
investigate the censorship. They have failed to do so.

The BBC (and rest of the media) does not have any general trouble with
reporting teenage attempted suicides, for example, Rebecca Ling, the
girl who survived a suicide pact in 2004 received very full coverage.

Robert Henderson
- e-mail: philip@anywhere.demon.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 17 comments

Leave Kathryn Blair alone

05.09.2005 11:46

Robert, say the BBC did report the "story" of Kathryn Blair's "suicide attempt". In what way would that help:
Ms Blair?
Her friends and family?
The British public interest?
And what evidence do you have that the "suicide attempt" is any more than a "story"?
Tony Blair is a public figure and must expect his thoughts and actions to be examined by the media. But why does this extend to his children?

NOT a Blairite


News should be in the public interest

05.09.2005 12:18

A young persons suicide is only of importance to those closely connected to the individual. Suicide is not something to be plastered accross the media.

The only valid point made in this post is that of coalition between the UK media and the government. It is very disturbing that there is no media in the UK now prepared to expose what is going on in the government and big-business.

Can you tell me why you think it is important that the lying PM's duaghter attempted suicide?

SparkyTheClown


How is this public interest?

05.09.2005 12:23

I would have to agree that the story is not of public interest. It in no way makes a valid political point and is, instead, an example of the sort of gutter news reporting that parades as journalism in this country. The fact it wasn't reported was, I think, commendable as it showed the Beeb had balls to not jsut resort to a cheap headline.

The beeb is never fully open with all the news, but on this it made the right choice.

Regards
John

John Cooper


not news

05.09.2005 12:43

call me odd. but a girls mental anguish just aint a breaking political news story. now if the story was about the PM's health- that would be different, as it would affect his constitutional role. but nearest n dearest of our beloved rulers are just not the story.

auntie


just a thought...

05.09.2005 13:19

I have to agree with the above comments, my initial reaction was that I don't see this being of public interest.

However, if the suicide attempt was successfull would it then become newsworthy?

Oi!


Tony Blair bad father?

05.09.2005 13:40

It is Tony Blair's daughter's private business and tragic, especially as she is so young, if she attempted suicide. But then Tony Blair is emotionally detached, and he has a vampire wife.

Also, Blair's son Euan was arrested for anti social behaviour, he was drunk and incapable vomiting in the streets. But because he’s Blair’s son and his father his rich and powerful, the police gave him special treatment and he was treated leniently. I guess a parent always knows what his children are doing or they might be given an ASBO (anti social behaviour order)! The police could have guessed that Euan was Tony’s son because he lied when arrested. Tony Blair is a hypocrite on anti social behaviour, they generally target poor people living on council estates, when they should be more even handed on ASBOs. But I don't know how Blair can talk about family values when he doesn't look after his own family.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/6/newsid_2495000/2495255.stm

asbo


The reason this information was kept quiet...

05.09.2005 20:11

...is because she was having an incredibly hard time at school from other kids who were telling her that her dad was a murderer, and a bigot. Most kids everywhere can see what political crap the Iraq war was, imagine being daughter of that american puppet, how could you sit at home with that killer? The anti-war sentiment was huge amongst kids in the schools! Absolutely dreadful experience for the young girl. At the time she tried to kill herself, the whole country was split in too, almost frothing at the mouth about the Iraq war, any news getting out about an incident like this would have wrecked the fragile PR war machine and would have had serious repercussions, and blair knew this - under the guise of 'keeping it in the family' he maintained his own position as head bastard. poor girl.




kansas


Yes but

06.09.2005 02:17

I agree it's a personal tragedy for the girl.

However, I do think that a prime minister's daughter attempting suicide has serious political repercussions for all sorts of reasons. Apart from anything else, it indicates an extreme lack of confidence in Blair from within his own family; that's as serious an indictment as you can get from anyone. For that reason alone, covering it up is still covering it up, even if it happens to be in the best interests of the victim as well as the government.

Paul


IT MAKES ONE WONDER THOUGH.

06.09.2005 06:08

It makes one wonder what other news is suppressed. What particularly concerns me is the offhand way Robert Henderson was treated when he tried to raise the matter with the BBC.

Concerned.


Fuck off!

06.09.2005 08:24

Leave the poor girl alone. She didn't ask to born from a pair of arseholes and it's really none of your bloody business. You really want to push a suicide risk further towards self-destruction? You should be ashamed of yourself and your hypocrisy of "all life is precious".

Now sod off back to rotten.com

Rude Kid


Blair's Indymedia goons move in to protect him- they must be scared!!!

06.09.2005 14:32

How do you know when you are effectively attacking Blair and his power structure??? When Blair's goons post so violently in his defense as seen here!

Certain stories obviously have the Blair machine go into full black-proaganda mode. People who magically have no problem with the MILLIONS of families ripped apart in Iraq suddenly find that protecting Blair's family is the ONLY moral act one can do on this planet. Yeah, right.

Exposing the rotten core of Blair's family exposes him. And exposing him is one step towards bringing him down, and saving the millions of humans he will destroy given contiuing political power. The British public respond to only one fact with strength... hyprocrisy. If Blair is eviscerating UK families left and right because they are poor and hopeless and under-educated, what would the public think if they see that Blair's family, with all of its priviledges, is just as awful, and just as deserving of attention.

Only today, Blair is progressing his 'YOU ARE SCUM' policies towards British families. The BBC and ITV and UK papers are chock full of humiliated families (regardless of whether they give permission- the kids can't), under the excuse of endless 'kids out of control' bullshit.

