BBC axe-grinding re Alan Turing?

[singlecoil]

The BBC are reporting on the recent apology from Gordon Brown about the treatment of Alan Turing who led the cracking of the Enigma codes during WW2.

It's been on the TV this morning, and on the website-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8249792.stm

My issue is that two of the presenters both used the expression "prosecuted for homosexuality". Homosexuality has never been illegal in this country. Acting on some of the urges that homosexuality causes has been, but not homosexuality itself.

One wonders why the BBC made this mistake twice?

[DBSV8]

title should be

BBC ""organ-grinding "" alan turing

[lazyitus]

singlecoil said:

My issue is that two of the presenters both used the expression "prosecuted for homosexuality".

Are you sure they didn't say 'persecuted'. ?

[Lucas CAV]

singlecoil said:

The BBC are reporting on the recent apology from Gordon Brown about the treatment of Alan Turing who led the cracking of the Enigma codes during WW2.

It's been on the TV this morning, and on the website-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8249792.stm

My issue is that two of the presenters both used the expression "prosecuted for homosexuality". Homosexuality has never been illegal in this country. Acting on some of the urges that homosexuality causes has been, but not homosexuality itself.

One wonders why the BBC made this mistake twice?

one wonders why you care?

[singlecoil]

Lucas CAV said:

singlecoil said:

The BBC are reporting on the recent apology from Gordon Brown about the treatment of Alan Turing who led the cracking of the Enigma codes during WW2.

It's been on the TV this morning, and on the website-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8249792.stm

My issue is that two of the presenters both used the expression "prosecuted for homosexuality". Homosexuality has never been illegal in this country. Acting on some of the urges that homosexuality causes has been, but not homosexuality itself.

One wonders why the BBC made this mistake twice?

one wonders why you care?

I care about all sorts of things, including whether or not the BBC are able to report accurately on subjects such as this one, without tryng to change history or work to some hidden agenda.

[Sisyphus]

Perhaps "prosecuted for buggery" may have put some people off their cornflakes.

I'm not quite sure where your objection lies with this.

[J500ANT]

I heard the term Gross Indecency used (at around 8am)

[singlecoil]

Sisyphus said:

Perhaps "prosecuted for buggery" may have put some people off their cornflakes.

I'm not quite sure where your objection lies with this.

My objection is tha tthe BBC stated, at least twice, that he was prosecuted for something that was not, and never has been, a crime. My further objection is my suspicion that this 'mistake' was motivated by an inappropriate (to a supposedly impartial organisation) attitude.

[Sisyphus]

singlecoil said:

Sisyphus said:

Perhaps "prosecuted for buggery" may have put some people off their cornflakes.

I'm not quite sure where your objection lies with this.

My objection is tha tthe BBC stated, at least twice, that he was prosecuted for something that was not, and never has been, a crime. My further objection is my suspicion that this 'mistake' was motivated by an inappropriate (to a supposedly impartial organisation) attitude.

I understand your first point entirely but I fail to see what you think the BBC's motivation is in perpetuating this particular myth when many would consider it one of our most liberal organisations.

Edited by Sisyphus on Friday 11th September 09:28

[Fittster]

So it geeks have never been able to get a girl.

[Lucas CAV]

singlecoil said:

Sisyphus said:

Perhaps "prosecuted for buggery" may have put some people off their cornflakes.

I'm not quite sure where your objection lies with this.

My objection is tha tthe BBC stated, at least twice, that he was prosecuted for something that was not, and never has been, a crime. My further objection is my suspicion that this 'mistake' was motivated by an inappropriate (to a supposedly impartial organisation) attitude.

you're being a tt and trying to stir-up another bbc bashing

[singlecoil]

Lucas CAV said:

singlecoil said:

Sisyphus said:

Perhaps "prosecuted for buggery" may have put some people off their cornflakes.

I'm not quite sure where your objection lies with this.

My objection is tha tthe BBC stated, at least twice, that he was prosecuted for something that was not, and never has been, a crime. My further objection is my suspicion that this 'mistake' was motivated by an inappropriate (to a supposedly impartial organisation) attitude.

you're being a tt and trying to stir-up another bbc bashing

I'm sorry, I didn't realise that your partner worked there.

[singlecoil]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Reasonable maybe, factually incorrect definitely. Are you saying that "conveying the message" is more important than being accurate?

[Somewhatfoolish]

I hate the BBC but can't understand what the OP is getting at all... I don't think there's a secret shirt lifting agenda here... it's just dumbing down, tis all

[singlecoil]

Somewhatfoolish said:

I hate the BBC but can't understand what the OP is getting at all... I don't think there's a secret shirt lifting agenda here... it's just dumbing down, tis all

You may well be right.

[ashes]

Why do we need to apologise for what's happened before, by others and in different climates?

Not going to make any difference.

How about apologising for the economy?

[chris_w]

For me, the most shocking thing about this has been how easily Gordon Brown found apologising for something that genuinely wasn't his fault.

Still, the family seem pleased and it's served as an opportunity to be reminded of Turings work so maybe we should go easy on the cynacism for a change?

[BOR]

Fittster said:

So IT geeks have never been able to get a girl.

Chemical Castration - It's Not Always A Bad Thing.

[hairykrishna]

singlecoil said:

The BBC are reporting on the recent apology from Gordon Brown about the treatment of Alan Turing who led the cracking of the Enigma codes during WW2.

It's been on the TV this morning, and on the website-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8249792.stm

My issue is that two of the presenters both used the expression "prosecuted for homosexuality". Homosexuality has never been illegal in this country. Acting on some of the urges that homosexuality causes has been, but not homosexuality itself.

One wonders why the BBC made this mistake twice?

The link you give actually refers to him being "prosecuted for gross indecency". I would say that "prosecuted for homosexuality" isn't exactly inaccurate anyway. He wouldn't be likely to get prosecuted for bumming if he wasn't homosexual would he?

Is this the best BBC bashing you can come up with today?

[hugo a gogo]

chris_w said:

For me, the most shocking thing about this has been how easily Gordon Brown found apologising for something that genuinely wasn't his fault.

the gubbernment is in full 'mother theresa mode' at the moment dontcha know, this Turing thing, the scouse football lad just to show that that whole 'compassionate reasons' release for Al Megrahi wasn't influenced by any oil deals or anything, no sirree, we're all heart, all the time