BBC Panorama on Euro 2012

I just watched it:

as they were some comments on that in Polish press, and I have to say, I lost my trust in BBC proffesionalism. The movie above is like if I wanted to make a movie “how dangerous is to go to UK for Olympics” and used only footage from London Riots or Belfast bombing…

First, as you can read in Polish press, the filmmakers weren’t at all interested in showing how it is in reality, they were only looking for the fact that support their thesis. Of all matches in Polish league, they just picked the two places that have real problem with racism and try to show it as it is a norm. No, the Łódź footbal fans association with antisemitism is an abberation for Poland, not norm.
Second: I don’t deny that racism is a problem, but if filmmakers were interested in getting to the root, they would (and it’s sad for me to admit) find some much bigger problem than just racist slogans… But hey, these problems, altough important, are not racist, they do not fit into thesis of these “journalists”…
Third: Altough the problem is big (and I speak for Poland here), it’s a marginal thing. The Ultras sectors are small, and the BBC camera somehow “forgoten” to show most of the stadium where normal people cheer for their teams… They make it look as the full stadium is full of racist ultras…
Fourth: I was really scared to go to the Ukraine… For the moment. As they show it, it’s look really terrible. Then I recalled, that just 5 minutes ago they showed Poland as a terrible place and I know that it is not as bad as they try to show… So if the Ukraine bit is worth as much as the Polish bit, it’s just the same pile of crap…
Fifth: They ask for the opinion a British footbal player, who never been to Poland. Why they did not asked Emanuel Olisadebe, a former member of Polish national team, a black guy if its really so bad?

Sixth: They translations are just made into what they would like to hear, but they are in fact not what they say. I am not saying that what these footbal fans shout is politically correct, but they for sure do not shout what the translation says, and without getting deep into Polish cultural background it would be hard to explain wjhat they mean. In other word: yes, what they shout is wrong, but not as wrong as the film is trying to show. Lost in translation - yes, the reporter was right, he looses a lot because he is unable to understand and he is propably not willing to.

And if you don’t believe in what I say, just look on that map and answer yourself a question: does people who has such a good knowledge of the Europe can be believed in the movie they did?

I always thought that BBC is reliable source, but now when I approached the subject I happen to have some knowledge on, it turned to be crap. Is it a norm? Or this one is just an abberation?

I lost respect for Panic-o-rama ages ago. If the daily mail was telly that is what it would be. The facts, BUT NOT ALL the facts.
I took it with a pinch of salt but now don’t bother watching.

Bit of a coincidence here Orys, I watched the program and I was going to ask your opinion of it, wont bother now. Dziękuję

wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/ … le=wroclaw

I translate it quickly for you, it’s interesting.

BBC dwukrotnie minęła siÄ™ z prawdÄ…, informujÄ…c o reportażu krÄ™conym w Krakowie. Czas wreszcie dokÅ‚adnie opisać, jak naprawdÄ™ wyglÄ…daÅ‚ pobyt w Krakowie ekipy Chrisa Rogersa, który jest głównym autorem reportażu “Stadiony nienawiÅ›ci” pokazujÄ…cego PolskÄ™ jako kraj rasistowski.

BBC was giving fake informations twice, when they were describing how they were making their reportage in Kraków. It’s time to describe rightly how in reality visit to Kraków of the Chris Rogers team (he is a main author of the reportage “Stadiums of hate” showing Poland as racist country).

PoczÄ…tek maja. Ekipa programu “Panorama” nadawanego w BBC One prowadzi wywiad z Jonathanem Ornsteinem, dyrektorem Centrum SpoÅ‚ecznoÅ›ci Å»ydowskiej (JCC). Brytyjczycy pytajÄ… o polski antysemityzm, a Ornstein odpowiada, że Polska staje siÄ™ coraz bardziej tolerancyjnym krajem, podkreÅ›lajÄ…c, że nie można oceniać caÅ‚ego spoÅ‚eczeÅ„stwa przez pryzmat kilku tysiÄ™cy chuliganów malujÄ…cych na murach antysemickie bazgroÅ‚y. Ornstein podejrzewa również, że stadionowy antysemityzm jest z pewnoÅ›ciÄ… kÅ‚opotliwy dla wiÄ™kszoÅ›ci ■■■■■■■■■ Do finalnej wersji reportażu trafi jednak niemal tylko to ostatnie stwierdzenie.

Begining of may. Panorama team ionterviews Jonathan Ornstein, director of the Jewish society. They ask about Polish antisemitism, he answers that Poland becomes more and more tolerant country and he stresses that you cannot judge the whole society just by few 1000 of hooligans who paint antisemitic graffiti. Ornstein also suspect that antisemitism on the stadiums troubles vast majority of Poles. But only last sentence is left in the final version of the reportage.

