Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Its the financial apocalypse, so where is the BBC's Stephanie Flanders on her bicycle ?

Just wondering where the BBC's economics correspondent is on a day like yesterday ?

Paul Mason has been popping up and down everywhere, when he can spare a moment from appearing on Trotskyite platforms.

Well here she is recording a web cast on the "Cost of the Iraq War" on an odd network called "The Real News Network". The page that has the recording is dated 15 Sep 08, but perhaps its was recorded a while ago ?

Well at least we know she's OK - its always possible someone's badly ill or such.

But what a day to go on a hobby type assignment ! (The other people involved in this enterprise look well left of centre also ! )

Anyone know what's going on ?

OK perhaps its not seen as economics. I guess that could be the case, but its seems a bit odd. Could the BBC be over staffed perhaps ?

PS The Real News Network looks pretty left wing to me - make up your own mind here ... Surely our ever neutral and not institutionally left wing at all BBC. The Frontline organisation seems to be some sort of Journalists talking about each other type outfit. Not sure of their political leanings - yet.

6 comments:

James Higham said...

Nope, don't know what's going on at all here, MiaS but I can imagine.

Brian said...

She's on maternity leave from her BBC Economics Editor job currently being done better by Hugh Pym.

Man in a Shed said...

Gallimaufry - ah that makes sense. She must be in the US right now, to be able to do the web casts.

What a time to have to take an absence ! Still it'll give her more unbiased economics questions to ask David Cameron when she next sees him.

Anonymous said...

Hi. This is Stephanie Flanders. Thanks for your concern. I am on maternity leave, with both feet firmly in the UK. I agree it's not good timing but I can imagine the comments I would get for returning to the heavy hours of Economics Editor with a 2 month-old baby at home!
The Stiglitz event was in London, 6 months ago. I was interviewing the Nobel-prize winning economist about his book, at a club for journalists which filmed the evening for their own purposes. Thanks.

Man in a Shed said...

Stephanie - sounds like a good reason (congratulations), though your explanations to the rest of us about what on earth is going on are missed.

Paul Mason looks like he's enjoying the end of global capitalism a bit too much in New York.

The Highland Blogger said...

Seems to me that Robert Peston (BBC Business Editor) is doing a great job, I had to check up and find out who the BBC Economics Editor was! In the good old days Evan Davis would have been in our faces so I was surprised by the absence of Stephanie Flanders, bet hey, she's having or had a baby and that's her priority right now, mind you this crisis is making Robert a bit of a household name! An institution!