Sunday, August 28, 2005

Success with the BBC

Here's a four-part correspondence with the BBC's Jerusalem Bureau.

I spotted an error, complained and achieved a correction.

=========
1)
My appeal

The weirdness of media langauge.

In the Hebron story, the BBC publishes:-

"Approximately 1,200 soldiers guard some 500 ultra-orthodox Jewish settlers living in an enclave in the heart of Hebron,"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4186868.stm

Ultra-Orthodox?

But in the murder of a real ultra-orthodox Jew, one who studied at Mir Yeshiva, we get:

"Shmuel Mett, 21, and fellow Jewish religion student Sammy "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4183622.stm

Religion student?

I'm sure the BBC could do better. After all, English is the mother tongue.

2)
First Response
Subject: RE: Perhaps Correction Needed?
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 13:59:59 +0100
From:
To: Yisrael Medad

you're right about hebron -- let me see what I can do. I think the other story is ok to describe him as a regious student

Middle East Bureaux
BBC News

3)
Notice of Correction

Subject: RE: Perhaps Correction Needed?
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 14:06:19 +0100
From:
To: Yisrael Medad

being changed - thanks for spotting it.


Middle East Bureaux
BBC News

4)
Correction

the BBC changed their wording:-

Approximately 1,200 soldiers guard some 500 Jewish settlers living in an enclave in the heart of Hebron, among

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4186868.stm

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