PoczÄ…tek czerwca. Polska telewizja pokazuje reportaż “Stadiony nienawiÅ›ci”, o którym już zdążyÅ‚o zrobić siÄ™ gÅ‚oÅ›no po jego emisji na antenie BBC One. Ornstein wysyÅ‚a oÅ›wiadczenie do prestiżowego brytyjskiego tygodnika “The Economist”, w którym wyraża oburzenie, że jego wypowiedź zostaÅ‚a zmanipulowana. Przypomina również, że zasugerowaÅ‚ ekipie “Panoramy” przeprowadzenie wywiadu z dwoma mieszkajÄ…cymi w Krakowie Izraelczykami, którzy w poprzednim sezonie grali dla WisÅ‚y Kraków.

Begining of June. Polish TV shows “Stadiums of hate” which is already well known after it was broadcasted in BBC One. Ornstein sents letter to british weekly “The Economist” when he is outraged that his interview was manimupated. He also reminds that he advised Panorama team to interview two Israeli footballers, who just year agao played for WisÅ‚a Kraków and still leave in Kraków.

Kiedy padła propozycja

Również w portalu The Economist BBC zaprzeczyła tamtej propozycji, zapewniając, że gdyby tylko jej ekipa miała taką okazję, na pewno porozmawiałaby z izraelskim piłkarzem w Polsce. Jak się potem okazało, Brytyjczycy rozmawiali z Aviramem Baruchyanem, pochodzącym z Jerozolimy pomocnikiem Polonii Warszawa. Jego przychylne Polsce wypowiedzi nie trafiły jednak do reportażu. Potwierdza to Jakub Krupa, rzecznik klubu, który towarzyszył Baruchyanowi podczas wywiadu dla BBC.

Also in The Economist BBC denied that such a proposition was made, and they assured that if they only had a chance, they would for sure want to speak with Israeili footballer in Poland. As it turned out, they were speaking to Aviram Baruchyan, an Israeli player for Polonia Warszawa, but his favourable to Poland opinions werent used in the reportage. It is confirmed by Jakub Krupa, a club spokesman who was accompanying Baruchyan during his interview for BBC

By rozstrzygnąć, kto ma racjÄ™, współpracownik “The Economist” zadzwoniÅ‚ do Å›wiadka wywiadu w JCC - do mnie. PrzysÅ‚uchiwaÅ‚em siÄ™ caÅ‚ej rozmowie i w Centrum SpoÅ‚ecznoÅ›ci Å»ydowskiej, i w synagodze Tempel. OpisaÅ‚em jÄ… też nastÄ™pnego dnia w “Gazecie”. Zgodnie z prawdÄ… potwierdziÅ‚em wiÄ™c, że wyraźnie sÅ‚yszaÅ‚em sugestiÄ™ Ornsteina skierowanÄ… do ekipy BBC.

To find who’s telling the truth, the Economist associate called to ask the witness of the interwiev in Kraków Jewish Centre - to me. I was listening to the whole conversation, in the Centre as well as in the synagoge Tempel. I also describet it next day in Gazeta Wyborcza. So I confirmed, as it was true, that I heard clearly Ornstein suggestion for BBC team.

Na reakcjÄ™ brytyjskiej stacji nie trzeba byÅ‚o dÅ‚ugo czekać. W sobotÄ™ wieczorem zadzwoniÅ‚ do mnie wÅ›ciekÅ‚y Tom Giles, redaktor programu “Panorama”, który wypytywaÅ‚, czy propozycja Ornsteina padÅ‚a przed, w trakcie, czy po nagraniu wywiadu. PrzyznaÅ‚em, że nie pamiÄ™tam takich szczegółów po ponad miesiÄ…cu od nagrania. PowtórzyÅ‚em natomiast, że propozycjÄ™ wyraźnie sÅ‚yszaÅ‚em. Po półgodzinnej rozmowie Giles oÅ›wiadczyÅ‚, że ma drugi telefon oraz że jeszcze do mnie oddzwoni. Tak siÄ™ nie staÅ‚o. Natomiast w poniedziaÅ‚ek w portalu The Economist znalazÅ‚a siÄ™ już odpowiedź BBC, w której przytoczono mojÄ… rozmowÄ™ z Gilesem.

It does not took to long for BBC reaction. On Saturdan evening angry Tom Giles, Panorama editor, called me. He was pushing me to tell if the Ornstein proposition was made before, during or after the interview. I adrmitted that after the month I dont’ remember so well, but I still can confirm that I heard such a proposition for sure. After 30 minutes conversation, he said that he has another call and that he will call me back. He never called, but in monday The Economist was another answer from BBC that quoted our conversation.

Nie mieli pojęcia?

