Latest news with #discriminatoryLanguage
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
BBC response to Bob Vylan's IDF chants at Glastonbury ‘not good enough', says minister
On-screen warnings issued by the BBC about discriminatory language during Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set were 'not good enough', a minister has said. The BBC is facing questions after the musician Bobby Vylan – of the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan – led crowds at the festival's West Holts stage in chants of 'Free, free Palestine' and 'Death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]' on Saturday. Keir Starmer has said there is 'no excuse' for the chanting, and the corporation said it showed a warning during the set's stream about the 'very strong and discriminatory language'. The Bob Vylan set was shown live on an iPlayer stream but the footage has since been removed from the BBC's streaming services. The equalities minister, Jacqui Smith, said that, while she did not believe the BBC was biased on the war in Gaza, a line had been crossed during its Glastonbury coverage. 'These were clearly comments that overstepped the mark. I'm surprised that the BBC carried on broadcasting them live when it was obvious what was happening. I think the BBC also have questions to answer about how they continued to broadcast this for the time that they did,' she told Sky News on Monday. Bob Vylan, whose two members go by Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, played immediately before Kneecap on Saturday. The BBC had decided not to broadcast the latter's set live amid controversy over the band's support for Gaza at previous gigs. Describing himself as a 'violent punk', Bobby Vylan said on stage: 'Sometimes we have to get our message across with violence because that's the only language some people speak, unfortunately.' The BBC's warnings were 'not good enough', Smith said on Monday. She told Times Radio: 'I think it [the BBC] made a mistake here. It's not good enough simply to say on screen that, you know, this is dodgy language. It was far beyond that and it shouldn't have been broadcast live. And I think it would have been possible for the BBC to stop that.' Smith added that she thought there would be 'lots of people' at the festival who 'were also remembering the music festival in Israel on the 7 October 2023, where young people got grabbed from that music festival, kidnapped and murdered, and will want to reflect on that as well'. A former head of news and current affairs at Channel 4, Dorothy Byrne, said that, had the BBC wanted to act more decisively on the broadcast, it would have been technically possible. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there were questions to answer about the research it had done into Bob Vylan, adding: 'They should really have had a politics producer in the gallery ready to advise them when and if something went wrong. 'I would have expected them to have an alternative feed available anyway because things can go wrong and there were lots of other acts on at the time. I'm surprised they just left it on with a warning rather than cut away because it's wrong to call for anyone to be killed.' She said the Glastonbury coverage should not be held to the same standard on impartiality expected of news programming. But she added that the BBC's coverage meant it was the focus of controversy 'when we should be discussing events in Gaza'. Bobby Vylan stood by his actions, posting on Sunday on Instagram: 'I said what I said' and calling for a 'change in foreign policy'. He added: 'As we grow older and our fire possibly starts to dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us. 'Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change. Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered.'
BreakingNews.ie
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
On-screen warnings on Bob Vylan set ‘not good enough' says UK minister
On-screen warnings issued by the BBC about "discriminatory language" during Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set were 'not good enough,' a UK minister has said. The BBC is facing questions after rapper Bobby Vylan – of the rap punk duo – led crowds at the festival's West Holts Stage in chants of: 'Free, free Palestine' and: 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)' on Saturday. Advertisement UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said there is 'no excuse' for the chanting, and the corporation said it showed a warning during the set's stream about the 'very strong and discriminatory language'. The Bob Vylan set was shown live on an iPlayer stream. Baroness Jacqui Smith was asked on Times Radio whether she thought the BBC has a bias. She told the station: 'I don't think the BBC has a bias, but I think it made a mistake here. Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bob Vylan (@bobbyvylan) 'It's not good enough simply to say on screen that, you know, 'this is dodgy language'. 'It was far beyond that, and it shouldn't have been broadcast live. And I think it would have been possible for the BBC to stop that.' The British education minister also told Sky that she was 'surprised' that the BBC continued broadcasting the set. Bob Vylan's performance on the West Holts Stage on Saturday drew significant criticism (Yui Mok/PA) Over the weekend, the BBC said that viewers would not be able to access the performance on demand. Advertisement A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: 'Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan's set were deeply offensive. 'During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language.' Kneecap also performed on the West Holts Stage on Saturday (Yui Mok/PA) A former BBC editor has said that the broadcaster should have the ability to 'cut the feed' whenever there 'is a hint of hate speech'. Sir Craig Oliver – who also served as director of communications for David Cameron in Downing Street – told Radio 4's Today programme: 'I suspect at next year's Glastonbury there's going to have to be a senior editorial figure who does understand the sensitivities and is going to cut the feed.' Advertisement Sir Keir Starmer led the criticism from across the political spectrum over the weekend, and also referenced Belfast rap trip Kneecap, who had faced calls to be cut from the festival after a member was charged with a terror offence. The performer led crowds on the festival's West Holts Stage in chants of 'death, death to the IDF' (Yui Mok/PA) Responding to the chants from Bob Vylan, the UK prime minister said: 'There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech. 'I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence. 'The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.' Advertisement Bob Vylan, who formed in Ipswich in 2017, have released four albums addressing issues to do with racism, masculinity and class. Bobby Vylan's real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, according to reports. In a statement posted to Instagram, Vylan said: 'Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place. 'As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.'
