Should BBC Not Play #1 Song of the Week?

[InTheLight]

LONDON - The BBC is in a bind after opponents of Margaret Thatcher pushed the song "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead" to the top of the British charts in a posthumous protest over her divisive policies. As of Friday, the song was No. 1 on British iTunes.

John Whittingdale, a lawmaker from Thatcher's Conservative party, told the Daily Mail tabloid that many would find the ditty "deeply insensitive." "This is an attempt to manipulate the charts by people trying to make a political point," he said.

In a statement, the BBC said it had not yet decided on whether it would feature the song on its show — which normally plays all the week's best-selling hits.

"The Official Chart Show on Sunday is a historical and factual account of what the British public has been buying and we will make a decision about playing it when the final chart positions are clear," the taxpayer-funded BBC said.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

LONDON - The BBC is in a bind after opponents of Margaret Thatcher pushed the song "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead" to the top of the British charts in a posthumous protest over her divisive policies. As of Friday, the song was No. 1 on British iTunes.

John Whittingdale, a lawmaker from Thatcher's Conservative party, told the Daily Mail tabloid that many would find the ditty "deeply insensitive." "This is an attempt to manipulate the charts by people trying to make a political point," he said.

In a statement, the BBC said it had not yet decided on whether it would feature the song on its show — which normally plays all the week's best-selling hits.

"The Official Chart Show on Sunday is a historical and factual account of what the British public has been buying and we will make a decision about playing it when the final chart positions are clear," the taxpayer-funded BBC said.

Given that the BBC is government run, wouldn't not playing it be government censorship? And is that a good or bad thing?

 

[Matt Black]

I'd rather they didn't as it's a revolting way of responding to her death. But censoring it would be a political act.

Just a point of order as it were: the BBC is not directly controlled by the government; I'm sure David Cameron, who has called it the Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation in the past, wishes it was on occasion.

 

[church mouse guy]

The BBC should refrain from joining the political protest by playing the song from a child's movie of years ago.

I think that the British public has acted very cruelly in making a political issue out of a person's death. However, we have plenty of leftist in this country who are joining in the fray, spurred on by Democrat indifference to such boorish behavior. I wonder who, if anyone, the American government will send to the funeral?

 

[Bob Alkire]

I believe Conway Twitty had a few that radio stations didn't want to play,
I want to lay you down, was one, You've never been this far before, and Slow hand. All this isn't knew, it just keeps getting worse.

 

[InTheLight]

T I wonder who, if anyone, the American government will send to the funeral?

At minimum, had better be Biden and/or Kerry, but I bet Obama only sends the British ambassador.