Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 20:50:55 +0100
From: Jim heartfield <Jim-AT-heartfield.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Re: M-I: "Against Nature" fallout


In message <3.0.1.32.19980424135819.006f29c8-AT-popserver.panix.com>, Louis
Proyect <lnp3-AT-panix.com> writes
>EMBARGO: 00.01 HRS THURSDAY 2ND APRIL 1998    page 1 of 1
>
>CHANNEL 4 SAVAGED BY TELEVISION WATCHDOG OVER GREEN STITCH-UP
>
>Friends of the Earth has welcomed today's devastating ruling by the
>Independent Television Commission (ITC) over Channel 4's anti-green series
>"Against Nature". 

Any broadcaster worth their salt would wear an ITC ruling against them
as a badge of pride. The ITC is well known as a crew of Mary Whitehouse
wannabees constantly lecturing the broadcasters about what the public
wants.

This particular ruling is grotesque in the extreme, since though the ITC
refused to give in to the FoE's demands that they rule on the factual
content of the programme (the ITC refused to find any factual
innacuracies in the programme), they go on to claim that the programme-
makers failed to apprise interviewees of the content of the programme.

Such a ruling, if enforced would mean the end of all factual and
investigative reporting. Presumably the ITC wants reporters to warn
everyone that they might criticise before they interview them.

What is really smarting Tony Juniper is that he made such a complete and
utter arse of himself when interviewed. In a desparate attempt to
distance himself from the anti-third sentiment that flowed so readily
from all the green contributors, Juniper has tried to pretend that
somehow they did not say what they were caught on film saying.

In effect this is a plea on behalf of the environmentalists to the ITC
that their own hostility to third world development should be censored,
such was there profound embarrassment.
-- 
Jim heartfield


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