Although BBC Panorama Editor Sandy Smith claims that he does not condone reporter John Sweeney’s insane rants against Scientologists, if you examine Mr. Smith’s explanation for why Sweeney had a meltdown, Smith demonstrates the same anti-Scientology [anti-religious] bias that the Church complains of with Sweeney.

Smith tries to cover for Sweeney by claiming that there was a “personality clash” between Sweeney and Tommy Davis, the Church representative who was the target of Sweeney’s rant. He also claims that the BBC crew were victims of the Church’s attempts to go after opponents and discredit them. He carefully omits to mention to the news media that it was only after the Church realized the preconceived agenda that John Sweeney was on, that he and his producer Sarah Mole were informed that the Church was going to make its own documentary to show exactly what they were really up to. The clip of Sweeney’s rant is one part of that documentary.

The documentary put together by the Church of Scientology, which can be found at www.bbcpanorama-exposed.org is worth watching as it is shows the sleazy tabloid tactics that are used by Panorama and Sweeney in order to portray the Church is the worst possible light. It also documents the repeated anti-Scientology slurs that were interwoven into nearly all of Sweeney’s questioning, which he thinly covers by repeatedly using the phrase, “Some people say .. [insult]” without ever delineated just who “some people” is.

Can you imagine the flap for the BBC had John Sweeney used the same type of insults and anti-religious slurs toward a Jew, Christian or Muslim? How about blacks? At least in the United States, when this recently happened, reacting to public opinion, CBS smelled the coffee and fired the perpetrator.

By offering excuses that the Church of Scientology is an “extraordinary organization” that has “no way of dealing with criticism at all” in my view Sandy Smith is in essence telling people that it is OK for the BBC to treat Scientologists differently than they treat others. This is pure discrimination. Smth’s characterization is plain wrong. Panorama is used to running roughshod over those it wishes to go after . Who has the resources to do a counter documentary on how badly they are being treated by a news organization like the BBC?

If Smith won’t do the right thing and fire Sweeney, then perhaps members of the BBC Trust, which is supposed to oversee and ensure the BBC remains fair, balanced and unbiased, should do their jobs and get rid of him. Otherwise, Mr. Smith’s words and Sweeney’s apologies mean nothing. Sweeney’s actions were disgraceful and he should not be working for the BBC.

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

From http://richandmark.com

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

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

http://www.bbcpanorama-exposed.org

A new site exposes BBC Panorama and John Sweeney. 

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

If you haven’t had a chance to see the Citizen’s Commission On Human Rights Museum, Psychiatry: An Industry Of Death, it is worht seeing. Next tie you are in Los Angeles, you should stop by and go through the museum. You can find it at 6616 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90028.

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

BBC reported are expected to be unbiased in their reporting. Something tells me that Sweeney had a bit of an agenda. Hmm?

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

BBC Panorama “Scientology and Me” Reporter John Sweeney: “AS A BBC REPORTER I WILL SAY THAT MY ORGANISATION IS AT TIMES HIDEOUSLY HI — HIDEBOUND WITH STUPID BUREAUCRACY. THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE WHO CLAIM SALARIES WHO FRANKLY ARE MORONS.”

Sweeney shoots himself in the foot again!

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

John Sweeney, remembered as “the Screamer” of yesterday’s post, has “apologized” – yes “apologized” – to a) the wrong person or group and b) with such a ridiculous reasoning that I would not accept it. Well, stay tuned, we might find out more soon!

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

As the story unfolds John Sweeney did not only once throw his journalistic principles overboard. A new video leaked today showing him at the London premiere of Wildhogs in March 2007. Sweeney is standing in a drove of fans ranting like a “deranged person” at actor John Travolta who had arrived to promote his newest movie. I really wonder how the BBC can keep this guy.

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

Welcome to BBC: Panorama Exposed.

This blog is about the unethical way in which BBC Panorama puts together shows and the underlying bias that colors the way in which these shows are presented to the public. I will attempt to provide as much information as possible as well as links and documentation. I was inspired to start this blog in response to the bigoted treatment of Scientologists by BBC Panorama reporter John Sweeney, while purporting to do a show about the Church of Scientology. While disgussing this with Scientologists who were “interviewed” by Sweeney it became clear to me that he had a completely pre-conceived biased story before he started filming. This is a far cry from the unbiased, dispassionate, balanced and fair reporting that the BBC has had a reputation for in the past. This got me thinking that if  Scientologists were treated this way, what other groups or individuals may have been subjected to this same type of one-sided sensationalist reporting. That is what I hope to explore and write about in this blog.