I rarely write about topics unrelated to adventure travel, but this one is very important. I became so frustrated with the BBC’s lack of coverage of the occupation of Wall Street today that I lodged a formal complaint.
This is what I wrote:
I would like to complain about the BBC’s lack of coverage of the occupation of Wall St. It is obviously one of the largest ongoing stories in North America, much larger than the Onion’s hostage spoof or Michael Jackson’s doctor’s trial, both of which occupy prominent spots on your NA page.
I always come back to the BBC because it consistently has the most balanced of all Western mainstream news outlets. The lack of coverage of what could be the largest movement in America since the Civil Rights movement is downright embarrassing.
I do not expect this letter to change your policy. I too am a journalist and I know that complaints rarely change editorial policy. But, from one professional to another, you should be fucking ashamed of yourself.
This event has been almost completely ignored in the mainstream media even though it is one of the biggest stories in the world right now. The movement is gaining momentum in cities around the US, and is being backed by more and more unions and organizations. Learn about the occupation of Wall Street, the reasons behind it, and follow its progress. If you believe in it, then join it.
You can learn more at these sources:
The official Occupy Wall St. Website: https://occupywallst.org/
The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/occupy-wall-street
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Wall_Street
The official Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144937025580428
Occupy Together, a website organizing occupations in various cities: http://occupytogether.org/
***UPDATE***
The day after I lodged my complaint and wrote this blog post, the BBC published the first story about this event that I have seen on their website here. Is there any relationship between the two events ? Who knows? I like to think there was 😉
BEST GEAR DEALS ONLINE
That is a shame on the BBC. They don’t normally ignore events like this… well completely anyway. I was on the anti war march in London pre Iraq and there were over a million people on the march, later verified by statisticians studying crowd density. At the time the BBC kept towing the police/government line that is was ‘a few hundred thousand’ when it was patently clear it was far higher.
Anyway, I digress. Yes it is a shame that even the independently balanced beeb gets it wrong sometimes.
Nice ending btw!
Glad ya liked it Josh. it is a shame. The BBC is probably trying to prevent similar protests in the UK:
http://wideshut.co.uk/occupy-the-city-wallstreet-protest-comes-to-london/
This is a legitimate and fast-growing movement that appeals to an enormous number of people. The reason it gets so little attention is the severity of the situation. If they broadcast this on NBC and reported the reasons why the protests are happening, then the protests would grow and expand exponentially.
Fortunately, I think they’ll probably do that anyways.
Nice. I’m all for it. We’ll protest, get kettled, some violence will break out, the media will be all over it like a cheap suit and the politicians will sit on their hands some more. Oh dear I am sounding cynical. Just been on too many of these things over the years to think it every really makes any difference. I even went on the teachers march in Whitehall a few months back and I’m not a teacher… or state employed! Solidarity brother as they say.
But hey ho, maybe one day it will make a difference. My finger is hovering over my Public Enemy play list!
Ha ha ha. I think that keeping the protest peaceful is key. If the protest remains peaceful and continues to grow, then it has the ability to affect change. Violence only allows media to make it look illegitimate.
But, like some bigwig (I don’t remember who) said:
“I have a good feeling about this one.”
Not too much reaction to these demonstrations by those responsible for these terrible economic downturns. As, in the case of the original malaise ,perhaps if they bury their heads deep enough it will all just fade into obscurity! It is good to see people globally taking a stand against these guilty parties. Somebody somewhere should have to pay for their ineptitude but why is this bypassed and everything ,as usual , put on the shoulders of the common people?
I think that there will be a reaction. It will probably be governments that have to react, once Occupy Wall Street has created a list of demands and grown to a size that cannot be ignored.
Then, perhaps, legislation will be passed and changes will be made.