Why did Channel 4 have a presenter in a hijab fronting coverage of Muslim terror in Nice?
Would C4 have used a Hindu to report on the carnage at the Golden Temple of Amritsar? Of course not
ANXIOUS to know more about the Nice lorry massacre, I did something on Friday night I try to avoid: I watched Channel Four News.
After Jon Snow had conducted a poor interview with a young man who had come perilously close to death the action switched back to the London studio, where I could hardly believe my eyes.
The presenter was not one of the regulars — Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Matt Frei or Cathy Newman — but a young lady wearing a hijab.
Her name is Fatima Manji and she has been with the station for four years. Was it appropriate for her to be on camera when there had been yet another shocking slaughter by a Muslim
Was it done to stick one in the eye of the ordinary viewer who looks at the hijab as a sign of the slavery of Muslim women by a male- dominated and clearly violent religion?
Would the C4 editor have used a Hindu to report on the carnage at the Golden Temple of Amritsar?
Of course not.
Would the station have used an Orthodox Jew to cover the Israeli-Palestine conflict? Of course not.
So why did they do it? The suggestion is that Ms Manji, left, who I don’t blame as she is just a pawn in this TV news game, had been rostered on some time ago and presumably the C4 twerps felt to remove her would cause a bigger row.
On that basis why didn’t they send her to Nice instead of Snow? Of course, there was a very good reason for that.
The people of Nice, and the people of France, would view a foreign reporter wearing a hijab in these tense times as massively provocative.
I’m not sure Muslim reporters in secular France are even allowed to wear headscarves on screen.
Further editorial stupidity of the station (I do hope that the new Culture Secretary flogs the joint as the country desperately needs the £1billion) they had sitting in the studio a French guy who was worried about Islamophobia.
With all the major terrorist outrages in the world currently being carried out by Muslims, I think the rest of us are reasonably entitled to have concerns about what is beating in their religious hearts. Who was in the studio representing our fears?
Nobody.
It is coverage like this that raises a question mark over the future of Channel Four. They are a licensed business. Let’s sell that licence to somebody who can supply balance in these difficult times.
Watch it, Brides, you must shell out too
WENT to a wedding on Saturday where I saw an extraordinary example of the new financial equality between bride and groom.
The groom Nico Ferrari – son of LBC radio breakfast show host Nick Ferrari – had, as you would expect, bought and paid for lovely Claire’s engagement and wedding rings.
What I found surprising was on the morning of the wedding Nico, a motor racing businessman, received a surprise gift from Claire, a surveyor, in the shape of a Rolex watch, equivalent I presume to the cost of the rings.
The watch was handed round during the reception and because I don’t know anything about these things I Googled it and it looks like an Oyster Perpetual, costing £3,500.
I was astonished at this balancing act between the newlyweds, left and inset, and raised it with a young woman sitting next to me at the dinner who turned out to be an accountant with KPMG in London’s Canary Wharf.
I thought that being a 27-year-old accountant she would be naturally, ahem, careful with her money and wouldn’t entertain such an idea. I was wrong. She told me her boyfriend, sitting across the table, had already made clear that if they were to become engaged he would expect a Patek Philippe watch in return.
I asked the guy, who had his own tech start-up, if this was true. He said it was. Being the nosey sort I went online and discovered these watches can cost anywhere between £10,000 and £100,000.
I presume if you don’t want a watch (thanks to your phone you certainly don’t need one, as timepiece manufacturers are finding out) you can ask for something else from your loved one.
So I foresee two prezzie lists from now on. One for the guests . . . and one from the groom to his.
— I NOTE that Elton John paid out north of £100,000 in an out-of-court settlement to an employee who originally claimed a suggestion of sexual harassment but which the star denied.
Why if it was untrue did he pay the money? I’m sure there’s an easy answer. Problem is, I can’t think of it.
Can you?
— THERESA MAY will never be able to fly Ryanair. She has two bags under her eyes
A Manic Punday
PET grooming service in Mansfield, Notts – Woofs and Whiskers.
On a mineral water delivery truck near Leeds – Drink T and P mineral water.
Dairy van in Newcastle upon Tyne – From Moo to You.
Landscaper in Brunel, West London – Dick Turfin.
Plasterer in Birmingham – Plaster Scene.
Flower shop in Llandudno, Conwy – Enchanted Florist.
Mobile dog groomer on Westlink, Belfast – Waggin’ Wheels.
German delicatessen in Richmond, Surrey – Hansel and Pretzel.
Mobile chip van in Little Tarrington, Hereford – Starchip Enterprise.
Landscape van in Bisley, Surrey – Weed Man.
Gift shop in Broadstairs, Kent – Present Company.
Sandwich bar in Torquay, Devon – Licence 2 Fill.
Car valet in Paignton, Devon – Bay Wash.
Flower van in Hornsey, North London – Petal to the Metal.
Food van in Cardiff – Chris d’Burger.
You love the punnies, I love the punnies. Keep sending them to kelvin@the-sun.co.uk.
Trust me to get answers
PLEASED to report that, prompted by me, the important Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Trustpilot, the racket that gives companies five-star ratings if they supply 30 emails from “customers” saying what great service they gave.
Trustpilot has no idea if these emails are kosher (almost certainly they come from friends and family) and they don’t care, as they are pocketing a huge monthly fee from the companies for churning out the ratings designed to fool unknowing customers.
related stories
I note the online estate agents Purple Bricks and telecoms giant Three are using the Trustpilot endorsements on their TV ads. These stars are at best worthless and at worst a fraud.
Grateful if they are removed, or do these companies enjoy tricking their customers with handpicked or untruthful endorsements?
Google have a role to play. They should not allow Trustpilot stars into their system.
—RESIDENTS of Dartford, in Kent, have been quick to point out that Len Goodman and the Hatton Garden mob are not the only famous names to come out of the town (Friday’s column), naming Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mackenzie Crook, Steve Rider, Malcolm Allison and Graham Dilley as other alumini.
I’ve always viewed the A2 as the best thing to come out of Dartford.
—KER-CHING! Ker-ching! Column reader Mr V Smith, from Blackheath, South London, received Saga’s car renewal at £681.18, went on aspokesmansaid.com and switched to LV for £316, a saving of £365.18.
While Ron Hunnisett, from Worthing, West Sussex, offered to buy me a beer as Aviva wanted £399 to insure his wife’s car – she had eight years no claims – and went on aspokesmansaid.com where RAC offered the same cover for £179, saving £220.
Love those saving stories. Please send them to kelvin@the-sun.co.uk