Screening Lord Patten’s Suitability

By Elliot Adams

Lord Chris Patten’s application for the position of Chairman of the BBC Trust is looking increasingly likely to win out over the other qualified candidates like Patricia Hodgson – who already has decades of experience as a producer, journalist and member of the BBC Trust. The tory-led coalition has already, as is only to be expected, fallen into the habit of some BBC-bashing whenever there is bad news to bury and Patten’s strong tory background has not kept him separate from such practices in the past. But the higher management of the BBC seem vaguely positive about his application, perhaps because as a more centre-ground tory with a distinguished record as an academic and corporate top-dog, he would appear less likely than more right-wing candidates to hit the ground with political-point-scoring ‘austerity’ hack and slash tactics.

But I question his suitability for the position, not due to his political-leanings – although some might consider coalition support for former conservative party chairman Patten’s bid strange following their culture secretary’s berating the present chairman for being a former Labour councillor – but for his personal financial dependency on the EU.

As chairman of the BBC trust, Patten’s role would be as an arbiter of  impartiality in the BBC’s editorial coverage – particularly during elections, referendums and party political broadcasts. Therefore it is of paramount importance that, regardless of whether bias is real or merely perceived, he could not be accused of favouring any particular political interest group – including the EU. But as a former EU Commissioner Lord Chris Patten’s approximately £100, 000 per annum EU pension could be revoked if he acts in a way which runs counter to the interests of the European Union even now that his term of office has ended.

Despite differences in political opinion, I’m personally convinced that Patten has the connections, personality and experience to steer the BBC right in these hard times, and is perfectly capable of remaining impartial. But the suspicion of a europhile bias would always hang over his appointment as Chairman of the Trustees of the BBC Trust and that is something we can not afford.

Daily Express Campaigns Against a Daily Express Campaign

Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine

By Elliot Adams

A Pamphlet published by William Willett, one of the early proponents of Daylight Savings Time, who did not live to see it become law.

It’s a rare day when I can find myself cheering on tabloid newspaper the Daily Express in one of their ridiculous crusades, but this Weekend was one of those happy occasions, because they’ve decided to pick a fight with themselves – here’s hoping they kick seven shades out of their opponent Tyler Durden stylee.

The ‘Express front page story, headlined ‘TIME FOR CHANGE: DON’T PUT THE CLOCKS BACK,’ announced the launch of their Time For Change campaign,  a noble “crusade to stop Britain being plunged into early evening darkness every autumn.”

They argue this would bring “the country into line with much of the rest of Europe … make roads safer … boost the nation’s health by encouraging more leisure activities, cut energy bills, benefit the environment and boost tourism,” other benefits they attach to this plan include a cut in childhood obesity and helping the Scottish skiing industry.

However the Scottish edition of the same newspaper ran with the front page story ‘DON’T KEEP US IN THE DARK‘ a noble campaign to stop the dastardly English who “want the Prime Minister to introduce British Summer Time throughout the year to give families one hour more of daylight in the evenings” – as it is apparently just families involved, perhaps they’re implying single people would live under the old time zone?

The Scottish edition of the Daily Express tells their readership how furious and deeply opposed they are to all this. But I think it might be a bit gullible of us to believe that they have these mind reading powers over the British public, when apparently they don’t have the power of reading their own newspaper.

Kurdish Journalist Receives 166 Years in Prison and a Press Freedom Award

Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine

By Elliot Adams

Chamber of the Grand National Assembly in Ankara, but without a free press it should not be called democratic (Image: Ankaralı Turgut)

Turkey has a culturally ingrained history of censorship and has long ignored the European Convention of Human Rights, of which it is a signatory, over the imprisoning of many journalists for reporting news concerning Turkish Kurdistan* and other ‘crimes of opinion’.

This has of course attracted sustained criticism, especially in light of Turkey’s continued pursuit of accession to the European Union. For example, the Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIoJ) has sent a protest to the London Turkish ambassador in response to the treatment of Verdat Kursun, former editor of the Kurdish daily newspaper, Azadiya Welat.

