The BBC presents itself to the world as the gold standard of independent journalism. Binay Kumar Singh and Prashant Pandey spend this book systematically dismantling that claim. Working through the corporation's history from its wartime origins to the present, they show how the BBC cultivated a reputation for impartiality while maintaining close, often undisclosed ties to British intelligence and security establishments — ties that have shaped editorial decisions on matters far beyond Britain's shores.
The financial structure gets equal scrutiny. Funded through mandatory licence fees and state grants, the BBC avoids the label of state broadcaster, but the authors argue this distinction is largely cosmetic. More consequential, in their telling, is a recurring editorial pattern: BBC coverage consistently amplifies fault lines in the developing world in ways that serve establishment interests, even when no direct instruction can be proved. Margaret Thatcher famously noted that she had fought three elections against the BBC and did not want a fourth; the Iranian studies scholar Hamid Dabashi goes further, calling the corporation a master of dangerous fake news long before that phrase entered common currency.
Whether readers come away persuaded of every argument or not, the book assembles a detailed record of the gap between the BBC's self-image and its documented behaviour — a record any serious media consumer should weigh.
ABOUT THE BOOK: BBC's True Lies unveils heretofore undisclosed facets and facts about the BBC, prompting us to scrutinise its claim as the ultimate arbiter of authentic information. The book brings to light the cleverly crafted image of BBC's 'independence and impartiality' with a global audience, while subtly becoming a part of the British security and intelligence system, both historically and in modern times, aligning with establishment interests. The book points out how the BBC, while funded by the people through mandatory licence, state support in forms of grants etc, still manages to avoid the label of 'state-controlled media'. There also seems to be a common thread in the BBC's reporting which tends to aggravate the faultlines in the developing and under-developed world. This critical look at the BBC is meant for readers all around the world as it deals with matters of global importance. The book aims to empower readers to approach global media outlets with discernment, encouraging a more thoughtful and informed interaction with the information provided by such influential but potentially biased sources. ~*~ "I have fought three elections against the BBC and don't want to fight another against it." -Margaret Thatcher Former UK Prime Minister "Long before 'fake news' had a name, the BBC was a master of fake news, in fact fake news of the most dangerous, the most vicious consequences, casting nations, not just individuals, into direct calamities." -Hamid Dabashi Renowned Author, Professor & Expert on Iranian Studies
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