Rumours

 

'Breaking news' this morning...

At the very same time that tweet was sent, BBC reporter Yalda Hakim was sending out the following tweets...

Whoops!

First from BBC Breaking News came:

Then came:

Ask the audience

Here's one I'm not at all sure about, so what do you reckon (if you don't mind me asking)? 

I'm seeing lots of complaints (from left and right) that the BBC is using loaded language against the Catalans who favour independence from Spain. 

One term that's getting people's goat is "separatists," which some see as a negative term, while others dislike the use of "rebellious", saying it is echoing the language used by the Spanish government and, therefore, not neutral. 

Many also strongly object to the language being used by the BBC about Carles Puigdemont, saying that terms like "ex-leader", "former president of Catalonia" and "sacked" are biased as Mr. Puigdemont is still the leader of Catalonia until the moment he and the Catalan people decide otherwise and that this is the BBC once more parroting Spanish government propaganda (or, if you prefer, echoing the British government's position).

What do you think? Is this loaded pro-Spanish language from the BBC or merely the BBC using language that factually reflects the facts as they are on the ground?

ews...breaking news...breaking news...breaking news...breaki...

BBC Breaking News sent out this tweet at around 12.50 today:

Shome mishtake, shurely?

That echoed this on the BBC News website's live feed, which I screengrabbed earlier (about half an hour after it was posted):

Shame mishtake, shurely?

Some time later in the afternoon, the BBC website's live feed at 12:48 was edited (on the sly). It now reads:

That's more like it!

What's in a name?

24 mins ago, BBC Breaking News (sic) finally broke the news of the name of the suspect in the Munich killings, several hours after most other UK media outlets. 

The (dead) suspect is apparently called "David Sonboly". 

Everyone else has been reporting his name as "Ali David Sonboly".

So why has the BBC missed out the Muslim-sounding part of his name here? 

******

There could, of course, be a good reason for them doing so: 

Maybe everyone else has been misreporting his name and he isn't called "Ali". 

Maybe he was always known to his friends and family as "David Sonboly" rather than "Ali Sonboly", 

Or maybe the BBC is simply censoring the Muslim-sounding part of his name.

It's getting ever more confusing.

But it's a fact nonetheless that I've not seen any other major (or minor) media outlet other than the BBC just call him "David" so far. And that calls for an explanation.

And if they are doing it as an act of deliberate censorship then action needs taking again them.

******

Sky News - one of the few major UK media outlets, alongside the BBC, that hadn't reported the name earlier, did eventually report it - and did so an-hour-and-a-half before the BBC:

They gave the gunman's first names in a different order (though still including "Ali"). The plot thickens.

******

The BBC's main article, incidentally. has now been updated and it too calls the killer "David Sonboly".

Its unique primary focus on the Breivik angle also continues.


UPDATE: Hmm. I see Raheem Kassam at Breitbart London is now making the same point: 

saying:

The BBC has unilaterally chosen not to report the Munich attacker’s full name, in what appears to be an attempt to scrub any Muslim or Islamic heritage link to its coverage of the incident.

The Breitbart headline overstates things somewhat. Raheem himself notes that some BBC correspondents are calling the killer "David Ali Sonboly" (he heard it on the News Channel at 6:32pm, and I heard it on PM on Radio 4 tonight), so it's not being universally applied. But, that said, he was described simply as "David Sonboly" on BBC One's main evening news bulletin (though later described by Gavin Hewitt as "David Ali Sonboly") and the BBC website is still being inflexible on the matter, so some official 'guidance' from senior BBC managers must have gone out.


FURTHER UPDATE: News Sniffer shows that 4 hours after reporting the name as "David Sonboly" the BBC amended its website report: What had previously read,

His name has not been officially released but he is being named locally as David Sonboly. 

was changed to:

His name has not been officially released but he is being named locally as David Ali Sonboly.
He has also been referred to as Ali David Sonboly, or David S.

Breaking news...

For fans of stats, here's another thing I've been monitoring this year regarding the BBC's EU referendum coverage:

...namely the BBC Breaking News Twitter feed (followed by nearly 23 million people).

All I set out to do was the count the number of Remain-helpful and Leave-helpful tweets sent out by BBC Breaking News. 

Here's what I've got so far, complete with every tweet sent out about the EU referendum from BBC Breaking News...

