Proportionate and Appropriate

A certain journalist, who shall remain nameless, is the latest to have a pop at Rangers fans who dare to subscribe to conspiracy and agenda theories. For those amongst us however, of such a disposition, that unanswered identities leave you in a state of flux allow me to furnish you a clue – its the same journalist who claimed on national TV he had never used the word “cheats” with regard to Rangers use of EBT's, whilst at the same time social network sites were buzzing with screen shots of him saying exactly that. I believe the term is hung by your own petard.

According to some, its utter poppycock and the domain of the “internet bampot” to suggest that BBC Scotland have something of an anti-Rangers bias operating within. But whilst they are very quick to dismiss such claims from Rangers supporters, they are far less efficient in explaining what some refer to as  “Operation Blackout” at  BBC Scotland, when it comes to reporting anything remotely negative regarding Celtic FC.

BBC Scotland were the only major news outlet in Scotland which did not report on Celtic players John Hartson and Stephen Pearson apparently engaging in a sectarian sing-along at a supporters function. Nor did they feel moved to report on Anthony Stokes attending the funeral of Alan Ryan, the leader of the Dublin brigade of the Real IRA.  If nothing else however, BBC Scotland are at least consistent – the ugly crowd scenes at Dens Park last week which Dundee official Jim Thomson described as the “worst in 20 years and a throwback to the 70's” were deemed not to be newsworthy by someone within BBC Scotland.

Of course the BBC prides itself on neutrality and accuracy. Perhaps then those at BBC Scotland would care to explain this......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18169502

So, could Rangers be stripped of past titles and trophies?

Precedence exists for this kind of rule-breaking and subsequent punishment in football and other sports.
In 1994, Marseilles were found guilty of financial irregularities and a match fixing scandal involving then president Bernard Tapie.

The French club was forcibly relegated to Ligue 1 and lost its 1992-93 Division One title and the right to play in the Champions League in 1993-94, the 1993 European Super Cup and the 1993 Intercontinental Cup.

So let me get this right...a tax avoidance scheme which a Tax Tribunal deemed lawful is on a par, or equivalent to bribery, corruption and match fixing ?  Neutrality and accuracy ?

But it would seem that asking questions concerning the neutrality of BBC Scotland is no longer the monopoly of the “internet bampot” with  Archie MacPherson and James Traynor, long standing employees of BBC Scotland,  being particularly critical of their conduct with regard to Rangers FC.  Many will point to the fact the latter is now employed by Rangers FC, conveniently ignoring the fact that much of his criticism was levelled long before he took up his current role at Rangers.

But so often in the forming of opinions, subjective experience plays a pivotal role in our decision making process.. Some of you will remember a few weeks ago I pointed out that  the details of BBC Scotland's exclusive interview with Craig Whyte, (an interview which just co-incidentally was organised as Rangers were embarking on a shares flotation) was leaked to internet blogger Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, who then usurped the BBC's exclusive by releasing the details in his blog a whole day before BBC Scotland published its “exclusive”.

One could be forgiven for thinking that such a breach of trust, of journalistic integrity, of accountability and responsibility to the BBC licence payer would provoke an appropriate response from those within BBC Scotland. Instead, this is what I received in response to my complaint regarding the foregoing.

Thank you for your e-mail addressed to the BBC Trust, who have forwarded it to BBC Scotland for response.

Your comments were passed to the Head of Sport, who has asked that I forward his response as follows:

BBC Scotland takes issues of security and confidentiality in relation to editorial material very seriously and we have spoken to staff to remind them of their responsibilities in this area."

No denial. No investigation. No accountability nor responsibility to the licence payer. An interview which BBC Scotland hailed as an “exclusive” was usurped by an employee within their own organisation and BBC Scotland felt “a reminder to staff about security and confidentiality” was the proportionate and appropriate response.

History of course has two particularly annoying characteristics, that of repeating itself and catching up with us. Just ask the BBC managers now under the spotlight with regard to the Savile investigations, who deemed their responses to complaints as “proportionate and appropriate”.