Thursday, July 07, 2005

BBC Violates Policy--Discovers "Terror"

The BBC today committed a shocking violation of its policy against using the word "terrorist"! The Beeb's website contains a story with the headline, "London rocked by terror attacks."

The BBC's editorial guidelines state the following:
The word "terrorist" itself can be a barrier rather than an aid to understanding. We should try to avoid the term, without attribution. We should let other people characterise while we report the facts as we know them.
In any event, you'll be pleased to know that this is only a selective prohibition. It only applies outside the boundaries of the United Kingdom, and only when the victims are not white, Anglo-Saxon subjects of the Queen. It is particularly not applicable when you or your neighbors are among the victims.

I hope that the Beeb is mindful of this policy in the future and refers to the incidents as "attacks" and the perpetrators as "militants." (And, of course, that they will do a better job of understanding.)

UPDATE: The BBC "de-terrorizes" its coversage.