BBC apologises for 'anti-U.S.' show

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, SEPT. 16. The BBC has apologised for a programme in which a former U.S. ambassador to Britain, Mr. Philip Lader, was reduced to tears in the face of a strong anti-American sentiment among the audience, many of whom, while condemning Tuesday's terrorist attacks, said America should ask itself why so many people around the world ``despised'' it so much.

In what is being described as an ``unprecedented'' public apology, the BBC director-general, Mr. Greg Dyke, said the programme was ``inappropriate'' and should not have been telecast live.

A special edition of Question Time on BBC 1, two days after the tragic events in New York and Washington, was marked by a sharp criticism of the U.S. foreign policy which the bulk of the audience believed was responsible for a ``hatred'' of America.

There were frequent clashes between hawkish U.S. supporters and equally hawkish critics, mostly Muslims, and the moderator - the suave Mr. David Dimbleby - had a difficult time maintaining order. A panelist, Ms. Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, a leading commentator on ethnic affairs, was attacked by U.S. supporters for saying that after Tuesday's events America had joined ``the real world''.

Mr. Lader, taken aback by the depth of anti-U.S. feeling, said tearfully: ``I find it hurtful that you can suggest that a majority of the world despises the U.S. ...I simply want to say that it saddens me how it is possible on this night, within 48 hours (of the attacks), that because of animosity of feeling on political issues we can frankly abstract ourselves from the senseless human victimisation and suffering that has occurred.''

The Daily Telegraph hit the roof with a front-page story over ``Outrage at anti-U.S. `bias' on BBC'' saying viewers found the programme ``tasteless and insensitive''.

It quoted one viewer as saying that the programme was ``packed with Left-wingers and a high percentage of Muslims'' who did not represent the views of the average Briton. In a slightly inaccurate description of the proceedings, it said Lord (Paddy) Ashdown was ``rarely allowed to complete a sentence...'' A Telegraph commentator spoke of ``outraged spectators'' watching ``in disbelief as a former U.S. ambassador was cruelly baited, before being shouted down by an overwhelmingly hostile audience'' - a description which many who viewed the programme thought was highly exaggerated.

Mr. Lader was not ``cruelly baited'' or ``shouted down''. In fact, as the occasion demanded, he got ample time to put forward his country's viewpoint and barring routine interruptions which every panelist faced, he was heard with patience. Indeed, if any panelist was attacked it was Ms Alibhai-Brown, and the Labour MP, Mr. Tam Dalyell, who criticised the American policy against Iraq.

Mr Dyke's intervention came after BBC officials had defended the programme, quite rightly saying that ``the right issues were discussed and a broad range of opinions were aired, many of them supporting the USA.'' Mr. Dyke, however, said that after seeing the tapes he felt that ``it was an inappropriate programme to broadcast live just two days after the attacks in the U.S.'' His comment was seen as an indirect snub to Mr. Dimbleby who is a candidate for BBC's chairmanship.

Mr. Dimbleby, ever a professional, said the programme was meant to be a sober discussion of the issues arising out of the terrorist outrage in the U.S. ``I'm sorry for the offence caused by the intemperate language and aggressive attitudes of a small part of the audience,'' he said.

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