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Minister says BBC has ‘questions to answer' over Bob Vylan
Education minister Baroness Smith says the BBC has 'questions to answer' over why it allowed a Glastonbury set by Bob Vylan containing discriminatory language to be broadcast. The BBC is facing questions after rapper Bob Vylan - of the rap punk duo - led crowds at the festival's West Holts Stage in chants of: "Free, free Palestine" and: "Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)" on Saturday.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
On-screen warnings on Bob Vylan set ‘not good enough' says minister
On-screen warnings issued by the BBC about discriminatory language during Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set were 'not good enough,' a minister has said. The BBC is facing questions after rapper Bobby Vylan – of the rap punk duo – led crowds at the festival's West Holts Stage in chants of: 'Free, free Palestine' and: 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)' on Saturday. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said there is 'no excuse' for the chanting, and the corporation said it showed a warning during the set's stream about the 'very strong and discriminatory language'. The Bob Vylan set was shown live on an iPlayer stream. Baroness Jacqui Smith was asked on Times Radio whether she thought the BBC has a bias. She told the station: 'I don't think the BBC has a bias, but I think it made a mistake here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bob Vylan (@bobbyvylan) 'It's not good enough simply to say on screen that, you know, 'this is dodgy language'. 'It was far beyond that, and it shouldn't have been broadcast live. And I think it would have been possible for the BBC to stop that.' The education minister also told Sky that she was 'surprised' that the BBC continued broadcasting the set. Over the weekend, the BBC said that viewers would not be able to access the performance on demand. A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: 'Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan's set were deeply offensive. 'During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language.' A former BBC editor has said that the broadcaster should have the ability to 'cut the feed' whenever there 'is a hint of hate speech'. Sir Craig Oliver – who also served as director of communications for Lord David Cameron in Downing Street – told Radio 4's Today programme: 'I suspect at next year's Glastonbury there's going to have to be a senior editorial figure who does understand the sensitivities and is going to cut the feed.' Sir Keir Starmer led the criticism from across the political spectrum over the weekend, and also referenced Belfast rap trip Kneecap, who had faced calls to be cut from the festival after a member was charged with a terror offence. Responding to the chants from Bob Vylan, the Prime Minister said: 'There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech. 'I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence. 'The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.' Bob Vylan, who formed in Ipswich in 2017, have released four albums addressing issues to do with racism, masculinity and class. Bobby Vylan's real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, according to reports. In a statement posted to Instagram, Vylan said: 'Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place. 'As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.'
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
ANOTHER beloved comedy series slapped with trigger warning by BBC as iconic scene flagged for ‘discriminatory language'
BBC bosses have slapped yet another 'woke' trigger warning on a beloved comedy series for 'discriminatory language'. The broadcaster, which has a large library of nostalgic series available to binge on iPlayer, has hit The Fast Show with a disclaimer. Originally airing in the 90s, the classic stars Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson with quick-fire sketches that depicted British society at the time. However, its infamous Suit You Sir scenes have been hit with a ' woke ' warning by BBC bosses. The Sun has revealed two episodes contain the warning, which advises viewers of 'discriminatory language' before they can play the show. One episode, from series three that aired in December 1997, carries a scene where the tailors ask a customer if they would like to have sex with a 'she-male'. In reply, the customer says: 'Come on you tr**nies!' Meanwhile, an episode from the second series that originally broadcast in 1996, sees two men make advances on women. However, when they're swiftly rejected, the pair declare the women are 'lesbians'. The Fast Show aired for four series on the BBC before it was axed by bosses in 1997 after 28 episodes, which are all now available on iPlayer. Its warning comes after it was recently revealed how the BBC had hit R icky Gervais comedy series The Office with a similar warning. The hit mockumentary sitcom created by comedians Ricky, 64, and Stephen Merchant, famously stars Ricky as paper company boss David Brent. Both series of the noughties programme were already labelled with a G symbol on BBC iPlayer, which flags parental guidance for younger viewers. But nearly half of the BBC series' 14 episodes, following life at Wernham Hogg's Slough office, now also carry the additional content notice. Viewers are hit with the warning before they can play an episode of the classic series on BBC iPlayer The Fast Show aired for four series on the BBC before it was axed by bosses in 1997 after 28 episodes, which are all now available on iPlayer In series one, which aired in 2001, the first and last episodes - Downsize and Judgement - bear the alert. Meanwhile, a whopping half of the second series, released in 2002, has been hit with trigger warnings - episodes one, three and five, named Merger, Party and Charity. At the start of the year it was revealed how Only Fools and Horses was hit with various disclaimers around 'racial language', words that 'may offend' and 'dated attitudes and behaviours'. Only two of seven series of the eighties hit show - which is available to watch on ITV and often reruns on digital channel U&Gold - did not have any episodes at all slapped with the warnings.