For you to check my findings for yourself (and please call out any ones you disagree with - and you might disagree with a fair few of them), I will colour the tweets in the way I see them. (I suspect the Green ones will prove most open to question).

Arbitrarily (colour-wise):

Blue = helpful to Leave

Red = helpful to Remain

Green = hard to say/neutral

Now, I will freely admit in advance that I'm not wholly happy with this (and suspect you will find a few things to disagree with), but I still think it shows the expected bias - and quite convincingly.

I make it 26 for Remain and just 3 for Leave - which (of course) sounds stupendously imbalanced.

Please count and judge for yourselves though (after the 'Read more' - placed purely for aesthetic purposes):

Breaking news

There's been some confusion as to who broke the 'Jihadi John' story this morning. 

The Telegraph started a live blog about at 10.50am, citing The Washington Post. A minute later came this tweet from BBC Breaking News, linking to a newly-posted BBC online article:

IS militant known as 'Jihadi John', believed to have beheaded hostages, is Mohammed Emwazi from London, BBC learns http://t.co/nNnPzm9whH
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) February 26, 2015

The early versions of that BBC article, as Newssniffer shows, also claimed the story for the BBC:

The masked Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John", who has been pictured in the videos of the beheadings of Western hostages, has been named.

The BBC understands he is Mohammed Emwazi, a British man believed to be from West London, who was known to British security services.

Shortly after terrorist expert Shiraz Maher took to Twitter to set matters straight:

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, the journalist who knew about Jihadi John and who broke this story is @adamgoldmanwp. Superb work.
— Shiraz Maher (@ShirazMaher) February 26, 2015

Adam Goldman of the Washington Post also soon took to Twitter:

I love @BBC but they don't have much of the story: @smekhennet and I own this: http://t.co/uEXEZXDbMj
— Adam Goldman (@adamgoldmanwp) February 26, 2015

ITV's deputy political editor Chris Ship wasn't impressed with the BBC:

@adamgoldmanwp @smekhennet Over here, BBC often claim a story is "theirs" when it's someone else's work. (Well done by the way)
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) February 26, 2015

The latest versions of the BBC article have removed the suggestions that it's a BBC scoop:

The masked Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John", who has been pictured in the videos of the beheadings of Western hostages, has been named.

He is Mohammed Emwazi, a Kuwaiti-born British man in his mid-20s from west London, who was previously known to British security services. 

Update:  However, later that very same day....

"The BBC has revealed that his name is Muhammed Emwasi." I think she meant: "The Washington Post revelealed and the BBC is lying".
— Iain Dale (@IainDale) February 26, 2015

Profuse apologies to @LucyManning re the Emwasi exclusive. She assures me she was on air before WP posted their story. Very sorry Lucy.
— Iain Dale (@IainDale) February 26, 2015

Looks like @BBCNewsnight owe @lucymanning an apology too. They say WP were first to the Emwasi story & they are speaking to the journo!
— Iain Dale (@IainDale) February 26, 2015

BBC Breaking News: Is the BBC biased? (A Study)

If Is the BBC biased? has a purpose it's to ask, "Is the BBC biased?"

One way to answer that question is to gather data and present it for public inspection. Analysis can then be carried out by anyone who wants to carry it out and conclusions drawn.

As you may have noticed, we have been focusing on the present Gaza conflict, and I've tried a few ways to monitor the BBC's coverage (so far).

One way I struck on was to record every tweet about the story on the BBC's widely-followed Breaking News Twitter feed (10.5 million followers).

Here they are, each and every one of them from the 30th June till today.

Does it show anti-Israel bias, pro-Israel bias, or no bias whatsoever?

Please judge for yourselves (maybe imagine yourselves to be working in the media studies department at Cardiff University and preparing a report on the subject of BBC bias):


BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jun 30
Israeli cabinet meets to discuss developments in search for three teenagers missing for two weeks in West Bank http://bbc.in/V3fx3Z

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jun 30
Israel confirms bodies of three teenagers who went missing in West Bank were found north of Hebron http://bbc.in/V3oaLR

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jun 30
Join our live coverage after bodies of missing Israeli teenagers "found in pit" in West Bank http://bbc.in/1pEOz0j  pic.twitter.com/FqrJgfJjlD

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jun 30
Israel's president "determined to fiercely punish" those behind deaths of missing teenagers #EyalGiladNaftali http://bbc.in/1mB1UPb