Kursun had already served 13 months in prison for publishing articles that mention the PKK – this was seen as both glorifying criminals and “helping and abetting the PKK organisation by spreading propaganda” . He is being prosecuted for 32 additional charges related to the publishing of such articles, the total prison sentence for which would be 525 years.

The newspaper he formerly edited has been temporarily banned in direct opposition to the freedom of the press. Over the past four years, six successive chief editors of the newspaper have either been imprisoned or have had to flee Turkey to avoid arrest.

John Szemerey, chairman of the International Division of the CIoJ, wrote that “it is the function of the media to inform its readers of news, without fear or favour.” He points out that the PKK is seen by many in Turkish Kurdistan as a freedom movement and, though outlawed, still a influential political force. So no Kurdish publication or broadcaster would be credible if it did not report on the activities and policies of the PKK.

Szemerey, who is also the CIoJ’s representative in Brussels, warned the ambassador that Turkey’s lack of a free press and its imprisoning of

Turkey began negotiations for full EU membership in 2005, but it will be well over a decade before they could potentially join. (Image: Batuhan Aksu)

journalists will “make it impossible for the countries of the EU to admit Turkey to membership.” As freedom of the media and freedom of speech are both integral to the European Convention of Human Rights.

Such judicial harassment of journalists is facilitated by a range of repressive legislation, mostly imposed by the military junta after its 1980 coup. These have variously banned communist ideas, separatist propaganda, denigration of Turkishness, speech in a language forbidden by law and possible threats to public order – but these can be, and have been, made to fit whatever report or article that has irritated the wrong people.

Under external pressure the government has reworded many of these laws, but only in the most superficial way. For instance, article 301, the law that has perhaps put away the most journalists, has been modified to now punish “denigration of the Turkish nation”, rather than “denigration of Turkishness.” This of course amounts to exactly the same thing in the eyes of prosecutors and writers will continue to be arrested for mentioning historical and socio-political facts that do not portray Turkey or Turkish politicians in the most positive light.

But there is at least one positive development, the established media within Turkey seem to have finally come down in full support of people like Verdat Kursun. The journalist, who has already been sentenced to a total of 166 years in prison, has been awarded a prestigious press freedom prize by the Journalists Association of Turkey. On the same day, Irfan Aktan, editor of the Fortnightly Express, was also awarded a Journalists Association of Turkey prize. Aktan is currently serving a 15 month sentence for reporting on the PKK. Kursun’s father received the award on his son’s behalf, saying “Defend everyone’s right to freedom of thought. Today, unfortunately, this prize is going to prison.”

The drive to censor Turkey’s media is not slowing down, only this July the government adopted new resolutions on TV news broadcasts. One of which told television executives that they had a duty to avoid broadcasting “programmes, interviews or statements that appear to justify terrorist actions or are likely to be interpreted as propaganda on behalf of people … encouraging future attacks.” Something of a implicit threat urging news providers to self-censor and one that the Contemporary Association of Journalists warns is “likely to result in abuses.”

These resolutions, like the legislation that has come before them, are vague and open to interpretation. Combined with current anti-terrorism law, they provide the authorities with yet more powers for arbitrary prosecution of journalists.

But that at least one of the three main journalism organisations in Turkey has weighed in on the side of people like Kursun shows that the majority media is perhaps ready to start pushing back in defence of their colleagues in media that represents minorities like the Kurds.

It’s a obvious truism, but it is the first duty of the media to report the truth. For democracy to function journalists cannot turn a blind eye to organisations the government wishes to pretend don’t exist. Something that is recognised in the European Convention of Human Rights.

Turkey must ensure that it’s media is free to report the truth if it wishes to someday enter the European Union.

But regardless of Turkey’s negotiations with the EU, the only way to treat the people of your nation with the respect and dignity that every human deserves, is by respecting their right to have opinions and an identity that differs to yours. Deny them that and you deny them their humanity.

* It should be noted that Kurdistan is not a nation-state, rather it is a geo-cultural region wherein the Kurds form the majority population, and Kurdish culture, language, and identity have historically been based. Some groups like the PKK campaign for the autonomy of that area (sometimes in armed conflict), but most are pushing merely for recognition and equal rights for Kurdish people within the region.