The British media's attitude regarding the accident

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rearden82

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I'm an American fan of Top Gear. Like most of us here, I've been relying on the BBC and other British news sources for updates on Richard Hammond's accident. As a result, I have a much lower opinion of British journalism.

Every article I've read is an editorial--thinly disguised as a news report--that uses Mr. Hammond's pain and suffering as an opportunity to say:

-"Tsk, tsk, tsk. This is what happens when people glamorize overpowered, pollution-spewing cars. It only goes to show what happens to people who speed. It's too bad Richard didn't listen to us; look what's happened to him now."

-"The Health & Safety laws have magical powers that make driving a 300 mph jet-powered car as safe as walking across your living room. This couldn't have happened if everyone followed the rules. We must investigate until we find the violation that caused breaking the British land speed record to become risky!"

For being so obsessed with safety, these "journalists" really don't seem to give a damn about the person who is fighting for his life as a result of this accident.

Is British media always this bad? When Steve Irwin died, did they blame the producers of his TV show? Did they question whether he was properly trained to handle wild animals, or make snide remarks about his chosen career? Just curious.
 
Your exactly right mate.

There is alot of shame that we, the Brits, have for our media. It doesn't represent the real people. I truely feel ashamed. This is the kind of bastard that Clarkson often talks about in the UK. The reason they try this kind of rubbish is so they can proclaim they "did something good" by stopping something dangerous.

It makes me really angry, so alot of what I ever say about our media will be a ramble, forgive me.
 
Re: The British media's attitude regarding the accident

rearden82 said:
Is British media always this bad? When Steve Irwin died, did they blame the producers of his TV show? Did they question whether he was properly trained to handle wild animals, or make snide remarks about his chosen career? Just curious.
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Yes, yes and yes.

:( sorry folks. I feel ashamed.
 
Re: The British media's attitude regarding the accident

rearden82 said:
For being so obsessed with safety, these "journalists" really don't seem to give a damn about the person who is fighting for his life as a result of this accident.
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Reminds me of Hurricane Katrina. Authorities were too busy trying to figure out who was to blame for all the people dying, they never managed to help the people that were actually dying.
 
Same with all mainstream modern media now, looking for a scapegoat for the slaughter. All about stealing viewers from the other channels. Noticed alot of "ITV exclusive", "BBC exclusive" and "CNN exclusive" etc.

Ratings.

They never represent the feelings and investigative-wants of their host nation.

... From watching FOX news I bloody hope thats true! :roll:

:p
 
Vette Boss said:
Real coverage isn't about deciding who's to blame, it's about reporting the real story.
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Yes. And to add to that often its more respectful not to investigate at all. Let his family deal with it, and let the public wait.

We may not like it, but its polite and respectful.
 
I've given up watching the news for this very reason. It's become nothing but a soap opera drama. It's gotten to the point where I don't feel the mainstream media is a reliable source of information. They focus on the bad, the negative, the cruel, and the controversial. I suppose it's wrong nowadays to talk about anything good that happens, except maybe to use it as a filler before commercials. :thumbsdown:
 
The simple fact that Hammond is still alive proves that safety precautions were taken. Anything can happen when going close to 300mph. The best you can do is prepare for the worst and they clearly did so here.
 
BBC news hasn't done this for this sroty, but it'd be shooting themsleves in the foot.

what's more disgusting is the daily mail "hammond only has 50-50 chance of survival says clarkson" when..... it was his "spokesman" and.... for all we know that could have been the hospital janitor and the real quote was "it's incredibly 50-50"

the sun and the mirror, those bastions of decency are the only ones that seem to be handing this in a non cynical manner, although they are both connected to the top gear presenters and would never want top gear to turn on them.
 
antimatter said:
The simple fact that Hammond is still alive proves that safety precautions were taken. Anything can happen when going close to 300mph. The best you can do is prepare for the worst and they clearly did so here.
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exactly, it's the BBC - if anyone reads clarkson's columns you'll know the BBC are the most anal people for health and safety - even publishing leaflets about opening a door.

and all this is gonna do is make them even more anal.
 
The TV reports seem to have a dim view on the entire affair aswell.
 
No matter what it is, the news could talk about a person winning the gold medal and breakin the world record, and somehow it will end in terror and horror. The news (no matter what country) enjoys blowing things out of the water, and point the blame at the person himself, or something stupid like video games. :(
 
You just have to watch that prat on the ITV news last night interviewing Mike Smith to show that most the media couldn't care about Richard's welfare, only about blame and being rather "Guardian-ish" about it. I applaud Mike Smith for making his stand and infuriating the newsreader.
 
NoahsGirl said:
You just have to watch that prat on the ITV news last night interviewing Mike Smith to show that most the media couldn't care about Richard's welfare, only about blame and being rather "Guardian-ish" about it. I applaud Mike Smith for making his stand and infuriating the newsreader.
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I saw that too. Infuriates me.
 
Couldn't agree more with the comments here, I'm writing a letter of compaint to the BBC about the retarded interviewing techniques and pressurising of "experts" to condeming what Richard did.

Apart from news night the BBC (and most other news agencys) are a complete bunch of rating chasing wankers. I dread the day Paxman and Dimbleby leave because all will be lost.
 
ruuman said:
Couldn't agree more with the comments here, I'm writing a letter of compaint to the BBC about the retarded interviewing techniques and pressurising of "experts" to condeming what Richard did.

Apart from news night the BBC (and most other news agencys) are a complete bunch of rating chasing wankers. I dread the day Paxman and Dimbleby leave because all will be lost.
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You should direct your primal rage towards ITV news, they are the real wankers.

ruuman said:
Paxman
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He's a bit of a windowlicker n'all. Arrogant ponce.
 
That's the one thing that got me about the coverage I have read and seen, it has been more about finding out who screwed up and how, and were there enough medical personel, and was the tire pressure in the firetrucks correct blah blah but, what it really seems to be is that stuff happens which is why all of those people were there. It's a witch hunt is what it comes do to.
 
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