Of Anger. BBC’s John Sweeney and the Scientologists.

 

Article:  May 18th, 2007 by Barry Pittard

This article's Url: http://barrypittard.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/of-anger-bbcs-john-sweeney-and-the-scientologists/

Blogsite Url: http://barrypittard.wordpress.com

The film footage on YouTube, the BBC website etc., of the BBC Panorama journalist John Sweeney losing his temper explosively at a scientologist has provoked a huge stir. An interesting companion piece is the film footage, revealed by BBC hidden camera, of Dr Michael Goldstein badly losing his temper, as seen on the BBC's 'The Secret Swami' in 2004. The clickable Link for this footage is given in this article.

Quotes from article just posted at Barry Pittard's blogsite, Call for Media and Government Investigation of Sathya Sai Baba

1. One of the key issues in the confrontation between BBC Panorama’s John Sweeney and a scientologist concerns broadcaster guidelines.

2. It would be a pity if any excellence of John Sweeney in the past gets obscured by the incident, just as it would be wrong for any demonstrable good the scientologists may have done in drug rehabilitation to be obscured. However, good works - and the Sathya Sai Organization most assuredly does many - should not obscure proper investigation of any improper conduct by it or its founder.

3. Are there many media and other institutions big and powerful enough to stand up to extremely powerfully endowed organizations like Scientology and the Sathya Sai Organization? Let us not emasculate the few watchdogs we have. Although, let us encourage them to take necessary steps to monitor, anticipate and reduce e.g., unnecessary stress factors on professionals that would lead to bad messes.

4. In the case of The Secret Swami - though I think the BBC team (possibly because most on it were rather young) was in some areas less than competent - that the BBC was right to sanction the use of a hidden camera in the case of Dr Michael Goldstein, who, along with his associates, had been extremely evasive. This, in a area where the public has a right-to-know.