How journalism works, part 93592.
It was the classic Mail on Sunday double-page spread: “Shot and pushed in a ditch … How the Nazis slaughtered all but one of Natasha’s family”.
The feature told the story of BBC presenter Natasha Kaplinsky’s family, and how her grandfather Itzak was the only survivor.
However, the BBC has taken issue with one or two minor points in the story.
The corporation says that Itzak was not in fact Natasha’s grandfather.
And that it isn’t true that all of the rest of her family were killed.
And that it also isn’t true that those who did die were slaughtered in one mass execution by the Nazis at Slonim in Poland.
And just to ensure that the BBC completely disputes the story from the outset, the corporation has told the Mail on Sunday that it is far from certain that those family members who did die were “shot and pushed in a ditch”.
I’m glad we’ve got that cleared up.
What does any of this matter? We get to see loads more pictures of Natasha Kaplinsky, whose audience appeal is as baffling as it is enormous.
I am, however, surprised by the BBC’s reaction, as I would have expected them to sign Natasha’s story up for an episode of their increasingly Newsround-a-like Panorama programme. By the looks of it, the story is accurate enough to qualify and has just the right level of global interest.
Furthermore a show which shows “head-too-big-for-body” Kaplinsky looking a) serious and b) sad, might serve to visually prolong the pretence that she is a journalist, as opposed to the most crass example since Jan Leeming of a parachuted-in dunderheaded bimboid.
Note to the BBC, if you’re going to parachute in a dunderheaded bimboid, can I suggest you use the French approach and not bother making any attempt whatsoever to cover it up?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoQLOCU6KBg
Ah, news just in, it appears the BBC might be starting to learn this lesson already…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYuWFulbl3I
I can only understand about 20% of what Ms. Theuriau says but I’m now seriously considering emigrating to France.
Kate Silverton, meanwhile, is a fuckwit.