Saturday, October 18, 2008

Viewers complain to BBC about Pestonmania and that blinking red graph





I'm not going mad. Yet, it seems. I have been getting increasingly annoyed by the BBC. In fact, at times watching their news, I am what the Americans would call "fit to be tied" over all their hysterical panic over the stock market crisis.

For example, the other day, we had Hugh Edwards saying that the New York stock market was in "melt down". I then checked what that day's position was. The Dow had gone down by 2%. That is not "melt down". It is still higher than in 2003.

Then we had Sophie Raworth this week saying inflation is "soaring". RUBBISH. It is at 5.4%. Talk to Zimbabweans if you want to know about "soaring" inflation.

Then there is that blessed pulsating downward red graph line then show all the time (above). ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH

Then there is the canonisation of Robert Peston - complete with flailing arms and staring eyes. You can rely on him to make a drama out of a crisis.

Anyway, I am delighted that other BBC viewers share my feelings on this. Today's BBC Newswatch was saturated with viewers going on about it. One viewer, a financial expert, described the Pestonmania situation and concluded that he fully expected Robert Peston to have his own Christmas special show complete with dancing girls and fireworks.

Another viewer pointed out the red downward graph line and asked: Why, on days when the stock market is going up, is the graph line still going down?

Good question.

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