propaganda press! boycott Carifesta X

Dear Editor,
I was intrigued to read the “page one comment” on your website today (Tuesday Edition, March 27). I can’t claim to be a regular reader of Kaieteur News, but let me commend you on what appears a lively publication, brimming with local interest and first-class editorial.My attention was grabbed by the headline: “The BBC’s Martin Gough’s insulting journalism”. The article beneath it claims that a report on the BBC Sport website by the aforementioned Gough on his first impressions of Guyana, is somehow indicative of a general malaise in western journalism, which “takes pleasure in bashing developing countries”.

At this point I need to declare an interest. Not only am I a western journalist, but I am also Martin Gough’s employer. As such I feel well placed to provide a perspective on what looks like developing into an intriguing spat.

Firstly and most importantly, I feel compelled to defend Martin. He is a fine journalist, who embodies the BBC’s principles of fairness, accuracy and impartiality. He was merely offering his immediate views on Guyana, to help bring the Cricket World Cup to life for readers of our Test Match Special Blog. His article was never intended as some kind of damning pronouncement on post-colonial society.

As Martin himself has subsequently written in his latest blog post, his words on Guyana could just as easily have been applied to a report on London’s newly-built Wembley Stadium - indeed there are remarkable similarities between the two, in terms of both weather conditions and the delay in the construction work.

Martin has been given a remit to report on what he sees - and I imagine that, as he starts to discover the true Guyana, you will start to see a different tone of coverage over the next few days.

And in answer to your (presumably rhetorical) question - yes, Martin Gough does “know the difference between silly mid-on and fine leg”. He is a cricket specialist who has been reporting on the sport for many years now and serves BBC Sport with real distinction. (Mind you, he does support Derbyshire County Cricket Club so maybe he’s not that much of an expert after all…).

Secondly, I would hope that you and your readers don’t think that all western journalism takes a pejorative view of developing nations. The BBC prides itself on its comprehensive coverage of world affairs which is reported from an unbiased and knowledgable standpoint. We have bureaux all around the globe, including in regions your article describes as “Third World”, and the BBC World Service has for decades brought international news to audiences across all continents. There is no “gutter journalism” at the BBC - just a profound desire to tell stories from around the world.

In conclusion, I would ask you to reconsider the content of Martin Gough’s blog entry and appreciate the tone in which it was written. I am sure Guyana will put on a fantastic show for the World Cup and I hope you and your readers enjoy hosting this superb event. Believe me, I wish I was there with you - rather than stuck in gloomy west London.

Best regards,

Ben Gallop

Editor

BBC Sport website

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