The BBC is failing the large Polish community here and abroad by broadcasting biased programmes along with factually inaccurate and opinionated views about Poland and by allowing the inclusion of insulting material across all their media including their website. This combined with no programmes to support the Polish community in the UK is forcing action against them.
Amongst the issues are:
The TV programme 'Stadiums of Hate’ which portrayed Poland as a place where intolerance and racism lie just below the surface.
The apparent 'institutional amnesia’ regarding Polish achievements such as the breaking of the German Enigma code and discovering the Earth orbits the Sun.
The disregard of undertakings not to make statements about 'Polish concentration camps’, since Poles did not set up or run such camps (as this implies) but were among the victims of 'German’ or 'Nazi German’ camps such as Auschwitz.
The BBC has an apparent contempt for the Polish community and its culture. With Polish now being the second most spoken language in the UK, at the end of 2012 the BBC closed the only regular Polish language programme.
A litmus test will be the showing of Generation War (Unsere Muetter, Unsere Vaeter). This clearly biased German drama is to be shown by end of 2013 on BBC2. The Polish community should expect the BBC to cut the offensive parts or at least put enough context to point out the lies in the drama. We hope for the best but plan for the worst.
Following protests in September, the second wave of protest will take place in the United Kingdom, United States and Poland on 16th November 2013. In the UK the main event will be at 11am outside Broadcasting House, Portland Street, London. Further actions at regional and London offices are planned to start on 30th November 2013.
by Polish Media Issues Group
Those interested in further details should contact the PMI.
Postal address: PMI via Support Poland Limited, 49 Castle Rise, Cardiff, CF3 4BB, Wales
E-mail: [email protected]
Alternative e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.germancampspolishvictims.info (currently being rebuilt)