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jun 30
"Hamas is responsible and Hamas will pay" for deaths of three young Israelis, PM Netanyahu says http://bbc.in/V3SGFr  #EyalGiladNaftali

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 3
Funeral of Palestinian teen killed in Israel delayed - row between police and family over release of body http://bbc.in/1iZLJ33

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 3
Family of murdered Palestinian teen clarify his body hasn't been released as it's in post-mortem http://bbc.in/1kgxySe

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 6
Israeli police have arrested six suspects over the murder of a Palestinian teenager, Israeli media report http://bbc.in/1obCY24

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 6
Palestinian armed group Hamas says Israeli air strike killed six militants - Israeli forces confirm they carried out attacks on Gaza

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 7
Gaza militants fire more rockets into southern Israel, Israeli officials say http://bbc.in/TO77w2

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 8
117 rockets struck Israel in last 24 hours; 29 more intercepted, Israeli military says http://bbc.in/1mdmxpw

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 9
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu vows to "further intensify attacks on Hamas" after talks with defence chiefs http://bbc.in/1tn7nmk

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 9
Three rockets launched from Gaza towards town of Dimona and its nuclear reactor in south of Israel, Israeli military says

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 9
Two rockets fired from Gaza fall near Israeli town of Dimona, while third is intercepted http://bbc.in/1jpt3tR  pic.twitter.com/pguZn9AEFe

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 10
Up to 20 people killed in overnight Israeli air raids on Gaza, Palestinian sources say http://bbc.in/1jfPukY

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 10
Middle East can't afford "another full-blown war", UN's Ban Ki-moon says in appeal for Israel and Hamas ceasefire http://bbc.in/1rbrwYg

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 11
8 people killed overnight in airstrikes on Gaza, death toll rises to 98 & 670 injured - Palestinian health ministry http://bbc.in/1kcvHht

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 11
Gaza death toll from Israel air strikes tops 100, Palestinian sources say, as Gaza rocket attacks on Israel continue http://bbc.in/1qqDVX8

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 11
Israel will resist international pressure to halt Gaza operations, PM Netanyahu says  http://bbc.in/1qrsKgI

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 12
UN Security Council calls for ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip http://bbc.in/1sLEsnK

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 12
Salvo of rockets intercepted over Tel Aviv after Hamas military wing said that it would target the Israeli city http://bbc.in/1s7S4MO

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 12
Fifteen Palestinians killed in Israeli air strike near mosque, health officials in Gaza say http://bbc.in/1mWa4rt

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 12
Four Israeli soldiers injured inside Gaza during operation targeting Palestinian rocket sites, says Israeli military http://bbc.in/1muKFE9

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 14
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague tells House of Commons that 27 British nationals were evacuated from #Gaza last night

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 14
Israel's security cabinet to meet on Tuesday morning to discuss Egyptian ceasefire proposal, officials say http://bbc.in/U5hU55

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 14
Israel accepts Egypt's proposed truce in Gaza fighting - Hamas militants have set conditions http://bbc.in/1n53ejq

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 14
Palestinian health ministry says 189 killed, 1,400 injured in Gaza since Israel's latest offensive began

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 15
Israel says it has resumed bombardment of Gaza after earlier accepting a truce proposal, as Hamas continued firing http://bbc.in/1n68bIO

Retweeted by BBC Breaking News
Quentin Sommerville @sommervillebbc  ·  Jul 15
38 yo Israeli man killed in rocket attack near Erez - first Israeli casualty in the conflict.  194 Palestinians have been killed so far.

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 15
Israeli civilian killed by rocket fire from Gaza, first Israeli casualty in more than a week of fighting, army says  http://bbc.in/1rokP57

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 15
Some Israelis have been seriously injured - this is the first Israeli fatality in more than a week of fighting http://bbc.in/1mdBV08

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 15
Israeli army again warns Palestinians in eastern and northern Gaza to take shelter before further air strikes
http://bbc.in/1p4OiyA

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 15
Palestinian health ministry says Gaza deaths from Israeli airstrikes now top 200 http://bbc.in/1jw5nnt

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 16
Four Palestinian children killed in an Israeli air raid on a beach in Gaza http://bbc.in/1p8ujz5

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 16
Israeli Defense Forces says it's "carefully investigating" incident in which 4 children were killed in Gaza strike http://bbc.in/1p9LwIv

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 16
Israel announces "humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza after 9 days of deadly rocket and missile exchanges with militants http://bbc.in/UcMlH9

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 16
Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai says the humanitarian ceasefire will be from 1000am to 1500 local time on Thursday http://bbc.in/1rrvg8h

Retweeted by BBC Breaking News
Quentin Sommerville @sommervillebbc  ·  Jul 17
In BBC inteview, @PresidentPeres says Israel is "really sorry" for deaths of 4 boys killed on Gaza beach. "It was an accident", he said.

