to: newsnight@bbc.co.uk
Dear Newsnight
I would like to make an informal complaint about Newsnight's use of Kelvin MacKenzie as a commentator. You will be aware from the Twitter stream which had him trending last night, that he is not a popular figure. Yesterday he said that there was no need to "understand" the root causes of the riots. Since your audience watches Newsnight in the (sometimes vain) hope of gaining some understanding of the issues in the news, this makes him an inappropriate guest.
I have heard him say on another occasion that the intent of his journalism is to "make people angry". We are witnessing in the riots what happens when people are angry. It is a destructive emotion, not one to be cultivated, especially in these times, and on a programme that purports to carry serious debate and comment.
This is an informal complaint at the moment, as I do not wish to weigh you down with the work implied in a formal complaint. I am hoping for a simple straight assurance that MacKenzie will not be invited in again. If there is no reply to this email, I will convert it into a formal complaint.
Thank you
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Guests on Newsnight are of course entitled to have an opinion, but Gavin E really should have tried to keep a lid on some of MacKenzie's more ridiculous outbursts.
MacKenzie completely misrepresented the ideas the two lads were trying to get across, which actually sounded pretty sensible to me. Their ideas weren't excuses but possible explanations, which, as you point out above, is really what Newsnight should be all about.
A decent discussion spoilt I'd say.
Agreed. And yesterday (12 Aug) Newsnight had the ridiculous David Starkey on. Looks as if they have a strategy of getting on people who provoke a reaction. Going down market, in the direction of Fox News. O dear.
Post a Comment