BBC: The Sinking of a Flagship

BBC: The Sinking of a Flagship

When Panorama Editor Sandy Smith commissioned his favourite reporter to do a programme on the Church of Scientology, he made a grave error.

John Sweeney, his pit-bull of choice, lacks the dignity and tact required for a story that would, at least on its surface, address the activities and practices of a religion.  As Sweeney himself explains, his tactics have nothing to do with intelligent reportering:

“There are three rules in journalism.  First, find a crocodile. Two, poke it in the eye with a stick. Three, stand back and report what happens next.”

Sweeney teamed up with his aptly named producer, Sarah Mole, who had previously done Sweeney’s bidding as an undercover “mole” in a religious organisation for an earlier “Sweeney Investigates” programme.   Together, they set about putting together a programme that follows the classic pattern of lazy journalists.

 Read the rest of the article at http://www.bbcpanorama-exposed.org/introduction-to-bbc-panorama-exposed.php

Subjects: Scientology – Scientology and Me – BBC – BBC and Scientology – BBC Bias – Celebrities – John Travolta – Panorama – John Sweeney

Technorati Subjects: John Travolta – Scientology – Scientology and Me – BBC – Celebrities – BBC and Scientology – BBC Bias – John Travolta – Panorama – John Sweeney