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
At least two rockets fired from Gaza during humanitarian ceasefire, Israeli security forces say  http://bbc.in/1tUGbvk

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
At least 2 mortars fired from Gaza during humanitarian ceasefire, Israeli security forces say http://bbc.in/1tUHBGp  (updates munition type)

Retweeted by BBC Breaking News
Quentin Sommerville @sommervillebbc  ·  Jul 17
BREAKING: Senior Israeli official tells the BBC there will be a comprehensive ceasefire from 6am tomorrow morning following talks in Egypt.

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
Fresh Israel-Gaza ceasefire agreed in Egypt, to take effect 0300 GMT Friday - Israeli official tells the BBC http://bbc.in/1tUWkAZ

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
Israel-Gaza five-hour humanitarian ceasefire officially ended http://bbc.in/1rtskI3

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
Reports from Hamas say no new ceasefire deal reached; efforts ongoing http://bbc.in/1tUHBGp

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
No fresh ceasefire in Gaza hostilities has been agreed, Israeli FM Lieberman says denying earlier report http://bbc.in/1rtyZSy

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
UN agency for Palestinian refugees says it found 20 rockets hidden in one of its vacant schools in Gaza http://bbc.in/1rjLCCn

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
Israeli prime minister orders military to begin ground offensive in Gaza http://bbc.in/1nBBUng

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
Israeli military says goal of offensive is "to target Hamas tunnels that enable terrorists to infiltrate Israel" http://bbc.in/1qLim3E

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 17
Hamas spokesman says Israeli ground operation is "foolish" and will have "dreadful consequences" http://bbc.in/1qLim3E

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 18
Israel prepared to significantly widen ground offensive in #Gaza, PM Netanyahu says http://bbc.in/1rm7Ljj

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 18
3 Palestinian children killed by Israeli tank shell in #Gaza, death toll since start of operation now 264 http://bbc.in/1qNeoY9

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking  ·  Jul 18
Number of people in Gaza seeking refuge in UN shelters doubles in 24 hours, since Israeli ground offensive - UN http://bbc.in/1oRivQB 


Breakdown: There are 52 tweets in total above. Their topics are broken down below:

1-5 The murdered Israeli teens
6-8 The murdered Palestinian teen
9 Israeli strikes on Gaza
10-11 Hamas rocket attacks on Israel
12 Benjamin Netanyahu statement
13-14 Hamas rocket attacks on Israel
15 Israeli strikes on Gaza - number of Palestinian fatalities
16 UN statement
17 Israeli strikes on Gaza - number of Palestinian fatalities
18 Israeli strikes on Gaza - number of Palestinian fatalities
19 Benjamin Netanyahu statement
20 UN statement
21 Hamas rocket attacks on Israel
22 Israeli strikes on Gaza - number of Palestinian fatalities
23 Israeli soldiers injured
24 William Hague statement
25-26 News on the first truce
27 Israeli strikes on Gaza - number of Palestinian fatalities
28 News on the end of the first truce
29-31 Israeli civilian victim of Hamas rocket attack on Gaza
32 Israeli warning to Gaza civilians to take shelter
33 Israeli strikes on Gaza - number of Palestinian fatalities
34-35 Palestinian children killed in Israeli air raid
36-37 Israel announces ceasefire
38 Shimon Peres statement about Palestinian children killed in Israeli air raid
39 Hamas rocket attacks on Israel during ceasefire
40 Hamas mortar attacks on Israel during ceasefire
41-42 Possible temperament ceasefire?
43 Ceasefire ends
44-45 Statements from Hamas & Israel saying no permanent ceasefire
46 UN says Hamas hidden rockets in a school
47-48 Israel orders ground offensive
49 Hamas statement about ground offensive
50 Benjamin Netanyahu statement
51 Palestinian children killed in Israeli air raid -
52 UN statement re Gaza refugees

I make that:

16 tweets about attacks on Israel/Israeli suffering
16 tweets about attacks on Palestinians/Palestinian suffering