BBC reply to email

[Martin Conner]

I wrote to the BBC referring to the Simon mayo radio show, where Simon Mayo made the erroneous comment that Iran had nuclear weapons. Below is the reply.

I would like to point out that at the end of the message the author has failed to remember my name and refers to me as Mr Cooke.

I wrote:
“In the Simon Mayo show Thursday, 11 may 06 @ approx 1hr 07 mins and 50 seconds into the interview with Paddy Ashdown, Mr Mayo broadcasts the erroneous comment Quote "one country that *definitely* does have WMD is of course Iran". There is no proof of this and I believe that Mr Mayo should be reprimanded for his fallacious commentary.”

BBC reply:
Dear M Conner

Thank you for your e-mail regarding Simon Mayo's Radio Five Live
Programme broadcast on 11 May. Please accept our apologies for the delay in our response, we hope that you have not been too inconvenienced.

I understand that you were annoyed by a statement made by Simon Regarding Iran having weapons of mass destruction. What Simon meant was Iran's nuclear programme which is the cause of so much controversy at the present time. I appreciate that you feel his statement was factually inaccurate, however, in response to his comment his guest Paddy Ashdown said:

"In my own view, Iran has been developing this capacity for so long that it wasn't just the result of what happened in Iraq what I'm very clear about is that if we had not made it clear over Iran, it won't be the first time in history we do the right thing for the wrong reasons by the way, but if we had not made it clear in Iraq that we took weapons of mass destruction seriously then I don't think we would have any leverage over Iran at all."

Our 'Inside Iran' webpages take an in depth look into the current
Crisis and our Middle East pages also contain various stories looking at Iran's enrichment programme:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2006/inside_iran/defau lt.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5154082.stm

Once again I appreciate that you feel Simon's remark was inaccurate and I can assure you Mr Cooke that your comments have been fully registered and have been made available to the production team and senior BBC management.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact the BBC.

Regards

Natasha Mellon
BBC Information

[freddie]

That's their reply?!? -- What a joke; they entirely dodged the issue

[SHERITON HOTEL]

Simon Mayo should have been carpeted for his remark about Charlie Sheen during the film review a few Fridays ago on Radio5Live! Mark Kermode was slagging off Sheen for questioning the events of 9/11 during his review of 'United 93', Mayo then waded in with the snide ironic...His Dad must be so proud

Why does Mayo never debate the 9/11 on his show? I thought he was a happy clappy Christian reaching out for the truth.


( no disrespect meant to Christians in the movement)

[pap]

Inspired by all of your posts and a smidgeon of personal experience.

From the blog : http://saintpap.livejournal.com/161464.html

[Martin Conner]

Hi Pap,
Thanks for the link to the Blog. It is somewhat constructive to read material of a corresponding nature, perhaps more so when published at alternative locations on the Internet.

Also, your dialogue with Paul Reynolds appends to the veracity of earlier articles pertaining to the distressing fantasy of BBC journalism. Admirable commentary.


British Brainless Corporatism.

[dodgy]

As much as it is bad to say it, it sure would be funny if Simon Mayo turned out to be on the MI6 payroll too

And that is a great dialogue with Paul Reynolds - what happened to journalist's inquisitive minds...

[Martin Conner]