Thread: MOD/Navy: Pers allowed / not allowed to sell stories.

Originally Posted by mysterioustimes

What really pisses me off, being ex RM is that the Paras are gonna dine out on this for years. Bet they can't believe their luck. That goes for all you Pongos.

Problem is I'm inclined to agree with them. We are the laughing stock of all the forces. This came straight out of Charlie Chaplin.

Just when you had recovered from "invading" Spain due to a map reading error and twatting each other with bedding mats....the Paras are no strangers to "whoops" scenarios, the most important thing is to learn from them, or at the very least to ensure that those at the top of the chain take responsibility for their cockups if they expect those at the bottom to take the flak as well.

Every service has it's little run of embarassments that end in media stories, boards og inquiry or court martials, it the RNs turn now. Let's wait and see who cocks up next, but you can bet it won't be a politician who actually stands up and says "mea culpa".

nigegilb wrote:
Some key players;
James Clark

A former newspaper journalist brought

Is this the one ?

JAMES CLARKE (DAILY MAIL):
Just to return to this television station, please. The Serbs are saying this morning that this constitutes deliberate targeting of civilians. It is very difficult to dispute, isn't it? You must have know that building was full of civilians however legitimate a target you consider it to be.

Press Briefing - Kosovo 1999

Yeah, that's him, he was responsible for this as well; (allegedly)

Government forced to let ITV News back on the front-line
Last updated at 22:00pm on 3rd November 2006

The Government was yesterday forced into an embarassing climb-down over its decision to ban ITV News filming with front-line troops.
Ministry of Defence officials have been left red-faced after being forced to admit they are dropping claims that the broadcaster had carried "innacurate" reports about the poor medical treatment of injured soliders.

The row that followed led to the MoD it banning ITV News from filming in combat zones.

The MoD has also been forced to back down over accusations that ITV News had intruded on the privacy of an injured soldier.

Instead it has watered-down its complaint to say that it did not like the "tone" of series of reports, which ran over a week on ITV News.

It has now reinstated all the broadcaster rights to film with the military.

The moves appear to back up claims by senior journalists at ITV News that government spin-doctors were trying to bully the broadcaster into not running critical reports about the militaries actvities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It also being seen as further proof that government spin-doctors have become increasingly "paranoid" about the endless tide of negative publicty about its actvities in the Middle-East.

The ban had been met with astonishment by senior ITV journalist who had claimed the MoD was openly attacking freedom of speech and the freedom of the press.

One well known correspondent had said: "Everyone is really suprised about how over the top they have gone. This is all about what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are incredibly sensitive to the point of paranoia."

At least James Clark in consistant at f8cking up

Originally Posted by nigegilb

Yeah, that's him, he was responsible for this as well; (allegedly)

Government forced to let ITV News back on the front-line

I am seriously amazed that he was not sacked after that one, the amount of ill will that generated in the press corps was unbelievable. All it indicates that everybody above him who didn’t sack him then has to go now.

I think you are being a bit harsh on the huge intellectual power at the MoD AJ. I am surprised they need to listen to initiatives from the bottom, thought they had everything in hand.........

Originally Posted by armchair_jihad

Originally Posted by nigegilb

Yeah, that's him, he was responsible for this as well; (allegedly)

Government forced to let ITV News back on the front-line

I am seriously amazed that he was not sacked after that one, the amount of ill will that generated in the press corps was unbelievable. All it indicates that everybody above him who didn’t sack him then has to go now.

He'll have plenty of YTS lads and secretaries who can take the fall so plenty of f*ckups left in him

Originally Posted by tomahawk6

Saw this quote today.Maybe the RM will need to tweak their selection process.

Cousin,

When you or ANY of Uncle Sam's Motorcycle Club can work up the energy to totter round the lower field at Lympestone, let alone the Dartmoor 30 miler (in under 8 hours, 7 if you are an ocifer) , THEN you will have earned the right to criticise Real Marines - which is what the shoulder title stands for next time you meet one in Quantico.....

( the Army/Navy game is going to be mayhem this year..... )

Don Cabra

Originally Posted by Balleh

In my more paranoiac moments I even feel the Government fears the Services. Not that they might take over the country, but their successes are in sharp contrast to the incompetence of other Government Departments whose Ministers look stupid popinjays.

KERCHI_I_I_I_NG! Give that man a Cocunut, 'Arry.

Now where's that lovely avatar with a Chally silhouette superimposed on Westminster entitled

' REGIME CHANGE BEGINS AT HOME '...........saw it on here again recently......definitely a Tee shirt crying out to be made out of that one !

Le Chevre

Originally Posted by mysterioustimes

What really pisses me off, being ex RM is that the Paras are gonna dine out on this for years. Bet they can't believe their luck. That goes for all you Pongos.

Problem is I'm inclined to agree with them. We are the laughing stock of all the forces. This came straight out of Charlie Chaplin.

But is it a twenty-five year tradition ?

Reference the Army v Navy,

I reckon that all us pongos who are attending should go dressed up as Iranian Revolutionary Guards, if we can get across London without being shot by met coppers, then the Navy will be too busy surrendering to offer us a decent game. Voila!! 6 on the bounce.

Originally Posted by nigegilb

initiatives from the bottom

Yes indeed, when Clark sits down his voice goes all muffled. But he's not the only one in MoD PR who needs sacking. Scrutinise those who have been directly involved so far. That's where you'll find a few other culprits.

The rule always was if you want to spout off you leave first. What you do in civvy street is your affair (leaving out the Offical Secrets Act of course).
But then again maybe a calous political act from a failing (and aren't they all) government.
I cannot believe the 2nd Sea Lord took the decision on his own.
Politics there somewhere.

Originally Posted by Unsworth

Originally Posted by nigegilb

initiatives from the bottom

Yes indeed, when Clark sits down his voice goes all muffled. But he's not the only one in MoD PR who needs sacking. Scrutinise those who have been directly involved so far. That's where you'll find a few other culprits.

Come on Unsworth, put us out of our misery.......

I was somewhat amused by one commentator today who suggested that the uniformed naval "powers that be" allowed the 15 to sell their true tales of derring-didn't specifically to embarrass the government. Imagine the sailors using the media to embarrass the politicians? Why it's not cricket, damnit, the NA and mandarins would never do that...oh hang on a minute...