Israel-based British lawyer Trevor Asserson has waged a long campaign to keep the world's most influential news organization, the BBC, honest in its reporting of Israel. He tells how, despite warnings from on high and threats to sue, he stuck to his guns.
Li-or Averbach
Globes Online
08 May '10
The phone rang just after teatime in the Asserson household. On the line, Basil Feldman cleared his throat. Baron Basil Feldman. Lord Feldman is a Jewish businessman who made his fortune in plastic toys in Britain. As a member of the Upper Chamber of the United Kingdom Parliament, in the Conservative interest, he is well-acquainted with the forces at play in British society. "Next week, I will have my annual lunch with the head of the BBC," Lord Feldman intoned. "Because of you, Mr. Asserson, the conversation is likely to be highly embarrassing."
A short time before that telephone call, Asserson had published his fourth study. This time too, as in the three previous studies, the successful Jewish lawyer sought to demonstrate that the world's strongest broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation, had a hostile bias in its reporting of Israel. With a meticulousness inspired by his goal, Asserson collated every report, every word, every nuance, of the BBC's output, and revealed to everyone the corporation's true colors. Feldman demanded that the lawyer should immediately stop publishing his "problematic" reports. When he refused, the baron called at least twice more, and politely suggested a meeting. Asserson agreed, but said from the outset that nothing would come of such a meeting.
(Read full interview)
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