Israeli Cable Companies to Remove BBC News Channel.

TexasStooge · #1 Postby **TexasStooge** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 1:36 pm

The latest from Yahoo! News:

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Israel's three cable television companies said Sunday they would drop 24-hour news channel BBC World from their systems at the end of March due to failure to reach an agreement on a new contract.

A spokeswoman for the cable companies, now in merger talks, said they had weighed getting rid of either BBC or Sky News at the end of their contracts. They decided on BBC because it refused to lower its asking price.

"In the last year we renewed almost all of our contracts," the spokeswoman, Anat Zisman, said. "Almost every supplier, and there are about 40, cooperated and reduced their prices. They understood (Israel's economic troubles) but BBC ignored it.

"That was something we had to take into our decision," she said. "BBC didn't renegotiate."

In a statement, BBC said it was disappointed its news channel would no longer be carried on Israeli cable systems but noted that the growing digital satellite TV provider YES would still keep the news station.

"We are deeply disappointed that the cable operators felt it necessary to remove BBC World, particularly as its loss will have a significant impact on viewers' choice and access at a crucial time in world events," BBC said.

"But as a commercial channel, we were unable to accept the cable operators' proposal which wasn't commercially viable."

Zisman denied the move had anything to do with BBC World's coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that some Israelis have criticized as biased against Israel, which BBC has denied.

The three companies moved to cancel CNN International last year for what they called financial reasons before a last minute deal was struck. CNN's parent had accused the companies of trying to silence its coverage of the conflict, but that charge was denied.

Zisman said that the financially strapped cable companies of Golden Channels, Tevel and Matav could not carry four international news networks, especially since Israel will soon be launching its own all-news station and the cable companies needed to find that channel a slot.

"We don't have unlimited space for all the channels," Zisman said. "We will be launching other channels and need spectrum."

In addition to BBC and Sky, cable systems also carry the international version of Cable News Network (CNN) and the U.S. Fox News Channel. CNBC Europe, which often switches to MSNBC News, has recently been added to the cable lineup.

Lindaloo · #2 Postby **Lindaloo** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 1:50 pm

GOOD!! Too many liberal activists within the BBC. They twist words of their own reporters if it is not to their liking. That is a bit scary if you ask me. Heck, alot of the people who work for the BBC do not even let other co workers know that their husbands or wives are in the British military. They need to get rid of CNN too, both are liberal biased media outlets.

#3 Postby **wx247** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 2:21 pm

Yes...we should all be forced to only watch Fox News! :roll:

I see nothing wrong with having the options...if they are liberal then you can get their perspective. Fox News allows you to get the conservative viewpoint. Watch both and then decide yourself. Oh wait...that sounds like freedom of speech and press.

Lindaloo · #4 Postby **Lindaloo** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 2:27 pm

wx247 wrote:Yes...we should all be forced to only watch Fox News! I see nothing wrong with having the options...if they are liberal then you can get their perspective. Fox News allows you to get the conservative viewpoint. Watch both and then decide yourself. Oh wait...that sounds like freedom of speech and press.

CNN is strictly liberal! Fox News is fair and balanced. IMO, Fox reports the right and wrong of everything. CNN just reports their ideas of wrong or better yet, everything THEY think is right. :wink:

#5 Postby **wx247** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 2:29 pm

I am not going to get into who is liberal and who isn't, but I think that we should have a choice what we watch...liberal or not.

Lindaloo · #6 Postby **Lindaloo** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 2:31 pm

wx247 wrote:I am not going to get into who is liberal and who isn't, but I think that we should have a choice what we watch...liberal or not.

Oh I see. Good point.

JQ Public · #7 Postby **JQ Public** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 2:44 pm

wx247 wrote:Yes...we should all be forced to only watch Fox News! I see nothing wrong with having the options...if they are liberal then you can get their perspective. Fox News allows you to get the conservative viewpoint. Watch both and then decide yourself. Oh wait...that sounds like freedom of speech and press.

agreed...cnn gives both sides/viewpoints of the war. Fox just gets mad when there is someone against it.

Rainband · #8 Postby **Rainband** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 2:56 pm

Liberal or conservative..... :roll:

I think this should be Politics2k.. :lol:

I myself am neither as I am sure you've heard before but if the liberals want liberal views they are entitled to them and vis versa for the conservatives. Everybody is entitled to their view. Thats why we are fighting this war and all others..FREEDOM!!! :o Remember???? :roll:

Johnathan

chadtm80 · #9 Postby **chadtm80** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 3:13 pm

CNN is strictly liberal! Fox News is fair and balanced. IMO, Fox reports the right and wrong of everything. CNN just reports their ideas of wrong or better yet, everything THEY think is right.

Agree to the fullest

agreed...cnn gives both sides/viewpoints of the war. Fox just gets mad when there is someone against it.

Disagree to the fullest

JQ Public · #10 Postby **JQ Public** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 5:48 pm

#11 Postby **wx247** » Tue Apr 01, 2003 9:51 am

Okay, okay, okay... I think we have strayed off the path here and I think I have figured out what the problem is. We are using the word "news" so loosely it is not even funny!

News is what is on Fox during the day...much like CNN. The evening shows on FOX and CNN are commentary/talk shows. I think those are where you will find the biases of either side. For the most part, the "news" isn't biased on either network. I mean, how can you be biased on a "breaking" story?

Israeli Cable Companies to Remove BBC News Channel.

Israeli Cable Companies to Remove BBC News Channel.

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