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.