Grotesque

The BBC stoops to a new low.

The following headline is currently running across the BBC Online News home page:

"Traffic to the BBC news site reached record numbers following the London attacks."

However true this may be, the only possible purpose for this story is to promote BBC News and BBC Online through this appalling tragedy.

Blowing your own trumpet in the immediate aftermath of a terror attack is about as low as it gets. Just because some irrelevant and publicity seeking web monitoring body makes such a pronouncement does not justify gazing at yourself in the mirror and giving it oxygen while rescuers are still recovering the bodies.

The millions of people who no doubt did indeed turn to the BBC in time of need, did so because the BBC has a global reputation for integrity, accuracy and reliablility. The point being of course, that people know where to go for information WITHOUT publicity.

Sadly, such a cheap, tawdry and thoughtless marketing ploy such as this just shows how little they deserve their reputation and how quickly they intend to dismantle it.