BBC News website’s latest Corbyn propaganda is spectacularly ruined by its own video editors
The BBC published an article on an interview with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on 19 September. A short video of the interview featured alongside the article by the BBC.
But the public broadcaster really should have thought better than to use the video alongside that headline. Because the video shows the Labour leader’s full remarks in the interview, as opposed to what the BBC News website prioritised in its reporting.
Seeing the two side by side makes it apparent just how spectacularly transparent the spin in the article is.
Determined and ready
In the video, the first question thrown at Corbyn is:
In a few weeks time, after a general election, you could be one of the most powerful men in the world. Are you up for it?
The Labour leader answered, without hesitation:
Yes. Absolutely.
Read on...
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But the BBC didn’t decide to convey Corbyn’s resolute message to readers in its article’s headline. Instead, it went with:
Jeremy Corbyn ‘daunted’ by prospect of becoming prime minister
That’s not a lie. Because immediately after the Labour leader gave his resounding “yes” to the question on his readiness for becoming PM, the interviewer fished for more:
Daunted?
To this, Corbyn’s response was somewhat less adamant. After a pause for thought, he gave a cautious “yes” and continued:
Obviously respectful of the mandate I hope will be given, but utterly determined to carry through into government our programme to bring about better social justice all across this country. And very determined to achieve it, and achieve the environmental aims that we’ve got, and to provide hope, particularly for young people in our society.
So, in the vast amount of his comments, Corbyn sounded decidely assured of his capability and desire to be in government. The point he appeared most uncertain on was whether he was “daunted”. Yet the BBC decided to lead with this comment in its article on the interview.
The BBC chose not to comment when asked about the article by The Canary.
Masterclass (in how to get it wrong)
Essentially, this is a masterclass in the sort of spin that media outlets have been churning out for years. Because the BBC has detailed Corbyn’s wider comments in the piece. But how it decided to deliver these comments to readers, especially in a culture where many people only read headlines, tells you everything you need to know about its message.
Although, in order to be an actual masterclass, a video that unmasks the truth shouldn’t be placed alongside the spin itself. That was a gross oversight by the BBC as it resulted in the broadcaster’s spin being scuppered by its own video content. Oof.
Featured image via BBC
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Good summnation for the Masterclass Of Spin, the BBC.
Their mask is looking old, weathered, to speak with so creaky a voice.
The spooky past of deception is catching up with these ones.
Take a look at the coverage over the past few hours of the attempt to abolish the position of Deputy Leader. According to the BBC, and everyone else in the media, this is “civil war”. No such comments were in evidence when Watson lined up behind the tendentious pro-Zionists paraded on the tilted Panorama programme,calling them “brave young people”. No such comments have accompanied Watson’s month’s long campaign to pump the bellows under the embers of the antisemitism claims, a deliberate undermining of Corbyn and an implied attribution of blame. No such comments were produced when Watson rudely promoted himself as Labour’s spokesperson on leaving the EU, embarrassing Keir Starmer, appealing to the public to back him rather than the leadership. Watson has engaged in civil war for a long time and the transparent positioning of himself for a leadership bid is weary and disheartening. It’s hard not to conclude that he doesn’t want Corbyn to win, that failure in the next election grants him his chance. Yet his machinations have never been typified as divisive by the media. Now he is bleating about unity. He has had long enough to display unity by backing Corbyn and his team. As Deputy, his role should be to rally the troops. How can anyone be surprised that exasperation with his constant sniping at the leadership should lead to action against him? He has wilfully used the position of Deputy as a means of trying to take Corbyn’s legs from under him, all the while calling him “Jeremy” in sugary tones as if the two of them shared the same cradle. After the appalling Panorama broadcast, a piece of such egregious media bias and woefully irresponsible journalism that no rational person could believe the BBC takes its remit for impartiality seriously, Watson declared airily: “This may be a watershed moment.” That is the measure of the man, that he sides with supporters of the apartheid Israeli State, a racist regime which ethnically cleansed nearly a million Palestinians in 1948, in order to to do damage to a man who has campaigned against racism all his life and is committed to bringing relief to the people held in what Ilan Pappe calls “the biggest prison on earth”. His claims to be a unifier are feeble and sickening. Even now, if he does believe in unity, he could issue a statement of support for Corbyn, for Starmer for the Labour shadow cabinet and could commit himself to working for a Corbyn victory. He won’t and we know why.