I need to start this with a digression. Why is it that right-wing politicians criticise the BBC for being too left and left-wing politicians criticise the BBC for being too right? And have you noticed that both leading parties mainly level this criticism when they are in power? Could it just be that as much as anything, the BBC does a reasonably good job at questioning the party in government? And no – I am aware that the BBC is not lily-white but considering it’s politically independent nature it doesn’t do such a bad job. OK. Digression over.

It has come out that Tony Blair said of the BBC’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina that it was “full of hate of America”. And, apparently, a small handful of people complained to the BBC in a similar fashion. Personally, I didn’t notice this or come to this conclusion. What I did notice however, was that the BBC was extremely critical of the Bush Administrations response to Katrina and in that, I rather think, they have the agreement of the vast majority of both Americans and British alike. I call that informed reportage!

But Blair’s comments weren’t really what got me going. The real dirt here is that he made these comments to Rupert Murdoch – the Genghis Kahn of English-speaking media. This is the man who owns The Sun. The same man that created and controls Fox News. The man who aided the election of Thatcher, Major and the Shrub. The man who wants to control what Americans, Brits and Aussies believe, think and vote for. If I believed in God, Murdoch would make an excellent, ready-made Satan. And for some reason Blair ranks him amongst his mates.

And Murdoch then:

labelled the BBC a “government-owned thing” that was “gloating about our troubles”. He said people around the world were jealous of the US, and anti-Americanism was common throughout Europe.

Yes. Go figure.

Oh yes – Bill Clinton’s take on the BBC reportage:

He had seen the report Mr Blair was referring to, and there was “nothing factually inaccurate” in it.

Thanks Bill.