BBC's Newsnight programme has been accused of "racist"

paddy462

NOt sure if this should go here but it is based on politics as well I guess.

The BBC’s Newsnight programme has been accused of “racist” stereotyping over a bulletin about Britain’s role in the international bail-out for Ireland.

Viewers complained that scenes depicting a cut-out of Chancellor George Osborne dancing across sepia images of the Irish countryside were offensive.
Comments by Mr Osborne about supporting the country through its financial crisis also flashed on the screen in a Celtic font to the sound of traditional Irish music.
The report, aired on Thursday night – days before the Irish Government capitulated to EU demands to accept a multibillion euro bail-out – ended with a shot outside a shebeen house.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ireland/8150893/BBCs-Newsnight-accused-of-racism-over-Irish-bail-out-bulletin.html

Holybejaysus

Oh for Christ sake, if this is 'racist' then so is every episode of Father Ted. Where can I sue? :rolleyes:

Dirk Gently

British media always portray us spud eating Paddies like that any chance they get. It's noting new. I can only imagine some of the sketches that didn't make the tv or print media.

mike65

Newsnight isn't what it used to be, they can be very flippant, and in clumsy ways.

The video is more at the expense of George Osbourne than anyone/anything else

dan_d

Still there are a few reports going around the UK that are ridiculous....they seem to imply they are personally responsible for bailing us out, and that we've put all animosity aside and welcomed them like shining knights on horses or something..
It's complete crap!

Amhran Nua

clown bag wrote: »

British media always portray us spud eating Paddies like that any chance they get. It's noting new. I can only imagine some of the sketches that didn't make the tv or print media.

If you've ever watched the caricatures popular soap operas over there make of Irish people, you'd be astonished. In Hollyoaks for example, the one guy from Dublin is a homosexual rapist and a drug peddling violent mugger, who last time I checked was threatening toddlers with GBH. I believe Eastenders had more of the same, eventually forcing the BBC to issue an apology.

That's not to say its completely ubiquitous, far from it, but lets not put blinkers on. Only recently I had one English woman telling me we Irish should be grateful that the English gave us their language, among other things I won't repeat - there's a certain amount of unpleasantness across the water.

I'd be very surprised, not to mention disappointed, if that reflected the views of the vast majority of people in the UK though.

digme

paddy462 wrote: »

NOt sure if this should go here but it is based on politics as well I guess.

The BBC’s Newsnight programme has been accused of “racist” stereotyping over a bulletin about Britain’s role in the international bail-out for Ireland.

Viewers complained that scenes depicting a cut-out of Chancellor George Osborne dancing across sepia images of the Irish countryside were offensive.
Comments by Mr Osborne about supporting the country through its financial crisis also flashed on the screen in a Celtic font to the sound of traditional Irish music.
The report, aired on Thursday night – days before the Irish Government capitulated to EU demands to accept a multibillion euro bail-out – ended with a shot outside a shebeen house.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ireland/8150893/BBCs-Newsnight-accused-of-racism-over-Irish-bail-out-bulletin.html

An Irish man is a "nig*er" turned inside out is what they like to say.

Nothing new there.

Latchy

Amhran Nua wrote: »

If you've ever watched the caricatures popular soap operas over there make of Irish people, you'd be astonished. In Hollyoaks for example, the one guy from Dublin is a homosexual rapist and a drug peddling violent mugger, who last time I checked was threatening toddlers with GBH. I believe

Am pretty sure scottish welsh and english actors are portrayed as homosexual,rapists, drug peddling , violent muggers so what difference if it's an Irish actor playing the role ? Am pretty sure people in these countrys as well as ROI/NI have the intelligence to know he is only playing the role and ' acting ' the part

If every other person in Ireland is saying we are the laughing stock of Europe then some parts of british media will take the pee but I wouldn't put to much into this ,jeeze remember spitting image ? How many other European tabloids and magazines will have their own piss take over the weeks and months ahead ? The Brits are very much Like the irish ie, everybodys up to have the pee taken

Senior British ministers in the house of said today ''it's only right that we should help out our 'Friends ' in their hour of need '' so political spin aside and much as it's bitter pill for some to take , now is not the time to being getting insensitive about how sections of the british media are portrying us because it only distracts from the more serious , important issue .

RobFowl

Holybejaysus wrote: »

Oh for Christ sake, if this is 'racist' then so is every episode of Father Ted. Where can I sue? :rolleyes:

I think you've cracked it...

If all of us sue the BBC for €20,000 each that'll bring in about €100 Billion and we won't need the IMF :rolleyes:

Amhran Nua

Latchy wrote: »

Am pretty sure scottish welsh and english actors are portrayed as homosexual,rapists, drug peddling , violent muggers so what difference if it's an Irish actor playing the role ?

Eh he could be an English actor who does a great Dublin accent for all I know. The character is Irish, and from the little I've seen of it the portrayal makes Pol Pot look like a model citizen. If there hadn't previously been problems with this sort of thing, the BBC wouldn't have had to issue an official apology. I did also mention that I'd be both surprised and disappointed if the majority of the people in the UK were taking it on board, but thats one very popular soap.

Latchy wrote: »

Senior British ministers in the house of said today ''it's only right that we should help out our 'Friends ' in their hour of need '' so political spin aside and much as it's bitter pill for some to take , now is not the time to being getting insensitive about how sections of the british media are portrying us because it only distracts from the more serious , important issue .

The statements of friendship are to be warmly welcomed and reciprocated, but that doesn't mean anyone should have to take abuse with a smile, however ignorant the source.

sceptre

Moved from Politics to News & Media, slots more appropriately in there I reckon.

paddy462

Are the British more anti-Irish than the Irish can be accused of being anti-British?

latenia

I did think Paxman had a very patronising smug smirk on his face when he was interviewing Lenihan last week. (More so than usual)