Najbardziej zaskakujÄ…cy fragment oÅ›wiadczenia stacji dotyczyÅ‚ jednak mojej obecnoÅ›ci podczas wywiadu w JCC. Biuro prasowe BBC utrzymuje, że ekipa “Panoramy” nie miaÅ‚a pojÄ™cia, że jestem dziennikarzem “Gazety Wyborczej”. Znów nieprawda. Wyraźnie przedstawiÅ‚em siÄ™ dwóm czÅ‚onkom ekipy wÅ‚aÅ›nie jako dziennikarz. To nie koniec. Kiedy usÅ‚yszeli nazwÄ™ redakcji, powiedzieli, że zawdziÄ™czajÄ… oddziaÅ‚om “Gazety” w innych miastach kontakty do osób, które mogÅ‚yby wypowiedzieć siÄ™ w reportażu. Zanim pozwolili mi przysÅ‚uchiwać siÄ™ wywiadowi, zdążyli jeszcze zapytać, czy podczas rozmowy z Ornsteinem bÄ™dzie również obecny redakcyjny fotograf. Trudno o lepsze potwierdzenie, że Brytyjczycy doskonale wiedzieli, że rozmawiajÄ… z dziennikarzem.

They were not aware?

Most suprising bit of these statement was regarding my presence during the interview in JEwish Centre. The Press Office of BBC claims, that Panorama team wasn’t aware that I am a Gazeta Wyborcza journalist. It’s not true, again. I introduced myself clearly to two members of the team as a journalism. And that’s not all yet. When they heard the name of “Gazeta Wyborcza” they thanked me that thanks to our local departaments they got contacts to people in other cities that could be interwieved for their reportage. Before they allowed me to listen to the interwiev, they asked if our photographer is going to be present as well - it’s hard for better confirmation that they were fully aware that I am a journalist.

Sprawa reportażu “Stadiony nienawiÅ›ci” staje siÄ™ coraz bardziej absurdalna. Bez wÄ…tpienia o stadionowym rasizmie trzeba rozmawiać, ale sama ekipa “Panoramy” daÅ‚a kilka powodów, by jej reportaż traktować z rezerwÄ…. BBC wypiera siÄ™ kolejnych sytuacji, które miaÅ‚y miejsce podczas krÄ™cenia programu. Wcale nie zdziwiÅ‚bym siÄ™, gdyby za jakiÅ› czas dziennikarze “Panoramy” wydali oÅ›wiadczenie, z którego wynikaÅ‚oby, że nigdy w Polsce nie byli.[/uote]

The case of “Stadiums of hate” goes more and more absurd. I am sure that we should speak about the racism on the stadiums, but the Panorama Team themselves gave numerous resons to treat their workwith distance. BBC denies more and more situations that happened during the making of the program. I would not be surprised if in some time Panorama journamism issued the statement that they never been to Poland at all…

Dla “Gazety”: Jonathan Ornstein, dyrektor Centrum SpoÅ‚ecznoÅ›ci Å»ydowskiej

BBC w dalszym ciągu robi wszystko poza przyznaniem się do błędu. Doskonale pamiętam, że Mateusz Żurawik przedstawił się ekipie BBC jako dziennikarz. Twierdzenie, że było inaczej, jest moim zdaniem wyjątkowo desperackim zachowaniem ze strony - wydawałoby się - wiarygodnej instytucji. Udowodniono jej, że nie powiedziała prawdy. W takiej sytuacji spodziewałbym się raczej, że podziękuje tym, którzy wyciągnęli tę informację na światło dzienne, zamiast próbować ich dyskredytować.

Wydaje się oczywiste, że BBC bardziej zależy na ochronie samej siebie niż na przedstawieniu faktów. Przykre zachowanie w przypadku sieci informacyjnej. Brytyjscy podatnicy mają prawo oczekiwać większego profesjonalizmu i uczciwości ze strony instytucji, którą finansują.

For Gazeta Wyborcza: Jonathan Ornstein, head of Jewish Centre

BBC does everything apart from admiting that they did something wrong. I remember perfectrly that Mateusz Żyrawik introduced himself to BBC as a journalist. To claim that it was otherwise is, in my opinion, exceptionally desperate behaviour from - you can think - reliable institution. It was proved that they lied. In such situation I would rather expect that they will thank to the people who pulled it to the light, instead of trying to discredite them.

It seems obvious that BBC is more concerned to protect themselves than to stick to the facts. It’s sad when it comes to such a informative network. British taxpayrs have right to expect more profesionalism and honestly from the institutions they support.

‘‘British taxpayrs have right to expect more profesionalism and honestly from the institutions they support’’

Don’t have a lot of bloody choice in the matter if you wish to watch ITV or any other independant legally …

Its not just Poland Orys I have lost faith in the BBC over the way it reports on Malaysia.

i stopped watching the panorama programs because their usually very one sided

Today there was a reportage from some Polish village in BBC4. The guy was complaining, that on the city plan, that was standing on the market square, there were no Synagoge and other Jewish places marked. The Jewish places and the synagoge were destroyed either during the War by Nazis, or after the War by communist (as the Jewish population no longer existed, so they weren’t needed). I can’t see why on the city map there should be marked places that are non-existent for 60 years?