The Volokh Conspiracy - Appalling, If True:

The Sunday Telegraph (UK) reports:

Amid the deaths and the grim daily struggle bravely borne by Britain's forces in southern Iraq, one tale of heroism stands out.

Private Johnson Beharry's courage in rescuing an ambushed foot patrol then, in a second act, saving his vehicle's crew despite his own terrible injuries earned him a Victoria Cross.

For the BBC, however, his story is "too positive" about the conflict.

The corporation has cancelled the commission for a 90-minute drama about Britain's youngest surviving Victoria Cross hero because it feared it would alienate members of the audience opposed to the war in Iraq....

Note, though, the "if true"; the BBC has not admitted that this is the reason ("[a] spokesman for the BBC admitted that it had abandoned the VC project but refused to elaborate"), and the story relies on anonymous sources -- certainly not an uncommon or inherently illegitimate reporting practice, but one that leaves considerable room for error.

Thanks to InstaPundit for the pointer.

	[Eugene Volokh, April 8, 2007 at 4:33pm] Trackbacks Appalling, If True: The Sunday Telegraph (UK) reports: Amid the deaths and the grim daily struggle bravely borne by Britain's forces in southern Iraq, one tale of heroism stands out. Private Johnson Beharry's courage in rescuing an ambushed foot patrol then, in a second act, saving his vehicle's crew despite his own terrible injuries earned him a Victoria Cross. For the BBC, however, his story is "too positive" about the conflict. The corporation has cancelled the commission for a 90-minute drama about Britain's youngest surviving Victoria Cross hero because it feared it would alienate members of the audience opposed to the war in Iraq.... Note, though, the "if true"; the BBC has not admitted that this is the reason ("[a] spokesman for the BBC admitted that it had abandoned the VC project but refused to elaborate"), and the story relies on anonymous sources -- certainly not an uncommon or inherently illegitimate reporting practice, but one that leaves considerable room for error. Thanks to InstaPundit for the pointer.