I’m not the sort of mook who cries foul whenever BBC gives undue prominence to a story they don’t think worthwhile and I do accept that hundreds of cars mysteriously breaking down after using fuel from a number of specific petrol stations is a fascinating story, but the BBC news site currently has three, count them, three stories on it’s front page about this. Here’s a screenshot if they’ve come to their senses by the time you read this.
The main news item today is Petrol retailers say fuel is safe. In the Features, Views, Analysis box is Driver Fury – Anger as motorists hit by wave of ‘contaminated’ fuel. Meanwhile over on the right under Have Your Say there’s Have you been sold ‘contaminated’ fuel?. The Driver Fury piece is actually linked to twice on the same page (with different titles), also coming under the main news piece along with an unrelated story about oil prices falling. You can also watch a statement from a Tesco spokesperson. Then in the Most Read box two of these stories appear again.
All of this linked to directly from the main BBC news page.
Can you spell overkill?
You missed the beauty of the ITV news anchor standing with a sheaf of printed emails in order to express the gravity of the situation. It was one of the finer pieces of prop journalism I have seen in a while.
Printed emails! I love it!
There’s now a great map showing “where people who have contacted BBC News say they have bought petrol that has led to engine problems”. I love this. It’s like an epidemic!
(And needless to say woefully unscientific!)
I note that everything is all right for those with comprehensive insurance – they can claim for ruined engines or whatever even though the cause is obviously with the supplier of duff petrol. What about those who don’t have comprehensive cover? Oh, silly me. . . . .