Want to know how it REALLY GOES. Immediately after the invasion of Iraq, a wave of official mercenaries swept into that country, safe under a blanket immunity against any crimes they might commit, arranged by Blair, and his government legal scumbags. Amongst the paid killers were squads of white South Africans, the worst of Aparthied's official rape, murder and torture squads. Peter Hain had NOT THE SLIGHTEST PROBLEM with this!!!

The visible leaders of the left, ESPECIALLY those that seemed to espouse clear single issue politics, are, and always have been liars, actually working for the other side. Those that only find their principles when defending Blair and his family, represent BLACK PROPAGANDA at its worst, but DO show that these attempts to expose the truth are hurting Blair, and should be persued fully.

If the British Public knew the full truth about Blair's private life, and how his family goes, he would be finished tomorrow. So, don't be surprised when the ONLY stories to get a violent response on Indymedia are those attacking Blair as head of his family. His protectors know that THIS is his weak spot with respect to the public, and will use any trick of argument to close this criticism down.

twilight


twilight

06.09.2005 16:05

Post something on topic knobhead! This has to do with providing the mentally ill with protection. I couldn't care less WHO that person is, they DESERVE dignity. You ruthless arse.

Felix the Cat


bringing down Blair?

06.09.2005 16:09

"Exposing the rotten core of Blair's family exposes him. And exposing him is one step towards bringing him down, and saving the millions of humans he will destroy given contiuing political power."

Rubbish! Bringing down Blair (which is no bad thing in itself) will only lead to another Blair taking his place. We wouldn't be involved in this desperate resource grab in Iraq (and soon to be Iran) if there was no demand for cheap oil. When it comes down to it, the UK's anti-war brigade (in general) are quick to point the finger at Blair but still, on the whole, expect to be able to drive about the place in their cars, have cheap food (from petro-chemical based intensive agriculture) on their tables that's been shipped around the place for 1000 miles bought from Tesco or Asda which in turn has helped make us totally dependent on cheap fossil fuels (in the form of cars, lorries, pesticides and fertilisers) by destroying local agriculture. When it comes down to it, if you expect the lifestyle the general population of the UK enjoys at the moment you support the war efforts of Blair, or which ever puppet succeeds him at the helm of our consumption machine, by proxy. You have washed your hands of the matter and expect to have your cake and eat it!

Whilst superficially concerned about the war as they are (either by choice or plain ignorance of the facts), the voters of the United Kingdom would never place their votes with someone who would genuinely act against such resource wars as they would be voting for a complete shift away from their current lifestyle. Are they going to vote away their TV's, PlayStation's, Supermarkets, McDonald happy meals and embrace a return to sustainability with all it's implications?

If you want to bring down Blair and the future Blairs you need to bring down the system that creates Blairs. Remove the oxygen supply from the fire and it is extinguished. Remove the requirement for cheap oil from the equation and you have no blood for oil! If we are really about stopping the war in Iraq, we are really about creative a sustainable life for ourselves without cars, chemically intensive food production and transportation (which has only ever been of short term benefit to the rich), disposable plastic packaging and our throw-away lifestyles and so forth: we are about embracing permaculture and living within our means.

As for the attempted suicide! No one but close family need to know about this. It is saddening but of little significance to the rest of us. There are plenty of other things the BBC are not mentioning at the moment that you should be worried about! The unreported, collective, suicide attempt we are all involved with at the moment should be far more disturbing!

!!!


Suicide isn't painless

07.09.2005 11:39

Leave the poor girl alone. So what if she's Blair's daughter - this is gutter press journalism at its worst.

On a different note - if the story was true I would bet that the Daily Mail would have run it! Its the sort of cheap shit sensationalsim they love and considering they hate Blair they would run it i'm sure.

Miss Point


I repeat...

07.09.2005 16:16

if the suicide attempt was successfull would it then become newsworthy?

Oi!


FAO: Oi!

07.09.2005 17:21

Who really gives a fuck...

Citizen Cane


The only thing which will bring a PM down these days is personal scandal

09.09.2005 13:37

"If the British Public knew the full truth about Blair's private life, and how his family goes, he would be finished tomorrow. So, don't be surprised when the ONLY stories to get a violent response on Indymedia are those attacking Blair as head of his family. His protectors know that THIS is his weak spot with respect to the public, and will use any trick of argument to close this criticism down.
twilight "

Twilight is closer to the truth than he knows. It is next to impossible to force a Prime Minister out of office for political reasons. Where a Government has a massive majority it is impossible. The only thing which can bring Blair down is personal scandal. that is why the story of his daughter's attempted suicide has been so ruthlessly effected.

That the media have no difficulty with reporting failed teenage generally can be seen from the vivid example of Rebecca Ling, the surviver of a suicide pact. Both at the time of the suicide pact and during the inquest into the girl who died the BBC and every other mainstream media outlet reported the story with her name, in depth and sensationally. What is sauce for the Man on the Clapham omnibus gander is sauce for the PM goose. It is not for the media to decided what they will and w3ill not put before the public.

Politicians are by definition professional moralists because they tell us how to live through the laws the pass and the moral judgements theypublicly make. For that reason alone, in a democracy the electorate need to know how their private lives match up to that which they ordain for others.

But there are other good reasons. Blackmail is one and the effect on a politicians mind and baheviour of traumatic events another. Clearly, tthis event was such as to potentially at least destabilise Blair's mental balance. As he is PM we all have a right to know.

The other sinister thing is the way that not one media outlet has broken ranks. It is what I call a sociological conspiracy. RH




Robert Henderson
mail e-mail: philip@anywhere.demon.co.uk