tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387284174922871714.post5907791752243030087..comments2024-01-27T00:32:05.370+00:00Comments on Paul Canning: Support Channel Four over 'Undercover Mosque'paulocanninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17499916652508144662noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387284174922871714.post-13076421399225084702007-08-19T20:31:00.000+01:002007-08-19T20:31:00.000+01:00I wasn't left disappointed, I was left scared....I wasn't left disappointed, I was left scared. <br><br>I haven't seen one thing from the MCB or anyone else (like 'anonymous') attacking Channel Four and Dispatches which is aimed at reassuring lesbian and gay people. Nothing explaining how hatred of us isn't being propagated and is in fact being countered in UK mosques and Islamic centres and schools. None. Maybe because, in fact, hatred is being propagated.<br><br>There is nothing 'neutral' or 'even-handed' or 'agenda-driven' when it comes to my safety and well-being; we are supposed to accept bland reassurances. I don't and that's why I say Support Channel Four.<br><br>NB: If it was any other religion the same would happen. From 'oranges are not the only fruit' through to today's satire every other religion gets the same treatment from the UK media. That the police chose to defend a religion over my welfare I find chilling.Paul Canninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17499916652508144662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387284174922871714.post-80078597040714102362007-08-18T19:33:00.000+01:002007-08-18T19:33:00.000+01:00Media Watch groups and OFCOM in particular are inc...Media Watch groups and OFCOM in particular are increasingly urged to take note of a flawed approach reflected by Hardcash Production's documentary “Undercover Mosque” shown on Channel Four in early 2007. The documentary instead of meeting viewers expectation to get an objective and even handed reflection of realities plays with their sentiments by brazenly overlooking established media norms. <br><br>Many viewers are left disappointed as the documentary miserably fails on five vital criteria namely to:<br>Exercise caution on references to religion, its values and its institutions. <br>Demonstrate even-handed and neutral approach; and,<br>Discourage witch-hunts and ghost chasing attempts. <br>Applied standards uniformly as one sect member discredits another<br>Fails to vet the agenda-driven, politically motivated and selective remarks. <br><br>This documentary miserably fails to disguise its prejudices visible in exploiting schism to settle score with competing ideologies. <br>Hardcash Productions might burn their fingers when stoking somebody else's fire as the documentary solicits an Iraqi Shia to pass remarks about some Sunni ventures in UK. Can we expect from a responsible channel to allow its airtime for ideologues discrediting each other at viewers' expense? Why then Dr. Irfan al-Alawi of The Heritage Foundation was allowed to pick and choose excerpts to discredit those with who he differs ideologically. Since when settling personal scores is permitted on public screen? Would you expect a balanced documentary on Ireland’s peace progress selectively referring to, say, what Dr. Ian Paisley and the Republican leadership said about one another 20 years back?<br>One must question and even challenge the wisdom of subjectively picking out of context quotes to malign some religious functionaries. <br> <br>One wonders how "Hardcash Productions" got away with such a low-cost load of cheap tricks in its pursuit of "rants-for-ratings". How could HP be allowed to stir religious sentiments on prime time television? If such a trend is not discouraged, then expect tabloid-headline like tales creeping into realm of institutions of other religions too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com