MEDIA WATCH

Guardian: BBC Director slams US media for war coverage

BBC director general Greg Dyke delivered a stinging criticism of US
news coverage of the war in Iraq as he collected a prestigious award for his
contribution to broadcasting at an international awards ceremony last
night.

Mr Dyke said it was the BBC's duty to stand up to the government as he
was presented with an international Emmy directorate award for his
outstanding achievement in TV broadcasting at the ceremony in New York.

"News organisations should be in the business of balancing their
coverage, not banging the drum for one side or the other. This is something which
seemed to get lost in American reporting of the war," said Mr Dyke