15/06/2012 Newswatch

Now it is time for Newswatch. Has the coverage of the Euro 2012

football tournament focused too Welcome to NewsWatch. Coming up,

why this piece to camera and this one provoked the ire of viewers.

The Euro 2012 football tournament in Poland and Ukraine kicked off

all week ago. Much of the coverage focused on the behaviour of fans in

the host countries. Here is the Sports Editor last Friday. Under

way but overshadowed, Euro 2012 opened in Warsaw with a colourful

ceremony. After so many problems for the organisers, a relief to see

the first game between Poland and Greece. But it is racism which is

dominating the agenda. But should it racism have been dominating the

BBC's agenda? Some spectators were recorded making monkey noises at

the Dutch players and there were clashes between Russian and Polish

fans. The allegation of racist abuse during the matches was made

against Spanish spectators. Several viewers thought the BBC was taking

things out of proportion and two up and join us now. With me is a James

Stevensons, the editor. What was it you did not like about the coverage

of the pre-tournament games and activities? I didn't like the fact

that the BBC was looking for the sensation before anything happened.

I didn't like the facts that they were scaring people off from coming

to Poland. They make the whole nation looking like a nation of

racists and anti-Zionist -- and it could not be further from the trees.

Some fans were recorded making monkey noises. Yes, it is true

unfortunately, every country has problems with racists. It is not

much different here. The handful of people should not overshadow the

whole country. A fantastic welcoming that most of the nation's

got from the Polish fans. What do you think of the BBC's coverage

before the tournament started? Imagine if someone goes... If

someone in Poland started the news showing last year's riots in London.

You can have lots of videos and incidents of people being

aggressive and damaging property, cars on fire and houses on fires.

People being injured. Does it say the whole of England is like that,

does it say it is not safe to come for the Olympics here because that

would not be the full picture. James, respond to the viewers and

the facts What You reported may have happened and is given a false

impression. I understand the concerns, is Poland or the Ukraine

painted as a racist country when we are focusing on specific incidents

but having said that, these are serious and major issues and it

does seem that there are small pockets of racist fans in Poland

and I think it is an important story we should tackle. I

understand the concern about does it portray the whole of Poland,

that is not the intention, it is not what we have done but it is

something we will seek to avoid. You sexy gave it a lot of

prominence and do you consider changing the nature of British

society, there are hundreds of thousands working and living here,

your viewers. Yes, we did in its prominence, deserves prominence. It

is right we should give it better attention. I do not think we are

giving it disproportionate coverage. Would recover events in this

country in a similar way, I think we would. Racism in this country is

a serious issue and racism around football is a serious issue which

we have covered in this country. I feel it is something the audience

takes seriously and I take the point if you are here and your

roots are in Poland, you're not pleased to see your country held up

in that light but it was an issue we needed to tackle. An important

story that was news and deserve to receive that attention. Fair enough

we should focus on incidents, they should not happen in the first

place and if they happen, the Polish authorities should do

everything to punish people who were involved. But there was 20,000

people supporting the team and the only news I could here on the radio

or TV was about them few silly stupid people, hooligans, not

football supporters who were -- should be ashamed of themselves.

Did you know there were thousands of people wearing orange T-shirts

supporting the team as well? No one could really hear that here. What

do you think of what you have heard? One thing is to present

facts how they are but the other thing is in the meantime asking

questions like, some footballers asks if they would go on the street

or are you a friend, are you afraid you will end up in a coffin, or if

the fans did not behave how they should. It only seems to be focused

on one nation and there is never any mention of the positive side, a

nobody says anything about it, only looking for the holes. Two negative

over all? I do not think so. I hope it will progress in a success away

and if the host countries do well and the event may move on from this

and we will cover that and to cover the exuberance and excitement. It

would be wrong not to cover this and I think while I take what is

taking -- said, we must not diminished downplaying something

which is a major issue, it is not the whole of the Polish population

but it's a major issue worthy of serious news coverage in my view.

Thank you. There have been other Euro 2012 related complaints in the

postbag, the televising of matches on BBC One has led to schedule

changes with Isobel Morrison e- The News at Six appeared at 7pm and

there was more annoyance when the English team played his first match.

The news channel carried this update. Yes, typical England, we

have had smiles and cheers when England scored and a few minutes

later France equalised and the fans had their heads in their hands.

Let's get the people's verdict. Johnny, how did it go?

Clearly not a fan. There was an equally frosty response from this

piece to camera David Sillito at the funeral of the singer Robin

Many are remembering summer he was a member of the community for 30

years. But the fans are remembering one of Britain's greatest

songwriters. Michael had this There was another reporter centre

stage this week following flooding caused by persistent rain. Here is

how the news at six reported the story.

Our correspondent joins as from West Sussex. It has been

particularly bad. Really bad. The best thing we can say is the rain

is finally stopping. Keith Rose e- Finally, the Prime Minister has had

a challenging week appearing at the Leveson Inquiry on Thursday and

facing considerable embarrassment over the story.

David Cameron it is distraught after realising he accidentally

left his eight year-old daughter in a pub after Sunday lunch with

friends. Downing Street design -- described it as a mix up because

his wife and the Prime Minister were travelling in separate cars.