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BBC still getting it wrong after Oasis story correction

bjorktibet.jpg Shanghaiist reader Oliver Denton has been fact-checking the BBC over its recent story about Oasis canceling the China leg of their tour, which presumably happened because Noel Gallagher appeared at a Free Tibet Benefit Concert over a decade ago (as linked to in a previous post, the promoter insists it was for economic reasons).

Denton pointed out that a paragraph in the article was inaccurate:

“Last year, Icelandic star Björk shouted “Free Tibet!” after a song about independence performed during a Shanghai concert, which went unreported in the state-controlled Chinese media. ”

...and proved it with a billion links to media that had, in fact, reported the Björk blunder - including us! By today, editors at the BBC had erased that last part, ending the paragraph at "performed during a Shanghai concert."

Only thing is, the article is still WRONG. Björk never said "Free Tibet!" at the concert, very clearly uttering, "Tibet, Tibet!" instead. It would've taken the reporter all of five minutes to check a video up on Youtube to make sure the line was right. Come on BBC! It's like you guys aren't even trying to stop the media ship from sinking anymore!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Elaine Chow in on March 4, 2009 3:45 PM

Comments [rss]

  • gb

    Am I reading this correctly? Shanghaiist is starting to take on the BBC for journalistic credibility? Wow.

  • Dragon32

    Can't be that hard, it's all copy and paste nowadays anyway!

  • jzzzzzzz

    They have edited the story and added a correction now:



    'Correction 4 March 2009: An earlier version of this story wrongly reported that Bjork had shouted "Free Tibet!" during a Shanghai concert in 2008, and that this had gone unreported by the state-controlled Chinese media. '

  • rldh

    Yeah, dammit, if only the BBC gave a few more Shanghaiist writers jobs. Curse those paid so-called 'real' reporters, getting their facts wrong about China, not having all that in depth local knowledge we local laowais have. I mean, we would never...hey, look, another cool sandwich delivery shop opened!!!

  • taihanasie

    What makes you think that newswire reporters have in-depth local knowledge? Just because an article is about China and bears the name of a newswire doesn't mean the writer is a specialist.

  • BBC1

    Western media is no different from Chinese media, they will lie if it serves their cause, like demonizing China.

  • taihanasie

    You are clearly not paying attention or trying to distort the problem. This isn't a case of lying. It is a case of carelessness. The fact that the BBC removed the bit about Bjork's utterance being unreported in Chinese media shows that they are not following a "lie about China" agenda.



    I long for the day when wire services start to actually promote thoughtful writing instead of cribbed stories.

  • yan

    According to the Chinese promoters, they had to pull out due to economic issues...

    I saw an article about this on Renmin Ri Bao yesterday but couldn't find it today. I guess it got Big Brothered.

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