BBC: The first B is for BIASED

Axis of Logic reports:

In a note published on the web site, BBC News invites users living in Venezuela to share their experiences about the past ten years of government of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez.

The invitation is being published in English language and is not being reproduced in the Hispanic version of the important British news portal BBC Mundo; thus, the experiences that are being provided are being restricted merely to those persons living in Venezuela who do speak English, omitting the major portion of those who are most interested: the Venezuelan people.

Although it is true that some Venezuelans speak the English language and that this is the most studied foreign language in Venezuela, Shakespeare’s language is certainly not del dominio (the dominant language) of the great majority who are satisfied with the achievements of the national head of state.

Regarding the BBC request that asks the users of the news service if President Chávez “a good advocate for the poor” or if, to the contrary he “becomes increasingly autocratic”.

“Increasingly autocratic” is biased language in and of itself; it implies that the ‘Cito was autocratic in the first place. Practically every article on the Beeb about him uses the A-word. I’m hearing a definite drumbeat here, kiddies…

But now, about that A-word thingy. Where’s the evidence? A constitutional reform to put Venezuela in line with, oh, say, Great Britain, whose prime-ministerial terms also have no re-election limits? If THAT makes him “autocratic”, then Merry Old England has been a dictatorship for quite some time now. As it is, it’s been a monarchy for longer than anyone can remember.

Only, of course, you’ll never see the Beeb asking the Brits if they think THEIR system is “autocratic”. Even when their PM was someone as clearly tyrannical as Maggie “Milk Snatcher” Thatcher, who hated the Beeb (and the feeling, according to some, is more than mutual), the system was A-okay.

So…fair for England is foul for Venezuela, where white people are a minority and a disproportionately rich, English-speaking one, at that? Gee, Beeb, old bean, your commitment to fairness and accurate reporting never ceases to impress me.